For me, one of the silver linings of the Covid pandemic was the establishment of little free libraries in many cities. These took the form of phone boxes or cabinets attached to garden walls or railings for passers-by to pick up or leave books. Although these are still thriving in Bristol where I previously lived, they don’t seem to be as evident in Cardiff where I now live. However, almost all of my reading material comes from charity shops or bookshelves with donation box in supermarkets. I love the randomness of this approach to book acquisition, you never know what you will find and often select books that you wouldn’t see or choose in a book shop.
An example of a book swap in Bristol. For those of you in the UK, there is a Facebook page dedicated to little libraries.
In this blog I will share my two most recent reads I picked up randomly that surpassed my expectations.
Saturdays at Noon by Rachel Marks
I chose this book based on its reviews, with no idea of its core theme. As you can see, the book itself was a little water damaged!
While Saturdays at Noon is predominantly a novel about relationships, at the heart of the story is a young boy, Alfie, with a PDA and OCD profile. By coincidence, this week is OCD Awareness Week, so it turned out to be very timely! It is Rachel Marks’ debut novel and was inspired by her son.
The chapters alternate between the two adults giving their perspective on unfolding events; but interspersed are some beautifully written chapters in Alfie’s words that express his emotions and explain his behaviours in a profoundly moving way. In reality most children are not able to convey their experience so articulately or, as Alfie says, they don’t want to accused of being weird or silly so they keep it to themselves. Of course, they may also not understand that their reality is different to others’. The way Rachel marks gives Alfie a voice is such a powerful way to help readers get a glimpse of what day-to-day life challenges children with OCD and/or PDA struggle with.
The scene when they are trying to get to school on time when Alfie is having a ‘funny hand day’ and can’t touch the door handle or the seatbelt, but can’t explain this to his father is told form his perspective.
“I hold my hand out in front of me with the fingers spread so that they don’t touch. Some days I don’t mind touching things. I don’t even notice. But other days, my brain says if I touch things I have to say it out loud or I have to wash my hands. I can’t say it out loud because Daddy will get cross and say, ‘What are you on about, Alfie? and when I say, I have to say it; he’ll say, ‘Stop being silly’, but I’m not. When I’m silly, it’s fun. like being silly, but I don’t like it when I have my funny hand days.”
He goes on to explain that if the teacher won’t allow him to go straight to the toilet so he can wash his hand:
“I’ll have to hold my hand out until she lets me go and the other children will say, ‘Alfie’s trying to touch me’, and I’ll cry because I’m not.”
In another chapter Alfie gives examples of other challenges at school. He outlines how being asked to retell Aliens Love Underpants is distressing because he is unable to suppress memories of a dream featuring the aliens where they tried to blow up the world. The writing process is complicated further by knowing that if he gets his letters the wrong way around he’ll have to erase and rewrite them, will finish last and there will only be carrots left for snack. Navigating break times is also difficult. Alfie doesn’t want to be alone because negative intrusive thoughts creep up on him, but he struggles to play with others when they don’t follow the rules / script leading to angry arguments and reprimands.
These vignettes are interesting from an educator’s point of view. Have you supported children with similar challenges? I know I have. How can we try to be more understanding of children’s needs and make it possible for them to thrive at school? The descriptions capture a class of six year olds perfectly, so it came as no surprise to read that the author was previously a primary school teacher!
As readers, we learn alongside Alfie and the adults as the story unfolds about his conditions and some approaches to making life better for children like Alfie.
In Alfie’s words:
“They say I have PDA and a little bit of OCD. I’m not sure why they have funny letter names instead of real names – they don’t even spell anything. Emily says what the funny letter names mean is that I have a superhero brain so it works a bit differently to the other children’s and that’s why I get sad if people don’t follow my rules or if they make me do things that I don’t want to. And the OCD bully is the one that puts the horrible thoughts in my brain”
The phrase OCD is often used casually to describe certain behaviours or personality quirks, but this can result in the condition being overlooked or dismissed.
