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Tales
Nordic Tales: Folktales from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark
A deluxe volume of 16 traditional Nordic folk tales that is sure to impress any fan of cultural and mythological literature with impactful and stunning illustrations by contemporary artist Ulla Thynell.
Welcome to a world of mystical adventure—where trolls haunt the snowy forests, terrifying monsters roam the open sea, a young woman journeys to the end of the world, and a boy proves he knows no fear.
Translated and transcribed by folklorists in the 19th century, this collection of traditional tales from the enchanting world of Nordic folklore comes to life with glowing contemporary illustrations that conjure dragons, princesses, and the northern lights. At once magical, hilarious, cozy, and chilling, Nordic Tales will enthrall fairy tale fans and captivate those interested in the rich history of Nordic culture.
POPULAR Designed for diehard fairy tale and folklore lovers, the Tales series gives new life to traditional stories. In addition to Nordic Tales , discover Ghostly Tales , Tales of Japan , Celtic Tales , Tales of India , Tales of East Africa , and more.
BEAUTIFUL With its bold hardcover design, a satin ribbon page marker, and a striking full-page illustration for each story, Nordic Tales makes an impressive gift. Perfect for fans of fairy tales, ghost stories, Greek mythology, Roman mythology, Chinese mythology, Celtic mythology, and folklore and cultural studies from around the globe.
READERS LOVE With hundreds of 5-star ratings, reviewers rave that this "absolutely beautiful book" is "a wonderful compilation."
Perfect
Welcome to a world of mystical adventure—where trolls haunt the snowy forests, terrifying monsters roam the open sea, a young woman journeys to the end of the world, and a boy proves he knows no fear.
Translated and transcribed by folklorists in the 19th century, this collection of traditional tales from the enchanting world of Nordic folklore comes to life with glowing contemporary illustrations that conjure dragons, princesses, and the northern lights. At once magical, hilarious, cozy, and chilling, Nordic Tales will enthrall fairy tale fans and captivate those interested in the rich history of Nordic culture.
POPULAR Designed for diehard fairy tale and folklore lovers, the Tales series gives new life to traditional stories. In addition to Nordic Tales , discover Ghostly Tales , Tales of Japan , Celtic Tales , Tales of India , Tales of East Africa , and more.
BEAUTIFUL With its bold hardcover design, a satin ribbon page marker, and a striking full-page illustration for each story, Nordic Tales makes an impressive gift. Perfect for fans of fairy tales, ghost stories, Greek mythology, Roman mythology, Chinese mythology, Celtic mythology, and folklore and cultural studies from around the globe.
READERS LOVE With hundreds of 5-star ratings, reviewers rave that this "absolutely beautiful book" is "a wonderful compilation."
Perfect
160 pages, Hardcover
First published August 13, 2019
702 people are currently reading
9598 people want to read
About the author
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen
448 books94 followersPeter Christen Asbjørnsen was a Norwegian writer and scholar. He and Jørgen Engebretsen Moe were collectors of Norwegian folklore. They were so closely united in their lives' work that their folk tale collections are commonly mentioned only as "Asbjørnsen and Moe".
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 362 reviews
September 30, 2019
Nordic Tales by Chronicle Books and illustrated by Ulla Thynell is a beautiful collection of 17 folk tales from Norway, Sweden, Finland, Iceland, and Denmark. Every tale varies in length, but most are fairly quick and easy to read.
The book is divided into three sections: Transformation, Wit, and Journeys. Under each title, the author has included where it originates, and a few tales have more information attached at the bottom of the page for more clarification of a word used, or a historical fact; for example, the word jöjking is a Finnish word which means to sing songs.
Many of the tales in this book were unfamiliar to me, while others reminded me of tales from childhood; for example, “The Old Woman and the Tramp” was very similar to “Stone Soup” with the concept and the lesson it teaches of kindness and sharing. Another familiar tale was “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”. Most tales contain folkloric characters we’re all familiar with including trolls, witches, dragons, giants, and talking animals of course. Some tales end happily, while others don't.
