The Green Fairy Book

By Andrew Lang

Book Overview

It is almost impossible to envision what childhood would be like without the enchanting world of fairyland. Princess Rosanella, The Three Bears, giants and dwarfs, monsters and magicians, fairies and ogres -- these are the companions who thrill young boys and girls of all lands and all times, as Andrew Lang's phenomenally successful collections of stories have proved. From the day that they were first printed, the Lang fairy tale books of many colors have entertained thousands of boys and girls, as they have also brought pleasure to the many parents who have read these unforgettable classics to their children. In the Green Fairy Book, the third in the series, Lang has assembled stories from Spanish and Chinese traditions, a few of the most entertaining creations penned by the Comte de Caylus, others by Sebillot, Fenelon, Kletke, and Mme. d'Aulnoy, and, of course, some of the best-loved tales from the Brothers Grimm. Here in one attractive paperbound volume with enlarged print are "The Blue Bird," "Sylvain and Jocosa," "Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla," "The Three Little Pigs," "The Half-Chick," and many other favorites that have become an indispensable part of our cultural heritage.
All in all, this collection contains forty-two stories, all narrated in the clear, lively prose for which Lang was famous. Not only are Lang's translations generally conceded to be the best English versions of standard stories, his collections are the richest and widest in range. His position as one of England's foremost folklorists as well as his first-rate literary abilities make his collections unmatchable in the English language.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0486214397
• ISBN13: 9780486214399
• Release Date: June 1965
• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Length: 384 Pages
• Weight: 0.93 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.9" x 5.6" x 8.6"
• Age Range: 8 to 14 years
• Grade Range: Grades 3 to 9

Customer Reviews

Love the Fairy Books

My children and I use the Fairy Books series as part of our homeschooling program. We just love them.

Exploring the new and familiar

Andrew Lang's "The Green Fairy Book" is a definite must-have simply because of the variety of the stories. Many are comfortable, familiar, and traditional while others had definite writers and are a little less well-known. It's a great and enjoyable mix of tale titles; however, I was a little dissapointed that too many of the tales were essentially the same. I realize that this happens often in fairy tales, but it's still preferable to keep them out of the same book. Other than that, this is another fairy tale masterpiece for fans of the Lang collection.

perfect

Andrew Lang just continues to spit out one greatr book after another. His stories are vivid and follow the plot they were meant to follow. This book contains 42 stories and 98 black and white pictues. Some of the stories in this book include:Prince Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla,The Three Little Pigs,The Enchanted Ring,The Magic Swan,The Crystsal Coffin, The Riddle,The Three Musicians, and more.

The 3rd in Andrew Lang's colored fairy book series

The Green Fairy Book has stories from Spanish and Chinese traditions and a few written by the Comte de Caylus. Also stories by Sebillot, Fenelon, Kletke, Mme. de'Aulnoy, and the Brothers Grimm. Includes The Bue Bird, Sylvain and Jocos, Prince Narcissus and the Princess Potentilla, The Three Little Pigs, and The Half-Chick. 42 stories.

Excellent collection of wonder tales

Andrew Lang's colored fairy books are justifiably famous, and this (along with "The Red Fairy Book") is one of the best of the series. As in all the volumes, the prose is clear and swift, moving the tales along. Since this was the third book in the series, he was not yet scraping the barrels of world fairy tales for the leavings; contrariwise, however, the first volume (Blue) has all of Ye Olde Stand-byes, while this and Red have tales just as wonderful that are less well known.Despite Lang's flaws -- most notably, his heroines have a way of turning passive -- there are far worse ways to introduce a child to the spirit of wonder tales than this volume.