Bruno Bettelheim, a child psychologist, wrote a famous book called The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales. In this book, Bettelheim wrote that of “the entire ‘children’s literature’ – with rare exceptions – nothing can be as enriching and satisfying to child and adult alike as the folk fairy tale.” He thought that “more can be learned from [these tales] about the inner problems of human beings, and of the right solution to their predicaments in any society, than from any other type of story within a child’s comprehension.” The fairytale is, according to Bettelheim, “first and foremost a work of art.”

For more information about this subject, please refer to the The Greenwood encyclopedia of folktales and fairy tales edited by Donald Haase. It is in the reference section of the Children’s Library.

Authors who write Fairy Tales and Folktales

Books about Hans Christian Andersen
Books either written by Hans Christian Andersen or books based on his work

Books about the Brothers Grimm

Books written by one or both of the Brothers Grimm or books based on their work

Books by Gail Carson Levine

Fairy Tales @ Your Library

Adaptations of fairy tales

Books, videos, dvds, and compact discs – all versions of Cinderella

Books, videos, dvds, and compact discs – all versions of Little Red Riding Hood

Chapter Books Based on Fairytales

Easy Readers Based on Fairytales

Picture Books Based on Fairytales

Videos and DVDs Based on Fairytales

Fairy Tales in Series

 Sisters Grimm

Tales from the Five Kingdoms

Tales of the Frog Princess

Folktales @ Your Library

African Tales

Irish Tales

North American Tales

Russian Tales

Staff Picks

Staff Picks- We Recommend: Fractured Fairy Tales

Websites

Read 12 of the Grimms’ “unvarnished tales” based on a 1914 translation

Storynory
Listen to audio fairy-tales for kids from Brothers Grimm to Hans Chistian Anderson to Aesop.

SurLaLune Fairy Tales
Features 49 annotated fairy tales, including their histories, similar tales across cultures, and modern interpretations.

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NoveList Plus K-8
Novelist Plus K-8 will help you find fiction and nonfiction books for school projects as well as your next favourite book. This database is filled with excerpts, first chapters, and reviews of books specifically for kids in Elementary and Middle School. Browse lists of award winners, find read-alikes as well as which book comes next in a series.

HINT: Type Fairy tales into the search box and then click on the tab for Recommended Reads. Or type Fairytales in the advanced search box and select the subject field. Other possible search options will appear like Fairy tales – Adaptations or Fairy tales – Parodies or Twisted Folktales.