Keding's grandmother, the source of many of these simply told but effective tales, was from Croatia, and the author tells us in his introduction that she felt strongly about the moral lessons that she passed along in her stories. With variants of well-known stories, such as "Nail Soup," and lesser-known tales of princes and peasants, this volume of twelve stories provides many opportunities for traditional storytelling. Bib.

Storyteller Keding retells these 12 tales—"from the Baltic to the Balkans"—with a teller's note at the end of each. Most he learned from his grandmother, who learned them from her parents, who had a coffeehouse where she learned many of them from travelers or from her grandfather. They all have a familiar connection, e.g., a Croatian version of Stone Soup, is "Nail Soup"; "Strawberries in Winter," a Slovakian tale, is often titled "The Month Brothers"; "The Three Brothers and the Pot of Gold," offers a familiar theme of the value of work; and the motif of goodness rewarded is in "The Prince Who Married a Frog." While most of these stories have been available in single volumes or as part of other collections, these unembellished retellings are unique in their simplicity and the inspiration to look inside one's own family to find the storytellers and stories from generations past. (Folktales. 8-12)

The author's grandmother brought to this country the folktales from her native Croatia and from other Eastern European countries. "Noni" told the same stories to Keding as a way of entertaining him; of keeping the tales alive; and of teaching, guiding, and perpetuating the values that have strengthened and sustained families and communities throughout centuries of conflicts. The tales, which reflect the flavors of the countries of origin, illustrate how we must act toward one another-how evil begets evil, and, conversely, how kindness begets kindness. Some stories are variations of familiar tales ("Nail Soup" for "Stone Soup"), and the heroes, princesses, monsters, and sorcerers behave in ways that lead predictably to satisfying, or unsatisfying, outcomes. Many of Keding's tales are easy to read and ready to tell just as they are written, while others require more time to learn, especially those that contain a tale within a tale. Here are stories for teachers, clergy, parents, and friends to do what Noni did-teach, guide, and entertain. Listeners of any age will hear the messages of hope and spirit woven into these selections, each of which provides a road map to a better world.-Judy Sokoll, Florida Storytelling Association, Naples Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.