Fairy tales for infants

11 of My Favorite Fairytale Board Books for Babies and Toddlers

I’m a fairytale fiend. I have an extensive collection of fairy tales, I studied fairy tales in college and wrote my dissertation on fairy tales, I read them all the time, so of course I wanted to stock my child’s bookshelf with fairy tales. However, while I love fairy tales, I don’t love their patriarchal themes. It’s difficult to find a feminist fairytale board book, even though there are many picture books that subvert the misogyny and patriarchy in traditional fairy tales. There’s definitely a gap here! I’ve also noticed a lack of diversity in fairytale board books, with the exception of the Once Upon a World series. This is ridiculous. Fairy tales exist in every single culture. There’s no reason for only blonde, blue-eyed, white little girls to be portrayed. So while this list collects my favorite fairytale board books, I’m overall disappointed that I can’t find any that reflect the diversity of the genre and modern feminist values. So take this list with a grain of salt!

Once Upon a World Collection by Chloe Perkins and Hannah Eliot

This series is so wonderful! So far there are 5 books: Snow White

, Cinderella, The Princess and the Pea, Rapunzel, and The Little Mermaid We’ve already reviewedmany in the series. Each one sets a classic fairy tale in a diverse setting. Snow White takes place in Japan; Cindrella in Mexico; The Princess and the Pea in Russia; Rapunzel in India; and The Little Mermaid in the Caribbean. The only one I haven’t read yet (and don’t own) is The Little Mermaid, the most recently published. My favorite in the series is Rapunzel, which is gorgeously illustrated. I do wish some of them were a little more feminist, but they’re still my favorite board book fairytale series. The publishers now have a Celebrate the World series, about holidays from around the world!

Once Upon a Hairytale Series by Trish Cooke

I found another diverse fairytale board book series! These are published and sold by Tangle Teezer and also come with two hairbrushes! We’ve read Zel, Let Out Your Hair, a retelling of “Rapunzel,” and really enjoyed it. It’s an engaging and fun take on the tale, about a little Black girl named Zel whose mother is styling her hair. Zel becomes bored and imagines her hair getting bigger and bigger. The other books in the series include Jackson and the Hairstalk and The Puppet Who Wanted Hair. As a white family, I can’t comment on how well the hairbrush works on Black hair. It’s amazing with my curly-haired white daughter’s hair though! We brush it right after conditioning, and it brushes all the tangle out and we no longer have to cut the worst tangles out! All proceeds for the box go to Pretty Brown Girl. You can see images from the book on my Instagram.

Usborne Peep Inside a Fairy Tale Collection

There are so many books in this series! We own Little Red Riding Hood

and Beauty & The Beast, but there are many more in the series. What makes these books so interesting is the design. The board book pages have cutouts so you can see the image behind, and a few lift-the-flaps as well. In Little Red Riding Hood, for instance, there’s a flap to look into grandmother’s house and a flap to peek inside the wolf’s belly and see Grandmother and LRRH inside. Very clever! Once again I wish the retellings were more subversive. I like to see some strong women in fairy tales and, in fact, that shouldn’t be seen as subversive at all!

Les Petits Fairytales by Trixie Belle and Melissa Caruso-Scott, Illustrated by Oliver Lake

These are silly and cute. Much like the Cozy Classics series, they feature one word a page, pairing down each fairy tale into about 10 words. You can fill in the blanks however you want. The illustrations are pastel glittery brightness, and they’re a smaller sized board book making them perfect for the smallest of hands, which is why our copy of Beauty and the Beast

has many bite marks in it!

First Stories by Dan Taylor and Miriam Bos

The First Stories series has about a dozen books in it. Each is interactive in a toddler-friendly way, meaning they can’t tear anything. There are little fingerholes that move characters, board book pages that extend out, etc. They also rhyme! You can collect Peter Pan

, Jack and the Beanstalk, Sleeping Beauty, Mulan, and a whole lot more.

Lift the Flap: Fairy Tales (Can You Find Me?) by Roger Priddy

Some toddlers are great with lift-the-flap books, some are not. You know your child best! If they can handle it, definitely pick up this lovely board book, with fun flaps hiding all sorts of interesting things! It’s a combination of lots of fairy tales.

