Best Folk Tales for Kids

In this hilarious, nontraditional rhyming version of “Goldilocks and the Three Bears,” Goldilocks thinks she can get away with anything. Stealing? Breaking and entering? Property damage? Who does this name-fame-dame think she is? Will the girl be able to get out of trouble, or will she end up in folktale-jail? Your kid will get a kick out of reading along to this spoofy retelling, along with the rollicking, playful wordplay.  

As the first people to collect the fairy tales and folklore of Germany in one place, the Brothers Grimm brought to life many of today’s most iconic stories. This illustrated Calico Classics version of “Grimm’s Fairy Tales” makes these age-old stories accessible for younger readers while staying true to the original plots. Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel, Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White and more are included in this collection for older elementary school readers.

If your kid enjoys this book, they might like another Calico Classics book on Epic: “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” by Lewis Carroll. 

Kids can follow Little Red as she strolls through the woods, encounters a “friendly” wolf and comes out on top after facing peril at Grandma’s house. 

This gorgeously illustrated version of “Little Red Riding Hood,” written by Nadia Higgins, teaches kids about bravery, resilience, keeping your wits about you and the importance of listening to parents and caregivers.

Treat your kid to another humorous fractured fairy tale in this delightful twist on the story of the Brothers Grimm. In this first installment of the New York Times bestselling Sisters Grimm series, fairy detective sisters Sabrina and Daphne Grimm return to their home in New York to discover a whole lot of magical oddities: wand-wielding fairy godfathers, swashbuckling Wall Street pirates, subway-stealing dwarfs—and a murder.

As the pair investigates the crime, they uncover a secret that could lead them to the bottom of things, and into an evil underground organization, the Scarlet Hand.

Many of us are familiar with the tale of Cinderella and her mean-spirited stepmother and jealous stepsisters.

This vividly illustrated picture book stays faithful to the traditional story of how, with the help of her fairy godmother, she finds her happy ending and escapes her terrible circumstances.

The magic trickster of West African lore, Anansi the spider, is at it again. This time, not wanting to do any chores, he steals Hyena’s stick and puts it to work doing his bidding. 

Tired of the other animals laughing at his messy house, he decides to make it the tidiest in town without cleaning a single thing. But when he tries to use Hyena’s magic stick to do all the chores, he gets more than he bargained for. This imaginative retelling combined with expressive illustrations makes it the perfect silly cautionary tale for fun-loving kids.

An awkward duckling braves hecklers, hunters, and trying circumstances in this magical retelling of the classic tale by Hans Christian Andersen.

Big, gawky and grey, the baby duck looks nothing like his cute siblings. But in a happy twist, he discovers beauty comes in many forms, and sometimes it just takes a little time to blossom into your best self.

You and your kid will laugh out loud at this alternative take on “The Three Little Pigs,” narrated by Paul Giamatti. 

According to the aggrieved Alexander T. Wolf, there’s a lot more to the story than a whole lot of huffing and puffing. In fact, he claims, it all started with a cup of sugar and a sneeze. Follow the wolf’s version of events as he attempts to explain his “misunderstanding” involving the three brother piggies and clear his name.

For centuries, kids have loved these fables handed down by ancient Greek storyteller, Aesop. This book includes the entire collection in English, with the clear, simple narration that the stories are known for. Each short tale contains hidden lessons and features personified birds, beasts and other creatures of nature. Stories include favorites like “The Hare and the Tortoise,” “The Ants and the Grasshopper,” “The Goose and the Golden Egg” and many more.

Let your kid create their very own fairy tale adventures with this fun-filled story-building book. They can pick from a variety of heroes, including the dragon, the Gingerbread Man or even a gnome. From there, they can choose their destination, tools and magical companions to join their hero on their journey, like a talking toadstool or a genie like Aladdin’s sidekick from the Arabian nights. 

The illustrated choose-your-own-adventure format offers millions of possibilities. With tons of inspiring prompts and vibrant pictures, it’s chock-full of silly options. And once they’re done, they can start over again.