What do you think?
Rate this book
Jim Henson's The Storyteller
Jim Henson's The Storyteller: Sirens
A collection of stories of sirens and mermaids, inspired by folklore from around the world and told in the spirit of Jim Henson’s beloved television series.
It’s not the stories you tell, but how they are told. The critically acclaimed Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Sirens showcases four alluring tales of mermaids and the sea, inspired by folklore from around the world and told in the spirit of Jim Henson’s beloved television series.
Featuring beautiful stories told by some of today’s most exciting voices, including Jakub Rebelka (Judas) with Sztybor Bartosz, Chan Chau (Elements), Sarah Webb (Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Under the Spell), and Aud Koch (The Wicked + The Divine), this stunning hardcover edition also includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the process and care taken in adapting each of the these timeless tales.
It’s not the stories you tell, but how they are told. The critically acclaimed Jim Henson’s The Storyteller: Sirens showcases four alluring tales of mermaids and the sea, inspired by folklore from around the world and told in the spirit of Jim Henson’s beloved television series.
Featuring beautiful stories told by some of today’s most exciting voices, including Jakub Rebelka (Judas) with Sztybor Bartosz, Chan Chau (Elements), Sarah Webb (Jim Henson’s Labyrinth: Under the Spell), and Aud Koch (The Wicked + The Divine), this stunning hardcover edition also includes an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the process and care taken in adapting each of the these timeless tales.
128 pages, Hardcover
First published December 18, 2019
4 people are currently reading
241 people want to read
About the author
Bartosz Sztybor
149 books39 followersBartosz Sztybor - polski dziennikarz, publicysta, krytyk filmowy i komiksowy, scenarzysta komiksowy. Wielokrotny laureat konkursu na krótką formę komiksową na MFK. Publikował m.in. w pismach Ozon, Wprost, Esensja, Chichot, Machina, Cinema, periodykach komiksowych i zinach.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
February 13, 2022
Two classic tales of mermaids who sing and captivate, a tale of a selkie spared that later spares the main character and their siblings, and a Chinese human creation myth.
June 2, 2022
Sirens is about my fourth volume of the Storyteller comics. For a long time, I wasn't aware that they existed, so now I know that there may be some which I cannot get my hands on (fingers crossed for them being reprinted). As a lover of the TV series, The Storyteller, these comics are a little nod back to my youth. Each tale, and there are 4 in each volume, begins with the Storyteller and his faithful dog setting the scene for the tale which is to be told.
As with any collection of tales, there are those which you will be drawn to more than others. For myself, the two tales which stood out were One Spared to the Sea and Lorelei: Daughter of the Rhine. I loved the art for both of these. The Mermaid and the Fisherman was a sad tale, but one which stays with you as well for the message that it conveys.
I love these collections, and will continue to seek out the others. If you enjoy comics and/or fairy tales and mythology, you may find a lot to enjoy with these.
As with any collection of tales, there are those which you will be drawn to more than others. For myself, the two tales which stood out were One Spared to the Sea and Lorelei: Daughter of the Rhine. I loved the art for both of these. The Mermaid and the Fisherman was a sad tale, but one which stays with you as well for the message that it conveys.
I love these collections, and will continue to seek out the others. If you enjoy comics and/or fairy tales and mythology, you may find a lot to enjoy with these.
March 3, 2020
Although I didn't grow up with the Storyteller, these were a lot of fun to read. The different art styles set the tone of each story and made them unique. The first story was my least favorite although I still liked it. I was stunned by the artwork of the second story, it suited the legend strikingly. The cute, warm third adventure made me smile, while the rather ominous last part of the book made me wonder. The gold color made the pages pop, and although the storyline was more difficult to follow than the previous ones, it still made a excellent end to this great volume!
October 4, 2022
Bought this for Sarah Webb's selkie story (which I love) and was BLOWN AWAY by Aud Koch's art in the story of the Lorelei.
August 11, 2019
Beautiful collection, as always in this series.
March 4, 2024
Somehow or other I was reminded that this series existed and there were a whole new set of books since I had last read some. Again, have to reach outside of my library system for access, but generally worth it.
