The
Classic Fairy Tales:
A Pathfinder
Fairy Tale Collections
The books listed in this category are merely a sample of the collected works by Andersen, the Brothers Grimm, and Perrault. Also included are more comprehensive collections of fairy tales in which works by these authors and others may be found.
Andersen, Hans Christian.
Stories and Fairytales by Hans Christian Andersen. Trans. H. Oskar
Sommer, Ph.D. Illus. Arthur J. Gaskin. vols. 1 and 2 London, 1893.
Davis PT8116 .E5 1893 v.1
Davis PT8116 .E5 1893 v.2
These two volumes contain over 150 of Andersen’s tales. While beautiful
treasures in and of themselves, these books (which are over one hundred years
old) are not ideal to share with children. They are a good source to use for
choosing which stories to read to children from another book, possibly a more
current book with colorful illustrations. These volumes are meant to provide
the educator with an overall feel for Andersen’s stories.
Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm.
Grimms’ Tales for Young and Old: The Complete Stories. Trans.
Ralph Manheim. Garden City: Doubleday and Company, Inc., 1977.
SILS Lib Juvenile J398.2 Grimm
Containing 210 of the Grimms’ fairy tales, including ten “Legends,” this book claims to be a “faithful” translation of the “faithful” transcriptions of the Brothers Grimm. The many tales may be read by educators and then specific tales may be chosen to share from more “kid-friendly” books.
Perrault, Charles. Perrault’s
Complete Fairy Tales. Trans. E. Johnson et al. Illus. W. Heath Robinson.
New York: Dodd, Mead and Company, 1961.
SILS Lib Juvenile J398 Perrault
Of the fourteen tales in this book, the first eleven are by Perrault himself, one is inspired by writers such as Boccacio and Chaucer, one is by Madame Leprince de Beaumont, and the last two are by Madame d’Aulnoy. There are several illustrations strewn throughout the text, but this book is meant to be an overview of Perrault’s (and others’) tales. Selections may then be made to share with children, possibly in more “attractive” books.
Tatar, Maria. The Classic
Fairy Tales. New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 1999.
Davis/UL GR550 .C57 1999
This collection is an excellent source for different authors’ versions of the Classic Fairy Tales such as “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Beauty and the Beast,” “Snow White,” and “Hansel and Gretel.” Different versions of the same tale often illuminate diversity in culture and thus may inspire lessons in varying cultural values. Brief introductions precede each grouping of tales and provide helpful and informative histories of the tales. Also informative are the included essays that range in content from analyses of specific tales to sociopolitical explorations of the tales.
Zipes, Jack, ed. The
Great Fairy Tale Tradition: From Straparola and Basile to the Brother Grimm.
New York: W. W. Norton and Company, 2001.
Davis/UL PN6071.F15 G74 2001
Housed in this book is an outstanding collection of over one hundred fairy tales written by a variety of authors. This source is ideal for someone who wants to read many fairy tales to have a taste of the genre. Each story has been translated into English and appears under a subheading such as “Disguised Heroes,” “Magical Transformations,” and “Abandoned Children.” The introductory essay by Jack Zipes provides a good overview of the development of the fairy tale. Also included are seven critical essays on fairy tales which also provide insight into the genre.