So, what is OCD and why does the language around it matter?
OCD is a mental health condition that anyone can have. It usually starts in early adulthood, although it can start at any age. It involves obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviours which can be distressing and interfere with your daily life.
How we speak about OCD matters. This OCD Awareness Week and beyond let’s challenge assumptions and stigma, and show people living with OCD that they are not alone.
2. The Penguin Lessons A True Story by Tom Michell.
There’s not much i can say about this without spoiling this magical account of the life of an English teacher with a penguin in 1970s Argentina, so I’ll keep it brief! Another beautifully written book that also tugs at the heart strings. Another aspect in common with the previous book, is how it is thought provoking for educators, especially the chapters near the end where a shy under achieving boy’s self esteem and status are transformed through his relationship with the penguin.
As I read, I kept thinking of the wonderful Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers and wondering whether it was inspired by this real life adventure. If you enjoy Lost and Found, you’ll love this. Since reading, I have seen that it was made into a film starring Steve Coogan this year, but I can’t find where to watch it. This video talks about making the film. I also feel torn as whether I want to watch it. There is however and audio book read by Bill Nighy and you can watch the actual footage of the penguin on YouTube!
What books have you read recently that you would recommend?
We’ve rounded up our favourite factual and fiction books about chameleons. If we’ve missed one of yours please add it in the comments.
Recommended Reads about chameleons by Teachers Telling Tales.
If you would like to see more information for a book clicking on the picture will take you to the Amazon. Teachers Telling Tales are not affiliates and recommend supporting local, independent book stores where possible.
Chameleon Tales – Stories
Chameleons are such charismatic and fascinating creatures and their unique characteristics have inspired so many picture book authors and illustrators to create colourful and engaging stories.
First let’s begin with the all-time classic, The Mixed-Up Chameleon byEric Carle. A gentle, amusing story with a deeper meaning about being content with being ourselves. Fantastic for introducing vocabulary for colours, patterns, animals and body parts, this book is great for English learners.
My Colourful Chameleon by Leonie Roberts, illustrated by Mike Byrne. “The trouble is we lose her. It drives Mum round the bend! I must admit it’s really hard to spot my little friend.” A lovely book for sharing together, young children will love to find the chameleon in the illustrations.
Blue Chameleon by Emily Gravett. An entertaining story that has all the feels! He can turn himself into anything and appear to fit in anywhere, but it seems that neither the swirly snail, the green grasshopper nor the stripy sock want to be friends. Will he ever find someone to talk to? Someone just like him? The subtle and witty interplay between words and illustrations makes this book enjoyable for adults to read and reread and it is a good introduction to colours and shapes for younger audiences.
The Delicious Bug by Janet Perlman is perfect for exploring ideas of friendship, cooperation and conflict resolution. Willy and Wally both catch a delicious bug at the same time. As they argue and fight, their actions lead to trouble that threatens the peace of the whole forest. Can they agree to work together and share?
Rose Williamson’s Look at Me! Look at Me! teaches children to be thankful for what they’re given in a silly and colourful way. Cammy loves to get lots of attention, but she begins to realise that showing off isn’t always worth it and that she can be happy being a regular chameleon again—at least most of the time! Beautifully illustrated by Doreen Marts.
Leon the Chameleon has a problem. When the other little chameleons turn green, yellow or blue, he turns red, purple or orange! Being different makes Leon feel lonely until one day it turns out to be very useful. As well as an engaging story and that explores feelings, it introduces basic colour theory. There is a colour wheel at the back of the book that shows primary colours and their complementary hues.
A Color of His Own by Leo Lionni. Elephants are gray. Pigs are pink. Only the chameleon has no color of his own. He is purple like the heather, yellow like a lemon, even black and orange striped like a tiger! Then one day a chameleon has an idea to remain one color forever by staying on the greenest leaf he can find. But in the autumn, the leaf changes from green to yellow to red . . . and so does the chameleon. When another chameleon suggests they travel together, he learns that companionship is more important than having a color of his own. No matter where he goes with his new friend, they will always be alike. A good book for stimulating discussion.
