Traditional Literature

 

Title: The Princess and the Warrior

Author: Duncan Tonatiuh

Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers

Copyright/Publishing Date: 2016

Audience: Ages 6 - 9

Lexile: 770L

Awards: ALA Notable Children's Book (2017), Pure Belpre Illustrator Honor (2017), Red Clover Book nominee (2017-2018)

Starred Reviews: Booklist (09/01/16), Horn Book Guide (04/01/17), Horn Book Magazine (09/01/16), Kirkus Reviews (07/15/16), Publisher Weekly (08/15/16), School Library Journal (09/01/16)

Summary: In this retelling of a Mexican folktale, Tonatiuh tells the story of how two volcanoes, Iztaccihuatl and Popocatepetl, came to be.  Princess Izta does not want to marry the rich suitors that come to woo her.  The warrior Poppoca see the princess for who she is and they fall in love.  The emperor does not think Poppoca is a proper suitor for his daughter so he makes a deal with the warrior.  If he can defeat the rival Jaguar Claw who the emperor as been at war with, then Popoca can marry Princess Izta.  Jaguar Claw, sensing his defeat in battle, tricks the Princess by having her believe Popoca was slain in battle.  Princess Izat is heartbroken and takes a potion that puts her in a deep sleep.  When Popoca returns, he finds he is unable to awaken the princess.  He loyally stays by her side while the two of them eventually turn into the two volcanoes.

Categories/Genre: Picture book, traditional literature.  This book is a retelling of a Mexican tale.  It could be considered a pourquoi tale or a nature myth because they both tell how things in nature came to be.  I included this book because it is a tale I had not heard before reading this book.  The illustrations were also engaging and added to the story.

Title: The Three Billy Goats Gruff

Author: Mac Barnett

Publisher: Orchard Books

Copyright & Publishing Date: 2022

Audience: Ages 4 - 8

Lexile: 560L

Starred Reviews: Booklist (09/01/22), Horn Book Magazine (01/01/23)

Summary: In this humorous retelling of a traditional Norwegian folktale, Mac Barnett uses humor and rhyme to make the familiar story new again.  The troll who lives under the bridge is a disgusting troll who hears the first goat on his bridge.  After the troll tells the many ways he likes to eat goat, the first goat pleads for his life and tells the troll to wait for his bigger and fatter brother.  The troll lets the first goat cross.  When the second goat comes on the bridge, the troll tells of new ways that he likes to eat goat.  The second goat also pleads for his life and tells the troll to wait for his even bigger brother.  The troll agrees. There is a surprise waiting for the reader when the third goat arrives.

Categories/Genre: Traditional Literature, Picture Book.  The illustrations by Jon Klassen go hand in hand with the words in this retelling and at times convey the story.  It is traditional literature because of trolls and it was told through generations before being written down.  I included this book because of the humor.  Children and adults will be entertained by this version of The Three Billy Goats Gruff.