Description

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From celebrated author Jane Yolen comes this inspiring collection of folktales from around the world, all featuring strong female heroes.

These fifteen folktales have one thing in common: brainy, bold, brave women—and not one damsel in distress! There is Bradamante, the fierce medieval knight; Li Chi, the Chinese girl who slays a dreaded serpent and saves her town; Makhta, a female warrior who leads her Sioux tribe into battle; and many more women who use their cunning, wisdom, and strength to succeed.

Drawing from diverse cultures around the world, renowned author Jane Yolen celebrates the female heroes of legend and lore in a collection that will empower every reader. This new edition features two brand-new stories from Azerbaijan and Indonesia, and enhanced illustrations.

About the Author

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Jane Yolen is a highly acclaimed author who has written hundreds of books for children and adults and has won numerous awards. She and her husband divide their time between Massachussetts and Scotland.

Susan Guevara received the Pura Belpré Award for her illustration of Chato’s Kitchen by Gary Soto, an ALA Notable Book and winner of a Parents’ Choice Award. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Visit her at susanguevara.com.
 

Praise For…

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This collection of folktales from around the world presents a range of tales that all feature strong women. . . . Yolen’s retellings are consistently engaging and well written.” —School Library Journal   “This is a spirited collection with a lively pace. . . . The stories sing and soar in Yolen's supple language, and each is contained enough for a read-aloud.” —Booklist   “What a treasure! Jane Yolen has retold these stories in the energetic, lucid, and poetic style that characterizes her writing and has brought her legions of fans. Her fresh and invigorating takes on these timeless tales of nonpareil heroes make this book a must for anyone interested in folklore, women’s studies, and the very best of storytelling.”  —Robert D. San Souci   “Not One Damsel in Distress glows with intelligence yet is eminently readable. It’s hard to imagine any young woman opening this book and not finding something of herself—or the self she would like to be—in its pages. . . . Their stories are a chronicle of feminine strength, steadfastness, and resourcefulness through the ages and around the world. Carefully researched, delightfully told, this collection might well become a classic.”  —Joseph Bruchac —