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A World Full of Nature Stories: 50 Folk Tales and Legends
This beautiful book of stories takes readers on a journey with 50 tales, featuring themes of nature from all around the world.
Sit back, get comfortable, and delve into this beautifully-illustrated collection of beloved nature stories from every corner of the globe .
This rich resource collects together folk tales from home and legends and myths from distant lands to commemorate the animals, plants, and the changing seasons that make planet Earth so beautiful .
The folktales and fables in this book will capture imaginations and take readers on a journey around the world. Learn
Lively retellings from best-selling author Angela McAllister are brought to life with beautiful illustrations from Hannah Bess Ross, in this nature anthology to treasure for a lifetime. For story lovers young and old this is the perfect gift for all the family and nature lovers everywhere.
The World Full of… series is a collection of beautiful hardcover story treasuries. Discover folktales from all around the world or be introduced to some of the world’s best-loved writers with these stunning gift books, the perfection addition to any child’s library.
Also available from the A Year Full of Stories , A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories , A World Full of Dickens Stories , A World Full of Spooky Stories , A Year Full of Celebrations and Festivals , and A Bedtime Full of Stories .
Sit back, get comfortable, and delve into this beautifully-illustrated collection of beloved nature stories from every corner of the globe .
This rich resource collects together folk tales from home and legends and myths from distant lands to commemorate the animals, plants, and the changing seasons that make planet Earth so beautiful .
The folktales and fables in this book will capture imaginations and take readers on a journey around the world. Learn
Lively retellings from best-selling author Angela McAllister are brought to life with beautiful illustrations from Hannah Bess Ross, in this nature anthology to treasure for a lifetime. For story lovers young and old this is the perfect gift for all the family and nature lovers everywhere.
The World Full of… series is a collection of beautiful hardcover story treasuries. Discover folktales from all around the world or be introduced to some of the world’s best-loved writers with these stunning gift books, the perfection addition to any child’s library.
Also available from the A Year Full of Stories , A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories , A World Full of Dickens Stories , A World Full of Spooky Stories , A Year Full of Celebrations and Festivals , and A Bedtime Full of Stories .
128 pages, Hardcover
Published May 3, 2022
44 people are currently reading
312 people want to read
About the author
Angela McAllister
124 books49 followersAngela McAllister is an award- winning author of over eighty books for children, including picture books, junior fiction, non-fiction and novels. Her work has been adapted for the stage and is widely used in schools. It has been translated into more than twenty languages. She lives in the south of England.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
March 3, 2022
What an outstanding collection this is!!! 😍 😍 😍 Full of imagination and rich with folklore.
The book contains 50 stories all themed around nature. But don’t assume that these would be the typical stories about trees and flowers and importance of greenery. On the contrary, the stories are quite varied and most of them contain at least some element of magic, which is not surprising considering that the stories are from folktales and legends. They are grouped together in terms of the element of nature they focus on. Thus we have sections named “Flowers, Fruit and Seed”, “Wind and Weather”, “Creatures Great and Small”, “Sun, Moon and Stars”, “Lake, River and Ocean”, and so on. Almost every single one of the stories was new to me, and all of them were excellent.
The tales come from all over the world. While many books make this claim, this book actually delivers on the promise. Every single human-populated continent (Sorry, Antarctica!) is represented in the book, and the countries are as varied as Estonia and Iraq, Peru and Korea. It’s so good to see such diverse countries represented in this anthology.
I have read only one other anthology by this author before ("A Bedtime Full of Stories") and that had surprised me by being so soothing on the soul. Now that this book matched up to the same high standards, I must say that I have turned into a huge fan of Angela McAllister and will try to grab everything she writes.
5 happy stars. Not to be read in one go but savoured slowly to maximise the impact.
My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for the DRC of “A World Full of Nature Stories: 50 Folktales and Legends”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
The book contains 50 stories all themed around nature. But don’t assume that these would be the typical stories about trees and flowers and importance of greenery. On the contrary, the stories are quite varied and most of them contain at least some element of magic, which is not surprising considering that the stories are from folktales and legends. They are grouped together in terms of the element of nature they focus on. Thus we have sections named “Flowers, Fruit and Seed”, “Wind and Weather”, “Creatures Great and Small”, “Sun, Moon and Stars”, “Lake, River and Ocean”, and so on. Almost every single one of the stories was new to me, and all of them were excellent.
The tales come from all over the world. While many books make this claim, this book actually delivers on the promise. Every single human-populated continent (Sorry, Antarctica!) is represented in the book, and the countries are as varied as Estonia and Iraq, Peru and Korea. It’s so good to see such diverse countries represented in this anthology.
I have read only one other anthology by this author before ("A Bedtime Full of Stories") and that had surprised me by being so soothing on the soul. Now that this book matched up to the same high standards, I must say that I have turned into a huge fan of Angela McAllister and will try to grab everything she writes.
5 happy stars. Not to be read in one go but savoured slowly to maximise the impact.
My thanks to Quarto Publishing Group and NetGalley for the DRC of “A World Full of Nature Stories: 50 Folktales and Legends”. This review is voluntary and contains my honest opinion about the book.
***********************
Join me on the Facebook group, Readers Forever! , for more reviews, book-related discussions and fun.
May 10, 2022
My thanks to the Quarto Group and Edelweiss for a review copy of the book.
