Welcome to metomi.com, your online source of great reads and activities for smart children! This edition we review a few of our favourite folktales for children! These wonderful children's books for your bright children tell of stories from several cultures, with settings that may be fondly familiar or refreshingly new to our readers! First, join us as we travel to Japan to meet an origami master and his bird companion, and then to Korea to watch a silly outcome unfold from a seemingly innocent purchase. Laugh along as we read about a man and his monkey business, and then travel to Ireland to partake in a most interesting rivalry. Finally, finish your reading travels with a trip to China to hear a wonderful tale about a boy and a lonely dragon. We hope you enjoy these children's books as much as we have at metomi.com...Happy Reading!
Title: The Origami Master
Author: Nathaniel Lachenmeyer
Illustrator: Aki Sogabe
This children's book takes us to Japan, to the serene and simple home of an origami master, a man who makes beautiful creations from coloured sheets of folding paper. Most days, a bird visits the origami master, and entertains him with beautiful song. The origami master loves the singing so much that he devises a scheme to capture the bird, so that the bird may be with him always. Although his plan is successful, in captivity the bird does not sing. The story ends happily once the origami master understands the critical link between the bird's freedom and its song. We enjoyed both the story and the fun how-to page at the end that shows children how to make their own origami bird!
Title: Caps For Sale
Told and Illustrated by: Esphyr Slobodkina
A classic and timeless children's favourite, Caps For Sale tells a wonderful tale of a man and his monkey business! We have read this children's book many many times, about an eccentric cap seller who wears all the caps he sells piled up and smartly balanced on his head. The cap seller meets up with a group of mischievous monkeys who takes his caps while he has a nap under a tree. Readers watch as the cap seller unwittingly outsmarts the monkeys, and gets his caps back. We emailed the Slobodkina Foundation about the origins of the story, and learned that although Esphyr Slobodkina heard the children's story from a cousin and researched its origins in depth, she was not able to locate the source. The belief is that the story is Russian in origin. Enjoy the antics of both the cap seller and the monkeys with your bright children!
Title: A Fine St. Patrick's Day
Author: Susan Wojciechowski
Illustrator: Tom Curry
This fine children's tale tells the story of two Irish villages, Tralee and Tralah, competing in their annual St. Patrick's Day decorating contest. Tralee is hoping to break its losing streak by betting on a young Tralee girl's suggestion to paint the entire village green [ a thought sure to excite children ;) ]. While both villages are busy decorating, a stranger comes into the town of Tralah seeking help. The stranger's cows are stuck in mud nearby, and he needs others to help rescue them. The Tralah residents he meets are unwilling to help him, citing the contest as the reason. The stranger then heads to Tralee, and this time he finds more compassionate souls. By helping the stranger, however, the villagers of Tralee lose valuable time and cannot finish their painting task. Tralee seems certain to lose again, but a wee bit of magic from a grateful stranger gives our heroes the winning boost they need. An enjoyable and heart-warming children's tale of goodness!
Title: The Chinese Mirror
Adapted from a Korean folktale by: Mirra Ginsburg
Illustrator: Margot Zemach
We laughed and laughed with each reading, and hope you enjoy this children's book just as much! A Korean villager brings home a novel item from his travels in China: a small mirror. The punch line is that neither the man nor his family know what a mirror is! Readers watch as each character encounters the mirror and has their first awkward (and funny ... for the readers anyway!) experience with it. From the villager who is entertained by the smiling male face he sees, to his son who dislikes the bully he sees, the story makes us pause to consider how we would view ourselves for the very first time (yikes!). The illustrations are a real treat and nicely complement a short and smartly written children's story!
Title: The Dragon Kite
Author: Kenneth Steven
Illustrator: Karin Littlewood
The Dragon Kite is a children's story which takes place in rural China, where we are introduced to a boy and his father, a maker of fine kites. The father makes a beautiful dragon kite for the boy, who immediately takes the kite out to fly. Shortly afterwards, the boy loses grip on his kite string, and the dragon kite flies up and away, toward the mountains. The boy decides to go in search of his kite, and finds not only the kite but a real dragon as well, who has been in hiding for many years! The dragon tells the boy about his lonely life, up until the moment when he spotted the kite and thought he had finally found a friend. With the help of the boy and his father, the story ends on a happy note as the lonely dragon finds both a true friend in the boy and acceptance from the villagers, just in time for the local Chinese New Year celebrations!
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