Yeh Shen: A Cinderella Story from China

Bibliography

Louie, Ai-Ling, Trans. 1982, Yeh Shen: A Cinderella Story from China. Ill. by Ed Young. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 0698113888

Plot Summary
Yeh-Shen is a beautiful orphan who lives with her wicked stepmother and half sister in a cave. Her stepmother is very jealous of Yeh-Shen and gives her all the worst jobs. Her only friend is a fish in the pond. Yeh-Shen has very little food to eat but is still willing to share her meals with the fish. The stepmother soon finds out about the fish and plots to kill it and eat it for dinner. Yeh-Shen is so distraught to find her only friend gone that she weeps. Her tears fall in to the water. A mysterious old man appears to her and explains what has happened to her fish friend. He tells her that her stepmother has killed her friend but that the bones have magical powers to help her when she is in need. Yeh-Shen goes to the dung heap to collect the bones and hides them in a safe place. Time passes and she talks to her magical fish and only asks for food to keep her hunger away. As spring approaches, all the young people prepared to attend the festival to find mates. The stepmother takes her daughter but leaves Yeh-Shen behind to guard the fruit trees. Yeh-Shen wants to attend the festival but has nothing to wear. She approaches the magical fish and asks for help. He provides her with a beautiful dress and cape along with tiny shoes made of gold. The fish makes her promise not to lose the shoes. That night, Yeh-Shen dances with many suitors. Soon, she overhears her stepsister say, “That girl looks a little like Yeh-Shen”. She becomes frightened and runs home, losing a shoe along the way. Her clothing turns back in to rags and her magical fish longer talks to her. Soon, the lost slipper is found and ends up in the hands of the king. He places the shoe in the center of the village and secretly watches while all the eager young women try it on. Yeh-Shen waits until the darkest part of the night to try on the shoe. When she is sure that it is the correct shoe, she takes it home hoping that her fish friend will speak to her again. The king follows her home and asks her to try on the golden slipper. When she does, her clothing transforms into the beautiful gown she wore to the festival. The king immediately falls in love and marries her. The stepmother and sister are not allowed in the palace because of the way they had treated Yeh-Shen.

Critical Analysis
According to the author’s note, the story of Yeh-Shen is from the T’ang dynasty (618-907AD). The earliest European version of Cinderella was found to be an Italian version from 1634. It seems that the tale of Yeh-Shen predates any other version by at least 1,000 years. The story contains all the elements of a Cinderella tale, the evil stepmother and sister, the hard work, the party, and the magical friend who provides the right gown and shoes. The main difference in this version is that the fairy godmother is her magical fish. Throughout the story, the fish takes three forms-a fish friend in the pond, an old man who comforts and guides her and finally a set of bones that Yeh-Shen keeps hidden. Yeh-Shen is a modest girl who asks for very little of her magical bones-only food to help her survive. Her final request changes her life forever. Like other versions of Cinderella, the character, Yeh-Shen, is kind, works hard and is generous even when she has nothing. These character traits are highly regarded in all cultures. It is for this reason that the story is found in so many cultures.

Ed Young’s stunning illustrations complement the story perfectly. Young incorporates the fish into every illustration. At first glance, you only see the human characters but as you continue to search the illustration, the giant fish seems to pop out. The background is white but the pages are divided into frames outlined in red. The illustrations are not limited to one frame but are spread out throughout the page. The colors are both vibrant and muted which adds to the mystical quality of the book

Connections:

This website is an excellent source of information on sharing different versions of Cinderella. http://www.webenglishteacher.com/cinderella.html

There are many words that students, especially ESL students might not understand. Here is a list of words to discuss when using this book: pavilion, dung, transformation, tattered, corse (corsest), undaunted, vigil, dynasty (dynasties) "heavy heart" and "dwell on things that are past".

Prior to reading Yeh-Shen, use a KWL chart to determine what students know about Cinderella stories. You can find an example of a chart here: http://www.teach-nology.com/worksheets/graphic/kwl/

Yeh-Shen is the perfect book to use along with another version of Cinderella to teach comparing and contrasting. Even very young students will be able to tell you what is the same and different in each story. You can actually create a venn diagram at this website.

http://www.teach-nology.com/web_tools/graphic_org/venn_diagrams/

I would recommend using a large piece of butcher paper or chart paper to create a venn diagram with younger students.

