Reviewed by Megan M on Oct 20, 2020
Tagged:
Children
Family
History
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This beautifully illustrated book is a little bit fact, a little bit fiction and a whole lot fantastic! Unlike a simple book of stories, this book offers some background information on Aesop the storyteller, who was most likely born into slavery in Greece around 620 BCE. Mixed in are retellings of some of his most famous fables, such as: “The Tortoise and the Hare” and “The Boy Who Cried Wolf,” as well as some lesser known stories like “The Lion and the Statue.” When you’ve finished, don’t miss out on reading the Afterword, it’s especially interesting because the author admits that, due to a lack of records, we don't even know if Aesop was indeed a real person, but the little evidence we do have suggests it is highly probable. Fables started out being told orally, and as the author says, it’s true there is no book of fables that were actually written out by a person named Aesop. But the fables attributed to Aesop give insights into humankind and have stood the test of time, and this nicely done book gives us a fresh perspective on who Aesop might have been, and why these fables have endured for so long.
This book is great for reading aloud to preschool and up, but I think it may be especially interesting to elementary school children who love short stories, or stories with a hidden meaning or purpose. A wonderful choice to stimulate interesting discussions with kids of all ages, whether it's about the stories, Aesop or the amazing artwork.
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