Asian Folktales for Children by Patrick Yee,David Conger,Liana Romulo

Reading stories from different cultures provides both windows into other worlds, and mirrors for self-reflection. They foster empathy, break down prejudices, and build cross-cultural understanding. This book has eight folktales from different countries in Asia (specifically Korea, Japan, India, the Philippines, Indonesia, China and Thailand). The tales themselves are well-known tales in their native countries, and several versions of these circulate in native country (as oral tales evolve). The watercolor illustrations make the stories authentic as they place the characters and events in their native lands. The pictures help readers immerse themselves in the stories’ diverse environments.

The stories themselves are written in contemporary American English making them easy for readers (or listeners) without a background in Asian culture to understand them. The illustrations enhance the text by appropriately placing the stories in their natural landscape. Readers will notice similarities to other folktales from different cultures that are striking similar to these stories – reflecting cultural exchange among the various cultures. Recommended for individual reading and for reading out loud for younger audiences.