A World Full of Nature Stories: 50 Folktales and Legends is a beautiful collection of traditional stories, folk tales, and legends from pretty much every corner of the globe, and all of which are centred on different aspects of nature—be they trees and flowers, the seasons, the elements, the skies, the waters, the earth itself or the many creatures, great and small that inhabit it. Divided in seven sections based on their theme (for instance, ‘Fruit, Flower and Seed’, ‘Desert, Mountain, Stone’), these are short and beautifully illustrated stories of magic, legend and wisdom, with some lovely imagery—humans of course but also fairies and flowers, gods and goddesses, the sun and the moon—sometimes in their ‘natural’ state, but at others, anthropomorphised in garments of velvet and gossamer.
Some of these, as is the case of many traditional tales and legends, seek to explain natural phenomenon—the two icy masses on either pole, for instance, or why the seasons are as they are, why oxpeckers eat the ticks and parasites off giraffes, or why buffaloes don’t have upper teeth (I still am ashamed that I just discovered this fact so very recently—thank you Enid Blyton!), or how thunder and lightning or even mist came about. Many also incorporate the sentiment about respecting nature (which one can in my view never reinforce enough times)—such as trees in ‘Mikku and the Trees’ (Estonia) and ‘The Tree God’ (India), while some have the more typical moral messages associated with children’s tales like ‘The Twelve Months’ (Czech Republic), or ‘Honest Penny’ (Norway) (the Honest Penny was an especial favourite, both for the story itself and because it has a cat!). I liked that while these are children’s stories and told for children, they don’t necessarily ‘tell’ their message, but simply show it leaving it to the reader to understand.
It was also good to see the extent of representation in this collection of stories—we have tales from varied places and parts of the world, whether it be Estonia, India, or New Zealand, Ireland, the South Pacific, Ethiopia, Iran and Palestine. I also appreciated that even from India, there is a story from the Khasis in the North East of the country (which even we in India don’t hear so often) while from other parts of the world too, indigenous stories find a space as well.
The book includes both familiar and unfamiliar stories—among ones I knew were ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ of course, ‘The Twelve Months’, ‘Stone Soup’ (Portugal), and ‘Fire on the Mountain’ (Ethiopia). (Incidentally, this version of Jack and the Beanstalk’ had elements that were new to me, which was interesting to see.) The inclusion of ‘The Bee, the Mouse and the Beetle’ which is a version of Jack and the Beanstalk from Ireland, and the hints of familiarity one finds in stories from other cultures are certainly a testament to a shared past.
This review wouldn’t be complete without saying a word, in fact many words, in praise of the lovely illustrations. These are as the book describes them ‘hand-painted with watercolours on cold press paper’ (which, thank you Google), makes artwork less pigmented and more aesthetic. But technicalities apart, I absolutely loved the illustrations—we have some lovely vivid colours which really stand out. I think these would look gorgeous in the actual print version, adding a lot to the book.
A lovely collection which its intended readership would certainly enjoy, but also adults who like dipping into children’s books from time to time or reading folk tales and traditional stories.
A World Full of Nature Stories: 50 Folktales and Legends is a beautiful collection of traditional stories, folk tales, and legends from pretty much every corner of the globe, and all of which are centred on different aspects of nature—be they trees and flowers, the seasons, the elements, the skies, the waters, the earth itself or the many creatures, great and small that inhabit it. Divided in seven sections based on their theme (for instance, ‘Fruit, Flower and Seed’, ‘Desert, Mountain, Stone’), these are short and beautifully illustrated stories of magic, legend and wisdom, with some lovely imagery—humans of course but also fairies and flowers, gods and goddesses, the sun and the moon—sometimes in their ‘natural’ state, but at others, anthropomorphised in garments of velvet and gossamer.
Some of these, as is the case of many traditional tales and legends, seek to explain natural phenomenon—the two icy masses on either pole, for instance, or why the seasons are as they are, why oxpeckers eat the ticks and parasites off giraffes, or why buffaloes don’t have upper teeth (I still am ashamed that I just discovered this fact so very recently—thank you Enid Blyton!), or how thunder and lightning or even mist came about. Many also incorporate the sentiment about respecting nature (which one can in my view never reinforce enough times)—such as trees in ‘Mikku and the Trees’ (Estonia) and ‘The Tree God’ (India), while some have the more typical moral messages associated with children’s tales like ‘The Twelve Months’ (Czech Republic), or ‘Honest Penny’ (Norway) (the Honest Penny was an especial favourite, both for the story itself and because it has a cat!). I liked that while these are children’s stories and told for children, they don’t necessarily ‘tell’ their message, but simply show it leaving it to the reader to understand.
It was also good to see the extent of representation in this collection of stories—we have tales from varied places and parts of the world, whether it be Estonia, India, or New Zealand, Ireland, the South Pacific, Ethiopia, Iran and Palestine. I also appreciated that even from India, there is a story from the Khasis in the North East of the country (which even we in India don’t hear so often) while from other parts of the world too, indigenous stories find a space as well.
The book includes both familiar and unfamiliar stories—among ones I knew were ‘Jack and the Beanstalk’ of course, ‘The Twelve Months’, ‘Stone Soup’ (Portugal), and ‘Fire on the Mountain’ (Ethiopia). (Incidentally, this version of Jack and the Beanstalk’ had elements that were new to me, which was interesting to see.) The inclusion of ‘The Bee, the Mouse and the Beetle’ which is a version of Jack and the Beanstalk from Ireland, and the hints of familiarity one finds in stories from other cultures are certainly a testament to a shared past.
