Aesop's Fables

by Carol Watson (Retold by ), Nick Price (Illustrator), Aesop

Each pack in this series contains a book and a CD. The CD features music and sound effects to accompany a reading of the book on one side. On the other, there is a straightforward reading of the book, with sounds to indicate a new chapter or when to turn a page.

Genres: Picture Books, Classics, Childrens, Fiction, Fables, Short Stories, Literature

64 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1952

Reviews

[Kat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aesop's Fables by Lisbeth Zwerger is a collection of 12 fables with companion illustrations for each story; Town Mouse & Country Mouse, The Milkmaid & Her Pail, The Man & the Satyr, The Shepherd's Boy & the Wolf, The Hares & the Frogs, The Monkey & the Camel, The Fox & the Grapes, The Hare & the Tortoise, The Fox & the Crow, The Dog & the Sow, The Moon & Her Mother, and The Ass & the Lap Dog.

Fables are said to have originated in Western culture by a Greek named Aesop. Aesop was witty and a popular story teller, but may not have been a single person. Fables were often transmitted orally in the 16th century B.C. and fables were retold with changes and new outcomes. Fables are usually fictitious and are meant to teach moral lessons.

Of the 12 fables in Aesop's Fables by Lisbeth Zwerger my favorites were The Hares & the Frogs and The Dog & the Sow.
1) Town Mouse & Country Mouse - "Simple meals in safety taste better than feasts in fear" - Country Mouse. From this fable I took away that it is okay to be happy with what you have, even if your life isn't as fancy or exhilarating as some others.
2) The Milkmaid & Her Pail - "Don't count your chickens before they're hatched". This story teaches us not to set unrealistic expectations.
3) The Man & the Satyr - "I cannot be friends with a man who blows hot and cold with the same breath" - Satyr. This fable isn't so much a lesson, as it is a figurative term being used literally. People "blow hot and cold" based on their emotions but the Satyr takes this literally.
4) The Shepherd's Boy & the Wolf - "You cannot believe a liar even when he tells the truth". If you cannot trust someone, you never know whether they are being honest or deceitful.
5) The Hares & the Frogs - "There is always someone worse off than yourself". This fable was a little darker, considering the hares contemplated suicide. The lesson here is that things are not always as bad as they seem and life shouldn't be taken for granted.
6) The Monkey & the Camel - "Seeking popularity is the fastest way to lose friends". You should succeed on your own merits and not the merits of others. You will be liked for who you are.
7) The Fox & the Grapes - "It is easy to scorn what you cannot get". This fables teaches us that you shouldn't make excuses for your own inabilities. It makes you come across as spiteful.
8) The Hare & the Tortoise - "Slow and steady wins the race". Hubris is pride to a fault and that is what the story of The Hare & the Tortoise is meant to teach. You shouldn't discount what others are capable of.
9) The Fox & the Crow - "Don't be fooled by flatterers". Beware of the ulterior motives of others.
10) The Dog & the Sow - "Foolish comparisons lead to broken friendships". You shouldn't compare yourself to others because nobody's situation is the same.
11) The Moon & Her Mother - "Nothing ever suits one who is always changing". Someone who is changing cannot be regarded as one particular thing.
12) The Ass & the Lap Dog - "I was once respected for my honest labors, but by my foolish jesting I have made an ass of myself" - Donkey. You shouldn't try to be someone else and seek praise from others just because they have. You end up making yourself look foolish.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read with my daughter (and some with my son). Good stories and fun art. It feels a bit odd reading antiquated language that has crass meanings today to my kids, so if you aren't comfortable with that maybe edit a bit on the fly. Some of these stories are familiar classics. Some are a bit strange and I'm not sure I appreciate all the morals.

[maya · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has a lot of interesting short stories.

