Week 1: Storybook Favorites

The first storybook that caught my eye from the long list provided was Lions of Aesop's Fables. This caught my attention initially because, not only do I really like lions, but I also really enjoy the Aesop's fables stories. When I clicked on the link, the design of the sight wasn't too flashy but I was curious about the different titles. I clicked on one and only skimmed the story, but the style of storytelling was very enjoyable. I really liked that it is told as a set of stories within a larger story. I also like how each section of the story are separated into tabs, as if they were chapters of a book. I could definitely see myself using that technique!

The second storybook that I really liked was Deeper into the Forest of the Brothers Grimm. I enjoy the Brothers Grimm tales, which is what made me click on the like. The design of the first page could have the picture be larger or even be made into the background, but even so I liked it enough to continue on and read the introduction. I skimmed through the actual introduction and read the author's note, where I became completely hooked. The way they describe their reasoning for how their storybook is set up and how it is sort of like a movie makes so much sense to me! When I read a book I imagine it as a movie going through my head, which is why the movies are almost never as good as the books.

The third storybook I found was Asian Fox Stories. I took Japanese in my high school for four years and also went on an exchange trip there for two and a half weeks one summer. Because of this, I know a lot about the foxes in Japanese myths and folklore. I personally loved the foxes in those stories. I thought that they were super cool and, though they were tricksters, they had it goin' on! Some were shape-shifters, some had magical powers, most could cause others to see illusions. I don't know a lot about foxes in other Asian myths but, knowing what I do about the Japanese myths, I would definitely love to hear how they are portrayed in the other cultures.