Each Peach Pear Plum by Allan Ahlberg and Janet Ahlberg

This one is a classic, and such a fun beginner search and find. Each page is a rhyming riddle from fairy tales and nursery rhymes, with something hidden. Marian is strange and likes to read this one by herself!

Three Little Mermaids by Mara Van Fleet

An interactive board book that provides textures, sliding pages, and a couple of lift-the-flaps. It’s a fun book to play with, and it’s also an excellent beginner counting book.

Princess And The Pea by Parragon Books

This is a tab board book that features all the characters. The tab pulls out to reveal more of the story. It’s actually a decent-sized story for a board book!

My Favourite Fairy Tale Board Book by Tony Ross

There are three books in this series: Goldilocks and the Three Bears

, Red Riding Hood, and Jack and the Beanstalk. I really like the illustrations on these. May I suggest also purchasing these Melissa & Doug Fairy Tale Friends Hand Puppets to go along with the book?

The Sleeping Beauty: My First Ballet Book by Jennifer Adams, Illustrated by Corey Egbert

This is part of the BabyLit series that all English majors with children adore. Did you know that the Disney music for their film Sleeping Beauty comes straight from the Tchaikovsky ballet? It does! It’s gorgeous music, unlike the fairy tale which is very icky. I haven’t read this board book yet, but I love the BabyLit series and I know I’ll end up grabbing this one.

Do you know any diverse fairytale board books?

The Stolen Bairn (Baby) ~ Fairy Tale Stories for Kids

It was an odd sight that greeted two tall, dark, sharp-eared fairies. There under the bushes by the cliffs, was a baby wrapped in its blankets mewing and cooing. Only his wee little face poked through, and not a soul nearby to claim him.

"I would like such a bairn," said one fairy, arching her eyebrow.

"Aye," said the other, looking around. "No one is around to stop us."

In an instant, the two fairies snatched up the bundle in their claw-like arms and vanished.

Just a few minutes later, sailing by the cliffs, two fishermen noticed the figure of a woman fallen on the rocks, her golden locks hanging low.

"'Tis a lass!" said one.

"Don't even think of stopping," said the other, turning the tiller away from the sharp, rocky cliffs near the shore. "Our boat will break to pieces!"

"But look - she must be injured, or worse," said the first. "We can't go home & have our dinner knowing we left her behind!"

So the two fishermen carefully anchored their boat on the high, rocky waters by the cliffs and climbed up the rocks to the lass, lying still on the rocks.

"Think she's still with us?"

"Aye," said the other, "but we'd best get her back to the village, right quick."

The women of the village nursed the stranger with teas of fern root and violets steeped in whey. At last, the lass opened her eyes.

"My bairn," she murmured. "Where's my bairn?"

"Lass," said an older woman, worriedly glancing at the other womenfolk. "You were found quite alone."

The lass sat up straight, surprising them all.

"Nay! I bundled my bairn good and safe by the bushes when I went for just a moment to fetch him water. I must have fallen on the rocks. My bairn must still be there!"

The villagers quickly formed a search team and returned to the cliffs. They searched the whole live long day, tramping up and down the path and all around the area, asking everyone they could find. But no one knew of a baby that had been found by the cliffs.

One of the fishermen had to give the mother the sorry news. "Stay here in our village with us," said he. "This can be your new home. We have many a fine lad for you to marry. You'll have another bairn before long, no doubt."

She drew in her breath. "Thank you, just the same. I know you mean well. But now I must go to find my bairn."

So the lass traveled from farm to village, searching and asking everyone she met about her lost baby. With her hair blown about and a wild expression in her eyes, many thought her crazed, and perhaps she was, a bit.

One day the lass wandered into a camp of gypsies. "Where is my bairn? Can anyone help me?" The girl looked so forlorn and weary, a mother with three young children took pity on her. She bid the lass to come inside her tent. She washed the feet of the visitor and fed her from her own pot. "Where is my bairn?" was all the girl could say.

"Alas, I know not," said the young mother. "But my grandmother is the wisest woman I know. If anyone can help you find your little one, it is she."

