Tales from Silver Lands

By Charles J. Finger

Book Overview

Atmospheric woodcuts illustrate this Newbery Award-winning collection of 19 South American folktales. Charles J. Finger heard the tales firsthand from native storytellers, whose fables of talking animals, witches, giants, and ordinary people in supernatural settings provide remarkable insights into regional values and culture.
The first of the stories, "A Tale of Three Tails," tells of an age when the rat had a tail like a horse, the rabbit had a tail like a cat, and the deer's tail was plumed like the tail of a dog. "The Magic Dog" recounts an act of kindness to a stray animal that helps overcome a witch's curse. In "The Calabash Man," the creatures of the jungle assist a suitor in winning his bride, and in "El Enano," a greedy troll's insatiable appetite leads to his downfall. Packed with adventure and full of surprises, these and other stories emphasize the importance of hard work, courage, and loyalty.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486820939
• ISBN13: 9780486820934
• Release Date: October 2017
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.85 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.4"
• Age Range: 7 to 11 years
• Grade Range: Grades 2 to 6

Customer Reviews

Wonderful tales for any age

I first got this book when I was in the 4th grade. Thats right, the 4th grade. It is an excellent compilation of above average stories. Ancient tales like the "Calabash Man" and "The Tale Of The Gentle Folk." These stories can be appreciated across the board by all ages. The fantastic wording creates vivid pictures in the mind, and slips a moral in while you're not looking. I struggle to describe my appreciation for this wonderful compilation of tales. It is still my favorite book, since the 4th grade, and I'm in college. So it just goes to prove my point.

A great, fast, easy read

This book has a collection of South American folk tales about witches, etc. It is written very well and can be read without having to reread and comprehend more of the page.