*Starred Review* Interest in folklore and fairy tales continues to grow, as evidenced by the number of new translations and anthologies being published every year. This scholarly compendium is a well-organized, well-documented introduction to the evolving field of folklore and fairy-tale studies. More than130 individuals representing various areas of expertise have contributed 670 entries that offer insights into assorted aspects of this complex genre. Signed articles are arranged in alphabetical order and run from a couple of paragraphs to several pages. The scope is multicultural and spans antiquity through modern day (including 2007 references). In the preface, editor Haase acknowledges the enormous number of possible subjects and identifies five priority inclusion criteria: representative global coverage, fundamental and essential importance, major developments in folk and fairy-tale scholarship since 1970, emerging trends in the production and reception of fairy tales, and critical but often neglected dimensions of this field. The helpful “Guide to Related Topics” sorts articles and provides some idea of the breadth and extent of coverage. Entries cover cultural, national, regional, and linguistic groups (African American tales,Japanese tales); more than 60 genres (Animal tale, Pantomime,Urban legend); critical terms, concepts, and approaches (Authenticity,Variant); motifs, themes, characters, and tale types (Dragon, Punishment and reward,Sleeping Beauty); media, performance, and other cultural terms (Advertising, Tourism); television, film, animation, and video (Fractured Fairy Tales, Shrek and Shrek II); and numerous individuals, including authors, collectors, illustrators, and others. Additionally, a number of articles address individual works. A list of entries and a detailed index provide additional access. Of particular note is the exhaustive “Bibliography and Resources“ section, a 64-page listing of print and online sources. Meticulously documented and firmly grounded in scholarly research, most articles feature straightforward language and sufficient background material to be accessible to lay readers and novice researchers. This unique and timely resource is highly recommended for large public and academic collections, especially those that support literature or teacher-preparation programs or serve individuals pursuing careers or active in creative endeavors. Also available as an e-book. --Kathleen McBroom
Review
"This unique three-volume set is an important addition to folklore and fairy-tale studies as it offers for the first time an encyclopedic introduction to the scholarship of this flourishing field. Global in geographical and cultural scope and covering a broad historical and disciplinary range, it features information about significant individuals and traditions from throughout the world, from antiquity to the present day. . . . Additionally, an extensive bibliography with citations to relevant primary and secondary resources names anthologies, scholarly studies, journal publications, and selected web sites. Rounding out the text are a guide describing the classification systems used in the entries, a guide to related topics, and a helpful index. The set is further enhanced by an informative introduction and interesting illustrations throughout the volumes. Useful to general readers as well as to students and scholars in the literary and social science disciplines; highly recommended for public and academic libraries."
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Library Journal
"[A]n excellent overview of a tremendously influential literary genre, which is recommended for both public and academic libraries."
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Lawrence Looks at Books
"Occasionally, a reference work is so good that one wishes for more of it. Haase.has assembled a stellar cast of scholars to provide the first thorough English-language encyclopedia on folk and fairy tales. . . . Nearly 700 signed, alphabetically arranged articles with bibliographies cover major approaches, important authors and scholars, and themes. Especially useful are the geographic essays. With no disciplinary limits, folklorists take their place alongside historians, sociologists, and literary critics. Similary, with no boundaries on media, the set includes motion picture adaptations as well as literary versions. It also covers children's literature. Haase's introduction provides a good summary of the current state of folktale research. . . . Highly recommended. Lower-level undergraduates through faculty/researchers; general readers."
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Choice
"The Greenwood Encyclopedia truly stands apart with its multicultural scope and its theoretical framework that challenges the received knowledge of the field. Each volume contains a table of contents for the entire work and begins with a complete list of the alphabetically arranged entries. Cross-references, see also notes, and an index provide deeper access. . . . I recommend The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Folktales and Fairy Tales for academic and public libraries."
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Reference & User Services Quarterly
"Interest in folklore and fairy tales continues to grow, as evidenced by the number of new translations and anthologies being published every year. This scholarly compendium is a well-organized, well-documented introduction to the evolving field of folklore and fairy-tale studies. . . . Meticulously documented and firmly grounded in scholarly research, most articles feature straightforward language and sufficient background material to be accessible to lay readers and novice researchers. This unique and timely resource is highly recommended for large public and academic collections, especially those that support literature or teacher-preparation programs or serve individuals pursuing careers or active in creative endeavors."
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Booklist, Starred Review
"Three hefty volumes provide global and multicultural coverall, from antiquity to the present, of the burgeoning field of folktale and fairy-tale studies. . . . A brief introduction highlights the reasons for and description of the increasing interest in folk and fairy tales around the globe. . . . Each entry includes highlighted cross references as well as, when appropriate, a see also section plus suggestions for futher reading. . . . The illustrations and photographs are black and white in this helpful resource for college libraries and special collections in large public libraries."
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VOYA
"[T]hese three tomes contain a wide ranging scope to studies in folk and fairy tales. Covering tales from the entire globe and with a timeframe from antiquity to the present, presenting information useful to a panoply of disciplines and including media telling's of the stories, and emphasizing the new ideas brought forth since 1970, the 670 entries point in any direction you may want to research. . . . The books are well made for a long shelf life. What is most useful is that each of the entries has a further reading bibliography with complete citations, which makes it easy to move onto other titles without having the last volume in hand."
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ARBA
"This scholarly compendium is a well-organized, well-documented introduction to the evolving field of folklore and fairy-tale studies, recommended especially for libraries that support literature or teacher-preparation programs."
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Booklist
". . . a serious and scholarly treatment of a growing field of study. Readers will find the coverage of genres, cultural and regional groupings, and the discussions of themes, motifs and critical concepts very enlightening. . . a unique and current contribution that gives readers a strong foundation. Without a doubt, academic libraries supporting courses in folk and fairy tales studies will want it in their collections."
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Against the Grain