"The Mermaid and the Fisherman" -- I found the author's intro talking about how weird and quirky it is that Polish has a word derived from the Greek siren-- a bird/woman hybrid creature with a tempting song-- that they use to refer to creatures that are clearly mermaids-- fish/woman hybrids-- when that confusion of terms is clearly found across other languages, as demonstrated by this very collection (on which, more later). That aside, I enjoyed the story, which was well told; the art style is a bit odd to my taste, but I do love the color palette it features.
"Empress Wa" -- This was a cute story that did a good job of communicating what the author apparently wanted to. It also doesn't really belong in this collection at all. As with the author commentary to the first story, sirens were originally bird/women hybrids. Since they were associated with luring men to disaster at sea, the melding of the term with the concept of a mermaid makes a sort of sense. And then this story basically goes: siren-> mermaid=woman with scaled body below waist-> woman with snake body below waist. And again, nice story but I really wonder how they commission these that you can have that loose of a connection.
"One Spared to the Sea"-- Possibly my favorite story in this collection, in part because I have read the author's webcomic and like her style. It is also interesting because almost every other selkie story I know is about men catching selkies as wives, and that doesn't seem to be part of this at all. Again, though, does it really fit the theme? Sure, a selkie is kind of like a mermaid, but again, sort of a second or third order connection with "siren".
"Lorelei: Daughter of the Rhine"-- Another enjoyable story with a bold and visually striking style to the art. Sort of interesting that Lorelei has her origins as a singing temptress, but that aspect is completely dropped in this version (she tempts with an offer of gold, which seems a bit prosaic if you think about it too much). Also, the story seems slightly at odds with the way it is framed by the storyteller, and even from the author's statement; this Lorelei remains a murderous temptress of men, and I just don't think that the idea it was based on a bargain people had forgotten quite justifies it, especially since trading lives for gold is something most people would condemn, and even the idea of trading a life for the wealth and prosperity of others is a bit suspect.
"The Mermaid and the Fisherman" -- I found the author's intro talking about how weird and quirky it is that Polish has a word derived from the Greek siren-- a bird/woman hybrid creature with a tempting song-- that they use to refer to creatures that are clearly mermaids-- fish/woman hybrids-- when that confusion of terms is clearly found across other languages, as demonstrated by this very collection (on which, more later). That aside, I enjoyed the story, which was well told; the art style is a bit odd to my taste, but I do love the color palette it features.
"Empress Wa" -- This was a cute story that did a good job of communicating what the author apparently wanted to. It also doesn't really belong in this collection at all. As with the author commentary to the first story, sirens were originally bird/women hybrids. Since they were associated with luring men to disaster at sea, the melding of the term with the concept of a mermaid makes a sort of sense. And then this story basically goes: siren-> mermaid=woman with scaled body below waist-> woman with snake body below waist. And again, nice story but I really wonder how they commission these that you can have that loose of a connection.
"One Spared to the Sea"-- Possibly my favorite story in this collection, in part because I have read the author's webcomic and like her style. It is also interesting because almost every other selkie story I know is about men catching selkies as wives, and that doesn't seem to be part of this at all. Again, though, does it really fit the theme? Sure, a selkie is kind of like a mermaid, but again, sort of a second or third order connection with "siren".
"Lorelei: Daughter of the Rhine"-- Another enjoyable story with a bold and visually striking style to the art. Sort of interesting that Lorelei has her origins as a singing temptress, but that aspect is completely dropped in this version (she tempts with an offer of gold, which seems a bit prosaic if you think about it too much). Also, the story seems slightly at odds with the way it is framed by the storyteller, and even from the author's statement; this Lorelei remains a murderous temptress of men, and I just don't think that the idea it was based on a bargain people had forgotten quite justifies it, especially since trading lives for gold is something most people would condemn, and even the idea of trading a life for the wealth and prosperity of others is a bit suspect.
October 4, 2022
This book was definitely my favorite from the series so far. I love how each of these books takes stories and characters from myths, legends, and fairytales, to create a new story. Mermaids/sirens have always been one of my favorite fantasy creatures besides dragons, and I really loved how each of the contributors took their stories. Also, the artwork in this volume was phenomenal. I'm going to do a short review of each of the stories in this volume.
