The Annotated African American Folktales edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Maria Tatar – A treasury of dozens of African-American folktales discusses their role in a broader cultural heritage, sharing such classics as the Brer Rabbit stories, the African trickster Anansi, and tales from the late nineteenth-century’s “Southern Workman.”
Arab Folktales translated and edited by Inea Bushnaq – Out of alleys of Cairo and Bedouin tents, from the Moroccan laborers and Syrian peasants, this collection of 130 tales comes from Arab worlds from North Africa to the Holy Land and tells of tents and palaces, deserts and bazaars, caliphs and peasants, and harems and heroes.
Aru Shah and the End of Time by Roshani Chokshi – Aru’s family is the caretaker of the Museum of Ancient Indian Art and Culture. One unfortunate day, however, Aru lights up a lamp that was cursed thereby launching a chain of events, by waking up a sleeping demon. Now she must go on a quest to find the reincarnations of the Pandavas and traverse the land of the dead.
Daughter of the Moon Goddess by Sue Lynn Tan – Forced to flee her home on the moon after her magic flares up, Xingyin embarks on a perilous quest to save her mother, in a new fantasy novel inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess. (Sequel is Heart of the Sun Warrior.)
Deathless by Catherynne Valente – A retelling of the Russian folktake featuring Marya Morevna and Koschei the Deathless is set in an alternate version of St. Petersburg in the first half of the 20th century and follows the transformation of a clever child of the revolution to the beautiful bride of a menacing overlord.
Empire of Wild by Cherie Dimaline – A story inspired by the Canadian Mâetis legend of the Rogarou finds a woman reconnecting with her heritage when her missing husband reappears in the form of a charismatic preacher who does not recognize her.
The Epic Crush of Genie Lo by C. F. Yee – Genie Lo is one among droves of Ivy-hopeful overachievers in her sleepy Bay Area suburb. When she’s not crushing it at volleyball, Genie is typically working on how to crack the elusive Harvard entry code. But when her hometown comes under siege from hellspawn straight out of Chinese folklore, her priorities are dramatically rearranged. Enter Quentin Sun, a mysterious new kid who becomes Genie’s guide to battling demons. While Genie knows Quentin only as an attractive transfer student, in another reality he is Sun Wukong, the mythological Monkey King incarnate. Suddenly, acing the SATs is the least of Genie’s worries.
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns by Julie C. Dao – Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is beautiful. The stars say she is destined for greatness, that she is meant to be Empress of Feng Lu. But only if she embraces the darkness within her. Growing up as a peasant in a forgotten village on the edge of the map, Xifeng longs to fulfill the destiny promised to her by her cruel aunt, the witch Guma, who has read the cards and seen glimmers of Xifeng’s majestic future. But is the price of the throne too high? Because in order to achieve greatness, she must spurn the young man who loves her and exploit the callous magic that runs through her veins–sorcery fueled by eating the hearts of the recently killed. For the god who has sent her on this journey will not be satisfied until his power is absolute
Girl Giant and the Monkey King by Văn Hoàng – In a desperate bid to get rid of the super strength she’s struggling to hide, 11-year-old Thom Ngho makes a deal with the Monkey King, a powerful deity and legendary trickster she accidentally released from his 500-year prison sentence. She’ll help the Monkey King get back his magical staff if he’ll take away her strength. Soon Thom is swept up in an ancient and fantastical world in where demons, dragons, and Jade princesses actually exist. But she quickly discovers that magic can’t cure everything, and dealing with the trickster god might be more trouble than it’s worth.
The Girl Who Married a Lion and Other Tales from Africa by Alexander McCall Smith – Brings together a treasury of traditional African folktales and lore from the Ndebele people of Zimbabwe and the Setswana people of Botswana, including “Milk Bird,” “Why Elephant and Hyena Live Far from People,” and other fables.
Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia – The Mayan god of death sends a young woman on a harrowing, life-changing journey in this dark, one-of-a-kind fairy tale inspired by Mexican folklore.
Issun Bôshi: The One-Inch Boy by Icinori – This classic Japanese fairy tale tells the story of Issun Boshi, the tiny son of an old, long childless couple. He is tested in several adventures and handles himself so bravely that, in the end, he is rewarded with just the right princess!
Japanese Folktales for Language Learners / Legends and Fables in Japanese and English by Eriko Sato – Twenty-two traditional stories in parallel Japanese and English versions on facing pages, with detailed notes and exercises aimed at beginning to intermediate learners. This book can be used as a language reader and will be of great interest to anyone wishing to learn more about Japanese culture and folklore.
Love in Color: Mythical Tales from Around the World retold by Bolu Babalola – A debut anthology reimagines cultural folk and love stories from West Africa, Greek mythology and Middle East legend, from the tale of an unappreciated Nigerian goddess to the story of a powerful Ghanaian spokeswoman’s fateful decision.
Mañanaland by Pam Muñoz Ryan – Twelve-year-old Max, who loves the legend Buelo tells him about a mythical gatekeeper who can guide brave travelers on a journey into tomorrow, sets out on a dangerous quest to discover if he is true of heart and what the future holds, armed with a treasured compass, a mysterious stone rubbing, and Buelo’s legend as his only guides.
Master of Poisons by Andrea Hairston – Award-winning author Andrea Hairston weaves together African folktales and postcolonial literature into unforgettable fantasy. The righthand man to the lord of the Arkhysian Empire and a young woman training to be a powerful sorcerer work together to save their homeland from the poison that is eating farmlands and fouling drinking water.
Nura and the Immortal Palace by M.T. Khan – Searching for her buried friend after the mines collapse, twelve-year-old Pakistani mica miner Nura finds herself at the Sijj Palace, a luxury hotel for the dangerous and deceitful jinn, where she must discover the truth beneath the glitter or be trapped forever.
A Snake Falls to Earth by Darcie Little Badger – Fifteen-year-olds Nina and Oli come from different words -she is a Lipan Apache living in Texas and he is a cottonmouth from the Reflecting World- but their lives intersect when Oli journeys to Earth to find a cure for his ailing friend and they end up helping each other save their families.