Traditional Literature Books
Traditional Literature is stories, songs, and rhymes with unknown authorship that were passed down orally through generations
Anansi and the Moss-Covered Rock
by Eric A. Kimmel
Anansi finds a magical moss-covered rock. If someone says "Isn't this a strange moss-covered rock" they pass out. Anansi gets the lion to say it, the lion passes out, and Anansi takes his yams. Anansi gets the elphant to say it and while the elephant is passed out Anansi takes his bananas. He does the same to the Rhino, Hippo, Giraffe, and Zebra. The Little Bush Deer wants to teach Anansi a lesson. Little Bush Deer won't say it and Anansi gets mad and says in anger. Anansi passes out. The Little Bush Deer gets akk the other animals and they get their stuff back.
Tony's Bread
by Tomie de Paola
Tony is a baker in a small village and his dream is to make bread in Milano. No one is good for Tony's daughter, Serafina. Angelo, a nobleman from Milano, is passing through. Angelo and Serafina fall in love at first sight. Angelo talks to Zias and learns everything about Serafina. Angelo invites Tony and Serafina to Milano saying that Tony can bake bread and Serafina can be his wife. In Milano, Tony doesn't think he can compete with the other bakers so he comes up with a new bread. Everyone loves the bread. Tony opens a bakery in Milano, Angelo and Serafina marry, and Tony's bread is eaten on Christmas.
Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters: An African Tale
by John Steptoe
Everyone agrees Manyara and Nyasha were beautiful. Manyara had a bad temper an told her sister that someday she would be queen and her sister would serve her. Nyasha on the other hand is kind. She had a garden and ther was a snake in the garden who she was friends with. A message from the king arrives: he is looking for a bride. Father sends both girls. Manyara left during the night because she wants to meet the king first. She runs into a boy but won't give him any food. She runs into a woman who tells her she will pass a grove of trees that will laugh at her but she can't laugh at them and she will see a man with his head under his arm and she must be polite to him. Manyara laughs at the trees and ignores the man. Nyasha comes along and feeds the boy. The woman points her in the direction of the city. When Nyasha meets the king she finds out the king is the snake, boy, and woman. In the end, Mufaro had the most beautiful daughters; Nysash the Queen and Manyara the queen's servant.
Luba and the Wren
by Particia Polacco
Luba helps a caught wren and the wren grants her one wish. Luba says she is content and has no wishes. She tells her parents about the wren and they tell her she should ask for a bigger house. The wren grants her wish. Within weeks her parents want more land and servants. The wren grants the wish. Soon the parents want a palace and to be rulers of all Ukraine. The wren grants the wish. Soon they want they want to be rulers of all of Russia. The wren grants the wish. Then the parents want to be rulers of the world. The wrent grants the wish. They want to be gods. The wren grants her wish. When she returns to the clearing she sees her little house.
Town Mouse, Country Mouse
by Jan Bret
A town mouse couple is unhappy where they live so they go into a country. There they meet a country mouse couple who is unhappy where they live. They decide to switch houses. The town mice start to not like the country; it rains and they are chased by an owl. The country mice are awoken early and are chases by a cat. Soon they realize they miss their own home. The town mice return to town and the country mice return to the country. There is no place like home. The cat and own run into each other and ask if they would like to switch places.
The Three Little Pigs
by David Wiesner
The first pig built his house of straw and the wolf blows the house down. The second pig built his house of sticks and the wolf blows it down.
Then the pigs get out of the book. They make a paper airplane out of the pages of the book. They enter 'Hey Diddle Diddle', then they enter a story about a dragon and gold. The pigs rescue the dragon. The pigs and the dragon re-enter The Three Little Pigs. The dragon stops the wolf. And they all live happily ever after.
Then the pigs get out of the book. They make a paper airplane out of the pages of the book. They enter 'Hey Diddle Diddle', then they enter a story about a dragon and gold. The pigs rescue the dragon. The pigs and the dragon re-enter The Three Little Pigs. The dragon stops the wolf. And they all live happily ever after.
Hansel and Gretel
by James Marshall
The book is about a husband and wife and their two children, Hansel and Gretel. The wife thinks the children are eating all of the food so she takes them into the woods and leave them there. Hansel and Gretel follow a trail of white pebbles Hansal left and they find their way back home. The mother takes them back into the woods. Hansel had left bread crums but they were eaten and they can't find their way back home. They find a house made of candy. A witch who lives in the house captures them. The witch fattens Hansel up and makes Gretel do all the work. Gretel pushes the witch into the fire. They find their way back home, where their father greets them. They learn their mother had died and they live happily ever after.
The Ugly Duckling
by Hans Christian Anderson
There are six eggs; 5 small egs and 1 bigger odd shaped egg. After they hatch one is made fun of because he is different from the others. In the end the ugly duckling turns into a swann.
The Gingerbread Man
by Jim Aylesworth
A freshly baked gingerbread man escapes when he is taken out of the oven and eludes a number of pursuers until he meets a clever fox.
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
by Caralyn Buehner
Papa Bear, Mama Bear, and Little Wee Bear go out for a morning walk, hoping by the time they get home their porridge will cool to the perfect temperature. But they don't realize a jump-roping, curly-haired terror named Goldilocks is on the way.
Johnny Appleseed
by Jodie Shepherd
Johnny Appleseed bloomed from a young boy who loved the outdoors into the legendary man who spread apple trees all across the United States.
The Little Red Hen
by Paul Galdone
The little red hen finds none of her lazy friends willing to help her plant, harvest, or grind wheat into flour, but all are eager to eat the cake she makes
from it.
from it.
Stone Soup
by Jon J. Muth
A Monk tells the village they are going to make stone soup. The monk adds a stone and everyone adds something else. They all eat together.
The Polar Bear Son
by Lydia Dabcovich
An old woman takes home a polar bear cub. The cub hunts and fishes for the woman. Hunters plan to kill the bear. The bear leaves but still comes when she calls.
Prince Cinders
by Babette Cole
A fairy grants a small, skinny prince a change in appearance and the chance to go to the Palace Disco.
And the Dish Ran Away with the Spoon
by Janet Stevens
The dish and spoon is missing. Three Little Bears, Little Bay Blue, Little Miss. Muffet, and the Big Bad Wolf search for the dish and spoon. They find them but the dish is cracked into pieces but they get the dish reparied.
Somebody and the Three Blairs
by Marilyin Tolhurst
Story of the Three Bears but three people leave and bear comes in.
The Gingerbread Boy
by Richard Egielski
A couple with no children bake a gingerbread boy and he comes to life. The gingerbread boy runs from the couple, then construction workers, musicians, and police. He runs until a fox eats him.
The Korean Cinderella
by Shirley Climo
In this version of Cinderella set in ancient Korea, Pear Blossom, a stepchild, eventually comes to be chosen by the magistrate to be his wife.