"The Mermaid and the Fisherman" Story by Bartosz Sztybor and Art by Jakub Rebelka- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
An interesting take on the familiar story of a fisherman taking a mermaid from the sea to keep in his home. I enjoyed the message of this one and the overall story.
"Empress Wa" Story and art by Chan Chau- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One of my favorites from the entire volume. I loved this creation story and how Chau decided to do something quite different from what someone would think of as a mermaid or a siren. In this case, the story is about a Chinese goddess named Nuwa. She is a shapeshifter who can change her appearance at will but has the body of a serpent. The art style for this story was stunning, and the story went along perfectly with it.
"One Spared to the Sea" Story and art by Sarah Web- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Northern European tales are some of my favorites, especially with Selkies, Brownies, etc. I enjoyed Sarah Web's take on one of these tales with the character of Willa Westness, a version of Willie Westness's story. The story was stunning to read, along with the beautiful illustrations.
"Lorelei: Daughter of the Rhine" Story by Aud Koch- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Definitely one of my favorite stories from any of Jim Henson's The Storyteller series. This piece was wonderful to look at, and I loved how the artist used minimal colors in the illustrations. It fits the story perfectly, especially with the focus on gold. The story is a take on sirens and how they steal men. I love where the author took this idea.
"The Mermaid and the Fisherman" Story by Bartosz Sztybor and Art by Jakub Rebelka- ⭐⭐⭐⭐
An interesting take on the familiar story of a fisherman taking a mermaid from the sea to keep in his home. I enjoyed the message of this one and the overall story.
"Empress Wa" Story and art by Chan Chau- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
One of my favorites from the entire volume. I loved this creation story and how Chau decided to do something quite different from what someone would think of as a mermaid or a siren. In this case, the story is about a Chinese goddess named Nuwa. She is a shapeshifter who can change her appearance at will but has the body of a serpent. The art style for this story was stunning, and the story went along perfectly with it.
"One Spared to the Sea" Story and art by Sarah Web- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Northern European tales are some of my favorites, especially with Selkies, Brownies, etc. I enjoyed Sarah Web's take on one of these tales with the character of Willa Westness, a version of Willie Westness's story. The story was stunning to read, along with the beautiful illustrations.
"Lorelei: Daughter of the Rhine" Story by Aud Koch- ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Definitely one of my favorite stories from any of Jim Henson's The Storyteller series. This piece was wonderful to look at, and I loved how the artist used minimal colors in the illustrations. It fits the story perfectly, especially with the focus on gold. The story is a take on sirens and how they steal men. I love where the author took this idea.
August 26, 2020
A nice addition to The Storyteller series. Some of the collections in this series are weaker than other, but this one is very strong. It draws from multiple traditions of siren and related merfolk stories.
There are some sweet elements tied to traditionally sadder stories --like the selkie stories --that brighten them up and add a fresh spin to the classics. There are also some deeper horror elements applied to the scarier merfolk stories. This collection puts the soft and kind alongside the sharp and horrifying to show the multifaceted and diverse origins of the sirens.
While it is called "sirens," this is a tiny bit of a misnomer as there are not traditional siren tales included. Instead, the reader is treated to updated adaptations that drawn from similar traditions without copying the all too familiar Odyssey story with sirens. One might want that sort of siren in the collection at first, but the alternatives present in this collection more than make up for that with their rich histories and storytelling styles.
These are shorter stories, but the world building in each is incredible. In particular, the stories of Nuwa and Lorelai are incredibly detailed with their artistic and cultural world building. In Lorelai, we get an exploration of humanity's desires and the prices we are willing to pay for them. It is a stunningly reflective look at consumerist culture that makes one ask how the sausage is really made. In Nuwa, we see the so seldom shown strong, warm mother who is both creator and protector. She brings life, improves it, and leaves behind traditions for the people she creates. It is a soft story that feels thoughtfully done without being overly sweet. The ending also feels more like what we expect from a myth or fairy story --something is made and a sacrament or tradition is passed on through time until the present. Nuwa's tale is also much less about humanity looking inwardly at itself, and more about looking at the world around us and being thankful for it.
