Storybook Favorites

Storybook Favorites

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My three favorite storybooks from the Mythology and Folklore previous classes are as follows:

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Fairytale Case Files 

(Photo pulled from Fairytale Case Files Storybook)

As an avid fan of crime stories, fiction or non-fiction, the title of this storybook immediately jumped out at me. Besides being a catchy title, the title also does a good job of letting the reader know what kind of storybook they can expect. The topic of the storybook was sort of a behind the scenes look at how some of the most famous fairytales, like The Elves or Hansel and Gretel, achieve their happy endings with the help of a detective. I was familiar with the topic in the sense that I knew the fairytales already but I also understood that the author was pulling inspiration from Sherlock Holmes for his detective character. The introduction was clear but still fun, allowing the reader to get excited about the short stories. The layout of the introduction and the pages that follow was simplistic overall, which I preferred. Although the placement of the pictures, how the placement changed from embedded in the wording to free-standing, was not my favorite, it did not take away from the content too much. The biggest takeaway from this storybook I feel I might use in my work would be the author's idea of using something like a detective or outsider to streamline and connect the stories that would normally not fit together. 

The Tale of Hercules as Told by Hera

(Photo pulled from The Tale of Hercules as Told by Hera Storybook)

This storybook's topic was one I thought I was familiar with but ending up learning more through the author's retelling. Hercules is a story that has been told over and over again, in various forms of media yet the author found a way to keep it interesting by telling the story from Hercules' enemy, his stepmother, Hera. The introduction and the author's note included set up a clear backdrop for the coming stories, utilizing the author's note to reaffirm and explain the context. While I sort of wish the author's note was put at the end instead of the beginning (just because of pure preference) I understood and appreciated such once I started reading the introduction as it made the reading smoother. Layout wise I realized I am far more partial to darker background with lighter text than the opposite like this storybook had. I just found myself having to reread because the black text kind of jumbled together against the white and light pink background. Other than that, the overall design was simple but good. The takeaway I will utilize from this storybook is knowing that even an over-told story can still be interesting as long as you can find a fun angle. 

Piracy: Not Just for Men 

(Photo pulled from Piracy: Not Just for Men Storybook)

The title alone was enough to get my attention because pirates are usually men by default in people's minds so to hear about female pirates seemed really interesting. The topic itself  is not one I am familiar with at all really. This storybook was probably the biggest test of whether the introduction was good or not since I had no prior knowledge going in. Thankfully the introduction was easy to follow and provided a good baseline for the stories that followed. The only qualm I have about the introduction is that the author seemed to have wrote the equivalent of an author's note for the first six paragraphs and then switches to her character, Elizabeth, for the final paragraph. All of this would have been fine if not for the lack of indication that one part was an author's not while the other was the start of the story. Without a subhead, spacing and/or breaks, the reader kind of gets whiplash when suddenly transferred into story mode without warning. The layout and design was the like a templet layout that the author just filled in. There is nothing wrong with that, as it is a proven formula, it is just the best way of describing its features. The biggest takeaway I learned in this storybook is that layout can be just as important as the content, if it isn't easy to read or jump from story to story, you can easily lose your reader.