Traditional Literature

     Some benefits of traditional literature include:

• Helps children understand the personal dimension and standards of behavior of a culture, reducing stereotypes.
• Provides children with a framework for the literature, drama, and art that they will encounter later in life.
• Provides children with entertainment and pleasure.
• Provides strong rhythm, rhyme, and repetition of patterns. 

     There are several categories in traditional literature. Categories include fables, myths, legends, religious stories, tall tales and folktales. A fable is a brief story where the moral is explicitly stated. Characters in a fable include animals who talk as humans. An example of a fable is The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse Who Cried Wolf. A myth explains aspects of culture or how something came to be in the natural world. Characters in a myth include people who have superpowers. An example of a myth is When the Beginning Began: Stories About God, the Creatures and Us. A legend is a traditional narrative story based on historical truth. Characters in a legend include historical figures such as saints, kings, and heroes. An example of a legend is King Arthur Tales. A religious story is a story based on an important event and people of different religions. Characters in religious stories include prominent religious figures. An example of a religious story is Wonders and Miracles: A Passover Companion. A tall tale is an exaggerated humorous story of a character who preforms impossible acts. Characters in a tall tale include historical figures who are given superhuman strengths. An example of a tall tale is Paul Bunyan. A folktale is a fairy, human, or animal tale that is passed down by word of mouth. Characters in a folktale include humans or animals. An example of a folktale is The Three Little Pigs.

    Here are the top 10 read aloud traditional tales:

• Glass Slipper, Gold Sandal: A Worldwide Cinderella by Paul Fleischman
• How the Stars Fell into the Sky: A Navajo Legend by Jerrie Oughton
• The Hunter by Mary Casanova
• Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pickney
• Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin
• Peggony-Po: A Whale of a Tale by Andrea Pinkney
• Rapunzel by Paul Zelinsky
• Silly & Sillier: Read Aloud Tales from Around the World by Judy Sierra
• The Three Princes: A Tale from the Middle East by Eric Kimmel
• Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears by Verna Aardema

 Johnson, D. (2009). The joy of children's literature. (2 ed.). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.