The Hare and the Tortoise. The Lion and the Mouse. The Boy Who Cried Wolf. The Jackdaw and the Borrowed Plumage. For generations, these titles and scores of others have been synonymous with the best in the timeless literature of childhood. Although he was probably as mythical as the tales attributed to him, the legendary name of Aesop has been associated for thousands of years with an enduringly popular collection of enchanting fables. In the lavish tradition of Chronicle Books' classic illustrated edition of A Child's Garden of Verses, this delightful selection of Aesop's parables--some of them universally recognizable, others refreshingly unfamiliar--is magnificently complemented by illustrations taken from a variety of antique editions. Among the artists represented in this superbly designed and beautifully reproduced new volume are Arthur Rackham, Thomas Bewick, Walter Crane, Charles Robinson, and Randolph Caldecott. Fully captioned illustrations, a complete bibliography of sources, and a set of biographical notes on the artists make this stunning compendium an ideal gift for any child as well as a valutable companion for collectors of fine illustrated books.
Aesop's Fables
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Book Description
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Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Hague brings his signature nostalgic, intricately detailed style to 13 of Aesop's moral tales. Ages 4-8. (Sept.)
Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.From School Library Journal
Grade 3 Up-- No other collection of fables so clearly demonstrates the range of artists who have illustrated Aesop than this one. More than 50 fables are each accompanied by at least one illustration from nearly 30 works from Charles Henry Bennett's 1857 version to Edward Bawden's in 1970. The excellent introduction sums up Aesop's importance in literature, and discusses the gradual shift in the intended audience over the years, from adults to children and back to adults. Well-loved fables are included, but many of these will not be as familiar: "The Mountain in Labour," "The Rose and the Butterfly," and "The Ass and His Driver." Crisp, to-the-point tellings never detract from the main focus--the fantastic array of classic illustrations, reproduced from original editions in museums and private collections. There is a wide assortment of illustrational styles, and the list of artists reads like a "Who's Who" of 19th and early 20th century art: Edwin Noble, Arthur Rackham, Alexander Calder, Walter Crane, Randolph Caldecott, Milo Winter, Jack Orr, and Sophia Rosamund Praeger. The collection bears a decidedly British stamp, and young children may not respond to the remote quality of the illustrations. Nevertheless, it's a wonderful opportunity for older children and adults to compare and contrast artists' perspectives. A must for larger folklore collections, as the book will be of special interest to researchers. --Denise Anton Wright, Library Book Selection Service, Inc., Bloomington, IL
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1991 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
110 of 113 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
I've always loved Aesop's Fables and to have them all in one neat collection here on my Kindle for my PC is just great! There ARE capital letters where appropriate, so I'm not sure what the other reviewer here had going on with their version. Rest assured that the problem has now been fixed and it's easy reading. My only complaint is that the individual stories listed in the contents are not click-able and you do have to navigate page by page to get where you need to go. I still believe that this deserves a five star rating though in spite of that just because it is so nice to have all the fables in one place like this for free. You can't beat it!
70 of 75 people found the following review helpful
By Jay
Format:Hardcover
The short stories attributed to Aesop have been around for over 2,500 years. Many times no longer than a paragraph is enough for the reader to see the moralistic truth of the world around us summed up in a brief encounter between animals. The illustrations are well done and will be appreciated by adults, but for the most part were not created for children. The vocabulary and grammar can also be difficult for young children on their own, but will be understood if it is read to them with the proper pauses and inflections. Every fable has its moral underneath it. Many of them children will recognize from other storybooks. Every teacher should have a collection of Aesop's fables. Although this edition is not the best for young children it would still make an excellent addition to the classroom library.
Why 4 stars?:
While I do feel this is a good book to read to children and to show the illustrations to. It will be too difficult for them to read on their own.
41 of 43 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Paperback
The paperback edition of "Aesop's Fables" should NOT be confused with the Hardcover edition of the same name, that other reviews on this page refer to. While I think the illustrations are quite lovely and the fables familiar, I (probably through no one's fault but my own), did not get what I expected. There are only 13 fables, some of which are little more than a few lines long, and there is no additional commentary or context. The price is reasonable for what it is, but this is not a soft cover edition of the hard cover of the same name!
26 of 26 people found the following review helpful
Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase
This collection of Aesop's Fables is great because it is a Kindle freebie and allows me to store the fables in a convenient format (though I have several print versions of the Fables in my home library). There is a lengthy introduction by G.K. Chesterton which is insightful and informative, followed by the fables which appear to be a complete collection of Aesop's Fables. The only complaint I have is that the Table of Contents does not allow for the reader to click on a particular title to gain access to it. Instead, the reader has to manually scroll through all the titles in the order listed to get from one story to the next. Fortunately, the fables are relatively short and easy to get through. This is an excellent collection and being a freebie is definitely an added bonus!
26 of 27 people found the following review helpful
A Kid's Review
Format:Hardcover
On my birthday in second grade, my parents gave me a package containing these stories, written by the ancient Aesop. I read through it, at first not enjoying it much, thinking ,"What fun could it be to read something wrtitten by some old guy?" after reading through one fable, I was changed. My heart lightened, and I finished the book inside my favorite blanket within a day,and my parents were surprised that I had already finished. And even if it was heavy reading for a second grader, I loved it and have read it several times over again. I suggest that everyone should read this book because of the helpful morals that allow you to understand everyday life.
