Ancient Stories for Modern Times: 50 Short Wisdom Tales for All Ages

Mogensen compiles 50 folktales from an array of world cultures, grouped into thematic categories that include “Living with the Natural World,” “Practicing Generosity,” and “Accepting Change.” In addition to tips on storytelling itself (“Try to discern what is more important about the story to help you pare away extraneous details and distractions”), Mogensen provides introductory background for each story (“This tale from Scotland could also be a springboard to think more purposefully about some of the choices we make in life,” she writes about “Donald of the Burdens,” about a man who outwits Death—briefly) as well as a story map, lists of themes and principles, and questions to reflect on. The text-heavy, workbook-like format is fairly bare bones, but budding storytellers, young or old, should find this to be a thoughtful and effective resource. (Dec.)