This review wouldn’t be complete without saying a word, in fact many words, in praise of the lovely illustrations. These are as the book describes them ‘hand-painted with watercolours on cold press paper’ (which, thank you Google), makes artwork less pigmented and more aesthetic. But technicalities apart, I absolutely loved the illustrations—we have some lovely vivid colours which really stand out. I think these would look gorgeous in the actual print version, adding a lot to the book.
A lovely collection which its intended readership would certainly enjoy, but also adults who like dipping into children’s books from time to time or reading folk tales and traditional stories.
February 20, 2022
4.5 Stars
Quarto is back with another lovely collection of 50 tales from around the world, and this time it is Nature stories! The stories are categorized into different aspects of Nature:
• Flower, Fruit & Seed
• Wind & Weather
• Creatures Great & Small
• Sun, Moon & the Stars
• Lead and Tree
• Lake, River, Ocean
• Desert, Mountain, Stone
There are stories from many countries, and two from my own (India). How Lightning Began and The Tree God are Indian nature stories, though it makes me sad to admit that I haven’t read them before.
As with other folktales, most nature stories impart a moral lesson about vice and virtues. Themes like greed, jealousy, selfishness, acceptance, sharing, love, kindness, selfless sacrifice, etc., are common across the stories.
The Stone Soup (Portugal) and the Jack and Beanstalk were a part of my childhood. The last story, The Fire on the Mountain (Ethiopia), has been retold among the Akbar & Birbal Tales and Tenali Ramakrishna Tales and is a popular one in my country. The Six Brothers (New Zealand) has teeny similarities to Indian folklore about the rainbow (though the sky and earth never get to marry or have kids in our version).
The illustrations are typical Quarto style, the kind I’ve come to appreciate in these collections. They complement the stories without taking the focus away from the theme or the moral of each story. Kids will enjoy reading the stories and using the illustrations to imagine the rest.
Listing a few of my favorites below:
• The Acorn and the Pumpkin (France),
• The Twelve Months (Czech),
• How Freshwater Mussel Brought Rain (Africa),
• Light Daughter of Snow (Russia),
• The Girl Who Helped Thunder (NA, Muskogee),
• The Honest Penny (Norway),
• Green Dragon Pond (China),
• A Garment for the Moon (East Europe)
To sum up, A World Full of Nature Stories is a great book for kids and adults who love folktales. The collection is assorted to keep every reader interested.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, Frances Lincoln Children's Books, and Quarto Publishing Group and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#AWorldFullofNatureStories #NetGalley
Quarto is back with another lovely collection of 50 tales from around the world, and this time it is Nature stories! The stories are categorized into different aspects of Nature:
• Flower, Fruit & Seed
• Wind & Weather
• Creatures Great & Small
• Sun, Moon & the Stars
• Lead and Tree
• Lake, River, Ocean
• Desert, Mountain, Stone
There are stories from many countries, and two from my own (India). How Lightning Began and The Tree God are Indian nature stories, though it makes me sad to admit that I haven’t read them before.
As with other folktales, most nature stories impart a moral lesson about vice and virtues. Themes like greed, jealousy, selfishness, acceptance, sharing, love, kindness, selfless sacrifice, etc., are common across the stories.
The Stone Soup (Portugal) and the Jack and Beanstalk were a part of my childhood. The last story, The Fire on the Mountain (Ethiopia), has been retold among the Akbar & Birbal Tales and Tenali Ramakrishna Tales and is a popular one in my country. The Six Brothers (New Zealand) has teeny similarities to Indian folklore about the rainbow (though the sky and earth never get to marry or have kids in our version).
The illustrations are typical Quarto style, the kind I’ve come to appreciate in these collections. They complement the stories without taking the focus away from the theme or the moral of each story. Kids will enjoy reading the stories and using the illustrations to imagine the rest.
Listing a few of my favorites below:
• The Acorn and the Pumpkin (France),
• The Twelve Months (Czech),
• How Freshwater Mussel Brought Rain (Africa),
• Light Daughter of Snow (Russia),
• The Girl Who Helped Thunder (NA, Muskogee),
• The Honest Penny (Norway),
• Green Dragon Pond (China),
• A Garment for the Moon (East Europe)
To sum up, A World Full of Nature Stories is a great book for kids and adults who love folktales. The collection is assorted to keep every reader interested.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, Frances Lincoln Children's Books, and Quarto Publishing Group and am voluntarily leaving a review.
#AWorldFullofNatureStories #NetGalley
May 10, 2023
FAVOLE DI ANIMALI Un mondo di storie di Angela McAllister e Aitch. Un meraviglioso e grande libro per bambini che racchiude ben 50 racconti sugli animali provenienti da ogni continente per viaggiare con la fantasia. Da 4 anni <3 https://ilmondodichri.com/favole-di-a...
#favoledianimali #fabbrieditori #raccontiillustrati
#favoledianimali #fabbrieditori #raccontiillustrati
February 12, 2022
Thank you, Quarto Publishing Group - Frances Lincoln Children's Books, for the advance reading copy.
This book is the best collection when it comes to folktales from around the world dedicated to nature and legends. My expectations were rather high when I got the book and I am not at all disappointed!
The highlights of this collection would be the cover (yes!), the easy to read folktales (short, accessible, diverse), the illustrations and the sections divided according to seasons/weather, the products of nature, the natural environment and its unique features.
I am thoroughly impressed with the book. It's beautiful inside out. Gift yourself this book; gift this book to anyone you know and gift this book to an educational place. You will feel blessed as much as I am now.