The illustrations couldn’t be more stunning, in my opinion. Each tale has a one full-page illustration, and they’re all gorgeous; in fact, the cover is what originally pulled me in. A few favorites include illustrations from “The Boy Who Didn’t Know Fear," “The Forest Bride," and “Jack of Sjöholm and the Gan-Finn”.
Nordic Tales would be perfect as a winter read, and I know we’ll revisit this one over and over again. I always get hooked on folk and fairy tale books such as this because they remind me of old books from my childhood with the way they’re designed. Even though this isn’t technically a children’s book, these are books that I look forward to sharing with my own children: stories that not only enrich their lives, but mine. This makes for such an enjoyable reading experience, and a positive reading experience for a parent can be such an inspiration to a child. I was able to share the tales with my middle-grade children, and many with my youngest daughter as well. There are a few tales that may be too scary for younger children (some that involve death and scary witches), but most are great for all ages.
After reading Nordic Tales, we went on to purchase Celtic Tales and we’ll start that one soon. There’s even one called Tales from Japan we’re looking into. All of these are published by Chronicle Books, but have different illustrators.
If you’re a fan of fairy tales and folk tales, definitely check out this book. While a few of the tales weren’t as enjoyable as others, it’s a nice collection worth having on the shelf.
5*****
You can also read this @readrantrockandroll.com
The book is divided into three sections: Transformation, Wit, and Journeys. Under each title, the author has included where it originates, and a few tales have more information attached at the bottom of the page for more clarification of a word used, or a historical fact; for example, the word jöjking is a Finnish word which means to sing songs.
Many of the tales in this book were unfamiliar to me, while others reminded me of tales from childhood; for example, “The Old Woman and the Tramp” was very similar to “Stone Soup” with the concept and the lesson it teaches of kindness and sharing. Another familiar tale was “East of the Sun and West of the Moon”. Most tales contain folkloric characters we’re all familiar with including trolls, witches, dragons, giants, and talking animals of course. Some tales end happily, while others don't.
The illustrations couldn’t be more stunning, in my opinion. Each tale has a one full-page illustration, and they’re all gorgeous; in fact, the cover is what originally pulled me in. A few favorites include illustrations from “The Boy Who Didn’t Know Fear," “The Forest Bride," and “Jack of Sjöholm and the Gan-Finn”.
Nordic Tales would be perfect as a winter read, and I know we’ll revisit this one over and over again. I always get hooked on folk and fairy tale books such as this because they remind me of old books from my childhood with the way they’re designed. Even though this isn’t technically a children’s book, these are books that I look forward to sharing with my own children: stories that not only enrich their lives, but mine. This makes for such an enjoyable reading experience, and a positive reading experience for a parent can be such an inspiration to a child. I was able to share the tales with my middle-grade children, and many with my youngest daughter as well. There are a few tales that may be too scary for younger children (some that involve death and scary witches), but most are great for all ages.
After reading Nordic Tales, we went on to purchase Celtic Tales and we’ll start that one soon. There’s even one called Tales from Japan we’re looking into. All of these are published by Chronicle Books, but have different illustrators.
If you’re a fan of fairy tales and folk tales, definitely check out this book. While a few of the tales weren’t as enjoyable as others, it’s a nice collection worth having on the shelf.
5*****
You can also read this @readrantrockandroll.com
April 25, 2020
The moment I discovered this book, I got a burning desire to drink strong black coffee and start learning Icelandic.
One question though, where can I find a Viking ship to hop on and sail away from my isolation?
One question though, where can I find a Viking ship to hop on and sail away from my isolation?
November 22, 2021
I liked the mouse bride but I couldn’t get into most of the stories. It sucks because the hardback is beautiful and the art is as well 😕
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
Mel 🖤🐶🐺🐾
February 23, 2021
I've had the books of this series (so far, there are 7 of which I currently own 4) for a while but only now found the time to finally read them.
