This post was updated in November 2026 to reflect WPPL’s current collection.
In honor of WPPL’s Welcoming Week, we’re going on a whirlwind trip around the world! Let’s ease in with some broader collections. The books will feature familiar tales, as well as a nice sampling from nations all over the world. Angela McAllister has a lovely series of themed folktale collections, which are sourced from a stunning number of countries.
The Americas are expansive. North American Indigenous folklore exists alongside (and sometimes combines with) the tales that were introduced from overseas. The shameful history of colonialism and slavery nevertheless gave birth to homespun American tales, unique to the people and regions that gave them new life. Central America is most famously home to the Aztec and Mayan civilizations. These nations are known for their astounding art and architecture, as well as many deities. Modern Mexico, a melting pot of cultural influences, has evolved its own tales. South America, too, is home to many pre-Columbian nations, though the foreign influence has overwhelmed or substantially influenced many. The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas is an excellent collection of indigenous tales that spans both continents.
Europe’s folklore enjoys a place of prominence in the American mind. Familiar fantasy figures like fairies, elves, and trolls originated in this region. The grisly tales of the Brothers Grimm (Germany), the collections of Asbjørnsen and Moe (Norway), the fanciful tales of the Charles Perrault (France) and Hans Christian Andersen (Denmark), and many others built up a body of stories that we now encounter in picture books, movies, and many other forms of storytelling. Walt Disney played no small part in perpetuating some of these tales; he took many of these “public domain” stories and turned them into beloved animated classics. Beyond the princesses and magic, however, eerie tales of mysterious creatures and haunted waters await…
Moving south, we arrive in Africa. The resident trickster figure is Anansi the spider, who has survived for millennia by his wits alone. Despite his self-interest and practical jokes, you can’t help but root for this crafty character. It seems that he can always spin things his way. Other African tales make appearances in imaginative fantasy stories, and many emphasize the strength and dignity of Black women in particular.
There are fewer books in our collection featuring folklore from the Middle East, but there is still a nice variety. We have a traditional collection of Palestinian tales, a YA fantasy story, and some books for younger readers as well. Two others feature a golem and a dybbuk–creatures from Jewish lore! The tales of ancient Persia, Iran, and more can be found in both short stories and full novels.
The folklore of South Asia has enjoyed a number of recent publications. Stories inspired by India’s numerous deities have been featured in quite a few novels to date. Recently, the surrounding countries in South Asia are also beginning to turn up in books for young readers.
Finally, we arrive in the East. The powerful Monkey King is the most legendary trickster, but there are plenty of other crafty characters, not to mention fearsome ogres, monsters, and demons! Thankfully, there are many gods, goddesses, and kindly celestial creatures to keep things in balance.
This blog post ended up featuring over forty books, and I actually had to trim quite a few off of my list! It just goes to show the incredible depth of the world’s folklore. It also is a good reminder that we live in fortuitous times, as more of these age-old stories are finding their way into modern publishing. For more detailed surveys of regional folklore, check out the other blog posts in the Folklore Fun series. Never stop exploring!
Read More
- Who will win? by Arihhonni David (Easy Reader)
- Nic Blake and the Remarkables by Angie Thomas (Juvenile fiction)
- The Misewa Saga by David A. Robertson (Juvenile fiction)
- Nura and the immortal palace by M. T. Khan (Juvenile fiction)
- The trouble with good ideas by Amanda Panitch (Juvenile fiction)
- Man made monsters by Andrea L. Rogers (Young adult anthology)
- Bone weaver by Aden Polydoros (Young adult)
- Beasts of prey by Anya Gray (Young adult)
- The gilded ones by Namina Forna (Young adult)
- Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim (Young adult)
- Once there was by Kiyash Monsef (Young Adult)
