Funny Folk Tales for Children
''It's the best present you can give. It never breaks and doesn't need batteries. What is it?''
The answer is inside THIS BOOK!
Eleven of the funniest traditional tales from around the world. Laugh your socks off as you discover why dogs are our best friends, learn how to flummox fairies, and meet a shape-shifting, cart-wheeling badger.
‘The stories are short, pithy and witty. I commend this book to all who wish to encourage smiles through stories and help children to feel happier in a safe place.' Taffy Thomas MBE, 2023.
Here’s a review from Wee Classics with good references to the 6-year-old’s point of view.
Lanarkshire Folktales, by Allison Galbraith, 2021, The History Press
From a cantankerous brownie in Dolphinton, to a vampire with iron teeth who terrorised Glasgow, this collection of tales spans fourteen centuries of Lanarkshire's history and happenings. Including: legends of William Wallace's love and loss in Lanark, Saint Mungo's bitter feud with the Pagan hierarchy and Druids, together with totemic animals, unique Scottish flora and fauna, warlocks, witches, herb-wives, cart-wheeling sprites, Celtic treasure hordes and elfin trickery.
Allison Galbraith combines storytelling expertise with two decades of folklore research to present this beguiling collection of Lanarkshire stories, suitable for adults and older children.
Lanarkshire Folk Tales - Reviews:
Dr. Csenge Zalka:
‘I always appreciate the folktale collections of History Press, especially the ones written by professional storytellers. This book is among the best of them. I enjoyed Allison Galbraith's previous volume too, and Lanarkshire Folk Tales did not disappoint. It combines folklore research with storytelling, and that combination makes the whole book entertaining, informative, and rich with detail. I especially liked the wide variety of genres included, from saints' legends through folk beliefs and historical events all the way to 20th century folklore. It is a truly colorful collection of stories. The tales are eloquently retold and full of interesting tidbits; you can tell the amazing research work and background knowledge that was needed to bring them alive. I was especially grateful for the list of sources at the end.
It is probably even better to have this book at hand when visiting the places mentioned. It made me want to travel...’ (5 stars Good Reads)
Jill Lamede:
This is not just a book of folktales - it is a travelogue - a guided tour of Lanarkshire with a map and all the key locations marked. For each stop on the journey there is a telling of the background history, followed by a legend, folk or fairy tale linked to that site. Each chapter/story is just the right length for bedtime reading, and with 32 chapters, that is a whole month of nightly relaxation. This book has been a revelation. The snippets of domestic history are fascinating. Many of the stories are unfamiliar. At times it is hard to tell where the truth ends and fantasy begins. Allison has, for the most part, an easy, conversational style of writing. She demonstrates a warm affection for Lanarkshire. The depth of research involved, covering fourteen centuries, is quite remarkable. It has been a pleasure to read and some of the tales will linger in my memory. (Facts & Fiction, August 2021)
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Dancing With Trees, Eco-Tales from the British Isles, by Allison Galbraith and Alette Willis, 2017, The History Press.
Dancing With Trees - Reviews:
Joni Mackay - Forest School Leader : ‘Dancing With Trees is one of the most thoughtfully curated books that I own. Allison and Alette share traditional tales that connect us to the turn of the seasons, inspire wonder in the natural world and are enjoyed by adults and children alike. This is a book that I continually revisit and enjoy, it is both knowledgeable and magical and I recommend it to anyone who is looking to support nature connection through their work.’
Wonderful Wordsmithing- Skye : ‘I really enjoyed these stories and the way the book is structured to encourage group storytelling and interaction. I love oral folktale traditions and while these aren’t modernised they are aimed at a modern audience with especially relevant environmental messages.’ (5 Stars Good Reads)
Dr Csenge Zalka: ‘An excellent story collection that is also a handbook for practicing storytellers. It has everything one might need: Bibliography, sources, index by species and seasons, introductions, comments, telling tips. And, of course, stories. Organized into six chapters (air, fire, water, earth, web of life, harmony - all we are missing is Captain Planet), stories are selected from the various oral traditions of the United Kingdom and Ireland. There are myths, folktales, fairy beliefs and saints' legends, some of them familiar, while many of them rare and enchanting. The flora and fauna is specific to the islands, so storytellers living in drastically different climates might need to tweak the stories if they want to raise awareness of local species. I was especially happy with Jack and the Dancing Trees, and the selkie story with a kinder twist. The collection is carefully selected, well balanced, and very, very important for our times.’ (5 Stars Good Reads)