Lists of Stories and Programs for Story Hours
Chapter 1
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Lists of Stories and Programs for Story Hours
Compiled by
The Staff of The Children's Department St. Louis Public Library
and edited by
EFFIE L. POWER
Revised Edition
NEW YORK 1921
FOREWORD
This story-hour material was first published in the Monthly Bulletin of the St. Louis Public Library in 1914 and was later reprinted in pamphlet form. It has been slightly revised for the present edition but the form and viewpoint has not been changed and most of the notes remain as originally written for the St. Louis Public Library Staff.
The editor has made no attempt to compile a complete handbook on story-telling but has merely brought together in uniform printed form, story lists and programs for story hours as they have been used to meet the needs in the various divisions of the Children's Department of the St. Louis Public Library. No claim is made to originality, but the editor assumes all responsibility for the form and standard of the lists as here presented.
The aim has been to keep the lists brief and to give short, practical outlines which may be extended.
Since library story-telling is directed primarily toward inspirational reading, the selections listed are chiefly from literary sources. A wealth of material in the form of biography and history has not been included, because books in those classes have been fully indexed by subject in the library catalogues. For example: a list of Christmas stories has been included among the lists for special days, but none has been given for Washington's Birthday or Independence Day. There is, however, a list of patriotic and historical narrative poems.
Further explanations will be found in the short paragraphs preceding each list, and in the index to titles of stories.
EFFIE L. POWER, _Director of Work with Children_.
Cleveland Public Library, February 12, 1921.
CONTENTS
Foreword
Stories for little children Stories for children three and four years old Stories for children five and six years old Suggestions for story hours for little children
Stories for special days; chiefly for little children Christmas stories Easter stories Thanksgiving stories Arbor Day stories Hallowe'en stories
Stories for older children Greek cycle stories Norse cycle stories King Arthur tales Charlemagne and Roland legends Chivalry tales Stories from Chaucer Stories from the Faerie Queene Irish hero tales Stories from Shakespeare Stories from the Old Testament Stories from the New Testament Robin Hood stories Ballad stories
For reading aloud Narrative poems Prose selections and stories
Books about story telling
Index to titles
Books referred to in the foregoing lists
STORIES FOR CHILDREN THREE AND FOUR YEARS OLD.
The arrangement is in the order of degree of difficulty. Where the title would naturally appear in the library catalogue, the author's name only is given. Where a title appears in several lists, the source is given only in one, which is indicated by giving the page number in bold face type preceding title in the index at the end of this pamphlet.
Many of the stories listed may be found in simplified form in the primers and readers on the little children's shelves.
Rhymes from Mother Goose.
A was an apple pie. A was an archer who shot at a frog. This is the house that Jack built. Three little kittens lost their mittens. Old Mother Hubbard. Sing a song of sixpence. The Queen of Hearts. I saw a ship a-sailing. Tom he was a piper's son. London Bridge is broken down. Cock Robin and Jenny Wren. Who killed Cock Robin?
_Best versions of Mother Goose:_ Lang. Nursery rhyme book. Norton. Heart of oak books, v. I. Book of nursery rhymes; Welsh. Mother Goose's melodies. Wheeler. See also the Caldecott picture books.
The old woman and her pig.
_Best versions:_ Jacobs. English fairy tales. Lang. Nursery rhyme book.
_Other versions:_ Bailey and Lewis. For the children's hour. Bryant. How to tell stories. Lansing. Rhymes and stories. Norton. Heart of oak books, v. I. O'Shea. Six nursery classics. Scudder. Book of folk stories. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Tales of laughter.
Chicken Licken _or_ Henny Penny.
_Best versions_: Jacobs. English fairy tales. Scudder. Book of folk stories.
_Other versions_: Arnold _and_ Gilbert. Stepping stones to literature, v. 2. (Chicken Little.) Asbjoernsen. Fairy tales from the far north. (Hen who went to Dovrefjeld.) Bailey _and_ Lewis. For the children's hour. (Chicken Little.) Blaisdell. Child life in tale and fable. (Chicken Little.) Darton. Wonder book of beasts. Lansing. Rhymes and stories. Norton. Heart of oak books, v. I. Scudder. Book of folk stories. Scudder. Children's book. Tappan. Folk stories and fables.
Peter Rabbit. Potter.
The gingerbread man.[1]
Three little pigs.[1]
The pancake.[1]
Three goats. Poulsson. Through the farmyard gate.
[Footnote 1: For source, see page number preceding title in index.]
Golden cobwebs.
_Best versions_: Bryant. Best stories to tell. Bryant. How to tell stories.