Do You Still Love Me? by Charlotte Middleton. This story with bold, graphic illustrations is good for exploring emotions, especially for children with a new baby at home or perhaps an older sibling who they have to share attention with. Dudley, once a happy dog, finds it difficult when Anna brings home Pequito, an adorable baby chameleon.
Chamelia and Chamelia and the New Kid in Class by Ethan Long Most chameleons are famous for their amazing camouflage skills and prefer to fit in, but Chamelia the chameleon prefers to stand out. She just loves being the center of attention. But when standing out means being left out, can Chamelia learn to share the spotlight? Playfully illustrated with collages using fabric patterns and textures. There are great stories for children developing interpersonal skills in social settings.
Chameleon’s Colors is great for talking about patterns. The chameleon in the story is tired of constantly changing colors. He blends in wherever he goes and no one ever sees him. The other animals in the jungle wish that they could look different, so Chameleon sets to work painting stripes on the lion, polka-dots on the elephant using every color and pattern under the sun. But as the animals soon learn, changing their original appearance causes problems they never expected…
Tormented every morning by leopard and bullied by crocodile, the clever little chameleon decides to play a trick on them. He manages to get the better of his two oppressors without them even knowing how he did it! This is the story of why Crafty Chameleon changes colour and hides when he hears you coming.
Chameleon Truths – information texts
Chameleons! by Bianca Perez is a free book on StoryJumper and features an a-z of chameleon facts with colour photos.
Chameleon, Chameleon by Joy Cowley and Nic Bishop (Photographer) One brave chameleon ventures from the safety of his tree in search of a new home. On his journey, he meets other rain forest animals, not all of them friendly! Wonderful photographs and simple text perfect for young children is rounded out with lots of information.
Crazy About Chameleons?
Check out the Teachers Telling Tales blog post which has links to activity resources including a follow-up story to The Mixed-Up Chameleon that explores animal patterns through a quiz, an interactive pattern matching game, chameleon treasure hunt and presentation on facts about chameleons. You can also download a free chameleon maze.
Sea turtles are such fascinating creatures, it’s no wonder they have inspired so many engaging books for children both fiction (tales) and non fiction (truths).
Reading turtle tales or truths can spark wonder about the oceans in the minds of children. Because turtles are endangered, their plight can inspire youngsters into becoming ocean heroes.
Here are some recommended books on sea turtles. Unless stated, the books are available on Amazon and links take you there to find out more. Teachers Telling Tales are not affiliates and recommend supporting local, independent book stores where possible.
The tale of a baby turtle and his journey down the beach to the sea.
Part of the Nature Storybooks series, this picture book combines story with information to show how one tiny sea turtle grows before she heads back to the beach to become a mother herself.
The classic turtle picture book with over 2 million copies sold!Opening simply in the baby sea turtle’s voice: “I’m coming Mama, I’ll see you soon, I know just how, I’ll follow the moon.” Celebrating the love between mother and child and proceeds from sales support turtle conservation.
From the moment it hatches from its shell through its journey across an ocean filled with wonders and dangers to its return to the beach where it was born to lay its own eggs, a female sea turtle’s life is one of survival.
Non fiction
Did you know turtles spend their entire lives travelling the ocean to find food and a mate? And they have a great sense of direction, returning to lay their eggs on the exact beach where they were born. This level 2 reader is great for independent research and discovery.
With inspiring photographs, children are given a well-rounded understanding of turtles’ anatomy, feeding habits, and behaviour in this information text.
Ocean Heroes
Six of seven species of turtle are endangered. These books help children understand why and provide hope through inspiring action for conservation.
