STOCKINGS OF BUTTERMILK

A collection of traditional folktales (from England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Spain, and Germany) that were Americanized by storytellers in the 19th century and early 20th century. Philip, working in a less formal style than American Fairy Tales (1996), includes a “Jack and the Beanstalk” from Kentucky, in which the boy is only retrieving his stolen belongings from the giant, “King Peacock,” a Snow White variant from Louisiana, “Tobe Killed a Bear,” a Missouri variant on part of the Beowulf story, and 13 more. The sources and variations of the stories appear at the end, where Philip also explains how much or little he has revised the tales, his reasoning, and which stories were reprinted untouched. Mair’s full-color illustrations, deliberately invoking quilts and pictorial fabrics, suit the subject matter well. (further reading) (Folklore. 9-12)