Little Black Sambo. Bannerman.
The cock, the mouse and the little red hen.[2] Lefevre.
How Jack went to seek his fortune.
_Best version_: Jacobs. English fairy tales.
Three Billy Goats Gruff.[2]
The travels of a fox.[2]
The elves and the shoemaker.
_Best versions_: Grimm. Fairy tales; ed. by Lucas. Scudder. Fables and folk stories.
_Other versions_: Bailey and Lewis. For the children's hour Bryant. Stories to tell. Norton. Heart of oak books, v. I. Scudder. Book of folk stories. Scudder. Children's book.
The cat and the mouse.
_Best version_: Jacobs. English fairy tales.
_Other versions_: Arnold _and_ Gilbert. Stepping stones to literature, v. i. Bailey _and_ Lewis. For the children's hour. Darton. Wonder book of beasts.
[Footnote 2: For source, see page number preceding title in index.]
STORIES FOR CHILDREN FIVE AND SIX YEARS OLD.
As I walked over the hills one day. (Poem by Mrs. Carter.)
_Best versions:_ Chisholm. Golden staircase. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Pinafore Palace.
Bremen town musicians.
_Best versions:_ Grimm. Fairy tales; tr. by Lucas. Scudder. Fables and folk stories.
Dame Wiggin of Lee and her seven wonderful cats.
_Best versions:_ Dame Wiggin of Lee and seven wonderful cats. Norton. Heart of oak books, v. 2. O'Shea. Six nursery classics.
Doll in the grass.
_Best versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy tales from the far north. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Fairy ring.
Epaminondas.
_Best versions:_ Bryant. Stories to tell to children. Bryant. Best stories to tell.
The Hobyahs.
_Best version:_ Jacobs. More English fairy tales.
The Half Chick or Medio Pollito.[3]
How the camel got his hump. Kipling. Just so stories.
[Footnote 3: For source, see page number preceding title in index.]
Johnny cake _or_ Wee bannock[1].
The Jumblies. (Poem by Lear.) Lear. Nonsense Songs.
Lambikin.
_Best version:_ Jacobs. Indian fairy tales.
_Other versions:_ Bryant. Stories to tell. Steel. Tales of the Punjab.
Little grey pony. Lindsay. Mother stories.
Little One-eye, Two-eyes and Three-eyes[4].
Little red hen and the grain of wheat.
_Best version:_ Bryant. Stories to tell.
_Other versions:_ Bailey _and_ Lewis. For the children's hour. Blaisdell. Child life in tale and fable.
Mother Hulda _or_ Mother Holle.
_Best version:_ Grimm. Fairy tales; tr. by Lucas.
_Other versions:_ Blaisdell. Child life in many lands. Lang. Red fairy book.
Night before Christmas. (Poem by Clement C. Moore.) Moore. Night before Christmas; il. by Jessie Wilcox Smith. Moore. Night before Christmas (linen picture book).
[Footnote 4: For source, see page number in bold face type in index.]
Ole Shut-Eye stories.
_Best versions:_ Andersen. Wonder stories. Andersen. Fairy tales.
Peter Rabbit plays a joke. Burgess. Old Mother West Wind.
Quick running squash. Aspinwall. Short stories for short people.
Rat princess. Bryant. How to tell stories.
The sheep and the pig who set up house-keeping.
_Best version:_ Thomsen. East o' the sun.
_Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy tales from the far north. (Ram and the pig.) Asbjoernsen. Tales from the fjeld. Bailey _and_ Lewis. For the children's hour. (Adapted.) Wiggin _and_ Smith. Fairy ring.
Snow White and Rose Red.[5]
Spotty the turtle wins a race. Burgess. Old Mother West Wind.
Stolen charm.
_Best version:_ Williston. Japanese fairy tales. 1st series.
The straw, the coal and the bean.
_Best version:_ Grimm. Fairy tales; tr. by Lucas.
[Footnote 5: For source, see page number preceding title in index.]
_Other versions:_ Bailey _and_ Lewis. For the children's hour. (Why the bean wears a stripe.) Blaisdell. Child life in many lands. Strong. All the year round; Spring.
The sun and the wind.
_Best version:_ Aesop. Fables; ed. by Jacobs.
Three bears.[6]
Timothy's shoes. Ewing. Lob-Lie-by-the-fire; and other tales.(To be adapted)
Titty Mouse and Tatty Mouse.
_Best version:_ Jacobs. English fairy tales.
Tom, the Water baby. Kingsley. Water babies, Ch. 1. (To be adapted.)
Why all men love the moon.
_Best version:_ Holbrook. Book of nature myths.
