Bibliography

Stone Soup & Other Stories

By Pushcart Players

 

          On the following pages you will find a list (and website resources) of many folk tales from around the world -- beyond the four that Pushcart selected to present in our musical production, “Stone Soup & Other Stories.”

 

Our presentation, “Stone Soup & Other Stories,” supported by our study guide and other activities by the classroom teacher, meets the following Core Curriculum Content Standards:

Visual and Performing Arts

Standard 1.1, (Aesthetics)

Standard 1.3, (Elements and Principals of dance, music, theatre and visual art)

Standard 1.5, (History/Culture)

 

Language Arts Literacy

Standard 3.4, (Listening)

Standard 3.5, ( Viewing and Media Literacy)

 

Social Studies

Standard 6.3 (World History)

 

World Languages

          Standard 7.2 (Culture)

 

Please visit our website, www.pushcartplayers.org for a look at our study guide to “Stone Soup & Other Stories” and the tales included in the production.

 

 

About Folktales

 

            Folk Tales, as those two words suggest, have stood the test of time in their universal appeal, and relevance to all ages, cultures and generations.  The oral tradition of telling stories is an ancient art that remains well suited for growth, development and academic success of students.   Here are some of the benefits of incorporating folk tales and storytelling in your classroom:

 

·        Storytelling grooms the imagination

 

·        Storytelling develops expressiveness and communication skills

 

·        Storytelling nurtures listening and communication skills

 

·        Storytelling nurtures self-esteem and confidence

 

·        Storytelling offers gentle guidance toward constructive personal values and good character development

 

 

May the wind sing to you and the sun rise in your heart!* as you embark on many great adventures with us in our presentation of “Stone Soup & Other Stories” and continue those exciting journeys with more folk tales and story telling in your classroom!

*From Native American folklore

 

 

Suggestions for Further Reading

And Useful Website Resources

Note:  Clearly, there are an infinite number of folk tales that could be listed in this bibliography – all wonderful!  We have picked a few to get you started, but don’t stop here!  As in “Stone Soup…” there’s a magic ingredient in each story that makes it as pertinent today as centuries ago when it was first told!

 

Best Loved Folktales of the World                 By Joanna Cole

 

Favorite Folktales From Around the World    By Jane Yolen

 

Anansi Tales (African Folk Tales)                  By Eric Kimmel (and others)

 

Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears,          By Verna Aardema

 

What's So Funny, Ketu?,                               By Verna Aardema

 

Beat The Story Drum, Pum-Pum,                     By Bryan Ashley

 

A Story, A Story,                                         By Gail E. Haley

 

Ashanti to Zulu, African Traditions,              By Margaret Musgrove

 

Ragtime Tumpie,                                           By Alan Schroeder

 

North Wind and the Sun                                An Aesop Fable

 

Aesop’s ABC…Twenty Six Fables                   By Aesop

 

Gigantic Turnip                                            By Aleksei Tolstoy

(Check out many other wonderful stories that Tolstoy wrote for children!)

 

Soldier and Tsar in the Forest                       By Uri Shulevitz

 

The Firebird & Other Russian Fairy Tales      By Arthur Ransome

 

Russian Folk Tales                                        By James Riordan

 

The Mitten                                                   By Tresselt/yaroslava

 

Baba Yaga: A Russian Folktale                       By Eric Kimmel

 

Stone Soup                                                   By Heather Forest

 

Abuela’s Weave  (Guatemalan Tales)               By Omar S. Castaneda,

 

Four Brothers Who Were Both Wise and Foolish; Tales Told in Spain

 

Golden Tales, Myths, Legends and Folktales from Latin America retold and illustrated by Lulu Delacre, published by Scholastic, Inc., NY 1996

 

Great Kapok Tree, A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest, By Lynne Cherry

 

John, The Silly Boy (or Juan Bobo);  Origins in Mexico and Puerto Rico;  from Read Aloud Latino Myths and Legends

 

Tales Told in Spain                                                 By Juan Cigarron

 

The Magic Bean Tree, A Legend From Argentina;      By Nancy Van Laan

 

Sing, Little Sack! Canta, Saquito!,                            By Nina Jaffe

 

Senor Cat’s Romance and Other Favorite Stories from Latin America, retold by Lucia M. Gonzalez

 

Sheepherder and the Philosopher, The; Fables and Riddles from Read Aloud Latino Myths and Legends

 

Pepito's Story,                                    By Eugene Fern

 

Spanish-American Folktales,                By Teresa Pijoan De Van Etten

 

Three Golden Oranges and Other Spanish Folk Tales, By Ralph Steel Boggs and Mary Gould Davis

 

Corn Is Maize, The Gift of the Indians,  By Aliki

 

Brother Eagle, Sister Sky,                    By Susan Jeffers

           

 

Useful Website Resources

Here are a few websites with excellent suggestions and lists of folk tales, stories and story telling information.  There are even some story telling lesson plans and activities for teachers that may be helpful. 

 

www.storyarts.org/classroom/index.html

 

www.augusthouse.com/storytelling/storytelling_links

 

www.powells.com

 

www.racematters.org/favoriteafricanfolktales.htm

 

These are a few to get you started.  A Google search for Folk Tale Information will help you find the site just right for your needs.

 

We wish you many wonderful voyages into the world of folk tales and story telling!