Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales

Told by: Virginia Hamilton

First line: Little Girl was always home.

Why you should read this book: With African-American women and girls at its center, this award-winning collection brings together little-known stories of mothers, daughters, grandmothers, witches, vampiresses, fairies, and heroines, along with three true narratives of the lives of real women whose long life experiences become fascinating tales in their own right. Combating a world where men or white people often sought to dominate their bodies, these wonderful and unusual stories demonstrate the power of women and their spiritual triumphs. There is something for everyone, and much to love, along with scholarly and historical information, lovely illustrations, and a real sense of historical import in this book.

Why you shouldn’t read this book: You would keep a mermaid in a bell jar.