The Girl Who Wore Too Much: A Folktale from Thailand

Friday, October 22, 2010

The Girl Who Wore Too Much: A Folktale from Thailand

Retold by: Margaret Read MacDonald

First line: Aree's parents gave that girl everything she wanted.

Why you should read this book: In this cautionary fairy tale, Aree is spoiled with more jewelry and clothing than anyone could possibly wear in a lifetime, and this fact affects her ability to dress appropriately for the big dance. Unable to decide which of her dresses and jewelry to show off, she chooses to simply wear everything, all at once, rendering her incapable of walking all the way to the dance under the crippling weight of her material wealth. Rewritten for modern audiences, this story features a happy ending, in which Aree learns her lesson about excessive possessions, and includes Thai text at the bottom of each page, along with an interesting afterword for those who care about the collecting of folktales or their adaptation for new listeners.

Why you should read this book: You can never have enough pretty dresses.

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Friday, October 22, 2010