From Sea to Shining Sea; A Treasury of American Folklore and Folk Songs

Big in size, little in treasure, much in multi cultural sampling. from the other reviews I thought it would be a few hundred classic American folk songs and stories,but far to many pre-American culture songs and folklore. I was confused with which country they where suppose to be about with a good part of the selections.

This book is a treasury of poems, songs, and stories, from the great country of the US :) The songs are traditional, and, if you have a little skill in piano, flute, recorder, or mallet percussion, you can play them with ease. The poems are okay, and they include Paul Revere's Ride, which is wonderful.The stories are also interesting, and they probably aren't ones that you've ever heard before; all of them are 'G' rated, except for one that might be a little scary for little kids in the first section about a girl whose fingers were smashed off by her father and brothers (gross). This book is okay, but it isn't the greatest thing out there.

I've used this book in my work as a substitute teacher in elementary school and as a Scout leader. It reflects thediversity of American culture - good Native American tales, for example. The continuity of the illustrations - each illustrator does one section - is a nice touch.

This is a wonderful book that is full of american folklore. It includes stories, poetry, folk songs, and illustrations. The illustrations are fabulous and are by well-known picture book artists including Marcia Brown, Barbara Cooney, Leo and Diane Dillon, Trina Schart Hyman, Chris Van Allsburg, and Ed Young. The folktale retellings are well-written and are appropriate for reading out loud as well as fourth grade reading level and above. The included folk songs have the musical score as well as the lyrics. I highly recommend this book for parents and teachers.