Teller of Tales (Library Binding)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 5 Up-Neither the stuff of high fantasy nor low comedy, Brooke's reworked fairy tales wind around in a constant state of re-examination, breaking through the edges of conventional story framing. Readers with a certain level of literate sophistication will chuckle at the sly word play (Nobody could complain about the baker because "everyone needed what he kneaded."). Yet there is a prevailing melancholy, a questioning of the nature of truth and our tenuous grasp of it. This latest in the trilogy, which began with A Telling of the Tales (HarperCollins, 1990), takes on not only folklore but also journalism. Teller, who tries to sell the news of the emperor's clothes in the first story, is aided by an urchin as he develops his stories. The tales-of the emperor, "Rumpelstiltskin," "Gold in Lock," and "Little Well-Read Riding Hood" (who knew the wolf wouldn't eat her because she'd looked it up)-and the lives of the girl and the Teller mingle and move around one another as the two grow older and wiser. In the final tale, the girl becomes the teller in Telling of the Tales as she reads that book's opening lines. It's hard to read these tales silently. Readers will find themselves looking up and saying "listen to this." A treat.
Sally Margolis, Deerfield Public Library, IL
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 9-12. Brooke, whose Untold Tales (1992) steeped us so intriguingly in the "fractured" fairy tale genre, shows us yet another way familiar stories from childhood can be made fresh. Here, he uses the story-within-a-story framework, his two main characters being Teller, an eccentric old scribe who writes imaginative fiction, and a fussy, independent little girl who becomes Teller's caretaker, companion, inspiration, and, occasionally, his main character. The framework gives Brooke a chance to expound on the art of writing fractured tales and on human nature itself. There are some good laughs in his retellings, which ring with wordplay, irony, and dry wit. A curious pair, the old man and the girl will attract readers with their strangeness (the girl changes her name to fit story circumstance), and such fairy tale familiars as Goldilocks take on surprising new identities. The complex framework, the irony, and the layers of meaning in the stories make for challenging reading, but Brooke's cleverness ensures that the effort is worthwhile. Stephanie Zvirin --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9-12
  
• Library Binding: 170 pages
• Publisher: Harpercollins (October 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0060234008
• ISBN-13: 978-0060234003
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #5,269,507 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Utterly amazing, October 25, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Teller of Tales (Paperback)

William J. Brooke is a master of modern storytelling. He recreates a sense of connection, previously provided by bards and communal poets, which our society has lost. "Teller of Tales" is wonderful, entertaining, and moving in both its overstory and the rewritten fables it portrays with such humour and clarity. I most sincerely recommend this, and the other two works in the same series, "Untold Tales" and "A Telling of the Tales" as three of the richest, most lasting books you'll find on today's bookshelf of notable children's works.

5.0 out of 5 stars Charming, March 29, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Teller of Tales (Paperback)

Brooke did an excellent job with this book. It's deliciously charming, a slew of tales centered around a young rebellious girl (the herione) and an old man, the current teller of tales. A great read for the young adult group. Highly recommended.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great read, January 28, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Teller of Tales (Paperback)

The story is realistic and cleverly told and the characters are distinct and clearly defined, and also realistic. The character of the girl - daring, unscrupulous, and somehow very intelligent - was especially interesting. Definitely worth trying.