This book is the best collection when it comes to folktales from around the world dedicated to nature and legends. My expectations were rather high when I got the book and I am not at all disappointed!
The highlights of this collection would be the cover (yes!), the easy to read folktales (short, accessible, diverse), the illustrations and the sections divided according to seasons/weather, the products of nature, the natural environment and its unique features.
I am thoroughly impressed with the book. It's beautiful inside out. Gift yourself this book; gift this book to anyone you know and gift this book to an educational place. You will feel blessed as much as I am now.
April 16, 2022
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
This book is a collection of popular short stories told to children around the world. This is a concept I have a lot of interest in and one I did enjoy. It's always hard to rate something like this because with many stories also comes wildly different levels of enjoyement. There's stories in here that I absolutely loved and there's also stories that made no sense to me. Most collections like this will end up with a 3 star rating for me, which is not bad, but I do believe there are stories in here way better than that and make it very worth reading.
This book is a collection of popular short stories told to children around the world. This is a concept I have a lot of interest in and one I did enjoy. It's always hard to rate something like this because with many stories also comes wildly different levels of enjoyement. There's stories in here that I absolutely loved and there's also stories that made no sense to me. Most collections like this will end up with a 3 star rating for me, which is not bad, but I do believe there are stories in here way better than that and make it very worth reading.
March 18, 2022
My love for nature and nature related stories brought me to request for this delightful book!. I owe a big thanks to my dearest friend, Atul for informing me about this book.
As the title suggested, this book contains a collection of 50 short stories based on folktales and legends from around the world that centre on nature related themes. The book is categorized into various themes, such as flowers,fruits and seed, wind and weather, creatures great and small, sun, moon and stars,etc.
Most of the folktales and legends listed here i have never heard of before except for Jack And The Beanstalk, which i am quite surprised with this version as it came with a little twist and slightly different from the version that i am used to. However, there is this one story from the South Pacific title The Iron Tree,that reminds me of a local folktale from my own country, Malaysia known as Bawang Merah, Bawang Putih (can literally be translated as Red Shallot and White Garlic, a Malaysian version of Cinderella).
In The Iron Tree, the story tells about seven orphan sisters where the youngest sister was made to do the hardest chores of all by cutting firewoods in the forest every day, same as Bawang Putih who was forced to do all the housework by her step mother and step sister. Later on, the youngest sister befriended a fish and keep feeding the fish at the river, same as Bawang Putih who befriended a fish and fed it. But one day, the evil step sister and step mother caught and cooked the fish, same as the seventh's sister's sisters who caught and cooked the fish which later on its bone was dug into the earth and in it,grew a huge tree!. Later came a king who saved her from the ill-treatments.
All of the stories gave me a mixed of emotions. Some were tragic and very sad endings and some were warm and fuzzy but all of them came with their own valuable life lessons and wisdoms, covering many aspects of life;honesty,greed,love,conservation towards nature, sacrifice, etc .I can only say that i fell in love with almost all of the stories in this book and had a hard time in choosing my favourites as they all are very interesting indeed!. If i had to choose, some of my favourites are The Twelve Months (Czech Republic), The Magic Fruit (Peru), The Big Dipper Brothers (Korea), The Little Fir Tree (Germany),etc.
In short, this book makes a fantastic collection to our bookshelves or a perfect gift to someone,regardless young or old as all of the stories is timeless and priceless. I'd highly recommend this book if you are looking for a really nice ,short and very beautifully illustrated tales to read to rid of your slumps or if you're simply looking for something enjoyable to read.
Thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this heartwarming tales.
As the title suggested, this book contains a collection of 50 short stories based on folktales and legends from around the world that centre on nature related themes. The book is categorized into various themes, such as flowers,fruits and seed, wind and weather, creatures great and small, sun, moon and stars,etc.
Most of the folktales and legends listed here i have never heard of before except for Jack And The Beanstalk, which i am quite surprised with this version as it came with a little twist and slightly different from the version that i am used to. However, there is this one story from the South Pacific title The Iron Tree,that reminds me of a local folktale from my own country, Malaysia known as Bawang Merah, Bawang Putih (can literally be translated as Red Shallot and White Garlic, a Malaysian version of Cinderella).
In The Iron Tree, the story tells about seven orphan sisters where the youngest sister was made to do the hardest chores of all by cutting firewoods in the forest every day, same as Bawang Putih who was forced to do all the housework by her step mother and step sister. Later on, the youngest sister befriended a fish and keep feeding the fish at the river, same as Bawang Putih who befriended a fish and fed it. But one day, the evil step sister and step mother caught and cooked the fish, same as the seventh's sister's sisters who caught and cooked the fish which later on its bone was dug into the earth and in it,grew a huge tree!. Later came a king who saved her from the ill-treatments.
All of the stories gave me a mixed of emotions. Some were tragic and very sad endings and some were warm and fuzzy but all of them came with their own valuable life lessons and wisdoms, covering many aspects of life;honesty,greed,love,conservation towards nature, sacrifice, etc .I can only say that i fell in love with almost all of the stories in this book and had a hard time in choosing my favourites as they all are very interesting indeed!. If i had to choose, some of my favourites are The Twelve Months (Czech Republic), The Magic Fruit (Peru), The Big Dipper Brothers (Korea), The Little Fir Tree (Germany),etc.
