Korean Children's Favorite Stories [Hardcover]

Kim So-Un (Author), Jeong Kyoung-Sim (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 5 and up | Grade Level: K and up | Series: Children's Favorite Stories

A captivating collection of Korean folktales told the way they have been for generations. Written with wit and pathos understandable at any age, they unveil the inevitable foibles of people everywhere and expose the human-like qualities of animals and the animal-like qualities in humans.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 5–These 13 tales first appeared in Story Bag: A Collection of Korean Folk Tales (Tuttle, 1955; o.p.) and have been newly illustrated. Though no source notes are included, an introduction by the author speaks to the authenticity of the selections. The collection includes elements shared by many cultures, such as a flood story, and others with a unique sensibility. A variety of animals appear, including tigers, both good and bad, and snakes, depicted as dragons. The delicate watercolor illustrations make the stories accessible to children, and the square format and the calligraphic quality of the titles contribute to the overall sense of design. Appropriately, the opening tale speaks to the importance of sharing stories, and this collection succeeds in making these little-known offerings accessible to a new audience.–Robin L. Gibson, formerly at Perry County District Library, New Lexington, OH
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

Gr. 3-6, younger for reading aloud. This collection of 13 Korean folktales was originally published in 1955 as The Story Bag. Kyoung-Sim's new watercolor illustrations, filled with animals, demons, and resourceful folk, make this edition much more attractive, and the short, straightforward retellings are well suited for independent reading as well as for reading aloud. The handsome anthology will enrich multicultural studies and expand folklore collections. Linda Perkins
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 96 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (April 15, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804835918
• ISBN-13: 978-0804835916
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 9.3 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #84,608 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #41 in Books > Children's Books > Travel & Cultures > Multicultural Stories > Asian & Asian American
  • #83 in Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Multicultural

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A charming Korean traditional story book!, March 21, 2005

By 

Book Seeker "Eun" (Ann Arbor, MI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Korean Children's Favorite Stories (Hardcover)

A Korean mom living in the US,I've awaited this kind of simple but beautifully illustrated Korean favorite story book.
This book contains the most famous 13 Korean old tales.
-The Story Bag/The Pheasant,the Dovemand the Magpie/The Bridegroom's Shopping/The Bad Tiger/The Great Flood/The Pumpkin Seeds/The Tigher and the Rabbit/The Green Leaf/The Three Little Girls/The Snake and the Toad/The Grateful Tiger/The Three Princess/The Disowned Student-
This book much owes to Jeong Kyoung-Sim's illustration. Her illustraion is charming and elegant. She shows real Korean colors and real Koean old days. You can enjoy the beauty of Korean art with this book.

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Enjoyable with some reservations., August 2, 2005

By 

A. David "avid reader" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Korean Children's Favorite Stories (Hardcover)

My youngest child is adopted from Korea. We gave him this book as a gift on his "gotcha" day, the anniversary of the day we adopted him. To him, this book is very, very special and at only 5, he requests it every night. The stories are fables and are very unbelievable but enjoyable if you like fables as many children do. My only complaint is that, because they are old stories, some are insensitive and a little gory. For instance, one story talks about a woman finding a husband for her daughters. One daughter is the "real" daughter and the other daughter is adopted. She is going to give the more desireable husband to her "real" daughter. Another story has something about stabbing with a knife or something to that effect. Overall, though, the stories are good and it's invaluable to have a book from my son's culture.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Stories and Beautiful Pictures!, May 14, 2007

By 

Tuffy (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Korean Children's Favorite Stories (Hardcover)

It is rare to find good Korean fairy tale stories in English. Familiar with many Korean folklores and legends, I found the translation to be accurate and the illustrations very beautiful. With a history of 5,000 years, Korea is one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and this collection of fairy tales is a great way to show Korea's rich folklores and legends to the outside world. I highly recommend this book.