Brazilian Folktales

[T]his work is a marvelous window into Brazilian life and lore. It covers Amazon magical and animal tales, stories that have migrated from Africa and Europe, tales of enchantment, trickster tales (about Pedro Malasartes), scary tales, stories involving Death, and finally a section on festivals and recipes to help readers understand the context in which these stories might be told. The Notes about the tales at the end of the book describe the various motifs present in the stories and discuss similar tales from other countries (tale variants). The Introduction is particularly noteworthy, as it sets the broad context for understanding these stories as cultural emissaries. It briefly describes the country, culture and peoples of Brazil, and then offers an explanation of how various cultures have contributed to folklore and storytelling in Brazil. This book is a remarkable entre to the magic and culture of this South American country. * The American Folklore Society *The folktales in this well-organized and inviting collection reflect the mix of indigenous, European, and African cultures in Brazil….The book is packed with extra information, including an introduction to Brazil and its storytelling traditions; an appendix with more information about the tales and their motif numbers; a bibliography; and an useful index….[t]he collection is a worthwhile choice that will especially enhance curriculum support in school libraries. * VOYA *

Livia de Almeida is a journalist and editor of Veja Rio magazine in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Ana Portella is a librarian, specializing in reading, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Margaret Read MacDonald is an award-winning and internationally renowned author, storyteller, folklorist, and children’s librarian. She has written more than 30 books and teaches storytelling at University of Washington Informational School and at Lesley University.