In short, this book makes a fantastic collection to our bookshelves or a perfect gift to someone,regardless young or old as all of the stories is timeless and priceless. I'd highly recommend this book if you are looking for a really nice ,short and very beautifully illustrated tales to read to rid of your slumps or if you're simply looking for something enjoyable to read.
Thank you to the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this heartwarming tales.
February 27, 2024
Dieser Geschichtenschatz zum Vorlesen bietet eine Sammlung von Fabeln, Legenden und Geschichten aus aller Welt, die alle etwas mit der Natur zu tun haben. Sie sind jeweils eine bis wenige Seiten lang und eignen sich so gut zum Vorlesen.
Ich finde es schön, dass die Geschichten nicht geografisch, sondern nach verschiedenen Naturphänomenen gruppiert sind, wie etwa "Wind und Wetter" oder "Blumen, Früchte und Samen".
Die Illustrationen sind dezent und wirken, wie passend, sehr natürlich und unaufdringlich. Ich hätte aber ein anderes Text-Bild-Verhältnis bevorzugt, da auf den meisten Seiten schon recht viel Text ist. Zum Vorlesen ist es aber ganz gut, wobei ich die Altersempfehlung ab 3 Jahres etwas niedrig finde. Die meisten Fabeln haben eine Moral, die es zu verstehen gilt und besonders bei den Geschichten aus anderen Kulturkreisen gibt es Wörter, die sicher schwer zu verstehen sind.
Ich fand es dennoch schön, einen Einblick in diese Geschichten aus aller Welt zu erlangen.
Ich finde es schön, dass die Geschichten nicht geografisch, sondern nach verschiedenen Naturphänomenen gruppiert sind, wie etwa "Wind und Wetter" oder "Blumen, Früchte und Samen".
Die Illustrationen sind dezent und wirken, wie passend, sehr natürlich und unaufdringlich. Ich hätte aber ein anderes Text-Bild-Verhältnis bevorzugt, da auf den meisten Seiten schon recht viel Text ist. Zum Vorlesen ist es aber ganz gut, wobei ich die Altersempfehlung ab 3 Jahres etwas niedrig finde. Die meisten Fabeln haben eine Moral, die es zu verstehen gilt und besonders bei den Geschichten aus anderen Kulturkreisen gibt es Wörter, die sicher schwer zu verstehen sind.
Ich fand es dennoch schön, einen Einblick in diese Geschichten aus aller Welt zu erlangen.
January 1, 2022
A further entrant to this series for me, and just as welcome as the other ones (most recently and notably, https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...). Nature, trees and suchlike don't seem like the most obvious themes to gather in such a collection of all-ages-friendly tales, but with the breadth of this volume it all begins to make sense. And the spread of sources here meant I was some way in before I'd read anything that seemed at all familiar – and before I get accused of skipping stories or philistinism, I'd point out that Paul Bunyan legends just aren't that well-known here in the UK at all. You could argue that the slightly peculiar choice of collective theme has forced the editors to find the more rarefied stories, thus only Jack and the Beanstalk will be known to all British kids, and thus two entries from Estonia of all places – the second a fine ecological lesson. Snow children and stone soup, dragons, Greek myth, Egyptian lore – there is a heck of a spread here, ever proving the creators' wide knowledge. I didn't love the artwork, but the value of this book is much higher than many others due to the planet-crossing nature of its wonders.
April 14, 2022
4.5/5 stars, full review to come! Such a delightful collection and SO many folk tales that I’ve never heard!
Organization: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Enjoyment of subject/ideas: 5/5
Art: 4/5
Organization: 5/5
Writing: 4/5
Enjoyment of subject/ideas: 5/5
Art: 4/5
December 15, 2022
Gorgeous!
CW: Grief, violence
CW: Grief, violence
September 5, 2025
Just not quite my taste in the storytelling department. I kept wondering “but WHY” about so many of the stories. Is it me??? It’s not just me, right? There’s a depth missing, yes? Am I now sorta having an existential crisis wondering if I’m incapable of just enjoying a story, just ‘cause? Do I always require a “point” to my stories?
Love the idea of this book, I like the art, I adore the variety of story origins…but just overall the storytelling is not hitting right for me.
Love the idea of this book, I like the art, I adore the variety of story origins…but just overall the storytelling is not hitting right for me.
March 7, 2024
sadly i didn't really enjoy this book too much. I loved the idea, different folk tales from around the world with a nature theme. And the illustrations were gorgeous! however, i just found the retellings a bit dull. they were simplified for young children to understand, which is completely fine, but I just felt they had no depth or any real 'life' to the stories or characters. I found after a while my attention waned and i just wanted to stop reading.
I really hate giving bad reviews, but I do also want to be honest. So this one just wasn't for me.
I really hate giving bad reviews, but I do also want to be honest. So this one just wasn't for me.
July 16, 2025
In A World Full of Nature Stories, embark on an international expedition of fifty folk tales and legends in this exquisite children’s collection.
Short tales of folklore from around the world become delightful lessons in human character and Nature’s strong spirit. Diverse perspectives are represented across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. And despite differences in language, culture, and beliefs, these stories are comforting reminders of how interconnected our global communities remain. Common virtues bind their storylines as themes of unselfishness, kindness, gratitude, and respect for nature are uplifted.
The collection is organized by topics that span flowers and fruit to weather and wildlife. Nature’s abiding presence in our lives emboldens the stories with familiarity and force as each impart wisdom that resonates. In “Little Daughter of the Snow,” an old couple neglects to heed advice that could have assured them of lifelong happiness. Later, in “Sparrow’s Search for Rain,” the fortitude of a small bird ensures a village’s survival as this retelling illuminates the reason for a sparrow’s song before a rainstorm. And everyone will desire their own “Story Stone” after reading about Crow and his introduction to the treasure of retold stories in “The Story Stone.”