[Meg Stolte · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aesop’s Fables are widely known, but Ayano Imai’s unique book and illustrations bring new life and excitement to the tales. It contains thirteen tales, including The Lion and the Mouse, The Hare and the Tortoise, and The Town Mouse and the Country Mouse. Each one is no longer than a page long, and is accompanied by a full-page illustration of the story. It falls into the category of traditional literature because it includes many well-known fables that have been told and retold over time.
This book would be an excellent resource for a 2nd grade unit on folktales. Each story could be used to talk about the moral of a story, and what the author’s message is within it. The book could also be used in conjunction with various other versions of the same tales, and the students could study them to understand the nature of traditional literature, which can often be found in various forms. The students could even use these stories to write creatively “updated” or modern versions of these stories, though this would be very challenging and most likely a differentiation piece for the advanced learners. With any class, much scaffolding support and frontloading of vocabulary (including Zeus, jackdaw, tortoise, hare, and cockerel) would be necessary to help students understand the tales.

[Esther Barajikian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! "Aesop's Fables" which was selected and illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger is a delightful folklore collection that appeals to young and older alike. With its short stories and beautiful illustrations, these fables would be enjoyed by primary and intermediate readers for sure. Each story tells about the actions and interactions of both human and animals which lead to important lessons learned for both.

I gave this collection of "Aesop's Fables" 4 stars because it touched my on several levels. The style of writing was easy and fun, and the illustrations were beautifully presented. The stories brought a smile to my face and moments of laughter to my heart and I thought about the folly of so many of the characters. Their predicaments are very relatable and the lessons they learned (hopefully) are timeless!

Among my favorite lessons are: "Simple meals in safety taste better than feasts in fear"; "You cannot believe a liar even when he tells the truth"; and "Foolish comparisons lad to broken friendships." Much to think about - thanks, Aesop!

[mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I pulled this out of my "garage" shelf and re-read it, takes only a few minutes, but leaves one with plenty to ponder. There are forty fables, and if you're in my generation (boomer) you probably will recall most all of them. Their origin is a look back in time to prehistory, maybe 2,600 years ago, longer perhaps. From the forward: "The lessons they teach are as true for us today (1972) as they were for the ancients. Now, 50 years later I wonder is that still true? The first one, "The Gnat on the Bull's Horn" seems to say what we now know as The Dunning-Kruger effect, or, "sometimes the smallest people have the biggest opinion of themselves." "The Rooster and the Jewel" seems to be Confirmation Bias, or, "Every man to his own taste, or, a thing is good only if it is good for you." And "The Fox and the Grapes" is now Rationalization, or sour grapes, "there is comfort in pretending that what we can't get isn't worth having." The root of morality/ethics in ancient, pithy stories, about animals in the role of humans. Illustrated.

[Charlotte Needham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aesops Fables is a classic childrens book, which includes a series of short stories involving different animals. At the end of every short story there is always a moral, which tells the child the lesson to be learnt from the story.
I would recommend older children to read these stories, as the meanings behind them may be too complex for younger children, but I promote children to read this book as it has very entertaining short stories in with powerful moral messages.

[Linnea · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like the illustrations in this book, but the thing that makes this edition a fun one to read is the way it’s printed. I don’t know if I’ve ever read a picture book with this type of layout (it’s in landscape and you turn the page up). It’s different enough to be a fun change. ☺️ Plus the stories are short and sweet versions that get to the heart of the fable without the extra fanfare. I like it.

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was interesting to learn where some of our most famous sayings come from, but other than that, this wasn't my cup of tea. 283 short fables - some made sense, some didn't, but I read them all, and I won't do it again. The book is very pretty though.

[Nichole · Rating 3 out of 5]

The publisher donated copies of this book for my Stags Read program. They will be given directly to children and families or placed in Little Free Libraries in our area.

[Tracey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just when I thought I had read Aesop's Fables, this lovely little book ends up in my random library book selection. A lovely collection of fables, as well as a brief history on Aesop, makes this a lovely read. Nick Price's illustrations are just amazing. After each story, the moral behind the story is given. Some fantastic life skills lessons to be shared with the class tomorrow.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never too late a lesson, or two.