Little Turtle Turns the Tide is the first children’s book by novelist and screenwriter Lauren Davies. Carrying a strong and positive environmental message, the book tells the story of Little Turtle, who finds himself swimming in an ocean of plastic debris. So he sets off on a journey to make a difference, with the help of his friends and the children of the world. Beautifully illustrated by Nico Williams, Little Turtle Turns the Tide will appeal to young children who love the ocean, and inspire them to be heroes.
Children will enjoy this inspiring story. Viv has a new home and a new school by the sea. Follow her as she finds her way in a new place and helps bring together a whole community to save the sea turtles of the South Carolina coast. Acclaimed activist Philippe Cousteau and author Deborah Hopkinson team up to offer a story of the powerful difference young people can make in the world.
Nerin is a sea turtle who loves eating jellyfish. One day, she accidentally eats a plastic bag which puts her in a spot of bother. Luckily, Professor Penny, along with her canine friend, Wilson, is on hand to save the day! Professor Penny Stories are a series of children’s books written by staff and students of the University of Exeter’s College of Life and Environmental Sciences.
Myrtle’s Battle Against Climate Change (free download) Fuentes, M. (2010) Myrtle’s battle against climate change. Reef & Rainforest Research Centre Limited, Cairns, Australia (22pp.).
Myrtle’s Battle Against Climate Change is based on findings from PhD research. It explains what climate change is, how it affects turtles and what we can do in child-friendly text and pictures.
An empowering read for older readers about how one person can make a real difference. It’s time to save the turtles! Chellie loves the beautiful green turtles on her tropical island home, especially since their scientific name is so close to her own. Every year she would watch them swim in the sea and make their long journeys up the beach to lay their eggs. But one day, Chellie makes a grim and horrible discovery – the rubbish pollution is threatening her beloved turtles, so she is forced to act. Can she save them before it is too late?
Do you have any favourite turtle books not included here? Please add them in the comments.
For turtle related resources check out the Teachers Telling Tales shop on tes.com or the Teachers pay Teachers store.
Fairy tales are losing favour in many homes, yet they are still pervasive in popular culture and part of children’s education at school. When Disney+ launched in the US, ten million users signed up in the first twenty four hours, but old classics were issued with disclaimers about their content. So is it time to banish fairy tales to the past, or should they be embraced for the future?
A selection of stories out of favour with parents and their objections to them.
A survey of 2,000 adults in 2012 found that fairy tales are no longer read in many homes.
THE CASE AGAINST FAIRY TALES
So why are they
no longer on the bedtime menu?
For some parents, fairy tales are just too scary and the outcomes too unpleasant. For others they are too sanitised and unrealistic! They feel that darkness is the essence of fairy tales and dislike the way stories are diluted or sweetened. The third major objection is that the stories often represent and endorse outdated, even offensive values.
The Three Main Objection Categories
Objection 1 – Too Scary
Illustration Fiona Childs
These parents value bedtime reading as a special dedicated time to bond with their child. They believe it should be a cosy, comfortable time. Stories should gently stimulate the imagination and soothe the child into sweet dreams. They don’t want stories that could cause anxiety or prompt difficult conversations. Their worst case scenario would be a story leading to their child waking up crying or screaming with a nightmare or developing a long-term fear of wolves or witches.
Objection 2 – Too Sweet
Illustration Fiona Childs
Then there are the parents of the child with a bookcase, bedroom and wardrobe full of sparkly, pastel-hued ‘happily ever after’s. Although determined to bring up their child in a gender neutral way, envisioning climbing trees and scraped knees, they are overwhelmed by the tsunami of pervasive pink and ubiquitous unicorns. This parent sighs every time their little princess (or prince), demands the same sugary story. They dream of a little more adventure, darkness and danger in their storytelling.
Too Stereotyped
Illustration, Fiona Childs
For these parents, the problem is more serious than ‘pink is for girls’, the emphasis on being pretty and getting married (preferably to royalty). They are not just bored by the predictable outcomes, macho heroes and damsels in distress; they believe fairy tales are offensive and damaging. They cite misogyny in the way women and girls are portrayed. The stereotyping is not limited to gender, but includes a lack of all kinds of representation and diversity. Worse than being blandly monocultural, they can be downright racist.
