Nicely Balanced Retelling of a Classic Story
920683
Wilson Mahanay does a very solid and engaging job of telling a fine Navajo story from Canyon de Chelly. This is the story of Spider Woman, not in her role of helping the Dine emerge into the fourth world, (which is an important and moving creation story) or in her role as the teacher of weaving arts, (she is after all the spider woman), but in her role as a teacher and discipliner of wayward children. She can be described as a bogeyman, (with the top of Spider Rock covered in the bleached bones of wayward children), or in a gentler fashion as a teacher, guide and positive, if still threatening, force. This book follows the milder version.

  And it does it very well. Lots of times these sorts of stories are overwritten or read like doctoral dissertations. Sometimes they feel like they've been "taken" from their owners. Here, Mahanay has a Navajo man tell the story of Spider Woman to Jessie and Jerry. It is a Navajo story, and Mahanay doesn't treat it like just some fantasy short story. He fairly instills the story with the awe and poetry it deserves, (Spider Woman is an important figure), but still retains the childlike excitement of Jessie and Jerry as they hear and then discuss the story. The moral - behave and be honest with your parents - is a little heavy-handed, but that's O.K. because that is the point of this particular variety of Spider Woman story.

  So, efficiently told, straightforward and respectful, with a decent sense of place, but with the interest and reading ability of a younger reader firmly in mind - this seems to be a very nice choice as a read-to or read along or early reader.

  Please note that I found this book while browsing Amazon Kindle freebies. I have no connection at all to the author or to the publisher of this book.
808241
Steven James has done an outstanding job of giving the classic Christian allegory Pilgrim's Progress a modernization makeover that maintains the spiritual impact of the original but tells the story in an easy to read and follow format. All the main elements of Bunyan's classic are here but the story is told from the point of view of a young adult vagabond - Kadin - who learns many spiritual truths on his quest to find Celestia and the kindly king who can heal his disease and redeem his soul. The story includes all the key pieces of any good fantasy story - an evil ruler, a fair maiden to be rescued, and lots of giants, dragons and dangers. I'd recommend this for older tweens, young adults and adults, especially those who have tackled Pilgrim's Progress but might have found it somewhat difficult to navigate.&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/Quest-for-Celestia-A-Reimagining-of-the-Pilgrim-s-Progress/dp/0899578861/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">Quest for Celestia: A Reimagining of the Pilgrim's Progress</a>&nbsp;I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review; these are my own opinions after reading this book.
759251
The alternate POV is refreshing.  The classic feel of a fairytale is maintained throughout. The bonus story is worth reading and practically asking to be expanded into full book in its own right.
4881268
A lovely new rendition of a classic that really captures the fairy tale logic as well as old fairy tale darkness. The effects are lovely, and the story is actually intriguing and provides a sense of mystery that is often lost in well-know stories. The English dub is good, but like any dub has its awkward moments. The music, effects, and overall aesthetic are lavish and beautiful. Its a new favorite of mine :)
4103730
Jack is a fun retelling of the original fairytale.  It's well written and has it's own take on the story so it's not just like reading a rehashed version of the original all over again. I read it with my son and we both enjoyed it. Jack is a standalone book and easily read without reading the first book but I plan to go back and get Rump and see what we missed. There were a couple of references that implied another story but nothing that was critical to this book. If you're familiar with the old fairy tales you will find references to many of them in here. I would say it would be a good read 3-6 grade depending on their reading skills but would be enjoyable as a read together book for younger kids as well.
412191
Robin's Country is the latest retelling of the ever-popular Robin Hood  myth, and not one of the more successful.  This rather slight forage into  folklore never strayed far from the traditional legend and there were very  few instances of the unusual creativity present in Monica Furlong's  superior Juniper and Wise Child.  While all the traditional people were  present, almost all of them were given very little character.  Even Robin  and Marian were mere caricatures, given just enough information to give  them personality beyond legends.
 To balance these flaws, Robin's  Country contains plenty of action and is never dull.  Dummy is a likeable  enough protagonist, and his archery lessons, struggles to speak, and  relationships with the other characters are fairly interesting.
 Not  bad, on the whole; Robin's Country could lead the reader to Robin  McKinley's realistic and complex Outlaws of Sherwood and perhaps even  Jennifer Roberson's richly detailed Lady of the Forest.
773156
This is a wonderful retelling of the Christmas story. I love the way the author took a well-known classic and adapted it to tell the story of Jesus' birth, life, and ministry in a fresh, new way. I read nearly all of it in one sitting as I waited in the dentist's office with one of my children, and, even though I know the Gospel accounts very well, this story was so well-done that it kept my attention all the way through.
2207432
A book that can change one's perspective on a classic text!
4775249
Too many lines to quote, and yet this tale sheds light on them all. I am of an age where I had read and enjoyed the book before the movie was made. I enjoyed the movie for all the reasons revealed in this book. And I enjoyed this book for the way it encompasses the spirit of both the original story and the movie and tells the simple story of what it was like to create what truly is now a classic.
2688671
This is the retelling of the classical tale of the King who was unfortunate (or was it, in the end, fortunate?) to actually receive what he asked for.  The actual story of King Midas, taken from Greek Mythology can be rather daunting, and to be frank, a bit inappropriate for children.  Yes, there actually was a King Midas who was King of Phygia, and he was actually the first recorded individual to actually plant and cultivates a rose garden, but the ancient Greeks embellished his story quite a bit; primarily by changing a few facts around such as the greedy kings curse of having everything he touched turn to gold.  This story has been told and retold for a few thousand years now; each telling changing just a bit here and there.  Even Nathaniel Hawthorne got into the act and added the fact that when Midas touched his daughter, even she turned to gold.

