My problem with this is that the stories are so short, there is no magic in them. They are stripped of all but the bones. I can't imagine a child being interested in the stories told this way. I would have preferred them cutting the number of stories and instead fleshing them out by a few pages. I recommend paying a few bucks more for *The Aesop for Children* (ISBN:0590479776) by M. Winter which does just that.


DON'T be confused!   April 14, 2000
 23 out of 23 found this review helpful

The paperback edition of "Aesop's Fables" should NOT be confused with the Hardcover edition of the same name, that other reviews on this page refer to. While I think the illustrations are quite lovely and the fables familiar, I (probably through no one's fault but my own), did not get what I expected. There are only 13 fables, some of which are little more than a few lines long, and there is no additional commentary or context. The price is reasonable for what it is, but this is not a soft cover edition of the hard cover of the same name!


Aeosps Fables are more than good, theyre grrrrrrrrreat!   October 30, 2001
 20 out of 22 found this review helpful

On my birthday in second grade, my parents gave me a package containing these stories, written by the ancient Aesop. I read through it, at first not enjoying it much, thinking ,"What fun could it be to read something wrtitten by some old guy?" after reading through one fable, I was changed. My heart lightened, and I finished the book inside my favorite blanket within a day,and my parents were surprised that I had already finished. And even if it was heavy reading for a second grader, I loved it and have read it several times over again. I suggest that everyone should read this book because of the helpful morals that allow you to understand everyday life.


An often overlooked collection of fantastic tales !   April 25, 2000
 19 out of 21 found this review helpful

This rather famous and highly extraordinary gathering of short tales written by Aesop is often overlooked by most people, who look to Hans Christian Andersen (the Dane) and the Brothers Grimm when wanting to read fantastic tales.

Aesop's tales are much older than most other collections of tales that you can find nowadays. His tales and stories are rather unusual, as many wondrous creatures and items exist in his 'world'. Items that speak and have emotions, nice demons, wicked fairies that spew forth from cracks in the earth and people who behave in very strange, amusing and unexpected ways. In any case, if you like to have your imagination tickled and challenged, you shouldn't hesitate when buying this book.

Most stories in here are also suitable for children, although certain, more advanced and intricate, aspects of the stories will be lost on them. A good thing about that, is that kids can read it when they're rather young, and if they pick the book up again at a later stage in life, new thoughts on the stories will dawn on them, since their intellects have developed and are able to grasp twists and plots in the small tales that kids aren't likely to comprehend.

As I've said before, many of these tales are rather unusual, and unless strange and unusual old tales interest you, go buy some of the more known collection of children's tales. This book is both for kids and adults.