The Frog Princess: A Tlingit Legend from Alaska

Bibliography
Kimmell, Eric A. 2006 The Frog Princess: A Tlingit Legend from Alaska. Ill. By Rosanne Litzinger. New York: Holiday House. ISBN 0823416186

Plot Summary

The Frog Princess: A Tlingit Legend from Alaska is a story of a girl who is unhappy with any of the men who court her. As the daughter of the headman in the village, she is courted by many yet rejects them all proclaiming “I would soon marry a frog from our lake”. The night after her surprising statement, a handsome young man with “slightly bulging eyes and unusually long fingers” sweeps her off her feet and into the home of the Frog People. There, she marries the young man and lives happily among her new -found family. The headman searches for his daughter to no avail, finally holding a funeral feast to mourn her. Soon, a traveler comes to the human village and asks to speak to the headmaster. He tells a strange story of a beautiful girl near the lake surrounded by frogs. The headmaster realizes that the girl must be his daughter. He visits the lake and demands that the chief of the Frog People return his daughter. Threatened by war, the Frog Chief returns the girl. The girl cannot speak when she is returned. The village shaman treats her and soon she speaks again. She wants her father to let her return to her husband and children but he refuses. The girl soon disappears, along with all the frogs in the lake, never to be found again.

Critical Analysis

This is a beautiful tale teaching the lesson that it is important to follow your heart. This story combines the fairy tale and beast tale to create a surprising story. This folktale is unique in that the girl transforms into a frog instead of the male frog transforming into a human prince. Unlike Grimm’s version, there is no magical spell cast on the young daughter. The daughter falls in love with someone that her family does not approve of which happens to families in every culture. This causes her to change, or transform , into someone that her family can no longer understand. In the author’s note at the end, Kimmell explains, “Stories of transformations from human to animal and animal to human can be found all over the world.” In this folktale, there is an attempt to explain what has happened to a daughter who has gone her own way without her family’s blessing.

Litzinger’s use of opaque and transparent watercolors on paper provide beautiful illustrations for this folktale. The use of red for the headman and his wife signifies their importance in the village. Litzinger explains in the artist’s note that she used yellow for the daughter’s clothing to signify the fact that she was misunderstood the rest of her family. The illustrations reflect nature at a time that was supposed to be simpler. However, the story reveals that people today often have the same problems as people from long ago.

Review Excerpts

From School Library Journal

Kindergarten-Grade 4–In this variant of a Tlingit legend, the headman's beautiful daughter rejects all suitors, proclaiming to one who has slightly bulging eyes, Why I would sooner marry a frog from our lake! That night, a handsome stranger with slightly bulging eyes and long fingers leads her down a row of steps under the lake surface to join the Frog People. The rest of the story relates how her parents try to get her back.

Library Media Connection

This is a mesmerizing legend to be enjoyed by all. The illustrations are bold and colorful, enhancing the story. An artist's note explains that the colors used in the illustrations are meaningful to the Tlingit culture and that to some indigenous peoples, frogs were heralds of abundance and strongly connected to water and the moon, as well as emotions. This book would be an excellent choice to compare with other versions of the same story.

Kirkus

The story is gracefully told and there is limited use of Tlingit imagery in the animal headdresses worn by some male figures. The illustrator explains that the princess's untraditional yellow robe is a way to show the young woman's individualism.

Connections

Author’s website: http://ericakimmel.com/

Teaching Guides can be found here: http://www.ericakimmel.com/guides.htm

Books on the Tlingit Culture

How Raven Stole the Sun by Maria Williams ISBN 0789201631
Tlingit, Their Art, Culture and Legends by Dan Kaiper ISBN 0888390106
Tlingit Tales, Potlach and Totem Pole by Lorie K. Harris ISBN 0879611537

Schlessinger Media Videos: The Animated Tales of the World Series is an excellent source of 39 folktales from around the world. This wonderful series is geared toward students in grades 3-6. http://www.libraryvideo.com/company_info/pr_temp.asp?prd=191

Schlessinger Media provides a study guide of the video Alaska: Raven Steals the Daylighthttp://www.libraryvideo.com/guides/V6941.pdf

Hoorse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales

Bibliography
Philip, Neil. 2003. Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales. Ill. By Jacqueline Mair. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 061819463-0

Plot Summary

Neil Philip has selected a unique collection of 14 Mexican folktales, which highlight the rich storytelling tradition of Mexico’s culture. Different types of tales are included such as fairy tales, realistic tales and trickster tales. Religious themes are prevalent in the stories in keeping with the Mexican culture. You meet characters such as The Virgin Mary, The Devil, and Saint Peter. In addition, readers meet other characters such as witches, animals, and ordinary folk who have magical experiences. The stories entertain and teach life lessons to all who read them.

Critical Analysis

The author does an excellent job in providing readers with background information on the stories in the collection. The stories, collected from individuals in Mexico, Colorado and New Mexico reveal the rich culture of the people who tell them. Philip provides a table of contents and source notes at the end of the book. These notes assist readers in locating original sources for the tales, and variations of the story and theme. The stories vary in length from 1-7 pages in length and are perfect for reading aloud.