John Warren Stewig has taken a compilation of these stories, sticking pretty much to the original tale with a bit of Hawthorne thrown in, and retold the tale using rather lively language, a quicker pace, and yet staying true to the story and its moral.  This is one of the best retellings that I have come across and it is sheer pleasure to read.

The true uniqueness of this particular book though is the illustrations by Omar Rayyan.  Not only is the art work great, it is detailed to the extreme, and if the reader takes the time, or gives it multiple reads, the pictures are absolutely hilarious.  There are little hidden treasures on almost every page of this heavily illustrated book. The entire background is covered with magnificent architectural delights in the Greek and Roman tradition.  If we look closely, and as I mentioned often, we find the paintings simply filled with detailed little surprises.  Seeing a cut away of the palace, we find a small Pan like creature throwing the cat out for the night.  Another small room gives of a glimpse of a rather attractive strawberry blond taking a bubble bath; creatures, half human, half animal or bird and all myth-like abound.  The King's pet leopard, who is a silent observer to most of what is going on, is named spot,which we can tell by reading his feeding dish which has his name on it, with a open bag of "Leopard Chow" setting beside it.  Constantly we see an old English Sea Captain fishing in the sewer pipes, potted plants or other unlikely and inappropriate places.  Of course as the king eats, as with the original story, all turns to gold and the King's bowl of "Plato brand Poseidon Puffs" of course joins the rest in their fate. Floating signs in the river point toward Atlantis, which is only 15KM away according to buoy number 71.  Well, you get the idea.

This is not to say though that the art is a series of cartoons, although the facial expressions at times hint at that.  No, these are finely crafted paintings that are a delight to the eye.  It you are a good story teller and have a bit of an imagination, you could literally spend hours talking about each frame with your child.

Of course the overall thrust of the story still emphasizes the cost of greed, the cost of wishing for something without thinking it through, and the meaning of what is really important in life; not gold and riches, but beauty and the love of family.

Mythology, when conveyed to a child in its original form, can be and often is, rather dry and difficult to relate to.  I know I was introduced to it at a very, very young age and it took me quite a number of years to actually "get it."  In fact, I am sorry to report, many of our youth today find it simply boring.  I cannot think of a better work to introduce the young to this fascinating world, the world of myth, of which, if you think about it, a large part of our civilization has been based upon in one way or another.