We get 16 Nordic tales in this book. For a mythology lover, that is woefully short and not enough by far. They are therefore affording just a glimpse at the riches buried in the respective mythology. Nevertheless, which stories were selected and how they were presented was so enchanting that I didn't mind at all.
Overall, the book offers a nice insight into the Nordic culture, greatly helped by Ulla Thynell's artwork, which - frankly - was the best thing about this book.
The stories selected were very diverse - some were chilling, others hilarious, all with a lesson or two to teach the listeners/readers. So even though it's a short book with not enough stories for a greedy little bookworm like me, it's a great place to start, fantastic for whetting one's appetite for mythology, and/or as a pretty display piece on the shelf in addition to the more comprehensive comendiums.
We get 16 Nordic tales in this book. For a mythology lover, that is woefully short and not enough by far. They are therefore affording just a glimpse at the riches buried in the respective mythology. Nevertheless, which stories were selected and how they were presented was so enchanting that I didn't mind at all.
Overall, the book offers a nice insight into the Nordic culture, greatly helped by Ulla Thynell's artwork, which - frankly - was the best thing about this book.
The stories selected were very diverse - some were chilling, others hilarious, all with a lesson or two to teach the listeners/readers. So even though it's a short book with not enough stories for a greedy little bookworm like me, it's a great place to start, fantastic for whetting one's appetite for mythology, and/or as a pretty display piece on the shelf in addition to the more comprehensive comendiums.
February 27, 2023
Charming illustrations, beautiful binding, ribbon bookmark, embossed cover, everything I wanted from a gorgeous collection of stories from around Scandinavia. The final story, which is long and seems bizarre and a weird inclusion, but some of the others like the Mouse Bride are just TOO darling, and The Giant Who Had No Heart is a classic!
October 16, 2020
I have always loved folktales, ever since my childhood, when mom used to tell me a story, from memory, before bed. After some time, I started choosing which one I was in the mood for, and even finishing off sentences.
The layout of this book is beautiful, and I wish I had a physical copy to enjoy the illustrations better. The stories were very amusing, and not at all repetitive; I absolutely enjoyed reading them.
The layout of this book is beautiful, and I wish I had a physical copy to enjoy the illustrations better. The stories were very amusing, and not at all repetitive; I absolutely enjoyed reading them.
May 29, 2019
Disclaimer: ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.
This collection of stories from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and Finland draws from famous collections, but also lesser known collections. It is divided int three sections transformations, wit, and journeys. While East of the Sun, West of the Moon is included many of the stories are not as well known.
The collection starts with “The Forest Bride” about a young man who marries a mouse. It ends with the story of “Jack of Sjoholm and the Gan-Finn”. Between the two, we have some traditional stories that would be well know to any read of folktales – such as the story of the Doctor and Death – but there are stories such as “The Honest Penny” or “Hildur, Queen of the Elves”.
The illustrations are wonderful, quite beautiful. They remind one of the old fairy tale books with the classic illustrations. Thynell has the right combination of dark, light, and whimsey that makes a fairy tale picture a wonder to behold.
This collection of stories from Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Norway, and Finland draws from famous collections, but also lesser known collections. It is divided int three sections transformations, wit, and journeys. While East of the Sun, West of the Moon is included many of the stories are not as well known.
The collection starts with “The Forest Bride” about a young man who marries a mouse. It ends with the story of “Jack of Sjoholm and the Gan-Finn”. Between the two, we have some traditional stories that would be well know to any read of folktales – such as the story of the Doctor and Death – but there are stories such as “The Honest Penny” or “Hildur, Queen of the Elves”.
The illustrations are wonderful, quite beautiful. They remind one of the old fairy tale books with the classic illustrations. Thynell has the right combination of dark, light, and whimsey that makes a fairy tale picture a wonder to behold.
