Folk and Fairy Tales. 2nd ed.

Teya Rosenberg is an assistant professor of English specializing in
children’s literature at Southwest Texas State University.

Folk and Fairy Tales provides an overview of the European folktale
tradition and scholarly approaches to that tradition. Appearing under
such thematic headings as “Loss of Innocence,” “The Child as
Hero,” and “Animal Bridegroom” are many classic tales from the
oral tradition, particularly from collections by Charles Perrault and
the Brothers Grimm, but also some from Asbjшrnsen and Moe, Basile, and
Joseph Jacobs, thus expanding the European representation.

Tales from Hans Christian Andersen, Oscar Wilde, the Merseyside Fairy
Story Collective, Angela Carter, and Tanith Lee represent the literary
tradition. The anthology ends with a collection of scholarly articles on
various aspects of folktale studies.

The book lives up to its claim of providing “a solid foundation for
courses in Children’s Literature, Folklore, and Literature of
Fantasy,” offering a good background in folktale types, structures,
and historical development. Despite a European bias that limits its
usefulness in cross-cultural studies, and despite its neglect of the
rich tradition of parody, Folk and Fairy Tales has much to offer
students and teachers of folk and fairy tales.