A Knock At The Door

(Paperback)

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Description

In George Shannon's "The Knock at the Door", 34 English-language tales from 35 cultures and one Spanish-language tale from Mexico centre around one theme: a dangerous character knocks at the door and pretends to be a familiar, protective family member or friend to those inside who have been warned not to open the door to strangers. But once the door is opened, the adventures begin. Beginning with Aesop's sixth century B.C. story in fable form, each of the tales in "The Knock at the Door" shares a more developed and expansive variation of the initial theme. Tales are represented from Europe, Asia, Africa, India and sections of the Americas and contain a wide range of narrative twists and diversity of tones. Following the tales section, the tales notes section lists each source of sources, including the date and place and manner in which the tale was collected, if available. In addition, "A Telling Look at Pictures" examines the many ways "The Knock at the Door" has been illustrated and what these artists have to offer the storyteller. "Sharing the Family" explores ways the teacher, librarian or storyteller can link the cultural context of a tale to the audience's interests. "A Door with Many Windows" offers a bibliography of psychological, social and legal interpretations of "The Knock at the Door". The book concludes with a bibliography of reference sources.

Reviews

Not only are the stories fascinating, but despite their origins, each one will be familiar to everyone, for they contain elements of the individual tales that we are most familiar with. The books are efficient in explaining where the stories come from and their mutations over time and land. There are glossaries where necessary, and each book contains a section entitled, 'Essays, Activities, and Resources, ' which can be adapted to children of any age, and which encourage a fuller understanding of a world which is both foreign and familiar. These books are definitely an asset to multicultural literature and make the comprehension of other cultures that much more accessible.-Multicultural Education
The stories are excellent and scholarship of the authors is superb.-Library Talk
An excellent resource for teachers.- Academic Library Book Review
An excellent resource for teachers.-Academic Library Book Review
An excellent resource for teachers.Academic Library Book Review
"An excellent resource for teachers."-Academic Library Book Review
"The stories are excellent and scholarship of the authors is superb."-Library Talk
"Not only are the stories fascinating, but despite their origins, each one will be familiar to everyone, for they contain elements of the individual tales that we are most familiar with. The books are efficient in explaining where the stories come from and their mutations over time and land. There are glossaries where necessary, and each book contains a section entitled, 'Essays, Activities, and Resources, ' which can be adapted to children of any age, and which encourage a fuller understanding of a world which is both foreign and familiar. These books are definitely an asset to multicultural literature and make the comprehension of other cultures that much more accessible."-Multicultural Education

Author Bio

GEORGE SHANNON is the author of several children's and young adults' books, including Lizard's Song, Dance Away, Stories to Solve: Folktales from Around the World, and Unlived Affections. He has written scholarly articles exploring folklore and children, and told stories professionally for over 10 years. He is a member of the Author's Guild and the Society of Children's Book Writers.