August 25, 2019
A lovely collection of fairy tales. The art's beautiful, and it had been a while since I'd read classic fairy tales rather than retellings, so I'd forgotten how soothing they can be. Though the tales themselves were new to me, many of them were reminiscent of Grimm's tales, which is interesting from a historical perspective. The final tale of the collection was the only one I didn't enjoy, too long and too focused on details of boats.
August 10, 2023
Good, basic fairy tales.
May 17, 2021
A short collection of fun, odd, and lesser known Nordic fairy stories. The paintings are cute and, all-in-all, a worthwhile read.
I can't say these stories are particularly palatable for young children though. The content is appropriate, but it almost feels like certain components are lost in translation sometimes. I don't know that it would capture the attention of most children.
I'd rate this book a PG.
I can't say these stories are particularly palatable for young children though. The content is appropriate, but it almost feels like certain components are lost in translation sometimes. I don't know that it would capture the attention of most children.
I'd rate this book a PG.
September 6, 2022
Marvellous🤍
August 13, 2023
A really enjoyable collection - BOTM at Spells, Space and Screams.
August 20, 2023
The Forest Bride: The Story of a Little Mouse Who Was a Princess from Finland ★★★★½
I adored this charmer where it is the man who wins by being kind and true in a classic Disney-style fairytale.
Death and the Doctor from Norway ★★★★½
I love the idea of sharing a beer with death! The double tricksy ending was a treat as well.
Mighty Mikko: The Story of a Poor Woodsman and a Grateful Fox from Finland ★★★★☆
Saving a Fox pays great dividends for a kindhearted woodsman.
East of the Sun and West of the Moon from Norway ★★★½☆
I enjoyed the bear ride, an iconic image. It was also pleasant to read the woman adventuring to save her man. But the ending needed a big reveal, the trick made little sense.
Hildur, the Queen of Elves from Iceland ★★★½☆
The curse of the disapproving mother-in-law.
Toller’s Neighbours from Denmark ★★★½☆
A cute origin story for gemstones.
All I Possess from Sweden ★★★½☆
A rich man who starves his wives meets his match in a partially deaf young girl and her friendly lad.
The Magician’s Pupil from Denmark ★★★☆☆
Rather a lot of back and forth playing the same tricks over and over again. Minimally entertaining.
The Old Woman and the Tramp from Sweden ★★★☆☆
I read Stone Soup as a child, this nail broth seems the origin.
The Honest Penny from Norway ★★★☆☆
The boy was too nice but the story underlined the importance of cats in the world. Until you have a rat problem you don’t understand that they are worth their weight in gold.
The Giant Who Had No Heart from Norway ★★★☆☆
The youngest of seven has to save his brothers, and their wives, from a stone giant.
Old Nick and the Girl from Sweden ★★★☆☆
A girl cleverly enlists her twin sister to defeat the supernatural old man who would have enslaved her.
The Widow’s Son from Norway ★★½☆☆
A poor boy steals from his caregiver and eventually becomes a king. Somehow it didn’t sit well.
Jack of Sjoholm and the Gan-Finn from Norway ★★½☆☆
I’m still not sure what a Gan-Finn is but at least that long meandering tale ended well.
The True Bride: The Story of Ilona and the Kings Son from Finland ★★☆☆☆
A witch substitutes herself as the fiancé of a prince instead of his fairytale bride. This story would have been better had the prince and witch worked it out.
The Way of the World from Norway ★★☆☆☆
Depressing - I’ll say no more.
The Boy Who Did Not Know What Fear Was from Iceland ★☆☆☆☆
That was nonsense.
I read all 18 stories that averaged a surprisingly low 2.33 stars. I enjoyed the audiobook and the physical book is gorgeous. I will round up to 3 stars because my overall impression of the book was positive.
I adored this charmer where it is the man who wins by being kind and true in a classic Disney-style fairytale.
Death and the Doctor from Norway ★★★★½
I love the idea of sharing a beer with death! The double tricksy ending was a treat as well.
Mighty Mikko: The Story of a Poor Woodsman and a Grateful Fox from Finland ★★★★☆
Saving a Fox pays great dividends for a kindhearted woodsman.
