The Story Tree: Tales to Read Aloud

This is an excellent read aloud storybook for young children. The illustrations are full page and well done. The stories themselves are short but captivating enough to read to a squirmy toddler.

The Story Tree: Tales to Read Aloud is a large format book containing seven known folktales from world folklore, including "Monkey-See, Monkey-Do" (Indian), which is a version of the famous Caps for Sale, "The Magic Porridge Pot" (German), from Grimm's Fairy Tales, and "The Three Billy Goats Gruff" (Norwegian). The book includes one Jewish story, "The Blue Coat," which is the very popular story often titled "Joseph Had a Little Overcoat" as in Simms Taback's Caldecott Medal winning book. However, in Hugh Lupton's version, there is no indication that it is from a "Jewish" source, not even in the source notes - only that he had heard the story either from an English or a Scottish storyteller and saw it in print in Parabola magazine, (but without stating which issue or version). Actually, this story comes from a Yiddish folksong called "I had a little coat." In 1978, storyteller Nancy Schimmel made the song into a story ("The Tailor") and published it in her book Just Enough to Make a Story: A Sourcebook for Storytelling (Sisters' Choice Press). If one did not know the origin of this story, there is nothing identifiable as cultural markers to indicate that this is a Jewish folktale. The boy's name is Tom, a rather non-descript choice. As the coat gets cut down to a waistcoat (yes, a waistcoat), and then to a hat, then to a bow-tie, then to a button, and finally to a story, the mother repeats, "Oh dear, oh dear, that coat [or other item] is tattered and torn beyond all redemption!" Now, redemption is a Jewish concept, but I wonder how many parents will be able to explain clearly what that means in the context of this story. Why weren't more American words used in place of `waistcoat' and `redemption'? There are, however, some repetitive sections of the story that make it a delightful participatory experience for the reader and listener to say out loud together. The cartoonish illustrations are delightfully spaced all over the pages with a lot of color and humor. However, there's a scene with snow and a palm tree, which don't seem to go together. Ages 5-10. Reviewed by Peninah Schram

This is one book my husband and I can stand to read over and over. Our toddler loves it. We cannot figure out why but for six months it has been the top choice to read and study the pictures. Although some stories are a little much for a toddler, he likes the sweeter ones anyways, so we are fine with reading it to him. The table of contents is great as there are pictures by the titles so he can choose which story we read. He did not like the CD at all and cried - the man's voice is kind of creepy on it. A wonderful book to add to any collection. Update: Now that my son is 3 1/2 he still loves the stories and has come to love the stories on CD. In fact, the 'voice' has grown on me too and we really love the stories! It has nice transition music between stories.

This is one book my husband and I can stand to read over and over. Our toddler loves it. We cannot figure out why but for six months it has been the top choice to read and study the pictures. Although some stories are a little much for a toddler, he likes the sweeter ones anyways, so we are fine with reading it to him. The table of contents is great as there are pictures by the titles so he can choose which story we read. He did not like the CD at all and cried - the man's voice is kind of creepy on it. A wonderful book to add to any collection.

This book is a collection of well-known tales from different cultures, including Indian, Norwegian, African-American, etc.. Some of the stories have some tension and may be rather scary, but some kids may like them. The book includes:--The magic pot: about a magical pot that is always full of food, and how it needs to be managed.--Monkey see, monkey do: about a hat salesman who upsets his cart and a bunch of monkeys who steal his hats. The salesman must be quite clever to get his hats back.--Sweetest song: about a little girl who goes out to pick flowers, and forgets to mind where she is going, soon wandering off deep into the forest. She has to think fast to get away from the wolf who follows her.--Little Lord Feather-frock: about a cat, blackbird, and rooster who all lived together. A cunning fox starts carrying them away, and the cat and the blackbird must scheme to free the rooster.--Three billy goats gruff: about 3 billy goats who need to cross a bridge that has a terrible troll living under it. They manage to get across by relying on the troll's greediness and their own brute strength.--Little red hen: about a hen that finds a seed and asks other animals to help her plant it and take care of it. But no one is interested into helping her, so she must do the work herself. When the seed grows and ripens, she makes it into bread and keeps it for herself since no one helped her with the work.--Blue coat: about a little boy with a favorite coat made out of blue fabric. When he wears out the coat, his mother cuts it down and makes a vest out of it. This happens again and again until the coat is reduced to a button.All told, the book has about 4100 words.