Folklore

Title: Dover Children Thrift Classics: Aesop's Fables (Unabridged, Easy-to-read Type)

Author: Aesop

Awards: N/A

Published: 1994

Genre: Folklore- Fable

Title: Fairy Tales: A Beautiful Collection of Favorite Fairy Tales

Author:  Parragon Treasury Collection

Awards: N/A

Published: 2011

Genre: Folklore- Fairy Tale

Folklore are stories that have been passed down for generations just by word of mouth. Even though some of the stories have evolved depending on the person and time period who told them, they have stood the test of time because they usually pertain to things we all experience as humans. Eventually there was someone who wrote them down but there is no way to know where they really originated. 

There are many types of folklore but two of the ones I tend come across in the primary grades are fables, and fairy tales. The two books I have read on Folklore both are a compilation of these stories. 

Often times it takes a lot of discussion between students and intense assistance by the teacher in order for students to truly understand the moral of Aesop's fables. I liked Dover Children Thrift Classics version of Aesop's fables because many of the fables include a picture and every one contains the moral of the story. This allows the reader to understand the message behind the fable. I can foresee my students rereading the story again and again after hearing the moral just to better understand and discuss where and why that is the moral. The illustrations in the story set the scene for the story which helps the reader better visualize what is happening. The vocabulary can also be difficult for some readers so the illustration can assist with multiple meaning words and other confusions.

Parragon's Fairy Tales is a collection of eight classic stories. This collection has fabulous illustrations that cover the entire page. You will find very few white pages in the entire 192 page book. Some of the illustrations also include some special details like the actual recipe the little old woman used to bake the gingerbread man and the invitation the King and Queen sent out to celebrate the birth of their baby girl (Sleeping Beauty). 

The main difference between these two types of folklore is that fables always have some sort of moral lesson to be learned from it while fairy tale's are more geared to entertain the reader.