There are some sweet elements tied to traditionally sadder stories --like the selkie stories --that brighten them up and add a fresh spin to the classics. There are also some deeper horror elements applied to the scarier merfolk stories. This collection puts the soft and kind alongside the sharp and horrifying to show the multifaceted and diverse origins of the sirens.
While it is called "sirens," this is a tiny bit of a misnomer as there are not traditional siren tales included. Instead, the reader is treated to updated adaptations that drawn from similar traditions without copying the all too familiar Odyssey story with sirens. One might want that sort of siren in the collection at first, but the alternatives present in this collection more than make up for that with their rich histories and storytelling styles.
These are shorter stories, but the world building in each is incredible. In particular, the stories of Nuwa and Lorelai are incredibly detailed with their artistic and cultural world building. In Lorelai, we get an exploration of humanity's desires and the prices we are willing to pay for them. It is a stunningly reflective look at consumerist culture that makes one ask how the sausage is really made. In Nuwa, we see the so seldom shown strong, warm mother who is both creator and protector. She brings life, improves it, and leaves behind traditions for the people she creates. It is a soft story that feels thoughtfully done without being overly sweet. The ending also feels more like what we expect from a myth or fairy story --something is made and a sacrament or tradition is passed on through time until the present. Nuwa's tale is also much less about humanity looking inwardly at itself, and more about looking at the world around us and being thankful for it.
March 27, 2023
Hypnotic like a siren's call
I always enjoy these storyteller mini series bringing an assortment of not only artistic talent but lore from around the world matching the theme of the book. Sadly sirens was a bit of a grey area when it comes to definitions considering the authors of the two of the four stories did not follow the Oxford definition of "each of a number of women or winged creatures whose singing lured unwary sailors on to rocks" instead choosing a story with Selkies and another with the goddess Nuwa who is more naga than an aquatic (or birdlike) harbinger of doom or seducer of men. Still, regardless of the lack of unified understanding of what makes a siren or possibly a bad series naming the four stories within still capture the magic of the story teller as we are opened to strange new worlds in each artists unique style so please don't let the above misunderstanding bother you too much. :)
I always enjoy these storyteller mini series bringing an assortment of not only artistic talent but lore from around the world matching the theme of the book. Sadly sirens was a bit of a grey area when it comes to definitions considering the authors of the two of the four stories did not follow the Oxford definition of "each of a number of women or winged creatures whose singing lured unwary sailors on to rocks" instead choosing a story with Selkies and another with the goddess Nuwa who is more naga than an aquatic (or birdlike) harbinger of doom or seducer of men. Still, regardless of the lack of unified understanding of what makes a siren or possibly a bad series naming the four stories within still capture the magic of the story teller as we are opened to strange new worlds in each artists unique style so please don't let the above misunderstanding bother you too much. :)
September 14, 2025
I came across this at a library yesterday and wasn't sure about it. I generally do not like anthologies, but as it clearly had great art, only 4 stories, and decent reviews, I decided to give it a chance. I'm glad I did. There's a whole series of these on various subjects, and for now at least, I'm interested in picking my way through them. Only having 4 stories makes it very palatable, as opposed to larger anthologies which quickly fall victim to inconsistent quality. I didn't like these 4 stories equally, but I still enjoyed each of them in different ways. I like that they were inspired by tales from all over the world, and again THE ART! The last two stories especially had absolutely jaw-dropping art, and I'm excited to see if this level of art makes appearances across the other books in the series. I won't get my hopes up too high, but we'll see what happens!
February 3, 2020
This book is so beautiful. I really enjoyed it. I would have to say it is not exactly aptly named as only one of the four stories is about a "Siren" type character (though still technically a mermaid as defined by being half fish, half woman, not a siren which is a half bird, half woman. She just interacted with others like a Siren). The funniest part about this was that the introduction stated this fact clearly, but the title was kept the same. One of the stories is about a Mermaid, another a Selkie, and the other is about a goddess that is half snake half woman. The art was lovely though and the stories were interesting.
September 28, 2021
I really enjoyed Sirens, a lot more than Ghosts. I love stories about mermaids, selkies and every other sea creature, so I expected to like this one more than Ghosts.
I love the artwork in all four of the stories. I can't chose which was my favorite art style because I enjoyed them all equally. My favorite storyline though, was One Spared to the Sea. It was so stinking cute, I wish there was an actual long comic based on this story.
