Author(s): Rosalind Kerven

Poetry, Nursery Rhymes & Fairy Tales

Many people in England have little knowledge of genuine 'English' fairy tales. The stories that many of us grew up with are from overseas: for example "Snow White" is German, "Cinderella" is French and "Aladdin" is Arabian. But folk tales and legends are an intrinsic part of English national culture and the author has revived our best tales for a new generation of readers with 12 classic tales rewritten to engage readers.This terrific collection is a great introduction to the different types of traditional story and their place in English oral and written heritage. The 12 stories include tales of giants, dragons, fairies, beauty-and-the-beast, and Arthurian Romance. Each tale is linked with a specific place or county in England: for example, "The Dragon Castle" from Northumberland, "The Girl Snatched By Fairies" from County Durham, "The Princess and the Fool" from Kent and "The Dark Moon" from Lincolnshire.The second half of the book has notes on each story: where the history came from, its development and short summaries of many related or similar stories. It is a timely book on real English fairy tales, from tales of dragons to Robin Hood.