Read this collection of books with folktales from around the world. Suitable for toddlers to tweens, these stories provide a sneak-peek into cultures, values, morals of society. From ancient Greece to dragons of China to mystical India – these books bring an era gone by.
Also Read: Children’s books about different traditions | Indian Mythological books for kids
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Fascinating Folktales! Books For Kids
21 Folk tales books for kids
Why The Sky Is Far Away: A Nigerian Folktale The sky was close to the Earth, but people’s greed caused it to move away. Read what happened in this beautiful Nigerian folktale.
The pictures are bright and gives a folktale vibe. It is relatable for today’s children to understand the menace of being wasteful.
(Ages 4-8 years)
How Chipmunk Got His Stripes How did a small brown squirrel turn into a chipmunk? Read in this adorable storybook. When the bear brags that he can stop the sun from appearing, the squirrel does not believe. It stays awake all night and proves the bear wrong. But the mightly bear is unhappy at proven wrong.
(Ages 5-8 years)
The Empty Pot Read the tale about a Chinese Emperor’s test of choosing his successor. The book has a good moral for kids – honesty is rewarded above all else.
(Ages 4-8 years)
Vietnamese Children’s Favorite Stories This popular award-winning book is a collection of 15 popular Vietnamese folktales loved by a generation of kids. Make children’s bedtime story-time fun and learning.
(Ages 5+ years)
Chinese Children’s Favorite Stories A collection of 13 delightful Chinese folktales. The stories emphasize on teh universal lesson of kindness and hard work.
Read about the angry Dragon, wise cow and many such interesting characters. This picture book is suitable for kindergarten and above.
(Ages 5-10 years)
The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! Read the story of a village names La Paz – a happy but noisy village. Villagers want peace and quiet, so they elected a new mayor who made rules curbing noise in public places.
But a rooster just would not listen, and sings at dawn as all roosters born to do.
A beautiful story leading to a discussion about the spirit of freedom. This picture book is a fun read-aloud.
(Ages 4-8 years)
The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales Read 24 black American folk tales – animal tales, supernatural tales, fanciful and cautionary tales, and slave tales of freedom. The award-winning popular classic has been a favorite for generations of kids.
(Ages 5+ years)
The Storyteller This stunning multidimensional story within a story portrays the power of a storyteller. Read this wonderful story about a small boy and one storyteller from the Kingdom of Morocco. The pictures are whimsical and captivating.
(Ages 4-8 years)
The Great Kapok Tree Read this great tale highlighting the importance of trees -from the Amazon rainforest. This one is a fable for environment lovers.
The artwork is beautiful, and the narration is lively.
(Ages 2-8 years)
Native American Animal Stories Did you know that the Papago Indians of Southwest American believed that butterflies were created to make children happy and remove thoughts of aging and death!
Read 24 such folktales of Native America in this beginner reader book. Learn about the cultures of Mohawk, Hopi, Yaqui, Haida, and more.
(Ages 7+)
Japanese Myths, Legends & Folktales This gorgeously illustrated bilingual book contains 12 Japanese folktales in English and Japanese. A good book to learn about the rich Asian culture.
(Ages 5+)
Book of Norwegian Folktales Explore the magical land of Norway with princesses, trolls. The stories are charming and transport readers back to a magical world. The pages and print give an old-world vibe.
(Ages 5+)
Tales of the Greek Heroes Read the legends of the gods and heroes in Ancient Greece – Perseus, Heracles, Jason, Odysseus. The timeline covers from the beginning of time to Troy.
It successfully relates one story to another. This one is recommended for kids of all ages interested in learning about Greek mythology.
Nelson Mandela’s Favorite African Folktales Read some of Africa’s most cherished folktales and learn about the vibrant culture. The folktales are from all around Africa and mention the region each one is from.
There are few pictures, making it suitable for tweens and above.
(Ages 8-12 years)
The Annotated African American Folktales This award-winning book presents around 150 African American stories.
Read about Anansi- the African trickster and many such ancient tales bringing out the sophisticated, complex, and heterogeneous culture. A must-read book for every child.
The Illustrated Stories Of Akbar and Birbal Read the funny tales of Emperor Akbar and his witty courtier Birbal. These folktales have been passed through generations and translated to many Indian languages. Suitable for all ages.
Folktales for Fearless Girls Read stories of clever girls, valiant queens, strong heroines – who saved the day.
With stories from China, Russia, Persia, India, Armenia, the UK, Spain, France, Southern Africa, Egypt, and Germany – this one showcases women in their true form – brave and fearless. A must-read for all kids.
(Ages 8-12 years)
African Tales It is a beautiful work of art decorated with African beads. Read about eight traditional tales of bravery from Africa.
(Ages 9-12 years)
A Treasury of Japanese Folk Tales This bilingual book presents 12 folktales in both English and Japanese language.
Discover a ‘tea kettle’ that is a cunning badger in disguise, meet dragon princess in her beautiful palace, ride on turtle-back – these stories transport the readers to a bygone era.
(Ages 5-10 years)
Chinese Folktales Read 19 Chinese folktales highlighting virtues of honesty, respect, courage, and self-reliance. The stories offer a peek into Chinese traditional wisdom and culture.
(Ages 8-12 years)
The Elephant’s Friend and Other Tales from Ancient India It is a collection of 8 insightful animal folktales from ancient India. The stories from the Hitopadesha, the Jatakas, and the Panchatantra narrated in graphic storybook format make it a favorite read. (Ages 6-9 years)