Equally vibrant and enjoyable are the book’s colorful illustrations—majestic accompaniments to these smart tales. Water, flowers, and wildlife come alive on the page, just as wind, fire, and dragons ignite energy. The imposing force of Phaeton’s sun-chariot is seen in bright shades of yellow, orange, and red (“Phaeton”), and deep blues of the ocean swirl around a sea spirit and her daughter (“The Pincoya’s Daughter”). Taking time to linger over the drawings further enriches the prose.
Savor these literary escapades in leisurely repose. And read them aloud to best appreciate their lessons. Discover how these recollections across time and country turn magical storytelling moments into the remarkable.
Short tales of folklore from around the world become delightful lessons in human character and Nature’s strong spirit. Diverse perspectives are represented across Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas. And despite differences in language, culture, and beliefs, these stories are comforting reminders of how interconnected our global communities remain. Common virtues bind their storylines as themes of unselfishness, kindness, gratitude, and respect for nature are uplifted.
The collection is organized by topics that span flowers and fruit to weather and wildlife. Nature’s abiding presence in our lives emboldens the stories with familiarity and force as each impart wisdom that resonates. In “Little Daughter of the Snow,” an old couple neglects to heed advice that could have assured them of lifelong happiness. Later, in “Sparrow’s Search for Rain,” the fortitude of a small bird ensures a village’s survival as this retelling illuminates the reason for a sparrow’s song before a rainstorm. And everyone will desire their own “Story Stone” after reading about Crow and his introduction to the treasure of retold stories in “The Story Stone.”
Equally vibrant and enjoyable are the book’s colorful illustrations—majestic accompaniments to these smart tales. Water, flowers, and wildlife come alive on the page, just as wind, fire, and dragons ignite energy. The imposing force of Phaeton’s sun-chariot is seen in bright shades of yellow, orange, and red (“Phaeton”), and deep blues of the ocean swirl around a sea spirit and her daughter (“The Pincoya’s Daughter”). Taking time to linger over the drawings further enriches the prose.
Savor these literary escapades in leisurely repose. And read them aloud to best appreciate their lessons. Discover how these recollections across time and country turn magical storytelling moments into the remarkable.
April 25, 2022
Another hit from the Quarto "A World Full of..." series. This volume is centered around nature themes, and readers will appreciate that folktales from all around the world have been compiled here. Obviously, some stories will be more memorable and impactful than others, especially when reading the folktales with children. Overall I love reading these types of stories, though, because there is a certain undertone that follows a predictable pattern and yet every story will surprise you! Some stories will be familiar to you already but I suspect many will not.
The stories vary in length and complexity, so I think this is a nice volume for the whole family. We often take one volume of the "A World Full of..." series with us on family vacations or when we go camping. It's nice to have just one book to pack that contains so many rich and interesting stories!
The illustrations are engaging and pair nicely with the narrative -- just a few illustrations for each story help provide a picture of what is happening. It's a lovely experience flipping through these pages.
The nature themes are as follows:
Flowers, Fruit, and Seeds
Wind and Weather
Creatures Great and Small
Sun, Moon, and Stars
Leaf and Tree
Lake, River, Ocean
Desert Mountain, Stone
There are between 5-10 stories in each category, each one's location of origin identified throughout. It's nice that this is not just a nature-based read but also one rich in culture.
This is a beautiful book, one for the whole family, and a nice volume to revisit.
***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Quarto Kids. Opinions are my own.
The stories vary in length and complexity, so I think this is a nice volume for the whole family. We often take one volume of the "A World Full of..." series with us on family vacations or when we go camping. It's nice to have just one book to pack that contains so many rich and interesting stories!
The illustrations are engaging and pair nicely with the narrative -- just a few illustrations for each story help provide a picture of what is happening. It's a lovely experience flipping through these pages.
The nature themes are as follows:
Flowers, Fruit, and Seeds
Wind and Weather
Creatures Great and Small
Sun, Moon, and Stars
Leaf and Tree
Lake, River, Ocean
Desert Mountain, Stone
There are between 5-10 stories in each category, each one's location of origin identified throughout. It's nice that this is not just a nature-based read but also one rich in culture.
This is a beautiful book, one for the whole family, and a nice volume to revisit.
***Note: I was given a review copy of this book via Quarto Kids. Opinions are my own.
April 11, 2022
A World Full of Nature Stories 50 Folktales and Legends by Angela McAllister with illustrations by Hannah Bess Ross is a lovely collection of folktales and legends from around the world that, as the title says, feature nature. They are often creation stories relating to some natural feature or event. Arguably they are not nature stories so much as they are stories trying to explain nature from the standpoint of people who had no understanding of natural science.
What makes them attractive for American readers, in particular, is that many of them are unfamiliar to us. They are new and novel. At the same time, though, it appears that foolish kings and jealous, nasty siblings are common all over the world, as are the rewards of good character.
As a child, I was a fan of a couple of books of short pieces to be read over a long period of time. For that reason, I can see A World Full of Nature Stories getting a lot of use in a home library. Elementary and middle school librarians in schools with units on folk tales and legends or foreign countries should really consider this, too.
I read an e-arc but what I saw suggests that, in addition to its fine content, this is a beautiful looking book.