This is one of the most informative and digestive reads covering an aspect of mythology I have come across.  It is simply fun to read.

Don Blankenship
The Ozarks
4597497
As a casual fan of sci-fi and fantasy, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was the first book I read by Barnes, and the only one of his I liked. It is a witty and humorous tale of the life of the main character, from toddlerhood to kingship. Mostly lighthearted, with moments of darkness, it is a tale in some ways reminiscent of the Brothers Grimm. Yet, the tale itself is a sometimes subtle, sometimes obvious jab at old folk tales, as well as stories with morals (though it has morals of its own).
Barnes has managed to effectively combine elements of the classical romantic (falling in love, ancient science, magic, and exploration) with post-modern storytelling and a solid splash of wittiness and puns.
It's a shame that this charming, intelligent and mostly honourable book is his only crowning achievement.
4514278
This handy edition of Beowulf has the virtue of being easily approachable by an average reader, whereas some of the other translations I've seen have almost been like reading the original Anglo-Saxon itself. The translation reads easily yet retains the flavor and rhythms of the ancient epic.

Though it's still a little advanced for my kids (under age 6), it will definitely be bedtime fare in the not-too-distant future. For those unfamiliar with the story, it tells the tale of Beowulf and his battles against awful Grendel, the hideous mother of Grendel, and the terrible fire-breathing dragon. This edition includes a number of illustrations which will certainly help draw younger readers into the story.

If you enjoyed Beowulf and want to know more about the Anglo-Saxon language, you might try&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/A-Book-For-The-Beginner-In-Anglo-saxon-Comprising-A-Short-Grammar-and-Some-Selections-from-the-Gospels/dp/1889758698/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">A Book For The Beginner In Anglo-saxon: Comprising A Short Grammar and Some Selections from the Gospels</a>. If you just like epic poems, there's also&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Laviniad-An-Epic-Poem/dp/1889758744/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Laviniad: An Epic Poem</a>&nbsp;which is an epic in the Trojan War cycle written by a modern author and the classic&nbsp;<a data-hook="product-link-linked" class="a-link-normal" href="/The-Ballad-of-the-White-Horse/dp/0898708907/ref=cm_cr_arp_d_rvw_txt?ie=UTF8">The Ballad of the White Horse</a>&nbsp;by G. K. Chesterton.
1731310
This is definitely the best kids' retelling of the Bible I have tried, by far.  Many have a lot of moralizing exposition which detracts from the narrative and is unfaithful to the text.  This isn't free from that, but it's far closer to a straight-up retelling than the majority.  The pictures are good, and the story-telling is clear, fast, gripping.  There are small anachronisms (e.g. we are told that God made Adam and Eve with immortal souls, which isn't in the original and isn't in keeping with the time the text was produced -- never mind, historical accuracy is obviously not the main goal here), but there are also plenty of things this version gets right (e.g. it doesn't suggest that the Fall was Eve's fault because she was a woman).  Lots of interpretation is added in (e.g. to make God's favoring of Abel's sacrifice make sense -- in the original the favoritism is not explained at all); but the interpretation is mostly pretty tasteful, relatively speaking.  I find myself editing only a little while reading aloud, e.g. I draw the line at saying that everybody killed in the Flood was "evil" as if from a position of narrative authority; but I feel the need to do this kind of thing much less with the Action Bible than others I've tried.  It also makes the stories go fast enough and clearly enough that it is a real page-turner.  Everybody in my house has enjoyed it. I got this originally for my then-7 year old daughter, who has read it several times.  She is now 11 and knows the main Bible-story canon far better than many of her church-going or shul-going peers.  Her younger sisters, age 5 and 6, have been interested in having me read it aloud for them; I read the story of Job to them this morning (and cried...), and the kids were begging for another story after it; the eleven year old doesn't want to share, so I am getting another copy.  I should also note that I am an atheist.  I'm very happy to have my kids know the Bible, because it is such an important, fascinating and influential amalgam of literary/ historical texts.
3461003
Having read many different versions of the tale of Robin Hood, I was interested to see how a graphic novel version would take it on.  The tale was very classic to the most popular version of the story and took in Robin's time in the Crusades, his return to find his father deceased, his conflict with the sheriff, and his love for Marianne.  I can't say that it departed much from the original, but I will say that I wanted even more of his time with his outlaw friends.  I suppose I just wanted to see the relationships developed a bit more.  I'll admit though that I love this tale and seem to piece together the bits of the story I'm given with all the parts that I enjoy.

