Wonder Stories: The Best Myths for Boys and Girls

Bailey, Carolyn Sherwin, 1875-1961Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

Rating 3.5
Word count
341K words
Chapters
35

Tags

English Originals Folk LiteratureChildren's Literature Adventure JourneyHeroismExotic CultureParent-Child ReadingYouth Reading

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Wonder Stories: The Best Myths for Boys and Girls by Carolyn Sherwin BaileyAuthor: Bailey, Carolyn Sherwin, 1875-1961,Language: English, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Mar 29, 2011

Editor's review

This is a collection of myths compiled by the American children's author Carolyn Sherwin Bailey for boys and girls, a public-domain children's book. Its value lies in retelling long-circulating myths as short pieces suited to children for listening and reading on their own; the language is relatively plain and the plot lines are clear, making it a suitable introductory reader for early exposure to myths. Unlike scholarly myth handbooks, the book emphasizes narrative readability and interest, retaining the basic framework of adventure, transformation, and reward or punishment in myths while softening details unsuitable for children. For parents and teachers, it can serve as bedtime reading or classroom extension material; for English learners, the short-story structure is convenient for reading in segments and practicing retelling. Note that as an early children's book, its narrative perspective and word choices bear the marks of their time, and some cultural statements may seem dated today; adults reading along can offer appropriate explanation and discussion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Not a good fit for

Reading tips

  1. Read one story at a time, then have the child retell the main plot and ending in their own words.
  2. When reading together, first guess the content from the title, then discuss the choices and consequences in the story.
  3. Read different retellings of the same myth side by side to help children understand how stories are passed on and change.
  4. English learners can first read through for the gist, then look up new words and read key passages aloud on a second pass.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

Contents

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5
  6. 6
  7. 7
  8. 8
  9. 9
  10. 10
  11. 11
  12. 12
  13. 13
  14. 14
  15. 15
  16. 16
  17. 17
  18. 18
  19. 19
  20. 20
  21. 21
  22. 22
  23. 23
  24. 24
  25. 25
  26. 26
  27. 27
  28. 28
  29. 29
  30. 30
  31. 31
  32. 32
  33. 33
  34. 34
  35. 35

FAQ

What age is this book suitable for? Given the text difficulty and subject matter, it best suits upper-elementary and middle-grade children who already have basic English reading ability; younger children can have it read aloud and explained by a parent. The final choice also depends on the child's English level and interest.
Which cultures do the myths come from? This is a selection of myths for children, gathering widely circulated myths and legends retold by the author for young readers. To confirm the specific selections and sources, consult the book's table of contents.
As an English reader, is the language difficult? The language is generally plain, with short sentences, suitable as a transition after graded English readers. But since the book is early, some words and expressions bear the marks of their era; where something is unclear, use context or a dictionary.
Can it be used for classroom teaching? Yes. Each story is of moderate length with a complete plot, suitable for reading aloud, retelling, role-play, or thematic discussion. Teachers should read the selected pieces in advance and provide necessary explanation for any cultural statements that may be outdated.

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About the author

Bailey, Carolyn Sherwin, 1875-1961 Author

Carolyn Sherwin Bailey (1875–1961) was an American writer of children's literature and a practitioner in the field of storytelling, though public records of her life and career remain limited. Five of her works are held in this collection, focusing on retold myths, storytelling methods, and children's lives. Wonder Stories: The Best Myths for Boys and Girls retells classic myths in simple language, while Tell Me Another Story: The Book of Story Programs and For the Story Teller: Story Telling and Stories to Tell offer parents and teachers practical plans for arranging and telling stories. Boys and Girls of Colonial Days draws on the everyday lives of colonial children, and Montessori children concerns children in Montessori settings. Her writing is readable and suited to oral telling, with clear language that weaves cultural knowledge into stories adults can readily share with children, contributing to reading promotion and story-based education of her time.