Tales of Fearless Girls: Forgotten Stories from Around the World

Gr 2-4–This anthology of 20 stories highlights forgotten fairy tales of strong young women. The entries come from across the globe and vary widely in their style and cultural references, but all feature brave, curious, smart heroines. A shipwrecked girl becomes the foster daughter of the Giant Queen, and faces more challenges still in the German tale “Aurora and the Giants,” while the daughter of a Persian merchant wants nothing more than the safety of her Pink Pearl prince in “The Magic Boxes.” Each entry runs around three to five pages, and the succinct, practical style fits the overall tone of a classic fairytale text. Those looking for deeper dives into the lore may be disappointed by the concise tellings; however this should not deter readers seeking a collection of exciting short stories featuring legends not often featured. Each story is accompanied by full-color illustrations interspersed with the text, which is written on full-color pages.