[Hawwa Aasiya]

Got from Quetta library.
2020

[Cassie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Untermeyer, Lois. Illus. By A. and M. Provensen. Aesop’s Fables. New York: Western Publishing Company, 1965.

Target Audience: 8-10; yet a necessary reread every few years until death.

I am honestly pleasantly surprised by how well this book can hold up throughout the ages, considering both the age of Aesop's fables and also the age of this book itself (1965).

This book is a large, 12”x12” book which adds to the ambiance of reading it. It is intended to be held with both hands (impossible, really, to hold with one hand) and in many ways is also intended to be held using a knee to prop it up. In other words, this book is meant to be looked at, to commit your entire body to reading, to not be read passively but rather to be read accurately in order to let the message and lessons fully be absorbed by the reader or to have the book read to you while you watch.

The target audience is 8-10, as that is the age that one truly begins to understand the true meaning and deeper truths of right and wrong and begin to have total agency over his or her actions. It is also the age that adages and fables may be fully memorized, although the meaning may not fully be absorbed yet. For example, in “The Gnat on the Bull’s Horn” a gnat calls attention to itself by telling the bull he does not wish to be a burden, to which the bull replies: “I didn’t feel you when you came and I won’t miss you when you’re gone.” Luckily, this version of Aesop’s fables has an italicized one-sentence summary at the end of each fable. After this fable, the italicized summary is: “Sometimes the smallest people have the biggest opinion of themselves.” A valid lesson to learn at age 8-10, when perhaps younger children may be faced with social circumstances of the same nature. Having a deeper connection to an ancient fable is a way of decoding life for children, and 8-10 seems like the time these helpful fables may begin to be filed away for use at a later date.

In all, there are 40 fables, spanning all lessons of life, from social awareness to greed. They are a quick read if you are looking to move through them fast, but the lessons also do stick around a lifetime.

The full-color oil pastel illustrations are not found on every page or even every center spread. The format pattern is mixed. Sometimes the fable will be featured on one side and a full-color illustration will be featured on the other. Sometimes, most often times actually, there will be two fables, one on each side, with what appears to be a stamped black emblem (although it it very large, so we’re not talking a small rubber stamp here but rather a type-set stamp) that features an image of the featured animal inside the frame. If there is a full-color image that accompanies the ones on these pages, there will be a little pointer hand in a frame stamp, and the full color oil pastel drawing will be on the following page, either full center spread or just one side.

Another note about the illustrations is that the Provensens added little embellishments and speaking dialogues of their own. For example, while “The Lioness and the Vixen” was printed on the right hand of the previous page, a little hand in a frame told me that an illustration followed on the next. On the next, across both pages, were intricate oil pastel drawings of the Vixen with all her little fox children, and on the opposite page the Lioness with her one baby lion. Since the fox has so many children, each baby fox is featured saying something: “Look at me ride,” “I have party shoes on,” “My name is Reynard,” etc, which were all not a part of the original fable. These artistic liberties add humor and a more contemporary touch to ancient fables. And considering this book was published in 1965, it still upholds its duties to the original stories (although the copy I have is quite yellow and musty smelling).

I thoroughly enjoyed not only the translation of the fables but also the accompanying illustrations.

[Kelly Chester · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book

[Zoey MacDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aesop’s Fables, has many different variations, Aesop has hundreds of different fables. Each one has it one clear message about life. Almost all in this book deal with animals which I have now learned is one of the biggest and most important aspects of a fable. The animals are all personified to give students a more interest in them. A story being told by and from the point of view an animals makes them more fun to read.
With this in mind using them in a classroom would not be hard. The fables give a clear message about morals. Reading one weekly and having the students take the fables and write their own version of the stories. This will help the students understand and get a deeper meaning of what Aesop is trying to convey in his own stories.
None of the stories are told to be true, each one just conveys its own message. They are meant to be extra. With the shortness of the story many details are not needed, the point in every fable is clear and concise. The shortness also makes them easy to read for all ages of children. All ages can enjoy them and can still learn from them. For most adults the become reminders of things they were taught when they were younger.