I loved Lorelei Daughter of the Rhine, because of the color theme of blues and purples, and the touches of gold added such a beautiful effect. Also, the hair! The use of the hair in this story was magical, amazing!
I love the artwork in all four of the stories. I can't chose which was my favorite art style because I enjoyed them all equally. My favorite storyline though, was One Spared to the Sea. It was so stinking cute, I wish there was an actual long comic based on this story.
I loved Lorelei Daughter of the Rhine, because of the color theme of blues and purples, and the touches of gold added such a beautiful effect. Also, the hair! The use of the hair in this story was magical, amazing!
September 9, 2020
I thought that I’d check this out and then give it to one of the kids and have not read any other of these Storyteller books. This one is okay - the art and writing are mostly good (at least one story was all summary and somewhat lame), but I don’t think the kids would really like it. But I think waiting a few years will be too late, and they’ll have grown out of this book. There’s surely a sweet spot, but the book isn’t good enough to worry about it much more than I have already. Very cool idea and great source material and format, but a somewhat flat execution.
Read
December 25, 2025An interesting short, very short, collection of stories. I had to keep reminding myself this is a children’s book so I wouldn’t be so harsh in my critique. It’s actually done well for the intended audience and would be a fun addition to a classroom library. I always kept a section of mythology books, so I would’ve put this book in that section for my students interested in giants.
There was a decent amount of diversity for just 4 short stories, including widely different types of illustration styles.
I did enjoy this more than the giants one.
There was a decent amount of diversity for just 4 short stories, including widely different types of illustration styles.
I did enjoy this more than the giants one.
September 20, 2020
Jim Henson's The Storyteller Sirens is an enchanting collection of fables beautifully illustrated. The storyteller of each selection enjoys the amusing companionship of their precocious dog prompting the telling of the parable. All the stories are a delight for the senses - expounding a heartfelt message not soon to be forgotten.
May 30, 2021
This was.. nice. The art was the main thing here, the stories? Ehhh.. I'm glad I didn't buy it or I would have been disappointed plot wise. I read this as the individual issues from my local library so I'm not too bothered by it. Sad though, I was very excited to read it!! I did like the story about the German tale of Lorelai though.
September 26, 2021
I enjoyed the television series as a child and these graphic novel renderings are a delight to read in my adulthood. Just like any short stories there are ones that hit and the ones that miss. There are ones that stick with me and there are ones that I quickly forget.
I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys fairy tales or the storyteller series.
I would recommend this to anyone that enjoys fairy tales or the storyteller series.
July 27, 2020
Gorgeous illustrations. I was a bit disappointed at the storyline, but I think it was because I was fresh off the horror comics. I was hoping for more of a Dark Crystal, but this was a folktale retelling. Still worth a read.
December 2, 2020
Each of the four stories are told by a different author/artist and I liked some styles more than others. It was interesting to read some siren/mermaid tales from around the world that were based a bit on folktales.
January 1, 2022
I am, as always, a sucker for a selkie story and I am especially fond of the more recent trend of loving selkie stories. And while One Spared to the Sea is my favorite of this quartet, they are all quite good and wildly different both in art and story.
February 9, 2023
Gorgeous art, but the stories were somewhat lackluster - I think it's more owing to their short length, not their quality, though. By the time you're really getting into the narrative, it's already over.
July 23, 2020
Fantastic stories from around the world with beautiful artwork!
September 23, 2020
I like the 1st and 3rd story better
December 12, 2020
Such beautiful illustrations and storytelling. A great flashback to childhood with The Storyteller.
August 9, 2021
Prachtige artwork en mooie hervertellingen van folk verhalen
August 30, 2021
Review to come :)
September 13, 2021
A very fun quartet of myth and folklore given new life through modern storytelling. Art is lovely and the narratives move along briskly. Once again, the Storyteller does not disappoint.
September 19, 2021
Another stunning collection of myths with beautiful illustrations that fit the tone of Jim Henson’s original the storyteller series
December 30, 2021
A beautiful collection of for stories, all centred around the mythos of sirens. Gorgeous artwork and wonderful storytelling!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews