Retold by David Conger, Kay Lyons, Liana Romolo, Joan Suyenaga, Marian Davies Toth, illustrated by Patrick Yee,
Asian Children's Favorite Stories
Tuttle Publishing, 2006.

Ages 4-8+

What a wealth of stories from all over Asia! Eight countries are represented, with a total of thirteen stories. They are all timeless and, as is the nature of enduring folk tales, provide food for thought as to how each story's key message reflects on our own lives and behavior.

The stories are retold in crisp, contemporary idiom and using rich, expressive language that makes them great for reading aloud, whether at home or in school. The stories stay true to their tradition and do not shy away from moments of violence — the hawk snatching a baby chick in 'The Golden Ring' from the Philippines or Mitsuo, one of two brothers in 'How the Sea Became Salty' from Japan, who 'drowned, of course'. These are stories, after all, which reflect the essence of life: and death is wrapped up in that.

The voices of the different writers are not so individual as to be immediately distinguishable: but perhaps the breadth of language and expression comes down to five writers being involved in the book's compilation. Patrick Yee's watercolors also vary from story to story — in depth of color or the texture of his paper — they are deceptively simple, with an immense variety of tones and shading so that the eye lingers and picks out unobtrusive details.

Some of the stories, like 'Liang and His Magic Brush' from China, may already be familiar; others less so. Certainly, with stories about magic, mystery, animals and people to choose from, there is something here to suit every mood and occasion and this book will be a valuable addition to anyone's collection of traditional tales.

Marjorie Coughlan
January 2007