[Madalyn Bradburn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fable: Aesop. Aesop’s Fables (1994).
“Fables are brief, didactic tales in which animals, or occasionally the elements, speak as human beings” (Huck 117). The animals usually represent aspects of human nature, rather than showing lively emotions and feelings. Aesop’s Fables is filled with classic and most beloved tales integrated with moral lessons. “Fables were primarily meant to instruct. Therefore, all of them contain wither an implicit or an explicit moral” (Huck 117). Out of the 92 fables, my fourth graders have thoroughly enjoyed “The Ant and the Grasshopper.” This story actually appeared in their Literature Anthology for one of their language arts units and they were pleasantly surprised to find it as the first fable in this book. My students will always remember not to neglect what they have today since they may need it in the future. Winner of the Notable Children’s Book Award (2001). Target audience: grades 2-5.

[Danny Marshall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book contains a collection of morals and lessons explained in simple language that is suitable for children to enjoy. Each fable has its own individual moral and lesson including such classics as the Tortoise and the Hare, The Thirsty Crow and the Lion and the Mouse. I used this book for Guided Reading when I was on a work experience placement with a year three class. The simple language and underlying morals worked well in not only improving the students reading skills, but also teaching valuable moral lessons.

I remember enacting the Tortoise and the Hare fable when I was in primary school as part of an assembly. These fables suit this purpose well, and would be equally beneficial for citizenship lessons. A great collection of well-written stories.

[Emma Cisar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Aesop's Fables provides a variety of short and interesting fables. Also included after each one is a moral. Many of these are known fables, such as "The Hare and the Tortoise" and less common such as " Mercury and the Woodman" which teaches the importance of honesty. Within the pages are the fables and sketches to supplement the fables and morals. This was interesting to me because each fable was 1-3 pages long and told a moral without going into great detail. These could be useful in a classroom when teaching/referring to specific qualities of how students should act. Also, rather than just referring to morals, they can be used to compare and contrast other characters in literature. These short pieces of work tell a powerful meaning without going off track!

[Jaxton A. · Rating 1 out of 5]

I am going to talk about the book “Aesop’s Fables”. I did not like this book because I did not like how simplified it was they left out a lot of the fables information and I am pretty sure they got some of the morals wrong too. Also they did not have a majority of the 725 fables that Aesop wrote they only have 43 and the pitchers take a lot of the book up and the book is only 112 pages long. My favorite character of the book is the fox because in the ones he is in the majority of the time he is tricking another animal. My favorite quote from the book is “it is easy despise what you cannot get” even know the real fable says it better it says “There are many who pretend to despise and belittle that which is beyond their reach.” so in conclusion I did not like this book and it was boring.

[Grace Bolin · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Aesop's Fables' would be appropriate to read with 1st through 5th grade students. This book is a collection of brief fables that teach the reader moral lessons. The lesson of each fable is clearly written at the bottom of each page to clarify the meaning of the story. The inclusion of these clarifying sentences at the end of each page is great for aiding students' understanding of the message of the story. The stories are short and entertaining. Each story could be used to facilitate a discussion about the moral lesson being addressed. If there is a problem with the way students are getting along, it would be useful to read from this book a fable that has to do with the situation at hand to start a discussion about how we should be acting towards one another.

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of 13 of Aesop's fables. Each is told in one page with an accompanying full page illustration by Imai.

Imai's illustrations are visually stunning and obviously the main reason to pick up this book. The Aesop retellings are typical except for one thing, there are no morals outlined for them. Many have the morals included in the text but not in any way that makes them stand out. That could make this a very useful Aesop version if you want readers to try and think up the morals themselves because just about every other Aesop collection will have the morals on the same page or somewhere in the book making it easy to "cheat" and just use someone else's words for the moral.