THE CASE FOR FAIRY TALES
With such strong objections to fairy tales, it is perhaps surprising that they are loved by so many. Appearing in cinemas, on bookshelves, in classrooms and all manner of toys and household items marketed at both children and adults.
The Value of Fairy Tales – precious content
An internet search uncovers many articles and lists of why fairy tales have value, some claim they are not just good for children but an essential part of childhood. (See links at end of article).
Word Cloud compiled using six lists of the importance / value of fairy tales
Main Categories of Support for Fairy Tales
1. Shared Language, Common Understanding
Fairy tales are a shared access point to stories and learning. This is explained well by Ashlie Swicker in this article
“Fairy tales are the common denominator in modern American society. I see it in the urban elementary classroom where I work– some students come to first grade with a high exposure to literacy, while some have held only a few books before school starts. But all of my students know the basic plot of several fairy tales. Cartoons reenact them. Movies reimagine them. Without even dipping into the plethora of print retellings, a child can learn the comforting, time-treasured stories well and quickly. There is an access point for everyone. “
The importance of this familiarity is beautifully summarised by Neil Gaiman
“We encounter fairytales as kids, in retellings or panto. We breathe them. We know how they go. “
2. Imagination
Fairy tales are a portal to fantasy worlds with mystical creatures and enchanted lands. Where magic reigns and the impossible becomes possible. They are a window into places and times outside of our experience, often described in vivid and poetic ways to stimulate the reader’s imagination. Fairy tales can become a stepping stone to other genres of reading and a springboard to creative writing. Let’s hear from Neil Gaiman again, this time from his explanation of why fairy tales are badass
” I want people to imagine. I think that your imagination is the most important tool that you possess.”
3. Critical Thinking
Fairy tales are all about solving problems, usually in innovative ways with characters applying wit and intelligence to overcome powerful adversaries or difficult situations.
4. Morals and Life Lessons
Fairy tales feature heroes and villains, good and evil in simple black and white. Good deeds and kindness are rewarded and bad deeds have consequences in a way that is reassuring to young children. The depictions of right and wrong are clear and easy to understand. Personal qualities such as kindness, honesty and generosity are given value.
5. Literacy and Language
Through listening to fairy tales, children have an introduction to archetypal characters, story structure and plot components. Through repeated listening and familiarity they develop a deeper understanding of these conventions. In addition they learn interesting language features unique to the genre, such as the power of threes and repetition.
6. Self Belief
In fairy tales, ordinary characters achieve extraordinary things. Children are the heroes, they are self-reliant, independent and apply courage and conviction to overcome. Children identify with the characters in the stories, thus gaining positive role models.
Neil Gaiman, illustrated by Chris Riddell.
7. Managing Emotions
Fairy tales deal with strong emotional story lines including deep sadness, anger and fear. Experiencing these emotions through the characters, mediated by adults reading with them, allows children to safely explore and discuss these feelings.
FINDING THE BALANCE
The objections to fairy tales are valid and important to take into consideration, but at the same time, there is definitely value in including these stories in children’s experience. So how do we find the balance and get it just right?
Finding the Balance
Overcoming Objections
1. Too Scary
Of course we want to protect children, especially young ones from being frightened. As a Learning Through Literature blog post points out, “Some might worry that filling little minds with stories of evil witches and scary monsters will create nightmares, but the world is already full of big, scary things to a young child.” Talking about frightening things with a trusted adult can help a child to rationalise and manage their fears. In fairy tales the monsters or villains always get their comeuppance, usually at the hands of a heroic child. Fairy tales provide children with characters to identify with who triumph over scary situations.