East of the Sun and West of the Moon from Norway ★★★½☆
I enjoyed the bear ride, an iconic image. It was also pleasant to read the woman adventuring to save her man. But the ending needed a big reveal, the trick made little sense.
Hildur, the Queen of Elves from Iceland ★★★½☆
The curse of the disapproving mother-in-law.
Toller’s Neighbours from Denmark ★★★½☆
A cute origin story for gemstones.
All I Possess from Sweden ★★★½☆
A rich man who starves his wives meets his match in a partially deaf young girl and her friendly lad.
The Magician’s Pupil from Denmark ★★★☆☆
Rather a lot of back and forth playing the same tricks over and over again. Minimally entertaining.
The Old Woman and the Tramp from Sweden ★★★☆☆
I read Stone Soup as a child, this nail broth seems the origin.
The Honest Penny from Norway ★★★☆☆
The boy was too nice but the story underlined the importance of cats in the world. Until you have a rat problem you don’t understand that they are worth their weight in gold.
The Giant Who Had No Heart from Norway ★★★☆☆
The youngest of seven has to save his brothers, and their wives, from a stone giant.
Old Nick and the Girl from Sweden ★★★☆☆
A girl cleverly enlists her twin sister to defeat the supernatural old man who would have enslaved her.
The Widow’s Son from Norway ★★½☆☆
A poor boy steals from his caregiver and eventually becomes a king. Somehow it didn’t sit well.
Jack of Sjoholm and the Gan-Finn from Norway ★★½☆☆
I’m still not sure what a Gan-Finn is but at least that long meandering tale ended well.
The True Bride: The Story of Ilona and the Kings Son from Finland ★★☆☆☆
A witch substitutes herself as the fiancé of a prince instead of his fairytale bride. This story would have been better had the prince and witch worked it out.
The Way of the World from Norway ★★☆☆☆
Depressing - I’ll say no more.
The Boy Who Did Not Know What Fear Was from Iceland ★☆☆☆☆
That was nonsense.
I read all 18 stories that averaged a surprisingly low 2.33 stars. I enjoyed the audiobook and the physical book is gorgeous. I will round up to 3 stars because my overall impression of the book was positive.
September 21, 2019
Interesting collection of stories. Some are definitely a bit weird by modern standards and maybe a bit repetitive, but it's always interesting to see collections of stories from different cultures. I also like seeing the similarities between these stories and stories from other cultures - like there was one in here where the woman wasn't supposed to look at her husband and only was with him in the dark and then broke her promise by looking at him with a candle that is a lot like a Greek myth story. It's cool to see how some of these ideas are universal and how others probably got spread and changed by travelers. The illustrations are very pretty as well.
January 31, 2023
I loved the illustrations. 5 stars for the design.
But I'm really disappointed by the book itself. The description on the back didn't match the actual book in my opinion. It promised to be very a collection of lovely magical stories, but it was mostly male protagonists that were looking for beautiful and obedient housewives.
Additional to the poor stories, the translation was absolutely terrible. I read the german version and every page contained typos and wrongly translated words and sentences.
But I'm really disappointed by the book itself. The description on the back didn't match the actual book in my opinion. It promised to be very a collection of lovely magical stories, but it was mostly male protagonists that were looking for beautiful and obedient housewives.
Additional to the poor stories, the translation was absolutely terrible. I read the german version and every page contained typos and wrongly translated words and sentences.
January 9, 2022
Firstly, this is a beautiful hardback with stunning designs on the cover!🤍💙 I've a great interest in Nordic countries, so I was so happy to have this book.