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just finished reading "AESOP'S FABLES" by AESOP, a slave who wrote these 2600 years ago. I read the paperback version, two kindle editions, and listened to two Audible versions. One was narrated by Wanda McCaddon and one was narrated by Samantha Worthen. All 5 of these editions contained different fables. They were all very enjoyable to read. Few books hold their meaning across culture and time. They are fast, fun, and have so many hidden gems of truth that everyone would do well to remember. Don't listen to gossips, honesty is the best policy, do unto others, there are two sides to every story, etc....

[Nicola · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was in the picture book section of the library but I'm not sure that was the best place to have filed as it as it's not the best version for toddlers and preschoolers. The art work is mildly surreal, interesting for me to look at but not always ideal for Miss 3. Some of the fables chosen I recognised, like The Tortoise and the Hare (lovely illustration) but others were a bit grotesque for Miss 3. Some kids might laugh off a baby frog getting crushed to death and the mummy frog exploding like a balloon but Miss 3 would have been horrified.

There are also no morals included in this edition which again isn't helpful for under 5s but may work for teachers with a class of older children.

[Ravi Nuxoll · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like some of these fables better than others, but this was a pretty enjoyable read at my local library while contemplating whether to get the longer Penguin classics version. My favorites that I took something away from were "The Milkmaid and Her Pail", "The Shepherd's Boy and the Wolf", "The Hares and the Frogs", "The Monkey and the Camel", "The Fox and the Grapes", "The Hare and the Tortoise", "The Dog and the Sow", "The Moon and Her Mother", and the "Ass and the Lap Dog". Which is quite a few favorites.

It's amazing how poignant some of these fables about animals are. I think this is because they are analogies for things that actually happen quite often with humans.

[Dora Okeyo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have been reading this book and it's got great lessons and the stories are in short paragraphs.
My favorite has to be the story about the Lion and Man-and how each thinks the other is most powerful, they come to a statue where a man is strangling a lion and the man insists that man is powerful only for the lion to say that if it were made by a lion, then the man would be beneath the lion's paw-all about perspective indeed, it's a good book to share with everyone including kids-they would learn loads about life and the virtues to uphold through these encounters.

[Mikailah Shackleford · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contained some of the best fables known. It told the story of the hare and the tortoise, The wolf in sheep's clothing, the bear & the beehives, the ant & the grasshopper, the fox & the grapes, the dog & his shadow, and lastly the lion & the mouse. This book had vibrant and colorful illistrations that really kept me interested.This book even contained some pop-ups that would interest many children and make them involved with the story. I was even playing with them! This was a great book and i would recommend it to many others.

[Susan Menk]

Tags: fables, collection, Aesop, pen& ink, watercolor

A collection of Aesop's fables done with watercolor and pen & ink that would appeal to children. The fables are all one page in length with the moral of the fable in bold print on the bottom of the page. The left side is a full page illustration to go with the fable. More cutesy than other fable books I have read. No source notes.

"Aesop's fables," retold by Fiona Waters, illustrated by Fulvio Testa, Andersen Press: Great Britain, 2010.

[Amber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I must say that I really enjoyed the fables that were collected and put in this book. Many of them I had never heard before. One thing that I liked most about this book was at the end of every fable, it stated the message that you should take away from each one. This is great in case any kid would be confused by what they had just read, they can look at the bottom line to get the meaning of the message. I would use this for older students because I think some of these would be more difficult for younger students to understand.

[H. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun stories with pertinent life lessons. In a sense Aesop's Fables forms a bridge between Greek mythology (an explanation for what is not understood) and where their philosophy and social science eventually evolved to.

Even now a reader would be hard pressed not to find and be bettered by the short passages in this book. These should not just be taught to the youngest generations, but all generations regardless, or perhaps more so, of how they view their intelligence.