An Illustrated Guide to Korean Mythology

An Illustrated Guide to Korean Mythology
Author: Won-Oh Choi
Publisher: Global Oriental
Total Pages: 330
Release: 2008-04-10
Genre: History
ISBN: 9004213252

This highly engaging volume by one of Korea’s leading scholars of comparative mythology – the the first study of its kind in English – provides a valuable introduction to centuries-old beliefs, myths and folk tales relating to Cosmology and Flood, Birth and Agriculture, Messengers of the Underworld, Shamans, Disease, Good Fortune, Love and Family, Gods of Village Shrines, and Heroes. Containing thirty traditional stories, the book is fully illustrated throughout and contains a wide variety of Korean art, including rare shamanist paintings, as well as the work of some contemporary Korean artists. All the stories, based on Korean oral tradition, have been retold by the author according to their main plot and meaning because the original texts’ songs by shamans, containing many obsolete words and obscure idioms, are not easily understood today. The original title and source, including text notes, are provided at the end of each story. The author’s Introduction sets out the historical background and significance of the myths that appear here. He also provides full details of each of the Korean gods and their roles in mythology. While being a welcome addition to the literature on Korean culture for the non-specialist, An Illustrated Guide to Korean Mythology also provides an invaluable reference source for scholars and researchers in the fields of East Asian Mythology and Anthropology, as well as Korean History, Religion and Literature.

Korean Children's Favorite Stories

Korean Children's Favorite Stories
Author: Kim So-Un
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 118
Release: 2012-11-06
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1462908160

This colorfully illustrated multicultural Korean children's book presents Indian fairy tales and other folk stories--providing insight into a rich literary culture. Korean Children's Favorite Stories is a captivating collection of Korean folktales for children which are still being told, just as they have been for generations. Some are Korean-specific, while others echo those told in other countries. Written with wit and pathos, they unveil the inevitable foibles of people everywhere and expose the human-like qualities of animals and the animal-like qualities of humans. Pulsating with the rhythm of life and the seasons, these Korean fables transport the reader to a wonderland where ants talk, a baby rabbit outwits a tiger, a tree fathers a child, and a toad saves a whole village. Korean stories include: The Story Bag The Pheasant, the Dove, and the Magpie The Bridegroom's Shopping The Bad Tiger The Great Flood The Pumpkin Seeds The Grateful Tiger The Three Princesses And more… The Children's Favorite Stories series was created to share the folktales and legends most beloved by children in the East with young readers of all backgrounds in the West. Other multicultural children's books in this series include: Asian Children's Favorite Stories, Indian Children's Favorite Stories, Indonesian Children's Favorite Stories, Japanese Children's Favorite Stories, Singapore Children's Favorite Stories, Filipino Favorite Children's Stories, Favorite Children's Stories from China & Tibet, Chinese Children's Favorite Stories, Balinese Children's Favorite Stories, and Vietnamese Children's Favorite Stories.

Maya and the Turtle

Maya and the Turtle
Author: John C. Stickler
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 54
Release: 2012-09-10
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1462910289

**WINNER OF THE INTERNATIONAL 2013-2014 MORNING CALM MEDAL** This multicultural children's book presents a heartwarming Korean fairy tale about a little girl and a fortunate encounter. Poverty is all Maya has ever known, but she doesn't allow it to stop her from caring for her father, and others, as best she can. Kind and gentle, she is a lovely young girl who always puts others first. One day, she finds a little turtle and takes him home, raising and loving him, never knowing that he will play an instrumental part in her destiny. Similar to The Korean Cinderella, Maya and the Turtle, is an original Korean fairy tale by authors John Stickler and Soma Han that teaches children that the road to greatness lies in selflessness and that the loving kindness of a pure heart can awaken great love and power in another. Beautifully illustrated by Han, this book contains fascinating bits of information about Korean culture and is a poignant tale about the rewards of kindness, patience and courage.

Myths and Legends from Korea

Myths and Legends from Korea
Author: James H. Grayson
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 473
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1136602895

This book contains 175 tales drawn equally from the ancient and modern periods of Korea, plus 16 further tales provided for comparative purposes. Nothing else on this scale or depth is available in any western language. Three broad classes of material are included: foundation myths of ancient states and clans, ancient folktales and legends, modern folktales. Each narrative contains information on its source and provenance, and on its folklore type, similarities to folklore types from China, Japan and elsewhere.

My First Book of Korean Words

My First Book of Korean Words
Author: Kyubyong Park
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 26
Release: 2012-09-10
Genre: Juvenile Nonfiction
ISBN: 1462910300

My First Book of Korean Words is a beautifully illustrated book that introduces young children to Korean language and culture through everyday words. The words profiled in this book are all commonly used in the Korean language and are both informative and fun for English-speaking children to learn. The goals of My First Book of Korean Words are multiple: to familiarize children with the sounds and structure of Korean speech, to introduce core elements of Korean culture, to illustrate the ways in which languages differ in their treatment of everyday sounds and to show how, through cultural importation, a single word can be shared between languages. Both teachers and parents will welcome the book's cultural and linguistic notes, and appreciate how the book is organized in a familiar ABC structure. Each word is presented in Hangeul, as well as in its Romanized form. With the help of this book, we hope more children (and adults) will soon be a part of the nearly 80 million people worldwide that speak Korean!