29 of 31 people found the following review helpful
By Noel Law
Format:Hardcover
Beware - This book is intended for mature readers. What I am referring to, is the style and vocabulary used in which the fables are told in the book. When I bought the book, I had intended to use it as a bed-time story book for my 7 and 5 year-olds. I found myself having to paraphrase quite a bit because it was written with a lot of subtlety and words that are not oft used in today's language. Also, the book is very loyal to the classical rendition of Aesop's fables, and the morals can be quite dark and unforgiving. For someone who appreciates good literature and tastefully paired art work, it is a good read. I would recommend this book for older kids to be read on their own.
21 of 23 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
The basis behind Aesop's Fables is the fact that this storyteller used animals to teach certain lessons that turn out to be contradictory if you have the time to compare them.
Reading the scholarship at the very beginning really helped me to grasp the fables more than I would have on my own. Unfortunately, I feel the overall scholarship was biased and I'm quite perturbed at how fashionable it is in the academic community today to discredit anything Greek. Sure, there were civilizations before the Greeks and much of what Greece had has been lost due to conquests of the country and an untold number of wars that were no fault of theirs, but that doesn't mean that everything Greek is to be shrouded in a thick mist of doubt and/or automatically discredited.
Whether or not Aesop was real and whether he/she was a singular storyteller or a group of storytellers remains to be seen but one thing is for sure and that this edition is a very easy, quick read. But *do* take the time to really read and appreciate the use of animals in teaching lessons (and especially to the lessons themselves!).
A great tale to read after you finish this is George Orwell's "Animal Farm," which incorporates the animal as storyteller theme quite nicely (and the book that scholar D.L. Ashliman recommends to the reader while discussing the finer points of the fables at the beginning of this edition).
Many of these fables will stick with you because of their timelessness. This is a great addition to any library and a must on your classic literature "To Read" list. - Donna Di Giacomo
Reading the scholarship at the very beginning really helped me to grasp the fables more than I would have on my own. Unfortunately, I feel the overall scholarship was biased and I'm quite perturbed at how fashionable it is in the academic community today to discredit anything Greek. Sure, there were civilizations before the Greeks and much of what Greece had has been lost due to conquests of the country and an untold number of wars that were no fault of theirs, but that doesn't mean that everything Greek is to be shrouded in a thick mist of doubt and/or automatically discredited.
Whether or not Aesop was real and whether he/she was a singular storyteller or a group of storytellers remains to be seen but one thing is for sure and that this edition is a very easy, quick read. But *do* take the time to really read and appreciate the use of animals in teaching lessons (and especially to the lessons themselves!).
A great tale to read after you finish this is George Orwell's "Animal Farm," which incorporates the animal as storyteller theme quite nicely (and the book that scholar D.L. Ashliman recommends to the reader while discussing the finer points of the fables at the beginning of this edition).
Many of these fables will stick with you because of their timelessness. This is a great addition to any library and a must on your classic literature "To Read" list. - Donna Di Giacomo
Most Recent Customer Reviews
1.0 out of 5 stars
So Disappointed!
I don't know if I received a different version of the book than other reviewers, but my version is bad. Zero illustrations. Everything black and white. Read more
Published 7 hours ago by A Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars
Timeless tales
Some things never go out of style. This collection of fables is one of them. The lessons learned here will be beneficial to anyone.
Published 5 days ago by James F. Mcenanly
1.0 out of 5 stars
Not Illustrated
"The writing style is formal yet direct and ideally suited to the ornately detailed pencil illustrations"
With the paperback edition selected, this is the product description... Read more
With the paperback edition selected, this is the product description... Read more
Published 5 days ago by saturnine
5.0 out of 5 stars
Kids will love it!
Aesop's fables are famous world over. My kids enjoy it. Good for 2nd or 3rd grade readers. Nicely arranged stories. Simple and easy to read.
Published 6 days ago by Shreyas D Vakil
5.0 out of 5 stars
Aesops Fables
This is a good book and tells both classic story's, like the Turtle and the Hare, but also story's you've probably never heard before, like the two pans. Read more
Published 7 days ago by Joey Egan
5.0 out of 5 stars
My review
I thought the stories were great and funny but a learning process too. I recommend this to all ages. Enjoy
Published 9 days ago by I love it it's free and there are so adorable animals in the game.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Nice Translation
I found this book to be a nice translation of Aesop's Fables. The stories were clear and easily understood. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Lynn Ellingwood
5.0 out of 5 stars
I loved it
First time reading this book but I felt like all the lessons in the story made me really think. Overall it was a good book.
Published 10 days ago by Samirah Conklin :D
5.0 out of 5 stars
Great classic tales
This book is great for moral stories. Children and adults alike can really relate to these stories. Perhaps you can even learn something positive from them. Read more
Published 10 days ago by Shona
4.0 out of 5 stars
If you haven read it do so
This is one of those books I read because I could not remember anything about it from years ago.
If you have not read it recently do so.
If you have not read it recently do so.
Published 10 days ago by john read hodges
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