Green Magic: The World’s Best Fairy Tales Collected and Arranged by Romer Wilson

With a Preface and biographies from Jack Zipes, as well as the original illustrations by Violet Brunton, this collection of fairy tales originally published by the award-winning Romer Wilson – Green Magic (1928), Silver Magic (1929), and Red Magic (1930) – offers a combination of classic fairy tales, alongside lesser-known, global and diverse tales. Green Magic contains many traditional fairy tales, including “Rapunzel” by Grimm, “Ali Baba” by Diyab and Galland, and “Puss in Boots” by Perrault, as well as previously unknown tales, such as “The Golden Twins” by Iperescu and “The Brotherless Girl” by an anonymous author. It was Romer Wilson’s intention to combine the familiar with the unknown, and introduce authors and cultures from a variety of countries. As a researcher, she uncovered a remarkable amount of stories from other countries that remain unknown today. The collection gives voice to unique and intriguing tales that inspire children to have a better understanding of how people and their stories are alike despite major differences. Through his Preface and commentary, Jack Zipes shows how all three books are a means to bring people together in the name of peace and justice. These books will therefore be of interest to anyone researching or studying fairy tales, folklore, and children’s literature, as well as global or comparative literature and social justice.