Of course, every child is different and sensitivity to their individual needs is recommended. Some children may have a specific fear of say, wolves or witches, in which case special care should be taken when reading stories that feature them. That’s not to say avoid these completely, as children will come across them in other situations, but introduce them gently and be there to talk and reassure the child. Choose books carefully to find ones appropriate to the age or developmental stage of the child. Stories with humour or where the villain turns out to be a softie or a victim may help to overcome fears. Choosing an appropriate reading time is also important – not bedtime!
2. Too Sweet
By offering enticing new books, films or animations children may be tempted into more adventurous choices. Perhaps a more diverse or dark version of their favourite tale will broaden their range of interest, but often children can be fixed in their preferences to the point of obsession. Sorry, no magic wand waving suggestions to solve this one! So any advice to the long-suffering parent tired of the same old story? As a teacher for many years I have spent countless hours talking about the pictures and stories in the Oxford Reading Tree books. As a result, I found Mr P ICT’s commentary and parodies of some of the well known stories on YouTube hilarious. In the same way, after yet another princess retelling, you could check out a more realistic or humorous princess experience as an antidote to all the sweetness. Here are some suggestions, (not for viewing with a child).
The key to tackling stereotypes is to address them, especially as children get older. By discussing cliches and stereotypes we can address them instead of endorsing them. Donald Haase, author of Fairytales and Feminism, encourages parents to read these stories sceptically, “They can read or tell classical tales in ways that intentionally question or subvert the stereotypes,” the Wayne State University professor told The Independent. Some adults adjust the text as they read, omitting particular words or phrases or changing them to make the story more appropriate. This can work for all three objections with a little preparation!
A valuable strategy for overcoming all three objections is to balance reading older versions of traditional tales with more contemporary versions of the same stories. Once children are familiar with the original tales they can really enjoy the humour of the twisted or fractured tales that shatter stereotypes and bring the stories up to date. For children who enjoy making up their own stories, creating their own twisted tale is a fantastic activity to share.
DECONSTRUCTING DISNEY
When considering fairy tales, especially in relation to their popularity and stereotyping, it would be wrong not to include Disney. For many children now, their first experience of fairy tales is through Disney, the images when they imagine characters or scenes often stem from Disney films, books or merchandise.
Like fairy tales in general, Disney is accused of being unrealistic, but isn’t that the point?!
Yes, Disney films are unrealistic, they are fantasy. However, the concern is when there is stereotyping, the fact that children watch these films over and over means that they have a slow cumulative effect on perception and attitudes. The depiction of masculinity, femininity and extreme gender dimorphism can influence attitudes to body image and behaviour expectations, for example. If you would like to read more about this, check out this Pinterest link which shows examples of images with amusing captions such as “Help! My Eyeball is Bigger than my Wrist”! This is a serious issue though, as this screenshot of topics by Deconstructing Disney shows.
In Defence Of Disney
It is perhaps surprising that the earliest female role model created by Disney was a fun and feisty character, Alice. It has been claimed that Disney is underplaying its princesses and female leads by giving films gender neutral titles (like Frozen instead of Anna and the Snow Queen or Tangled instead of Rapunzel) and focusing on male characters in trailers in order to appeal to a wider audience. However, the recent live action films with female leads have been the most successful . Will princesses be phased out? It seems unlikely given their popularity.
Over time Disney princesses have grown into more developed and less traditional characters . A 1989 review of The Little Mermaid describes how “Ariel is a fully realized female character who thinks and acts independently, even rebelliously, instead of hanging around passively while the fates decide her destiny. Because she’s smart and thinks for herself, we have sympathy for her scheming.” This particular film is credited with saving Disney from financial ruin and has been described as more subversive than it at first appears. Disney have taken the step of casting Halle Berry in the upcoming live remake, a move rejoiced by many.