The book is divided into 3 different sections: 1: Transformation, 2: Wit, and 3: Journeys. The stories in each section relate to these themes😊
All the illustrations are stunning and magical, and represent each folktale well🤍
My favourite folktale from this book is "Toller's Neighbours" from Denmark! It was sweet and I could really picture Denmark in my mind while reading it😂
Overall, I enjoyed the stories, and it's nice to read folktales from countries other than your own. I wasn't familiar with any of these stories prior to reading this book actually, so it this book was very interesting😊
The reason why I gave this rating 4/5 instead of 5/5 is because the only folktale I wasn't a fan of, was the very last one.... The last tale was also the longest I think in the book, so it was a shame that it wasn't an enjoyable read, and that I had to end the book on a kind of bad note😫.The story just didn't gel well with me...?😅 I didn't like any of the characters, I didn't feel like too much happened, and overall it was quite boring.
I also spotted some issues from time to time with the English translations (grammar mistakes or misprints) but it's not a big issue.
I recommend this book to those who love folktales, especially if you're a fan of Nordic countries!😊❄
The book is divided into 3 different sections: 1: Transformation, 2: Wit, and 3: Journeys. The stories in each section relate to these themes😊
All the illustrations are stunning and magical, and represent each folktale well🤍
My favourite folktale from this book is "Toller's Neighbours" from Denmark! It was sweet and I could really picture Denmark in my mind while reading it😂
Overall, I enjoyed the stories, and it's nice to read folktales from countries other than your own. I wasn't familiar with any of these stories prior to reading this book actually, so it this book was very interesting😊
The reason why I gave this rating 4/5 instead of 5/5 is because the only folktale I wasn't a fan of, was the very last one.... The last tale was also the longest I think in the book, so it was a shame that it wasn't an enjoyable read, and that I had to end the book on a kind of bad note😫.The story just didn't gel well with me...?😅 I didn't like any of the characters, I didn't feel like too much happened, and overall it was quite boring.
I also spotted some issues from time to time with the English translations (grammar mistakes or misprints) but it's not a big issue.
I recommend this book to those who love folktales, especially if you're a fan of Nordic countries!😊❄
July 16, 2020
3,5*
Read
February 6, 2023Folktales are freaking weird 😂
September 7, 2019
DEATH and the DOCTOR
Norway
“Yes; why not?” said the lad. “But what sort of man are you?”
“They call me Death,” said the man.
“The very man for my money,” said the lad. “Thee I am glad to drink with,”
and as he said this he put down his keg, and began to tap the ale into a bowl.
“Thou art an honest, trustworthy man, for thou treatest all alike, both rich and
poor.”
So he drank his health, and Death drank his health, and Death said he had
never tasted such drink, and as the lad was fond of him, they drank bowl and
bowl about, till the ale was lessened, and the keg grew light.
At last Death said, “I have never known drink which smacked better, or did
me so much good as this ale that you have given me, and I scarce know what to
give you in return.” But, after he had thought awhile, he said the keg should never get empty, however much they drank out of it, and the ale that was in it
should become a healing drink, by which the lad could make the sick whole
again better than any doctor. And he also said that when the lad came into the
sick man’s room, Death would always be there, and show himself to him, and it
should be to him for a sure token if he saw Death at the foot of the bed that he
could cure the sick with a draught from the keg; but if he sat by the pillow, there
was no healing nor medicine, for then the sick belonged to Death.
Norway
“Yes; why not?” said the lad. “But what sort of man are you?”
“They call me Death,” said the man.
“The very man for my money,” said the lad. “Thee I am glad to drink with,”
and as he said this he put down his keg, and began to tap the ale into a bowl.
“Thou art an honest, trustworthy man, for thou treatest all alike, both rich and
poor.”
So he drank his health, and Death drank his health, and Death said he had
never tasted such drink, and as the lad was fond of him, they drank bowl and
bowl about, till the ale was lessened, and the keg grew light.
At last Death said, “I have never known drink which smacked better, or did
me so much good as this ale that you have given me, and I scarce know what to
give you in return.” But, after he had thought awhile, he said the keg should never get empty, however much they drank out of it, and the ale that was in it
should become a healing drink, by which the lad could make the sick whole
again better than any doctor. And he also said that when the lad came into the
sick man’s room, Death would always be there, and show himself to him, and it
should be to him for a sure token if he saw Death at the foot of the bed that he
could cure the sick with a draught from the keg; but if he sat by the pillow, there
was no healing nor medicine, for then the sick belonged to Death.