_Other versions:_ Blaisdell. Child life in tale and fable. (Sun, the moon and the wind.) Jacobs. Indian fairy tales. (Sun, moon and wind go to dinner.)
Who stole the bird's nest? (Poem by L.M. Child.)
_Best version:_ Wiggin _and_ Smith. Posy Ring.
_Other versions:_ Lovejoy. Nature in verse. Waterman. Graded memory selections.
[Footnote 6: For source, see page number preceding title in index.]
Why the evergreens never lose their leaves.
_Best version:_ Holbrook. Book of nature myths.
The wise men of Gotham.
_Best version:_ Jacobs. More English fairy tales.
The wolf and the seven little goats.
_Best version:_ Grimm. Household stories tr. by Crane.
_Other versions:_ Blaisdell. Child life in tale and fable. (Adapted.) (Wolf and seven little goslings.) Grimm. Fairy tales. (Wolf and the seven young kids.) Mulock. Fairy book. (Wolf and the seven young goslings.)
SUGGESTIONS FOR STORY HOURS FOR LITTLE CHILDREN.
The following programs for story hours for the little children are suggestive only. It is desirable that the best folk tales be repeated as often as the children desire, and that poems should be read or recited in connection with the stories where there is a response. The little children should never be held longer than half an hour, and twenty minutes is better. The stories to be told together are numbered 1 and 2. This grouping may be changed and additions may be made from books which have been duplicated freely in the juvenile book collections, but the selection should be kept to the standard of this list. Also, it is not required that the groups of stories should be used in the order listed.
See also lists for special days.
PROGRAMS FOR STORY HOURS.
1. Water of life. (Story of the three sons.)
_Best version:_ Grimm. Fairy tales; tr. by Lucas.
_Other versions:_ Grimm. Fairy tales; il. by Folkard. Grimm. German household tales; tr. by Edwardes. Jerrold. Reign of King Oberon. Shaw. Fairy tales for the second school year. Valentine. Aunt Louisa's book of fairy tales. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Magic casements.
_Alternative_
Water of life. (Story of the faithful servant.)
_Best version:_ Pyle. Wonder clock.
_Other versions:_ Lang. Golden mermaid. Lang. Pink fairy book.
2. Princess whom nobody could silence.
_Best version:_ Thomsen. East o' the sun. (Princess who could not be silenced.)
_Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy tales from the far north. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Tales of laughter.
Compare with Peter Fiddle-de-dee in Bay. Danish fairy and folk tales.
* * * * *
1. Princess and the pea.
_Best versions:_ Andersen. Fairytales; tr. by Lucas. Andersen. Stories and tales; tr. by Dulcken.
2. Lad who went to the north wind.
_Best versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Norse fairy tales; tr. by Dasent. Thomsen. East o' the sun.
_Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy world. Bay. Danish fairy and folk tales. Carroll _and_ Brooks. Third reader. (Boy and the north wind.) Treadwell. Reading-literature, first reader.
* * * * *
1. Tinder box.
_Best versions:_ Andersen. Fairy tales; tr. by Lucas. Andersen. Wonder stories; tr. by Dulcken.
_Other versions:_ Lang. Yellow fairy book. Welsh. Fairy tales children love. Winnington. Outlook fairy book.
2. Travels of a fox.
_Best version:_ Winnington. Outlook story book.
_Other versions:_ Bailey _and_ Lewis. For the children's hour. Johnson. Oak tree fairy book.
* * * * *
1. Robin Goodfellow.
_Best version:_ Rhys. English fairy book.
_Other versions:_ Coates. Fireside encyclopaedia of poetry. (Merry pranks of Robin Goodfellow.) Dana. Household book of poetry. (Merry pranks of Robin Goodfellow.)
_Alternative._
1. Presents of the little folk.
_Best version:_ Grimm. Fairy tales. (Little folks' presents.)
_Other versions:_ Grimm. German household tales. Grimm. Household fairy tales; tr. by Boldrey.(The greedy goldsmith's reward.)
2. The fairies. (Poem by Robert Bird.)
Wiggin _and_ Smith. Posy ring.
See other poems about fairies in Wiggin _and_ Smith. Golden numbers _and_ Posy ring.
* * * * *
1. Snow queen.
_Best versions:_ Andersen. Fairy tales; tr. by Lucas. Andersen. Wonder stories; tr. by Dulcken.
_Other versions:_ Lang. Pink fairy book. Welsh. Fairy tales children love.
Do not tell a second story.
1. Golden bird.
_Best version:_ Grimm. Fairy tales; tr. by Lucas.
_Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy tales from the far north. Asbjoernsen. Tales from the fjeld. Baldwin. Fairy stories and fables. Grimm. Best stories. Grimm. Household fairy tales; tr. by Boldrey. Lang. Green fairy book. Marshall. Fairy tales of all nations. Norton. Heart of oak books, v. 3. Scudder. Children's book. Scudder. Fables and folk stories. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Magic casements.
Compare with Golden mermaid in Lang. Green fairy book.
2. Husband who was to mind the house.
_Best versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Norse fairy tales; tr. by Dasent. Thomsen. East o' the sun.
_Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy world. Asbjoernsen. Popular tales from the Norse; tr. by Dasent. Laboulaye. Fairy tales. (Good woman.) Laboulaye. Last fairy tales. (Grizzled Peter.) Tappan. Folk stories and fables.
* * * * *
1. Billy Beg and the bull.
_Best version:_ MacManus. In chimney corners.
_Other versions:_ Bryant. Best stories to tell. Bryant. How to tell stories. Wiggin. Tales of wonder.
2. Cock, the mouse and the little red hen.
_Best version:_ Lefevre. Cock, the mouse and the little red hen.
_Other versions:_ Van Sickle. Riverside reader, 2nd. (Adapted.) Compare with Little red hen in Blaisdell. Child life, in tale and fable. 2nd reader. Lansing. Rhymes and stories. Treadwell. Reading-literature, primer.
* * * * *
1. Ugly duckling.
_Best versions:_ Andersen. Fairy tales; ed. by Lucas. Andersen. Wonder stories; tr. by Dulcken.
_Other versions:_ Arnold _and_ Gilbert. Stepping stones to literature, v. 3. Bailey _and_ Lewis. For the children's hour. (Adapted.) Baldwin. Fairy reader. Blaisdell. Child life in tale and fable. (Adapted.) Boston collection of kindergarten stories. Carroll _and_ Brooks. Third reader. Coussens. Child's book of stories. Gibbon. Old King Cole. Jerrold. Big book of fairy tales. Lang. Orange fairy book. Mabie. Fairy tales every child should know. McMurry. Classic myths. Norton. Heart of oak books, v. 3. (Adapted.) Perkins. Twenty best fairy tales. Scudder. Children's book. Tappan. Folk stories and fables. Whittier. Child life in prose.
2. Good little mouse.
_Best versions:_ D'Aulnoy. Fairy tales; tr. by Planché. Lang. Red fairy book.
_Other versions:_ Heller. Little golden hood. Lang. Snowdrop and other stories. Valentine. Old, old fairy tales. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Fairy ring.
* * * * *
1. Necklace of truth.
_Best version:_ Mace. Home fairy tales.
2. Pancake.
_Best version:_ Thomsen. East o' the sun.
_Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy world. Asbjoernsen. Tales from the fjeld. Brown. Jingle primer. Coussens. Child's book of stories. Lansing. Rhymes and stories. Treadwell. Reading-literature, primer. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Tales of laughter.
Compare with Gingerbread man in Bailey _and_ Lewis. For the children's hour. Bryant. Best stories to tell. Coussens. Child's book of stories. Grover. Folk-lore reader, bk. i. St. Nicholas, v. 2. Summers. Readers, 1st year. Treadwell. Reading-literature, primer.
Compare with Johnny cake in Bailey. Firelight stories. Baldwin. Second fairy reader. Jacobs. English fairy tales. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Tales of laughter.
Compare with Wee bannock in Jacobs. More English fairy tales.
1. Goody two-shoes.
_Best versions_: Welsh ed. History of little Goody Two-shoes. Scudder. Children's book.
_Other versions_: Blaisdell. Child life in tale and fable. (Adapted.) Crane. Goody Two-shoes. Norton. Heart of oak books, v. 2. Poulsson. In the child's world. (Adapted.) Welsh. Stories children love.
2. Pied piper. (Poem by Browning.) Blaisdell. Child life in tale and fable. Bellamy and Goodwin. Open Sesame, pt. 1. Browning. Pied piper of Hamelin; il. by Greenaway. Browning. Poems. Chisholm. Golden staircase. Lucas. Book of verses for children. Patmore. Children's garland from the best poets. White. Poetry for school readings. Whittier. Child life in poetry. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Golden numbers.
_Prose versions_: Bryant. Best stories to tell. Bryant. How to tell stories. Crommelin. Famous legends. Jacobs. More English fairy tales. (Pied piper of Franchville.) Lang. Red fairy book. (Rat catcher.) Lang. Snow man and other stories. (Rat catcher.)
