The Barefoot Book of Mother and Daughter Tales

In this richly illustrated book the tales are told with a clear and sensitive energy, always underscoring the strong links to the ethos of their country. There are suspicious stepmothers, barren couples and the quest for husbands, all the usual folk tale legends, but their paths are outlined in a fresh and original voice. There are less familiar heroines too – Persephone, who pushes through the earth in the form of new life every spring, the Chinese girl whose long hair becomes the waterfall which saves her people and Vasilisa who vanquishes the evil Baba Yaga. A boon to the classroom and library, this book will be a long time favourite, not only for its cleverly woven tales but also for its decorative borders and magical design. It comes with two CDs beautifully narrated by Juliet Stephenson.