Disney Disclaimers
This year, the Disney+ service was launched with ten million users signing up in the US within 24 hours. So how do Disney deal with the issue of older material that contains offensive stereotyping? Well, the deeply racist Song of the South was made an exception and is not part of the package. Some other films such as The Lady and the Tramp have disclaimers, some (like Aladdin and Pocohontas) appear to have been deemed acceptable as they are. Critics point out that these disclaimers are extremely vague and compare them unfavourably to those issued by Warner Bros for some time now. While Disney add a simple sentence “It may contain outdated cultural depictions” to the end of film descriptions, Warner Bros not only use the word ‘prejudice’, but explain why they keep the scenes in the films. “The cartoons you are about to see are products of their time. They may depict some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that were commonplace in American society. These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today. While the following does not represent the Warner Bros. view of today’s society, these cartoons are being presented as they were originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed.” Their box set of Tom and Jerry went further in including an introduction from Whoopi Goldberg
“The Tom and Jerry episodes included in this collection come to us from a time when racial and ethnic differences were caricatured in the name of entertainment. These prejudices were wrong then and they’re wrong today. “
Young children watching these films will not be able to read and understand these disclaimers, but at least it is an acknowledgement and a heads-up to adults who can then address the issues in the way the feel is appropriate with their children.
THE FUTURE FOR FAIRY TALES
Fairy tales are like time travellers with one foot in the past, one in the present and eyes fixed on the future. They provide fascinating insight into human nature and how we have evolved over time. If we were to erase old stories, we would be denying a stage in our development as humans working towards values of equity. Old traditions that cause harm should be stopped, but should not be forgotten. This is encapsulated perfectly in this description of The Fairy Tale Paradox
Children should be exposed to fairy tales precisely because they are contentious and multifaceted. As a result, they spark curiosity among children and can help facilitate the most wonderful conversations. By recounting fairy tales contextually to our children, we offer them the rudimentary knowledge of critically interpreting any form of communication they might be exposed to today or in the future. Be it in the form of news, books, or even social media.
Breaking down stereotypes. Twisted Tales and Fractured Fairy Tales challenge black and white thinking. Illustrations Fiona Childs.
The best medium for developing children’s critical thinking when it comes to fairy tales is through reading fractured or twisted tales. By turning the traditional tales on their head they illuminate the stereotypes in an engaging an often humorous way. These stories are enjoyable in their own right, but if readers are not familiar with the old tales they are rooted in they lose some of their power and punch. For this reason it’s important to have some exposure to the classics. As Elizabeth Danish says in this guidance
They are a form of escapism and they are a part of popular culture and literature. Shielding your children from fairy tales would be to shield them from a very rich and culturally significant form of storytelling and one that can bring them great enjoyment. Just make sure that you expose them to other ideas too, and that you read the stories yourself first and help to educate them on the messages therein.
What do you think?
Have you used fairy tales to challenge traditional thinking? Do you have a favourite fractured feminist tale? Please share your thoughts and ideas in the comments. Thank you!
Fairy Tale Themed Teaching Resources by Teachers Telling Tales
There are many fairy tale themed teaching resources in the Teachers Telling Tales shop, including a series “Once said in a Fairy Tale” with a focus on characters and speech and “Once upon a Crime” for older students with a critical thinking / citizenship focus. https://www.tes.com/teaching-resources/shop/fionachilds
In the post ‘Fairy Tales on Trial’ we explored the objections against fairy tales and the benefits of reading them. The conclusion is that fairy tales have a place on our shelves, but are best balanced with contemporary twisted tales. In this way we develop children’s critical thinking, challenge stereotypes, and stimulate their imagination. We can enjoy classic story themes in new settings and from different perspectives, often with lots of humour.
There are countless fantastic books available in this genre, here are a few favourites to take a look at.
Clicking on the pictures will take you directly to Amazon where you can check out the books. Teachers Telling Tales are not affiliates and recommend supporting local, independent book stores where possible.
Chris Riddell creates beautiful, detailed illustrations and I recommend following him on Facebook if you like this style. Little Green Raincape is on her way to Rapunzel’s party, deep in the wild woods. The way is long and dark, but Green is a smart girl. Smart enough to turn down apples offered by kindly old ladies, smart enough to turn down travel advice from helpful wolves, and above all, smart enough to solve a wealth of classic fairy tale problems – not least mend a lovelorn beast’s broken heart.