 One drawback to this graphic version is the darkness of the pictures.  I'm not quite sure why they came out so dark, but they made it feel like it was all set at night or in a dark castle or lodge.  I can see that the darker pictures, with sharp angles might be trying to set the tone and give it a slightly comic feel perhaps?  I'm not sure, but I did wish at times that I could reach for a button to turn up the light a little.  The focus in this tale was on the conflicts with the sheriff and less on character relationships (as the title suggests), but it was still the story I remember.  Overall though, I thought this graphic novel made the story its own in tone and style.  In classic graphic novel style, it clips along through the story, drawing on pictures to propel the story, and was a quick, fun read.
1939257
An enjoyable read for fans who want more of this famous story.
3952978
The classic that started the Narnia ball rolling, "Wardrobe" is a rather simple story about four children (Lucy, Edmund, Peter and Susan) who find their way into a world where animals speak and mythical creatures are real. Once there, they help overthrow an evil witch who brought an eternal winter upon the world. Oh, and they meet a lion.
Lewis' writing here is geared strongly towards young children. He seems to delight in breaking the barrier between narrator and reader, telling the story as a storyteller would a gathering of kids. The style is effective in that it FEELS like a children's book, and in a good way; it's a great pleasure to read this out loud. While there are moments, however rare, when you almost feel talked down to reading as an adult, by and large Lewis succeeds in crafting a story that reads like a timeless fairy tale suitable for any reader who likes adventure, of any age. This also means "Wardrobe" may be the book in this series toughest to read for adults, if only because it has the most overly childlike-nature of the seven Narnia books.
The plot itself is simple, with few (if any) complexities and a fast resolution. The entire thing can easily be read in one lazy afternoon.
And then there is Aslan, the lion named in the title. This beast is at the center of the entire series, even moreso than the children who find themselves entering Narnia. What stands out as an adult (but is easily missed as a child) is the strong, overt Christian allegory. It is here in spades, right down to a faux crucifixion.
For many readers tuned into today's sensitivity to religion, or even offended by overt displays of religion, "The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe" will simply be too heavy-handed in its religious allegory for adult readers. Not simply because of the Christian-influenced themes, but because Lewis simply beats you over the head with it. Every mention of Aslan and every scene with the lion gushes with an almost ferocious (and often uncomfortable) feeling that screams to the reader, "Rejoice!"
But to suggest that this detracts from the fun and wonder of the tale would be unfair. It DOESN'T. Only those sensitive to religion and the fervently anti-religious will have a problem with these aspects of the story. Others will just enjoy the ride.
As a children's tale "Wardrobe" is a fun romp through a mythic land, just the kind of wish fulfillment fantasy-loving children enjoy. And for that, I admire this book. Kids will love it - and so will adults. It's not the best of the Narnia works by any means, but it IS the first that should be read because it's the one that started it all. And as a classic of the genre this should be read by all, no matter one's religious beliefs.
1814125
This is Robin McKinley's second novel about Beauty and her Beast, and although I agree with some of the reviews that Beauty: A Retelling Of The Story Of Beauty And The Beast, is better - there are aspects of this version that I prefer. I don't want to spoil anything for those who have yet to read this...
All I can say is its a beautiful version of the classic tale. I recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of the Beauty and the Beast story, or faerie tales in general.
But, if you want my personal opinion - I would read first Beauty: A Retelling Of The Story Of Beauty And The Beast first (as it was written first, and I read it first) then read Rose Daughter directly afterward - that way you get a better and more complete Beauty and the Beast experience.