* * * * *
1. East o' the sun and west o' the moon.
_Best versions_: Asbjoernsen. Norse fairy tales; tr. by Dasent. Thomsen. East o' the sun. _Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy world. Dasent. Popular tales from the Norse. Jerrold. Reign of King Oberon. Lang. Blue fairy book. Lang. Sleeping beauty and other stories. Wiggin and Smith. Fairy ring.
2. Epaminondas.
_Best versions:_ Bryant. Best stories to tell. Bryant. Stories to tell.
* * * * *
1. Black bull of Norroway.
_Best version:_ Jacobs. More English fairy tales.
_Other versions:_ Lang. Blue fairy book. Rhys. English fairy book.
Compare with Red bull of Norroway in Singleton. Goldenrod fairy book.
2. Goody 'Gainst-the-stream.
_Best version:_ Asbjoernsen. Norse fairy tales; tr. by Dasent.
_Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy tales from the far north. (Contrary woman.) Asbjoernsen. Tales from the fjeld.
* * * * *
1. Half chick.
_Best version:_ Lang. Green fairy book.
_Other versions:_ Bailey _and_ Lewis. For the children's hour. (Adapted.) Brown. Jingle primer. Bryant. Best stories to tell. Bryant. Stories to tell. Carroll _and_ Brooks. Third reader. Howard. Banbury Cross stories. Laboulaye. Fairy tales. (Story of Coquerico.) Mace. Home fairy tales. (Medio Pollito.) Treadwell. Reading-literature. Ist reader. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Fairy ring. (Story of Coquerico.)
2. The bee, the harp, the mouse and the bum-clock. MacManus. Donegal fairy stories. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Fairy ring.
* * * * *
1. Scarface.
_Best version:_ Grinnell. Blackfoot Lodge tales.
_Other version:_ Wilson. Myths of the red children.
2. Why the sea is salt.
_Best versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Norse fairy tales; tr. by Dasent. Thomsen. East o' the sun.
_Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy tales from the far north. (Quern at the bottom of the sea.) Asbjoernsen. Popular tales from the Norse; tr. by Dasent. Bryant. How to tell stories. (Adapted.) Coussens. Child's book of stories. Lang. Blue fairy book. Lang. Cinderella; and other fairy stories. Tappan. Folk stories and fables. Wiggin _and_ Smith. Tales of laughter.
Compare with Coffee-mill which grinds salt in Bay. Danish fairy and folk tales. 1. Old Pipes and the dryad.
Stockton. Bee man of Orn. Stockton. Fanciful tales.
2. The old woman and the tramp.
_Best versions_: Djurklon. Fairy tales from the Swedish. Wiggin and Smith. Tales of laughter.
* * * * *
1. The Elephant's child. Kipling. Just so stories. Kipling reader for elementary grades.
Do not tell a second story.
* * * * *
1. Jack and the bean stalk.
_Best version_: Jacobs. English fairy tales.
_Other versions_: Baldwin. Fairy stories and fables. Carroll _and_ Brooks. Third reader. Coussens. Child's book of stories. Crane. Red Riding Hood's picture book. Cruikshank. Fairy book. Gibbon. Old King Cole. Heller. Little golden hood. Jerrold. Big book of fairy tales. Lang. Jack and the bean stalk. Lang. Red fairy book. Mabie. Fairy tales every child should know. Mulock. Fairy book. Norton. Heart of oak books, v. 3. O'Shea. Old world wonder stories. Perkins. Twenty best fairy tales. Rhys. English fairy book; il. by Whitney. Scudder. Book of folk stories. Scudder. Fables and folk stories. Tappan. Folk stories and fables. Valentine. Aunt Louisa's book of fairy tales. Valentine. Old, old fairy tales. Welsh. Fairy tales children love.
2. Three billy-goats gruff.
_Best versions:_ Baldwin. Fairy stories and fables. (Three goats named Bruse.) Thomsen. East o' the sun.
_Other versions:_ Asbjoernsen. Fairy tales from the far north; tr. by Dasent. Asbjoernsen. Fairy world. Bailey. Firelight stories. Coussens. Child's book of stories. Dasent. Popular tales from the Norse. Treadwell. Reading-literature, primer. Van Sickle. Riverside readers, 2nd. Wiggin and Smith. Tales of laughter.
* * * * *
1. Tiger, Brahman and Jackal.
_Best version:_ Jacobs. Indian fairy tales.
_Other versions:_ Bryant. Stories to tell. Steel. Tales of the Punjab.
2. Cinderella _or_ Aschenputtel.
_Best versions:_ Grimm. Fairy tales; tr. by Lucas. Grimm. Household stories; tr. by Crane.