A Treasury of Traditional Tales by Teo Georgiev

 We're heading out into the world with today's read and discovering all sorts of tales from around the world. I'm expecting a variety of legends and myths, and hope that we'll see some lesser known tales mixed in. Lovely illustrations are always a plus, too.

Let's just dive in and see what this book holds!

 

A TREASURY OF TRADITIONAL TALES

by Teo Georgiev

Lonely Planet

Middle Grade Fiction  / Myth

144 pages

ages 9 to 12

Meet brave princesses, kind giants, magical elves, and vengeful serpents in this beautifully illustrated collection of traditional tales from around the world.

From African animal fables to Native American trickster tales, curious readers will find 20 spellbinding retellings of ancient stories from across the continents. Take a peek into the memories, fears, and dreams of the people who first told these stories hundreds - or even thousands - of years ago.

Inside A Treasury of Traditional Tales:

• 20 traditional tales from around the world passed down over the years and retold from authors who represent the heritage of each tale's region
• Important lessons on living your best life, facing dangers, being brave, and respecting nature can be found within the stories
• Arranged continent-by-continent with stunning illustrations by Bulgarian born, Finland-based artist, Teo Georghiev
• Stories include: North America - Raven Brings Light to the World (Haida Gwaii, Canada); The Uktena's Diamond (Cherokee Nation, USA); Sisimites (Mexico); Tata Duende (Belize). South America - Nine-Night (Guyana); Iara (Brazil); Pachakamaq and Pachamama (Peru). Africa - The Spider and the Turtle (Nigeria); The Love of a Hippo (Kenya); Why the Owl Flies at Night (Zimbabwe). Europe - The Bear Princess (England); Branwen (Wales); The Seven Wishes (Sweden). Oceania - The Rainbow Serpent (Australia); Māui Discovers Fire (New Zealand); Tigilau Versus Seia (Samoa). Asia - The Merchant and the Parrot (Ancient Persia); The King, the Queen and the Bee (Ancient Israel); The King, the Beetle and the Silk Thread (India); The Magic Dragon Boat (China)

A Treasury of Traditional Tales is the much-anticipated follow-up to Lonely Planet Kids' Myths and Legends of the World and Spooky Stories of the World. This is the ultimate collection of stories for readers who love tales filled with magic, mystery, travel, and adventure.

GOODREADS   /   AMAZON   /    B&N

MY TIDBITS

Showcasing the amazing variety the world holds, each continent stands in the spotlight with legend and myth richness.

This band is broken down into six main chapters according to the six, inhabited continents. There are around five or so tales in each one, each coming from a different region and portraying a different type of myth or legend. There is a general map at the beginning of each chapter, and some of the tales show one as well with a indication of where the tale originates. The legends cover everything from creation to gods to wisdom and more. The characters involve animals and people from various time frames and situations. There are some similarities between several of them but only light, allowing the vast variety to leave an impression.

I don't believe I've read any of the tales before, and it's fun to discover all sorts of new legends and myths. Some carry a hint of familiarity, but these are put together well to keep diversity in characters, cultures, and plots high. Each one is written by a different author to make sure these stay authentic to their area and carry a different voice. Still, the editing follows a similar line to give enough harmony to make this a smooth read no matter which one is picked up. The tales are a little longer (several pages) and are designed to be read one-by-one and not in one sitting (although that is possible, I guess). This makes these great for a story time or broken down sharing for theme presentations or just visiting as time or desire allows.

The text flows nicely and stays in narrative form. The tales are written for the intended age group and steer away from longer descriptions or heavy word dumps. Each tale speeds along nicely and keeps the entertainment value in mind. The illustrations support each tale and offer a visual insight into the culture. Some of these take a slightly more modern twist, while others demonstrate tradition or even fantastical elements. I do wish that each tale held a map but appreciate the number that exist and enjoyed the balance of facts and fiction.

This is a lovely collection for anyone wanting to discover new tales or learn about other cultures. 

21 Things To Do With a Mud Pie by Jane Wilsher

 Mud pies, anyone? When I saw today's read, I was all in for a look...and very curious as to what the suggestions might be surrounding mud pies. While I know mud pies in their 'baked goods' form, I have no doubt they can lead to other projects. Let's see what this book suggests and how creative it gets.

21 THINGS TO DO WITH A MUD PIE

An outdoor activity book

by Jane Wilsher

Illustrated by Teo Georgiev

Ivy Kids Eco

Children's Activity

32 pages

ages 6 to 8

COMING SEPTEMBER 3rd!!!

Build towers out of baked mud bricks, gather soil to make a home for worms or ants, and decorate a gigantic mud pie with flowers, twigs, and leaves.

Packed with arts and crafts, games, thought exercises, science experiments, and more, this fun and educational book gets kids to experience the wonder of nature – and talks them through how to safely (and cleanly!) play with slimy, squelchy mud.

…all while helping them to develop an understanding of its fantastic superpowers, from its role in growing plants to the warm and comfortable home it makes for diverse animal species.

With dedicated how-to boxes and step-by-step instructions, as well as splashes of informative detail on ecosystems, plant growth, and more, this book is a companion to all sorts of outside activities that can be done wrapped up warm on a muddy autumn day, or baking in the sun at the height of summer.