November 25, 2020
This book was very expensive for me, (like Nordic expensive: 4.799,00 icelandic krona=30€ 😅) and did not worth the price. Illustrations were okay, but that's it. The tales did not met my expectations. They were jejune and boring. So overall, I did not like the book mainly because of its repetitiveness.
December 18, 2021
I admit the last story in the collection makes no sense to me, but I just loved reading this entire thing. It’s always marvelous to hear stories and legends from other cultures and these were a charming delight.
November 14, 2021
estos nordicos loco, todos sus cuentos se tratan de lo mismo, viva el viejo de la bolsa
May 9, 2023
A great collection of fairy tales, and the art by Ulla Thynell is absolutely gorgeous. There are some themes that are similar to French and German collections, but for the most part these tales are unique.
September 1, 2025
Liza and I are in Iceland right now, so we wanted to listen to an audiobook that goes into fairytales in the region as we drove around. This collection of 16 fairytales was completely wild and absurd, half the time without any clear message to either of us. Fun nonetheless!
August 29, 2025
4.25/5
Nordic Tales is a beautiful book with magical illustrations by Ulla Thynell and a good selection of Nordic folktales, most of which I hadn't heard before. A wonderful storytelling resource for those who want to know and be inspired by these old tales.
Nordic Tales is a beautiful book with magical illustrations by Ulla Thynell and a good selection of Nordic folktales, most of which I hadn't heard before. A wonderful storytelling resource for those who want to know and be inspired by these old tales.
March 31, 2025
Though the stories seem weird and make no sense to me, it was very interesting to read the fairy tales of a different culture
July 15, 2020
This was an absolutely beautiful collection. I adore the illustration style. About half the stories were new to me, which was awesome.
April 25, 2020
| Reader Fox Blog |
Nordic Tales is a large collection of stories and folktales brought together and illustrated by the wonderful Ulla Thynell. The stories range in length, theme, character, and plot. While I personally had not read any of them before, I was easily able to recognize the commonalities that they have with other old short stories. As with the Hans Christian Andersen works I've been reading lately, Nordic Tales has a lot of summaries, falling in love quickly without really knowing each other, and sends some great messages and some odd messages. I think this will always be a theme I find within stories from the far past. And yet I consistently find I love a great many of them and I deeply enjoyed the time I spent reading this new collection of stories, gathered from a number of different countries accompanied with brilliant artwork that really makes the stories stand out.
As often happens when I read a book that is a collection of different stories by many different authors, I found that some of them were rather exceptional and enjoyable for me to read while others felt particularly dull and boring. One thing that Nordic Tales did right was to begin the collection with a story that would intrigue and engage me, the account of three brothers who set out to find wives and the one brother who ends up marrying a mouse. While I will say that the brother seemed a little like a dolt and was at times somewhat hurtful in his thoughts (though I suppose that's not uncommon anywhere), I deeply appreciated how he grew to care for the little mouse and eventually determined that the opinions of others did not matter in the slightest in comparison. And good things, of course, come to those who are good and kind to begin with.
Alternately, there were a few stories such as the elf princess story that I didn't care for and would have preferred to skip. Ultimately, though, they didn't really ruin the book as a whole. Rather I simply imagine that if I were to buy it at some point, I would simply skip those stories when I get to them. All in all, I had a lot of fun reading this collection. I imagine it's possible to find many of the stories elsewhere, but it is really nice to have them all in one place, especially when it's in a collection that has artwork I like and appreciate.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Nordic Tales is a large collection of stories and folktales brought together and illustrated by the wonderful Ulla Thynell. The stories range in length, theme, character, and plot. While I personally had not read any of them before, I was easily able to recognize the commonalities that they have with other old short stories. As with the Hans Christian Andersen works I've been reading lately, Nordic Tales has a lot of summaries, falling in love quickly without really knowing each other, and sends some great messages and some odd messages. I think this will always be a theme I find within stories from the far past. And yet I consistently find I love a great many of them and I deeply enjoyed the time I spent reading this new collection of stories, gathered from a number of different countries accompanied with brilliant artwork that really makes the stories stand out.