Also illustrated by Chris Riddell and written by Neil Gaiman, a fantastic author and authority on fairy tales. You can watch them in conversation and read an excerpt from this new book on Good Reads. “You may think you know this story. There’s a young queen, about to be married. There are some good, brave, hardy dwarfs; a castle, shrouded in thorns; and a princess, cursed by a witch, so rumor has it, to sleep forever. But no one is waiting for a noble prince to appear on his trusty steed here. This fairy tale is spun with a thread of dark magic, which twists and turns and glints and shines. A queen might just prove herself a hero, if a princess needs rescuing. . . .”
For children who feel they are too old for fairy tales or the usual tales are just ‘too sweet’, Roald Dahl’s Revolting Rhymes are sure to provide an antidote! Try not to giggle when reading about Little Red Riding Hood :
“The small girl smiles. One eyelid flickers. She whips a pistol from her knickers. She aims it at the creature’s head, And bang bang bang, she shoots him dead.”
“Little fish, little fish, let me come in.” “Not by the skin of my finny fin fin!” “Then I’ll munch, and I’ll crunch, and I’ll smash your house in!”
“Once upon a bad hair day, A prince rode up Rapunzel’s way” As the prince rides past Rapunzel’s tower he hears the sound of a damsel in distress – Rapunzel’s beautiful hair has lost its shine! The prince, convinced she is in need of his help, sets out to save her in the traditional way but this is no ordinary princess! She throws down everything except her curly locks – including a surprise that makes all his dreams come true.
Have you ever heard the story of Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs? Yes, you heard right – DINOSAURS. Once upon a time, there were three hungry dinosaurs: Papa Dinosaur, Mama Dinosaur and … a Dinosaur who happened to be visiting from Norway. Of course. One day, purely on a whim, they decided to tidy up their house nice and neat, make their beds up all cosy and comfortable, prepare delicious hot chocolate pudding of varying temperatures, place their chairs just so, and go … SOMEWHERE ELSE. Let’s be clear, they were definitely NOT setting up a trap for some succulent, poorly supervised little girl called Goldilocks who may wander by … ahem.
This is the deep dark wood. Everyone knows it’s no place to go for a stroll. There are monsters and trolls and giants everywhere, not to mention the Big Bad Wolf! Wait a minute! What’s that sweet little girl doing in the deep dark wood? Doesn’t she know it’s DANGEROUS here? The Big Bad Wolf will gobble her up for his lunch! But this deep dark wood is full of twists and turns, and all is not quite what it seems. The Big Bad Wolf is about to get a big, bad surprise…
In this reverse story, one bear goes for a walk and finds himself lost in the city. So he lets himself into an unlocked apartment for a little nap.
“I’m far too young for marriage, but I’ll be your chief mechanic!”
Have you read any of these? What other books would you recommend?
Hair Love, short animation and book by Matthew A. Cherry
This is one of those precious stories that takes you on an emotional journey and stays with you long after reading or watching. In just five minutes of animation you feel the hopes and frustrations of the father and daughter and are gently introduced to deeper emotional theme. (No spoilers here!) Get comfortable, get yourself a drink, (and some tissues) and check it out here https://youtu.be/kNw8V_Fkw28
Hair Love itself has an interesting story in that it was made possible by a Kickstarter project. Matthew A. Cherry explains “This story was born out of seeing a lack of representation in mainstream animated projects, and also wanting to promote hair love amongst young men and women of color. It is our hope that this project will inspire.” The campaign page https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/matthewacherry/hair-love-animated-short-film/ includes lots of the initial sketches as well as some of the viral videos of dad and daughter hair struggles and triumphs.
The book is also available. (Clicking on the picture will take you to Amazon, Teachers Telling Tales are not affiliates and recommend supporting local, independent book stores where possible.)
