The Barefoot Book Of Princesses PB w CD (Barefoot Books) [Paperback]

Caitlin Matthews (Author), Olwyn Whelan (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2004 | Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up | Series: Barefoot Books

This warm and humorous collection presents much-loved favorites such as The Princess and the Pea from Denmark and less familiar figures including The Mountain Princess from Persia and The Horned Snake's Wife from the Iroquois of North America. Caitlin Matthews's wonderfully dramatic retellings are perfect for reading aloud, while Olwyn Whelan's bright and witty illustrations are a feast in themselves.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade K-3-Persian, Chinese, Iroquois, and other cultures from around the world are represented in this collection. Only two of the seven tales are readily available elsewhere-"The Princess and the Pea," which opens the book, and "The Sleeping Beauty," which closes it. None of the retellings are particularly inspired and a number include rhymed couplets that interrupt the flow of the story. Most of these women and girls are not particularly likable; they are spoiled, self-centered, and dependent. Only the Persian princess shows any self-reliance. Colorful full-paged and spot illustrations decorate the book but do not enhance it. The origin of each tale is noted under the title but the author's source notes are personal rather than descriptive. For a better collection on the same topic, try Shirley Climo's A Treasury of Princesses (HarperCollins, 1996).
Yapha Nussbaum Mason, Brentwood Lower School, Los Angeles
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Matthews come[s] up with treasure.... Whelan's effervescent artwork recalls Jane Ray's in composition, color and use of detail and borders. She tailors her delicate watercolors to each story's country of origin. --Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Talking birds, magic red beans and, of course, resourceful heroines, tumbling out from a jaunty, fantastical compendium that reflects sources as various as Scandinavia, China and Persia. --Smithsonian Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Paperback: 63 pages
• Publisher: Barefoot Books (September 1, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1841481726
• ISBN-13: 978-1841481722
• Product Dimensions: 11 x 9.2 x 0.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #359,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Hello! I'm Caitlin Matthews. I live in Oxford, England with my partner, John Matthews and two warring white cats who, despite our best efforts, can't abide each other and live on different floors of our small house.

I'm primarily known for being the author of many books including Singing the Soul Back Home, Mabon and the Guardians of Celtic Britain, Psychic Shield, and Sophia, Goddess of Wisdom. I write in the fields of metaphysical non-fiction, poetry, fiction, folkstory and myth, as well as writing books for children. I'm known for my research into the Celtic and ancestral traditions, and the ways in which I provoke exploration of the creative metaphysical field, and how we can apply it to our spiritual path.

With John Matthews, I've written the Encyclopedia of Celtic Wisdom, the Arthurian Tarot and Walkers Between the Worlds. Our latest collaboration is the StoryWorld series of cards and books for storytellers of all ages, which started coming out in 2009 - many more titles to come in 2010.

Although I'm the author of over sixty books, most of my work is oral rather than written. As a teacher of ancestral, shamanic and metaphysical traditions, I go all over the world, working with communities and spiritual institutions. With John Matthews, and my dear colleague Felicity Wombwell, I co-founded The Foundation for Inspirational and Oracular Studies, which is dedicated to the mythic, oracular and sacred arts. Our FiOS shamanic training programme teaches students the ancestral wisdom and healing arts as living sacred traditions in which we still engage.

As a singer, I play Celtic & medieval harps, sruti and psaltery. My CDs include Deep Well in the Wild Wood: Songs from the Place Beyond and the latest, Earth's Own Heart: Songs from the Faery Hills appears in 2010. I was the Pictish language originator and song-writer of Song of the Exile for the 2004 Jerry Bruckheimer film King Arthur and I appear frequently on international radio and television.

For the last 20 years, I've had a shamanic practice in Oxford dedicated to healing soul sickness and ancestral fragmentation. I use my voice to help open the way between the worlds, to sing the soul's essential nature, tracking it through the client's story and bringing it homeward, with the help of spirit allies who have chosen to work with me.

I'm currently working on Rekindling Ancestral Hearths: a book to help us come into good relationship with our ancestors. I believe that being in commuinion with our ancestors and gifting spirits is essential for the wellbeing of our world, and lies at the root of war and peace.

If you want to know more about my courses, events and forthcoming books, you are cordially invited to visit www.hallowquest.org.uk.

For new readers of my work, there is no 'one book' that conveys all that I teach, but the following practical books may be a helpful guide for you to begin somewhere:

Walkers Between Worlds - for a grounding in where our spiritual traditions arose.
Singing the Soul Back Home - for a guide on how we come into come relationship with our gifting spirits
Celtic Devotional - for a post-denominational way of spiritually acknowledging each day and season
Psychic Shield - for those who need a friendly guide to how the universe and ourselves rub off each other and how we can do it more harmoniously

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

24 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars smashing anthology, October 26, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: The Barefoot Book of Princesses (Hardcover)

This is a beautifully illustrated anthology of folktales from many cultures. I enjoyed reading it as much as the listener enjoyed hearing it. I did have to tone down some of the stories slightly based on our choices for our preschooler [they are traditional folktales, and sometimes violent, but not more than I was exposed to as a child!] and would not be upsetting to most older children. It is a lovely way to glimpse other cultures and traditions, particularly as the illustrations seem to mesh well with each story and culture.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Delightful Collection from Around the world, October 17, 2008

By 

Bonnie Neely - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Barefoot Book Of Princesses PB w CD (Barefoot Books) (Paperback)

The Barefoot Book of Princesses retold by Richard Walker, Illustrated by Olwyn Whelan

This lovely quality paperback book in large format comes with a delightful story CD with world music. The selections of traditional favorite fairy tales includes one from many countries, and the end blurbs tell a little about each tale's origin. The Princess and the Pea, a world favorite, is presented as a Danish tale; The Mountain Princess is from Persia; The princess who Lost her Hair is from Akamba; The Birdcage Husband is a Kalmuck tale; The Beggar princess is Chinese; The Horned Snake's Wife is Iroquois; and The Sleeping Beauty is German. The illustrations, by the well-known Scottish illustrator, are delightfully bright spirited, modern, and whimsical.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Barefoot Book of Princesses, May 20, 2008

By 

Granmarie (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Barefoot Book Of Princesses PB w CD (Barefoot Books) (Paperback)

My seven year old grand-daughter loved it!! We read it together until it was bedtime. First thing in the morning, she wanted to finish the book, thank goodness it was Saturday. She enjoyed all of the stories and did have a favorite.