Archive for the 'Folktales' Category

The Hired Hand by Robert D. San Souci

Schema: fairy tales, element of magic Genre: traditional literature Setting: Virginia Predicting: Predict what young Sam will do when the man comes back with the request to make his wife young again Character Motivation: What motivates young Sam to charge the man for what the hired hand did?  What motivates him to change at the [...]

The Hinky Pink An Old Tale Retold by Megan McDonald

Schema:  favorite colors, pastas, princesses Text-to-Text Connections:  books with a mischievous fairy or sprite. The term “hudgin” is not very common so “hobgoblin or sprite” might be a better term to use in explaining what it is. Text-to-text connection: “glass slipper” for Cinderella, locked in tower-other princess stories such as Sleeping Beauty and Rapunzel.  The [...]

Willa and the Wind by Janice M. Del Negro

Schema: windy days Personification: The wind takes on human traits and speaks in this tale. Cause and Effect: Because the wind blows the sisters’ cornmeal away, the effect is that Willa is determined to get it back or get something in return. Characterization: Willa is a strong woman character.  She can be described as fearless [...]

Precious and the Boo Hag by Patricia McKissack

Schema: stories that teach a lesson, folktale, stranger danger The story is written as a modern day folktale featuring the Boo Hag from the Gullah culture of South Carolina.  The Boo Hag is a legendary spirit or shape-shifter that wants to live in another person’s body, or it is also described as  riding a person [...]