The activities can be done in any order, some alone, some with a grown-up, or group of friends.

GOODREADS    /    PUBLISHER

MY TIDBITS

Squishy, grimy, and packed with oh-so-many possibilities, the wonder of mud is explored in a way that won't necessarily have parents pointing kids to the bathtub with tons of soap in hand.

These pages take a peek at the world of mud. While I expected this read to head into a crafting direction—and it definitely does that too—it's takes a look at the purpose, living space, and a bit of science surrounding mud. The table of contents gives a run-down of the 21 mud ideas, which include everything from the classic mud-pie creations to more biology based worm habitats and gardening in the mud. And for those parents, who are already cringing at the idea of the upcoming mess, there's a tip section, which lays out some basic, safe, and cleanlier handling tips (although it is mud, after all). I was a little sad to see that the '21 things' aren't really 21 separate ideas, but do cheat a little with some sliding more into explanations or preparations rather than specific, independent ideas. But there's still tons of goodness in these pages.

Each page carries a very active illustration with characters, who are doing several different things at the same time. The running-around gives a busy impression at first glance, but also draws in. The text, which describes facts or how-to for the projects, is in block form (for the most part) and well set to the age group as well as clearly printed, but there are also more than a few extra bits of information scattered and placed everywhere. These take every shape and form to create an almost hectic scene, but it does a lovely job at bringing readers to take the time to gaze at every page and sink in. It keeps things lively and offers quick spurts of facts and more. The how-tos are well done and should be no problem for readers to follow.

Not only creative readers will enjoy the various project ideas, but science fans will have a chance to learn more about dirt and mud. This makes it a lovely add-on for homeschool themes or as a fun alternative to classroom possibilities as well.

And here they are...

Jane Wilsher is an author and editor from the UK, and the founder of bop Publishing. Jane is the author of What Do Scientists Do All Day? (Wide Eyed, Editions, 2020), An Encyclopedia of Unbelievable Facts (Frances Lincoln Children's Books, 2021) and 21 Things to Do With a Tree (Ivy Kids, 2023).

Teo Georgiev is an independent Helsinki-based illustrator working in publishing, children’s literature, and branding.

Today's read... Spooky Stories of the World by Wendy Shearer

SPOOKY STORIES OF THE WORLD

by Wendy Shearer

Illustrated by Teo Georgiev

Lovely Planet Kids

Middle Grade Nonfiction / Myth

144 pages

ages 8 to 12

This spine-tingling collection of spooky stories features over 20 eerie tales from across the globe. Discover bewitching retellings of ghost- and monster-filled myths regaled with ghoulish relish and journey continent-by-continent through this haunting book. With shocks and twists like you wouldn’t believe - are you brave enough to read them all?

Packed with mind-boggling mysteries, real unexplained enigmas and traditional stories that are sure to send shivers down your spine, Spooky Stories of the World is the ultimate feast for Halloween-loving kids and readers in search of a fright. Meet vampires, werewolves and fearsome monsters that hide in the shadows in this one-of-a-kind round-the-world collection of hair-raising tales.

DIGS SHOW ROOM    /    AMAZON   /    ABE BOOKS

MY TIDBITS

Each story carries a bit of creepiness, eerie moments, and spooky surprises to create more than a couple of chills.

This is a collection of around 20 stories from around the world, each concerning a paranormal being or a scary creature found in myths from the various lands. Ranging from a vast variety of countries, each tale brings its own twists and surprises. The characters are as diverse as the cultures, and the haunting creatures range from more familiar to ones readers probably have never run across before. Each story fits the intended age group and offers enough scares to work for a spooky-tale time with a flashlight...and yet, never goes overboard. 

The illustrations are plentiful, bright and bold. There's a two-pages spread with light colored text followed by a more plain one with black wording. This keeps it easy on the eyes while reading, and still allows the scenes to open up and invite into each scary moment. These also bring across small details of the characters and cultures, offering a bit of learning along the way.

The educational end isn't ignored as the entire book starts with a map, which shows where each tale comes from. Then, before each story, there's another map pointing the country out again. Next to this is a small paragraph describing the land and culture. It's short and sweet, letting the information act more as a quick introduction before the exciting tale unfolds.

Not only does this collection awaken awareness for the world and others, but it's a book, which can be grabbed up time and time again. And if nothing else, it gives those spooky-tale times a fresh twist with unique scares.

And here they are...

Wendy Shearer is a British-Guyanese Author and Professional Storyteller. She regularly performs at institutions across the arts including The British Museum, Museum of London, Royal Academy of Arts, The Barbican and Eden Project, bringing stories to life through her engaging storytelling. Wendy’s repertoire is drawn mostly from her Afro-Caribbean heritage and first degree in Classics, telling tales of wily tricksters, magical spirits, heroes and gods/goddesses. Her background is in writing and producing Children’s Television, having worked for BBC, Nickelodeon and PBS in America. Wendy is a member of the Society for Storytelling and is passionate about inspiring the next generation of readers, writers and storytellers with her work.

Born in Hungary, but now based in Helsinki, Finland, Teo Georgiev has developed a strong, graphic style that's perfect for a spooky Halloween book, and has been used by various companies and publishers, including the WWF, Converse and Ladybird Books.