Week 3-Reading Response 1: Traditional Literature

Grimm, J., Grimm, W., Segal, Lore. The Juniper Tree, and Other Tales From Grimm. Translator Randall Jarrell. Doubleday Canada, Ltd., 1973.  ISBN: 978-0374180577

The Juniper Tree and Other Tales from Grimm is a collection of Grimm’s fairy tales translated by Lore Segal to maintain the original tone and themes of the stories. Segal preserves the dark tone of the original narratives while making them more accessible to readers. At the beginning of the book, there is a "note on the translations" that explains some of the translations included in the book. He thanks Paul Stern for assisting with the German translations, allowing Segal to keep the stories as authentic as possible. Segal stays true to the storytelling style by writing the translations in a narrative format. While reading the text, you can almost feel as if someone is telling the story to you, which makes the stories engaging for both children and adults. The format is suitable for reading the stories aloud or independently for children and adults. While the stories maintain their darker themes, they are presented in a way that older children can enjoy. The collection contains 27 stories, including well-known tales such as "Rapunzel" and "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs," as well as lesser-known stories. The collection contains stories that are not connected, so readers can read the stories in any order they prefer. A table of contents at the beginning allows readers to find the story they want to read easily. Maurice Sendak’s illustrations add depth to the stories. The minimal hand-drawn illustrations complement the tales.

 

Dembicki, Matt (editor). Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection. Fulcrum Books, 2010. ISBN: 978-1-55591-724-1 

Trickster: Native American Tales: A Graphic Collection is a compilation of Native American tales edited by Matt Dembicki. The book presents trickster creatures in a graphic novel format to captivate modern readers. Each tale is retold by a different storyteller and illustrated by a different artist, but they all revolve around the theme of a trickster. To ensure authenticity, Dembicki collaborated with Native American storytellers who selected which illustrator to work with. The storytellers approved the illustrations and storyboards, and the text was only altered when necessary to fit the panels. The book aims to provide an authentic experience of Native American stories, and its narrative style allows for enjoyable reading aloud or independently. The collection's appealing illustrations suit children and adults, particularly those who enjoy graphic novels. It contains 21 trickster stories that can be read in any order, and a table of contents is included for easy navigation. The illustrations complement the text, offering visual context and bringing the characters and settings to life. Additionally, readers can learn more about the contributors at the end of the book, which may lead them to explore more tales and comics by the same creators.