Tales of Wise and Foolish Animals Retellings of Traditional Fables

"The younger children like all of Valery Carrick's stories. They are clearly and simply told and the vigorous black-and-white drawings by the author make the tale dramatic even to children who cannot read it for themselves." ― Mary Gould Davis, Director of Story Telling, New York Public Library.
Russian storyteller Valery Carrick (1869–1942) recounts fourteen familiar and lesser-known fables, accompanying them with drawings that are as striking and straightforward as the stories themselves. Some of the tales ― "The Fox as a Shepherd," "The Hare, the Hippopotamus and the Elephant," "The Hare and His Shadow" ― are particularly well known. The simplicity and directness of Carrick's narratives, along with his distinctive illustrations, place these versions among the most delightful retellings of traditional fables. Other less-familiar tales of crafty foxes, mighty lions, greedy wolves, and other creatures will please parents as well as children.

Russian illustrator and journalist Valery Carrick (1869–1943) settled in Norway after the October Revolution. He is noted for his illustrated retellings of folktales for children.