Explore the stories and themes that capture the imagination of young people today. A sampling of tales is organized into broad subject areas, such as contaminated food, threats to children, and satanic legends, and the tales are analyzed according to function, structure, and international variants. De Vos also discusses film and literary adaptions and offers suggestions for adapting tales for the junior high and high school curriculum.

Explore the stories and themes that capture the imagination of young people today. After a fascinating overview and discussion of contemporary legends (commonly referred to as modern urban legends and often told as true), de Vos examines them in their relationship to rumors and gossip, ostension (acting out the legends), the role of the media in formulation and dissemination, and related tales (e.g., literary horror tales). A sampling of tales is organized into broad subject areas, such as contaminated food, threats to children, and satanic legends, and the legends are analyzed according to function, structure, and international variants. De Vos discusses some of the literary and visual adaptations in popular culture and offers suggestions for adapting tales for the junior high and high school curriculum. A fascinating professional book, this is a great resource to use with young adults.

The sensational content of folk ballads makes them especially attractive to young adults. In this fascinating study of folk ballads and their evolution, you'll explore various renditions of such popular songs as Frankie and Johnny, Stagolee, Pretty Polly, and Barbara Allen, as well as lesser known ballads (e.g., Lord Thomas and Fair Annet, Twa Sisters, and King Orfeo). You'll learn about the origins of the stories, how they have developed and changed over time, traveled throughout countries and across oceans, and ultimately evolved into literary forms, such as poetry, novels, and graphic novels, many of which are directed at young adults. Citing numerous critical interpretations and commentary, this book offers great insight into this genre of popular folk literature.

After an introduction to the form and its place in history, the author explores various types of ballads (e.g., child ballads, border ballads, broadside ballads). An examination of modern and contemporary re-workings of ballads, organized by themes, comprises the heart of the book. Ballad types covered include: tragic love stories, murder ballads, otherworld beings, tricks and disguises, and ballads from other cultures. Oral origins and history, critical interpretations, re-workings, and current recordings are included for each ballad; along with a list of resources.

A powerful teaching tool and form of entertainment, storytelling has been overlooked and underused with teen audiences. But which stories work best with young adults? In this guide you'll find suggestions for hundreds of smart and colorful tales that will get your teens' attention, complete with brief plot summaries and bibliographic information. In addition, a bonus section includes a broad sampling of teen-tested, ready-to-tell tales. Discover tales that teens love to hear and perform. To help you pick the perfect story for your teens, storytelling expert Gail de Vos groups her diverse story suggestions by theme: Tales of the Fantastic (tales of the supernatural, horror tales, contemporary legends) Tales of the Folk (folktales, fairy tales) Tales of Life (tales about romance, family, local histories) Tales of the Spirit (myths, pourquoi tales, legends) Tales of Laughter (tall tales, tales with humorous twists and turns) Tales of the Arts and Sciences (literary tales, fractured fairy tales, word origins) De Vos also shares proven techniques for choosing the right story, introducing the story to teenagers, and making the storytelling experience memorable. An essential resource for educators who work with teens.

This fascinating book uncovers the history behind urban legends and explains how the contemporary iterations of familiar fictional tales provide a window into the modern concerns-and digital advancements-of our society. What do ghost hunting, legend tripping, and legendary monsters have in common with email hoaxes, chain letters, and horror movies? In this follow-up to Libraries Unlimited's Tales, Rumors, and Gossip: Exploring Contemporary Folk Literature in Grades 7-12, author Gail de Vos revisits popular urban legends, and examines the impact of media-online, social, and broadcast-on their current iterations. What Happens Next? Contemporary Urban Legends and Popular Culture traces the evolution of contemporary legends from the tradition of oral storytelling to the sharing of stories on the Internet and TV. The author examines if the popularity of contemporary legends in the media has changed the form, role, and integrity of familiar legends. In addition to revisiting some of the legends highlighted in her first book, de Vos shares new tales in circulation which she sees as a direct result of technological advancements. Extended examples of the literature and references to contemporary legends Relevant, insightful comments from seasoned authors in the genre A comprehensive overview of recent available research A list of Internet sites that debunk or confirm urban legends

Altmann and de Vos are back with more great ideas for exploring contemporary reworkings of classic folk and fairy tales that appeal to teen readers. If you loved New Tales for Old (Libraries Unlimited, 1999), this new work will be sure to please. Following the same format, each story includes tale type numbers, motifs, and lists of reworkings arranged by genre, and suggestions for classroom extensions. INSIDE: Beauty and the Beast, Jack and the Beanstalk, Tam Lin, Thomas the Rhymer, and five fairy tales by Hans Christian Andersen.

The timeless themes and versatility of folk tales have helped them survive and flourish over centuries, taking on myriad forms-short story, picture book, film, poem, and novel. This book gathers together a number of popular folktale reworkings (not just simple retellings) in a variety of genres that appeal to young adults. After discussing the nature of folktales, their cultural context, and the characteristics that make them attractive to young adults, de Vos and Altmann interpret specific tales (e.g., The Frog Prince, Cinderella, Rumpelstiltskin), describing their many reworkings and offering suggestions for using the material with young adults.