Philip presents stories that might not be well know to readers that are not from the Hispanic culture however, several of these stories can be compared to other well-known folktales. For example, Cinder Juan is a variant of the well-known Cinderella folktale told in many cultures. Cinder Juan provides the standard storyline: the parents have died, there are wicked family members that seek to do harm and a character who acts as a fairy godmother who helps him. However, as much as you can compare Cinder Juan to Cinderella, the cultural influence of the Roman Catholic religion changes the story and makes it unique. Each tale in this collection focuses on a lesson learned or good triumphing over evil. One example is the story from which the title of this book was taken- Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet. In this story, a young man and his friends who are on their way home from a fiesta are drawn to a party in a place they had not been before. The young men are mesmerized by the beautiful women; and started to dance with them. Before long, one of them realized that although women were beautiful, they had scaly chicken feet. They were dancing with witches! They are able to leave the dance before they came to harm. I can see that parents might tell this tale to their children in order to reinforce to them that going to a stranger’s home is dangerous.

Jacqueline Mair’s illustrations are vibrantly done in acrylics on paper. Each story is illustrated in traditional Mexican folkart style. These illustrations often have pictures within a picture that represent various parts of the story. Throughout the book, religious icons are found as well as skeletons, cala lilies, and the third eye- all frequently found in Mexican folk art.

Neil Philip and Jacqueline Mair have provided a beautiful book for children and adults to share and discuss.

Review Excerpts

School Library Journal:Grade 3-7- this richly varied collection presents the unique blend of folkloric elements and Catholicism that defines Mexican folklore. In an informative introduction, Philip delineates the distinctive flavor of Mexican tales, their blend of religion and humor, and the particular pointed bite of many of the stories.

Booklist:Gr. 4-8.Philip brings together a useful and attractively presented selection of 14 folktales from Mexico and people of Mexican decent from the American Southwest. The stories are simply yet effectively retold, usually in five or six pages, with many reflecting the strong influence of the Catholic Church on Mexican culture. Adding considerably to the overall appeal of the book are Mair's exuberant illustrations, accomplished in the style of Mexican folk art. Usually, one illustration comprising several images accompanies each story, each image mirroring some action, often in a way that is original and unexpected.

Connections
Aesop Prize Winner 2003

This book is a great book to share when learning about the Mexican culture and art. Perfect for a short read aloud or even sharing over the school announcements during Hispanic Heritage Month-September 15-October 15.

Author Website: http://www.neilphilip.com/Neil%20Philip.html
Illustrator Website: http://www.jacquelinemair.co.uk/index.htm
More about teaching Mexican folktales can be found at this website:
http://www.learnnc.org/lp/pages/1913

Traditional Literature

The second genre that we will be covering is Traditional Literature. I have chosen to review these books: Horse Hooves and Chicken Feet: Mexican Folktales selected by Neil Philip, The Frog Princess: A Tlingit Legend from Alaska retold by Eric Kimmel and Yeh Shen: A Cinderella Story from China retold by Ai-Ling Louie.

Picture Books: Joeseph Had Little Overcoat

Bibliography

Taback, Simms. 1999. Joseph Had a Little Overcoat. New York: Viking. ISBN: 0670878553

Plot Summary

This is the story of Joseph, a thrifty man who recycles his worn overcoat. The overcoat becomes a vest, scarf, necktie, a handkerchief and finally, when just a bit of the overcoat is left, a button. When he loses the button, he decided that he can "make something out of nothing".

Critical Analysis

According to Taback, this book is based on a favorite Yiddish folk song called "I Had a Little Overcoat". The song, complete with music, is located at the end of the book along with an explanation from Taback. The author's use of the repetitive language allows young readers to immediately take part in the reading of the story. The language is simple, without a lot of details. Although there is an absence of details in the text, the illustrations provide the rest of the story. Taback's use of a watercolor, Gouache, pencil, ink and collage beg the reader to read the story and then go back and take a good long look. In addition, the die cuts help the reader to predict what will be made next. Some of the details provided through the illustrations are quite humorous. Newspaper headlines, framed proverbs and photographs on the walls were all created with the storyline in mind. These details are not likely to be understood by children but provide a chuckle for the adult reader. The text conveys the message that people should use what they have and make good use of it instead of being wasteful. Children and adults will enjoy reading this book and discussing the many surprises Taback presents.

Review Excerpts:
Caldecott Award-2000
ALA Notable Recording
National Jewish Book Award-1999
School Library Journal: "A book bursting at the seams with ingenuity and creative spirit. "
Book list: "Taback's mixed-media and collage illustrations are alive with warmth, humor, and humanity. Their colors are festive yet controlled, and they are filled with homey clutter, interesting characters, and a million details to bring children back again and again. "

Connections
Drama: This story is easy to turn into a simple play. Students can use brown paper bags to create all of the items that Joseph made from the overcoat.
Art: Create a class quilt or small individual quilts from scraps of material that the students bring from home. The quilt can be put together with fabric glue instead of sewing the pieces together.
Writing: Brainstorm things that can be made from things that students usually throw away. Then have students create a "how-to " paragraph.
Scholastic Lesson Plan link: http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/lessonplan.jsp?id=945
Live Oak Media Activity Guide: http://www.liveoakmedia.com/client/guides/24123.pdf
PBS Kids learning activities made especially for the deaf or hard of hearing: http://pbskids.org/lions/cornerstones/joseph/