She led the lass to another tent. Inside sat a very wrinkled ancient woman dressed in black from head to toe and sitting at a table. The grandmother heard the sad story. Saying nothing, clasped her hands upon the hands of the lass. And there they sat, hour after hour, hand in hand, till darkness fell. At midnight, the grandmother selected herbs from a basket and scattered them over the fire. The fire leaped up and the smoke that rose from the burning herbs swirled round the old gypsy woman's head. She closed her eyes and listened as the fire burned hot. When it died down, she took the lass's hand again.

"Give up thy search, poor lass," said the grandmother sorrowfully. "For thy baby has been stolen away by the fairies. Taken to live with them, he was. It's best that you accept it, lass. The fairies are far more powerful than we mortals."

The lass was silent. Then she said, darkly, "If I cannot get back my bairn, I might as well lay down and die."

"No, child!" urged the old grandmother, tears welling in her eyes. "Perhaps there is a way..."

"What?" whispered the lass. "A spell?"

"Ah, if only it were that easy!" said the ancient gypsy grandmother. "The fairies are a vain people who enjoy rare and beautiful things, but they have no art. If they see something exquisite, something very rare and extraordinary, they will want it. And if you have such an unusual item, you might be able to bargain with them. But it would have to be something without equal anywhere in the world. And I'm afraid you would need two such treasures - one to gain entrance inside the fairy mound, where they live. And another to bargain with for your babe."

The old woman sighed. "What's more, the time for you to obtain two treasures is short. If only you had 10 years! But the truth is, in 10 days the fairy people will gather together from all corners of the earth to choose a new ruler for the next 100 years. Your baby is sure to be among them for the event. After that, who knows where your babe might go? And now," she said, "there is only more thing I can do for you."

The old gypsy grandmother laid one hand on the girl's head and cast a spell to protect her from fire and earth, wind and water. Unable to do anything more, they bid goodbye.

Uplifted by the notion that she might, after all, find her baby, the lass went on her way. Then suddenly, she felt as if she had struck her head on the cliffs once again. How could she, penniless as she was, ever obtain a rare and exotic treasure, much less two?

Her head spinning, she lay a hand on a tree to steady herself. What items do people speak of in wonder? All she could think of were two legendary items from kings of yesteryear - the famous white cloak of King Nechtan and the golden stringed harp of King Wrad. Suddenly she knew what she must do.

The lass headed straight to the shore, where large seabirds called eider ducks nested. On the beach were the fur sheddings from the ducks. Soft down duck fur that had shed from their breasts, and delicate white feathers that had rolled off their wings. She clambered up and down the rocks gathering the cottony down and the clusters of white feathers. Sharp rocks scraped her feet but did not pierce her skin, the hot sun burnt in the sky but that did not redden her face. The wind splashed the waves on the rocks but her dress and legs stayed dry. Ah, she thought with warm gratitude, the spell of the gypsy grandmother was shielding her from the ill effect of earth and fire, wind and water.

The lass gathered all the down and feathers she needed. Then she set to weaving the down into a large cloak. The cloak was so soft and thick that it looked as if a tuft of cloud had been plucked from the sky. Then to decorate border around the cloak, she wove the delicate white feathers around the edges. In three quick strokes, she cut off her long golden hair that had fallen to her waist. Setting aside one strand of her locks for later, she took the rest and wove the strands into the feathered border, making golden flowers and leaves, all glimmering and resplendent.

Day and night she worked for there was not a moment to lose. After she had stitched the final stitch, she carefully folded the soft white cloak, laid it under a shrub and returned to the seashore.

Searching the sandy beach, the lass looked for the right shape of bones to make a frame for a harp. Luckily she discovered an arc of bone that had been washed by the waves to such a smooth perfection that it resembled ivory. Taking the bone back to the shrub, she tied it together to make a frame for a harp. From the lock of hair she had set aside before, she braided each of her tiny hairs into thin strands, then twisted several thin strands together to form strong, elegant strings for the harp. She stretched the strings tight and set them in tune. When she plucked a note, it was so full of longing and grief that even the birds winging their way to the sea stopped in mid-air for a moment and cocked their heads to hear.