This review originally appeared at Original Content
What makes them attractive for American readers, in particular, is that many of them are unfamiliar to us. They are new and novel. At the same time, though, it appears that foolish kings and jealous, nasty siblings are common all over the world, as are the rewards of good character.
As a child, I was a fan of a couple of books of short pieces to be read over a long period of time. For that reason, I can see A World Full of Nature Stories getting a lot of use in a home library. Elementary and middle school librarians in schools with units on folk tales and legends or foreign countries should really consider this, too.
I read an e-arc but what I saw suggests that, in addition to its fine content, this is a beautiful looking book.
This review originally appeared at Original Content
March 20, 2022
What an Incredible collection of myths, legends and fairy tales all featuring different aspects of nature, including the wonderful gifts we receive from the earth and the plants and creatures that we encounter daily. This collection is beautifully written by Angela McAllister featuring beautiful illustrations by Hannah Bess Ross. What a dynamic duo! I had incredibly high expectations for this book and every last one of them has been met or exceeded by both individual tales and the collection as a whole.
Along with being beautifully written and illustrated this book was well thought out and designed, with the stories separated by natures various characteristics including:
Flower, Fruit & Seed
• Wind & Weather
• Creatures Great & Small
• Sun, Moon & the Stars
• Lead and Tree
• Lake, River, Ocean
• Desert, Mountain, Stone
Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy on April 12 2022 for yourself, as well as a few extra copies to gift to those you love; In my opinion there is no better gift idea than this beautiful, inspirational and educational masterpiece.
Thank you to netgalley and publishers with gifting me an e-copy in advance. All opinions stated are my own honest thoughts and feelings.
Along with being beautifully written and illustrated this book was well thought out and designed, with the stories separated by natures various characteristics including:
Flower, Fruit & Seed
• Wind & Weather
• Creatures Great & Small
• Sun, Moon & the Stars
• Lead and Tree
• Lake, River, Ocean
• Desert, Mountain, Stone
Do yourself a favor and pick up a copy on April 12 2022 for yourself, as well as a few extra copies to gift to those you love; In my opinion there is no better gift idea than this beautiful, inspirational and educational masterpiece.
Thank you to netgalley and publishers with gifting me an e-copy in advance. All opinions stated are my own honest thoughts and feelings.
March 3, 2024
Fünfzig Märchen und Legenden aus aller Welt, alle rund um das Thema Natur. Ob es um Pflanzen, Tiere oder Wind und Wetter geht, zu jedem Thema gibt es ein Geschichten.
Das Buch hat ein sehr ansprechend gestaltetes Hatdcover und ein sehr großes Format, ein bisschen größer als Bilderbücher, das hat mir sehr gefallen, es macht das gemeinsame Lesen oder auch das gemeinsame Anschauen leichter.
Zu Beginn gibt es ein Register, in dem die einzelnen Märchen aufgelistet sind. Eingeteilt in sieben verschiedene Kategorien. Jedes Märchen geht über mindestens eine, meistens zwei, manchmal drei Seiten und es gibt zu jedem Märchen eine ganz wunderbare, seitenfüllende Illustration manchmal auch noch kleine im Text. Die Märchen und Legenden sind auch vielen verschiedenen Ländern und daher landestypisch und für uns ungewohnt, deshalb aber nicht weniger interessant. Ich mag Märchen und Sagen eh sehr gerne, daher habe ich das Buch auch sehr gerne (vor)gelesen. Hat Spaß gemacht und neugierig auf die Kulturen der verschiedenen Länder.
Das Buch hat ein sehr ansprechend gestaltetes Hatdcover und ein sehr großes Format, ein bisschen größer als Bilderbücher, das hat mir sehr gefallen, es macht das gemeinsame Lesen oder auch das gemeinsame Anschauen leichter.
Zu Beginn gibt es ein Register, in dem die einzelnen Märchen aufgelistet sind. Eingeteilt in sieben verschiedene Kategorien. Jedes Märchen geht über mindestens eine, meistens zwei, manchmal drei Seiten und es gibt zu jedem Märchen eine ganz wunderbare, seitenfüllende Illustration manchmal auch noch kleine im Text. Die Märchen und Legenden sind auch vielen verschiedenen Ländern und daher landestypisch und für uns ungewohnt, deshalb aber nicht weniger interessant. Ich mag Märchen und Sagen eh sehr gerne, daher habe ich das Buch auch sehr gerne (vor)gelesen. Hat Spaß gemacht und neugierig auf die Kulturen der verschiedenen Länder.
March 18, 2024
Ungewöhnliche Geschichten
Dieses Buch enthält eine Sammlung von 50 kurzen Geschichten. Alle Geschichten haben etwas mit der Natur zu tun, doch in manchen ist das Natur-Element eher zweitrangig.
Ich muss gestehen, die Geschichten sind nicht, was ich von dem Buch erwartet hatte. Von dem Titel her dachte ich, es ginge um Märchen, Legenden, usw. die entweder das Weltbild von anderen Kulturen vermitteln, zum Beispiel wie man bestimmte Naturereignisse erklärt, oder halt in der Kultur sehr bekannt sind.
Stattdessen sind viele Geschichten etwas merkwürdig und ich war mir nicht sicher, ob sie eine Moral oder eine Botschaft enthalten. Die Märchen sind auch eher unbekannt, zumindest findet man online nicht so viele Informationen darüber. Das ist nicht unbedingt eine schlechte Sache, aber ich hätte mir mehr Kontext gewünscht, um die Geschichten besser verstehen und interpretieren zu können.