As often happens when I read a book that is a collection of different stories by many different authors, I found that some of them were rather exceptional and enjoyable for me to read while others felt particularly dull and boring. One thing that Nordic Tales did right was to begin the collection with a story that would intrigue and engage me, the account of three brothers who set out to find wives and the one brother who ends up marrying a mouse. While I will say that the brother seemed a little like a dolt and was at times somewhat hurtful in his thoughts (though I suppose that's not uncommon anywhere), I deeply appreciated how he grew to care for the little mouse and eventually determined that the opinions of others did not matter in the slightest in comparison. And good things, of course, come to those who are good and kind to begin with.
Alternately, there were a few stories such as the elf princess story that I didn't care for and would have preferred to skip. Ultimately, though, they didn't really ruin the book as a whole. Rather I simply imagine that if I were to buy it at some point, I would simply skip those stories when I get to them. All in all, I had a lot of fun reading this collection. I imagine it's possible to find many of the stories elsewhere, but it is really nice to have them all in one place, especially when it's in a collection that has artwork I like and appreciate.
I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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February 1, 2022
Everything about this book was nostalgic and cozy, perfect for cuddling under the covers with a mug of cocoa. I also admit (controversially, it seems) that I liked that it only contained 16 stories, which made it far less intimidating than many other folktale collections I've encountered. It was the perfect January read, and would possibly make a good read-aloud for older kids, too.
I think the only story I had read previously was "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," but several of the tales felt very familiar; although, as in the case of "The Boy Who Did Not Know What Fear Was" that could be because they share characteristics with folktales from other regions.
I definitely had two favorites: "The Forest Bride" (another one that felt a little familiar to me-I may have read it years ago) and "Toller's Neighbors" (which gave me major Hilda vibes).
The illustration style was soft, dreamy, and comforting- a winning combination. I own three more of the books in this series (Celtic Tales, Tales of Japan, and Russian Tales), and I look forward to reading them.
I think the only story I had read previously was "East of the Sun and West of the Moon," but several of the tales felt very familiar; although, as in the case of "The Boy Who Did Not Know What Fear Was" that could be because they share characteristics with folktales from other regions.
I definitely had two favorites: "The Forest Bride" (another one that felt a little familiar to me-I may have read it years ago) and "Toller's Neighbors" (which gave me major Hilda vibes).
The illustration style was soft, dreamy, and comforting- a winning combination. I own three more of the books in this series (Celtic Tales, Tales of Japan, and Russian Tales), and I look forward to reading them.
January 17, 2020
I love a good folktale every now and again. I love reading ones from different countries because they are all so unique when it comes to the characters even if the plots can sometimes be the same. I saw this one offered as an ebook from my library and knew that I needed to read it. Although it took a few weeks for it to come in I am glad I took a chance with it.
My favorite thing about folktales is the lessons we can learn from them. There was always a reason for sharing these stories and it makes me want to read them to my daughter.
I think the story I enjoyed the most was the beginning one because it was very captivating and follows the age old, “don’t judge a book by its cover”. It was a well thought out tale. It is one that grabs your attention and so its a good thing it was at the beginning!
Overall, if you are a fan of folktales then I would suggest checking out this collection!
My favorite thing about folktales is the lessons we can learn from them. There was always a reason for sharing these stories and it makes me want to read them to my daughter.
I think the story I enjoyed the most was the beginning one because it was very captivating and follows the age old, “don’t judge a book by its cover”. It was a well thought out tale. It is one that grabs your attention and so its a good thing it was at the beginning!
Overall, if you are a fan of folktales then I would suggest checking out this collection!
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