The World's Best Fairy Tales

by Belle Becker Sideman (Editor), Fritz Kredel ( Illustrator)

1967 Anthology of 69 of the World's Most Famous Fairy Tales published by Reader's Digest. Edited by Belle Becker Sideman with Illustrations by Fritz Kredel.

Genres: Fairy Tales, Fantasy, Classics, Fiction, Short Stories, Childrens, Anthologies

828 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1967

Reviews

[Lora]

Found this at a tag sale for $4. Under the front cover it says To Douglas, from Grandpa Jahn - 1967. I bought it for sentimental reasons - and because I love fairy tales. :)

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

The set I own came from my grandparents’ shelves. I recall reading them cover to cover while sitting on their back porch. I’ve kept them because of the memories they hold.

[Henry · Rating 3 out of 5]

it is a collection of short stories.

[Caleb · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an excellent and varied collection of familiar fairy tales from around the world and throughout time. The people who put this together did a great job of collecting tales people will know and love, while also having enough variety that most everyone will find new gems they had never known. If you wanted one definitive collection of popular fairy tales for your shelf and reading, this is a great choice.

My problems are mostly editorial: I would have liked it if the fairy tales were arranged in some coherent order, nonetheless I don't mind that the collection is essentially just randomly ordered. There are also quite a few small editorial errors, like placement of punctuation and spelling, which can slow down reading aloud, but this isn't too big of a problem.
Finally, my last problem is simply the cover design, it just isn't a very attractive book. Again though, that matters less when you're actually reading it.

[storytime-reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a good fairytale? There are over 60 fairytales and folktales in this book, which are of course aimed at children. As such some of the stories weren’t my favourite, and some were just plain odd, hence 4 out of 5 stars.

However, I loved that The World’s Best Fairy Tales not only included the classics we all know and love, but also some tales I’d never heard of before. I also loved tracing the similar elements in tales from around the globe – it was clear that some elements of stories were used in others based on very specific details. I’d be so interested in reading any academic work that studied which stories came first and which ones took details from earlier tales for their own.

Fairytales are always a great read when you’re not sure what to read, or finding yourself in a bit of a slump, perhaps because they are not only easy reads, but also reminders of childhood.

[Laura Leilani · Rating 5 out of 5]

Splendid collection of tales: Brothers Grimm; Hans Christian Anderson; Arabian Nights and best of all, old folk tales from several countries. The folk tales were stories I had never heard before, but there are tales we know like The Little Mermaid; Cinderella; Snow White; Goldilocks and the Three Bears; the Three Billy Goats Gruff, Sinbad the Sailor; Little Red Riding Hood and The Pied Piper. I feel each of these versions keeps there own unique ethnic quality from their original country. My favorites were the old folk tales that were oral traditions and did not have known authors. It’s great that these stories were preserved. This is a great collection and the art adds to the stories as it is so stylized.

[RJ MacReady · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was under the impression that I “knew” most of the fairy tales contained in this compilation. Since my youth these stories were told to me by older family members, rehashed in cartoons and on film; certainly it would be a refresher course in fairy tales.

Fortunately, I was quite wrong. Many of these tales have been blended together; or, they’ve had their themes altered to encompass multiple morals in one tale. These stories most certainly belong to the oral tradition primarily—and their structure can be reconfigured for any given purpose.

Fascinating read. I definitely recommend.

[Diane Sharp · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a treasure! If you can find a copy to read, do so. It will truly by worth your time. Mind you, it will take a while to do so give the many stories, but it will truly be worth the time you spend. You will visit with the stories that you have grown up with but now you will read them differently. You will also read many that you have not read at all. This is truly a hidden treasure to put your hands on!

[Jamie Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is one of my all time favourites, I think it's because I have so many memories attached to it and it reminds me of when my parents used to read to me from it. I borrowed it from my Grandmother when I was young, we got it when she went into the nursing home. Oma passed away 2 years ago, but this book still gives me so much comfort.
The stories are easy to read, they're fun, they're fairy tales! I just have so much love for this book.

[Tim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as a Christmas present in 1968. Finally started reading 50 yrs later and finished Christmas 2019.

[Leahdl · Rating 5 out of 5]

My grandma has this & would read it to me when I was little & let me read it to her as I got older. My favorite story was "Snow White & Rose Red."

[Catina Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mine is the first edition of 1967.

[Eunice Carapeto · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guardo-o no armario dos livros preciosos

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Been reading this for the greater part of two years, Typically I read these stories as a way to "clear the palate" between novels. Got it on long-term loan form Robin, our secretary at work (and, of course, The Boss). She had gotten it as a present when she was a kid. This has, I kid you not, EVERY fairy tale you can think of, plus a BUNCH you never read in your life, and the collection was amassed from not only Hans Christian Andersen and the Brothers Grimm, but also sources in the Mideast, Scandinavia and numerous other countries. Everything from "The Ugly Duckling" to The Little Mermaid" (Hey, Disney had it mostly right, but in the end of this one she loses the Handsome Hunky Guy and fades into the sea whence she came; not a REAL happy ending but somehow more satisfying), to "Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves" to "Sinbad" and on and on, some of them going on for quite a number of pages. I found this a very delightful trip to my childhood and would recommend it very highly. I don't even know if it's still in print; it's a Reader's Digest publication, and this one is from the 60;s. 'Twould be well worth your effort to track it down.

[LPR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love reading this when there's nothing else to read, i like comparing original versions of Fairy-tales ot their novel retelling counterparts. especially The Goose Girl, its amazing how little Shannon Hale actually came up with in that book, she just breathed life into the details and the characters especially the wind thing.

[Cindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've owned this book for longer than I can remember. I remember reading it repeatedly as a little girl in the early 80's. My grandpa bought me a lot of books at yard sales when I was little and that's probably where this book came from. To this day I still open it up and read some fairy tales from time to time.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This collection includes many familiar tales such as Cinderella, Rapunzel and a few lesser known ones as well (I had never heard of Why the sea is salt or Billy Beg and His Bull). I also realized there are quite a few versions of some well known tales such as Little Red Riding Hood, probably to make the tales a little less disturbing to young ears.

[Gwendolyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite books from my childhood. Contains many fairy tales including some from Andrew Lang's Fairy books, the Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson, and 1001 Arabian Nights.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read a good deal of this when I was much younger, though I have no recollection if I ever finished this massive volume. I should like to re-read some of these stories/ tales again sometime in the near future.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this book more than i can say.
I've always had a love for fairytales and this book just strengthens that love.
Even though some of the stories have... unexpected endings, all of them are worth reading!

[Lucien · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book from my grandparents when I was 3 years old. They wrote my name and their names, as well as the date inside the front cover. They've both passed away. I treasure this battered, beaten, crayoned book.

[Raquel Alves · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ao início estava a ser giro de ler, mas com o avançar das histórias, a vontade foi esmorecendo... Muitas destas histórias nem são apropriadas para as idades a que se destinavam, e outras, chatas e compridas...

[nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

These remind me of grandma's apartment.

[Sridhar]

ok

[Sonya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Filled with all sort of different exciting and interesting stories.

[Kim Godard · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book over and over and over as a child. Grimm, Andersen, and a smattering of traditional folktales are included.

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have read this before and like the other volume, they are among my favourite fantasy books.