Land of the Dragon King and Other Korean Stories

Land of the Dragon King and Other Korean Stories
Author:
Publisher: Lincoln Children's Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2008-09-01
Genre: Children's stories
ISBN: 9781845078058

The sea hasn't always been salty, and rabbits haven't always had fluffy tails. How the sea grew salty, pigs got their short snouts and rabbits their fluffy tails is revealed in this sparkling collection of Korean folk stories. Gillian McClure's delightful retellings of well known Korean fables and magic tales will transport younger readers to an eastern world of tigers, rice cakes and persimmons alongside more familiar things - all beautifully illustrated in Gillian's own distinctive style.

Three Korean Fairy Tales

Three Korean Fairy Tales
Author: Kim So-Un
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 81
Release: 2019-10-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1462920942

This multicultural children's book presents a selection of traditional Korean folk tales that are instantly recognizable to Koreans of all ages. These treasured tales are retold by Kim So-un, an eminent storyteller who is a household name in Korea. The illustrations combine modern and traditional Korean art elements and techniques in telling these classic stories. In the Tuttle tradition of bringing beloved stories from other countries to new generations of readers, this book presents the following tales: "The Magic Gem" answers the question why do dogs and cats fight? When the house feline recovers the story's prized title jewel, the family dog bears a grudge that is passed down through the ages. "The Deer and the Woodcutter" follows a merciful man who saves a deer's life and is rewarded with love and luck. When he's turned into a rooster, he expresses his joy each dawn through his loud crowing. "The Tigers of the Kumgang Mountains" concludes the anthology with a cautionary tale about overcoming challenges. A hunter's son sets out for revenge but instead learns that things are not always as they appear, and that persistence and sacrifice hold richer rewards. With Three Korean Fairy Tales, kids and parents alike will learn about Korean culture by experiencing the country's rich storytelling tradition.

Where's Halmoni?

Where's Halmoni?
Author: Julie Kim
Publisher: National Geographic Books
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2017-10-03
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1632170779

“. . . features two young Korean American siblings who take a trip through a magical portal into a land filled with characters from old Korean fables. . . Kim is making a statement about the loss of culture among children of immigrants while also writing a book that returns some of that to them.” —Jay Caspian King, The New York Times Beautifully illustrated and told by debut author Julie Kim, this authentic voices picture book in graphic-novel style follows a young Korean girl and boy whose search for their missing grandmother leads them into a world inspired by Korean folklore, complete with mischievous goblins (dokkebi), a greedy tiger, a clever rabbit, and a wily fox. Two young children pay a visit to Halmoni (grandmother in Korean), only to discover she's not home. As they search for her, noticing animal tracks covering the floor, they discover a window, slightly ajar, new to their grandmother's home. Their curiosity gets the best of them, and they crawl through and discover an unfamiliar fantastical world, and their adventure begins. As they continue to search for their grandmother and solve the mystery of the tracks, they go deeper into a world of Korean folklore, meeting a number of characters who speak in Korean along the way, and learn more about their cultural heritage. This beautifully illustrated graphic picture book is filled with a number of Easter eggs for readers of all ages to discover, and is inspired by the Korean folktales that author and illustrator Julie Kim heard while growing up. Translations to Korean text in the story and more about the folktale-inspired characters are included at the end.

The Legend of Hong Kil Dong

The Legend of Hong Kil Dong
Author: Anne Sibley O'Brien
Publisher: Charlesbridge Publishing
Total Pages: 50
Release: 2008-02-01
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1580893031

In this classic tale from early seventeenth-century Korea, Hong Kil Dong, the son of a powerful minister, is not entitled to a birthright because his mother is a commoner. After studying the martial arts, divination, swordplay, the uses of magic, and the wisdom of the I Ching, the Book of Changes, Hong Kil Dong sets off on a quest for his destiny. He leads a band of men to right the injustices shown to the peasants by some powerful and corrupt merchants, ministers, and monks. Hong Kil Dong can then claim his rightful role and become a wise and just leader. This graphic book captures the drama and pageantry of sixteenth-century Korea during the Chosun dynasty and pays tribute to the adventure story that became the first novel written in the Korean language.

Illustrated Myths from Around the World

Illustrated Myths from Around the World
Author: Usborne Publishing, Limited
Publisher:
Total Pages: 256
Release: 2016-12-01
Genre:
ISBN: 9781409596738

An illustrated collection of myths from all over the world, all retold specially for young readers and beautifully illustrated. The Myths included are: The Children of Lir (Celtic), The Fox Maiden (Japanese), The Origin of the Winds (Inuit/Alaskan), Anansi and the Box of Stories (Ghana/Ashanti), The Cowherd and the Princess (Chinese), The Wall of Asgard (Norse), How the Seasons Came to Be (Greek), Thunder and Lightning (Nigerian), Finn MacCool (Irish/Gaelic), The Fish of Maui (Maori), The Missing Goddess (Egyptian), Fire of the Jaguar (South American/Kayapoo), The Greedy Frog (Tiddalik - Aboriginal), The Race of the Animals (Chinese Zodiac), The Demon and the Goddess (Indian), Ishtar and the Land of the Dead (Mesopotamian/Babylonian), The Sun and the Moon (Korean), The Water Spirit's Gift (Native American).