Dieses Buch enthält eine Sammlung von 50 kurzen Geschichten. Alle Geschichten haben etwas mit der Natur zu tun, doch in manchen ist das Natur-Element eher zweitrangig.
Ich muss gestehen, die Geschichten sind nicht, was ich von dem Buch erwartet hatte. Von dem Titel her dachte ich, es ginge um Märchen, Legenden, usw. die entweder das Weltbild von anderen Kulturen vermitteln, zum Beispiel wie man bestimmte Naturereignisse erklärt, oder halt in der Kultur sehr bekannt sind.
Stattdessen sind viele Geschichten etwas merkwürdig und ich war mir nicht sicher, ob sie eine Moral oder eine Botschaft enthalten. Die Märchen sind auch eher unbekannt, zumindest findet man online nicht so viele Informationen darüber. Das ist nicht unbedingt eine schlechte Sache, aber ich hätte mir mehr Kontext gewünscht, um die Geschichten besser verstehen und interpretieren zu können.
May 20, 2022
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I loved this collection of folklore tales from all over the world, I loved reading and discovering about how some different aspects of culture depending on where you live, precisely, can impact and influence the way of thinking or believes which are represented in each one of these tales. Nature, of course, can be a big factor of influence when it comes to inspire the literature of a country and as in here folktales.
I took my time reading two or one at a time and I can't say that I will be able to remember each one but it was the kind of books that made me love foreign cultures and their literary worlds and works.
The beautiful illustrations made the experience of reading this book even more enjoyable.
I loved this collection of folklore tales from all over the world, I loved reading and discovering about how some different aspects of culture depending on where you live, precisely, can impact and influence the way of thinking or believes which are represented in each one of these tales. Nature, of course, can be a big factor of influence when it comes to inspire the literature of a country and as in here folktales.
I took my time reading two or one at a time and I can't say that I will be able to remember each one but it was the kind of books that made me love foreign cultures and their literary worlds and works.
The beautiful illustrations made the experience of reading this book even more enjoyable.
February 7, 2024
Als mich dieses wunderschöne Buch erreicht hat, war ich ganz begeistert. Das Cover und die Illustrationen sind einfach so liebevoll gestaltet. Ich hatte nicht damit gerechnet, dass das Buch so groß ist. Die Größe ist perfekt zum gemeinsamen Vorlesen und auch die kleinen können dadurch gut mit lesen, denn auch der Text ist schön groß und leicht lesbar. Die Illustrationen sind alle so wunderschön und immer passend zur jeweiligen Geschichte. Es gibt insgesamt 50 Geschichten über die verschiedensten Themen und Kategorien der Natur, die Märchen kommen alle aus verschiedenen Ländern und es macht auch als Erwachsener Spaß neue Fabeln und Märchen kennenzulernen. Meine zwei waren richtig begeistert und konnten sich während des vorlesen gar nicht satt an den wunderschönen Bildern sehen. Dieses Buch konnte uns alle begeistert und wir freuen uns schon jede Nacht daraus lesen zu können.
February 21, 2022
This book is an absolutely beautiful collection of short stories and fables from around the world. Each story is nature themed and the book is split up into different sections, making it easier to find something specific. Every story tells you the country and continent it originated from. Some of these were familiar stories which I've heard before, while many were completely new to me. The illustrations in the book are gorgeous, bright and friendly but not too much, perfect for grabbing children's attention.
October 13, 2022
I liked it for the most part. Although how Russia falls under North America and Europe is baffling, as it is baffling that the Dominican Republic is Latin America, "A Bushman's story" has no country of origin, and Palestine is in Asia?? A few stories seemed to read incomplete to me as well. Overall the illustrations are lovely and the stories are varied and interesting, although a few have had a few adaptations, namely "The Stone Soup".
February 15, 2022
Both my children and I really enjoyed this book! The illustrations are fantastic! There are many nature tales from around the world and each story indicates which continent and country (when applicable) it is derived from. They are short and sweet, but also fun to read. We really loved the diversity in this storybook!
June 22, 2023
Full of wonderful stories around the world about how nature happens, or interact with humans, this book really keep me awake for quite some time. "One more story" or "OK, this one is short" kept me on. That good and interesting!!! A must have for those who reads to their children, or for the curious minds.
February 25, 2022
The illustrations and stories are amazing. My six year old daughter loves the stories, we read them outside while having snacks. I have already pre ordered a hard copy of this book, it is too magical not to have it in person. Thank you for this advanced digital copy.
March 16, 2022
Spectacular Book!
I had so much fun reading and looking at the illustrations. Kudos to the author, publisher, and editor for creating this wonderful book. I can't get enough of the short stories that deal with nature and life.
Thanks NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book.
I had so much fun reading and looking at the illustrations. Kudos to the author, publisher, and editor for creating this wonderful book. I can't get enough of the short stories that deal with nature and life.
Thanks NetGalley for giving me an opportunity to read this book.
March 30, 2024
This is a lovely collection of folk stories from around the globe, and would be a wonderful addition to any child's bookshelf! Or, of course, that of anyone at all who loves tales and legends and nature--the young, or the young at heart. 💚
Want to read
January 5, 2022Note: I accessed a digital review copy of this book through Edelweiss.
March 30, 2022
Absolutely love this book! The elders stories from all nations is beautifully shared. My 8yo is really engaged, and so am I!
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