The lass wrapped her cloak around her shoulders, held the harp to her chest and set out to the mound where the fairies were known to live. As she traveled, villagers stepped aside for her to pass, according her the respect due a princess. But of this she noticed nothing, and continued along the high road and the byroad, her eyes fixed straight ahead. At last, as the moon rose full, she reached the entrance of the fairy mound. She spread her billowing cloak upon the path and stepped aside.

Before long a fairy strode toward her.

The fairy pointed at her. "You! No humans are allowed here. Leave at once!"

The fairy noticed the white cloak. "Hmm," she said. "Finders keepers." And she stooped for it.

"Nay!" said the lass. "It's mine. You cannot have it!" She quickly snatched the cloak from the ground, cleverly wrapping it round her shoulders so it swirled around her body, its folds glimmering in the sun and its golden threads shining.

"Mortal, don't be a fool! I'll give you a handful of gold for it. "

"This cloak is not for sale. 'Tis embroidered with my own golden hair, and there's none like it in the world!"

"No amount of gold?" scoffed the fairy. "You make me laugh - all you humans crumble at the first glint of gold. Very well, I'll fill your pockets with gold and all you can hold in your arms. There! Are you satisfied now?"

"The cloak is not for sale for ANY amount of gold," she repeated, "nor for any regular price."

"WHAT then?" said the fairy, sensing a bargain could be struck.

"Take me with you inside the fairy mound. Then the cloak will be yours and you're welcome to it."

"What a fool," mumbled the fairy, but she took the lass by the hand and together, they entered the fairy mound. Once inside, the fairy snatched the soft white cloak from the lass's shoulders, and the girl let it go with a smile. Glancing back, she saw the fairy showing off the cloak and a crowd of other tall, dark fairies surrounding her, touching it, begging to be allowed to try it on, please, just once. But the lass headed straight forward, harp in hand, until she spied at the edge of the mound a high throne. Sitting on the throne was a tall, forbidding, sharp-eared creature, with his eyebrows deep cast into a frown, who she realized must be the new king of the fairies.

Fearlessly she approached the throne.

"You dare to approach the throne!" hissed the king. "How did you - a human! - get inside the fairy mound?"

The lass pointed to the fairy who had admitted her. The white-cloaked fairy turned and said, "Your Highness, she entered with me." The king frowned.

"And what have you there?" said he, nodding to the harp she clutched to her breast.

"'Tis my harp," said she.

"I have harps a'plenty," shrugged the king.

"Not like this," said the lass, and she plucked a few chords, ringing notes so pure and transcendent that the king stared in wonder.

"You offer this as a gift for me, the new king of the fairies?"

"The harp might be a gift under the right circumstance," the lass said quickly. "It's not for sale for any usual price."

"It's naught but a common harp and you know it," shrugged the king. "You think too much of your little toy." Then he cunningly added, "but I could take it off your hands. What do you want for it?"

"The harp is beyond price," said the lass. "'Tis woven from my own golden hair.There's none like it in the world. There's only one trade of interest to me." The king arched one eyebrow. "My bairn!" she said. "Give me my bairn that was taken by the fairies after I left him in his blankets by the black cliffs. My bairn back, and the harp is yours!"

"Nonsense!" He was not anxious to let go of the chubby-cheeked infant, held deep in the woods. He ordered a few of the fairies to bring gold, and they piled armfuls of the precious nuggets around the youn woman's ankles. "Surely," he sneered, "that's more than enough payment for a common harp."

"Ooch, I do not want your gold!" she cried. "My bairn! I want my bairn and naught else!"

He clicked his fingers, and more fairies brought more armfuls of precious stones, this time of emeralds and rubies that heaped over the gold until a great pile of jewels rose to her waist.

Without looking once at the jewels she stared at the king. Said she with steely eyes: "My bairn! Give me my bairn and naught else!"

When he saw that she could not be moved, the king barked, "So take the brat - what do I care?"

"Give me the bairn first, then the harp," said she, knowing full well that if she let go of the harp first, she'd never see her baby again.

The king clicked his fingers. Before long, the baby was brought to his side. At once the infant recognized its mother and reached out. The lass gripped the harp tightly, her chin up. She repeated, "Give me the bairn first."

So the baby was returned to its mother, and the lass gave the harp to the king. He struck a few chords and the purest and sweetest melody every heard in the fairy kingdom rang out. All the fairies gathered round, delighting in the talents of their new king and vigorously nodding their heads with admiration.

Clutching her baby, the lass turned from the king, quickened out of the fairy mound, and headed to the fisherfolk who had cared for her so tenderly. Overjoyed were they that she had returned to their village - and with her bairn, no less! And that is where the lass and her little one stayed for many happy years.

Fairy tales for the little ones - read for free online

Fairy tales for kids - fascinating and instructive works of folklore and famous authors, whose work can attract attention and interest even the most restless kids. A variety of stories dedicated to heroic heroic deeds, the world of magic and witchcraft, animals, will awaken the imagination of even the smallest. Through these fairy tales, kids will comprehend the world around them, learn kindness, justice, honesty and responsibility. nine0003

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Russian folk -Soviet people > Fairy tales > Author's fairy tales > Fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm > The wolf and the seven kids

The Brothers Grimm

"The Wolf and the Seven Kids" is a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, familiar to children all over the Earth. It tells about the adventures of goats and their mother, who confront the wolf. The gray bandit comes to the kids and sings the goat's welcome song as their mother grazes to eat them. They do not open to him, as they recognize by a rough voice. When he changes it, the kids are deceived, let the wolf in, and only one of them managed to escape and tell everything to mother. By cunning, the mother saves her kids and destroys the wolf. The tale teaches independence, courage, resourcefulness and the fact that sooner or later deceit will be revealed. nine0003
Reading time: 3 min.

Once upon a time there was a goat with kids. The goat went into the forest to eat silk grass, to drink cold water. As soon as he leaves, the kids will lock up the hut and won't go anywhere themselves.

The goat comes back, knocks on the door and sings:

- Goats, kids!
Open up, open up!
Your mother came - she brought milk;
Milk runs along the notch,
From the notch to the hoof,
From the hoof to the cheese ground! nine0003

The kids will open the door and let the mother in. She will feed them, give them a drink, and again go into the forest, and the kids will lock themselves tightly.

Once a wolf overheard a goat singing. Once the goat left, the wolf ran to the hut and shouted in a thick voice:

- You, kids!
You goats!
Open up,
Open up,
Your mother has come,
She brought milk.
Hooves full of water!

Goats answer him:
- We hear, we hear - yes, this is not mother's voice! Our mother sings in a thin voice and laments not so.

The wolf has nothing to do. He went to the smithy and ordered his throat to be reforged so that he could sing in a thin voice. The blacksmith cut his throat. The wolf again ran to the hut and hid behind a bush.

Here comes a goat and knocks:

- Goats, kids!
Open up, open up!
Your mother came - she brought milk;
Milk runs along the notch,
From the notch to the hoof,
From the hoof to the cheese ground!

The kids let their mother in and let's tell how the wolf came and wanted to eat them.

The goat fed and watered the kids and severely punished:

- Whoever comes to the hut, will ask in a thick voice and not go through everything that I lament to you - do not open the door, do not let anyone in.

As soon as the goat left, the wolf again walked to the hut, knocked and began to lament in a thin voice:

- Goats, kids!
Open up, open up!
Your mother came - she brought milk;
Milk runs along the notch,
From the notch to the hoof,
From the hoof to the cheese ground!

The kids opened the door, the wolf rushed into the hut and ate all the kids. Only one kid was buried in the stove.

A goat comes, no matter how much she calls or laments, no one answers her. She sees - the door is open, she ran into the hut - there is no one there. I looked into the oven and found one kid. nine0003
How the goat found out about her misfortune, how she sat on the bench - she began to grieve, cry bitterly:

- Oh, my kids, kids!
What they unlocked, opened,
Did the bad wolf get it?

The wolf heard this, enters the hut and says to the goat:

- Why are you sinning against me, godfather? I didn't eat your goats.
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