Tales, Rumors, and Gossip - Exploring Contemporary Folk Literature in Grades 7-12

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.

About the author

Gail de Vos is an adjunct professor at the School of Library and Information Studies, University of Alberta, Edmonton, where she teaches courses in storytelling and children's/young adult literature. She is also a storyteller, consultant, and author and co-author of several Libraries Unlimited storytelling books (e.g., Storytelling for Young Adults, Tales, Rumors and Gossip, New Tales for Old, and Tales Then and Now).

Product details

• Authors: Gail de Vos, Gail de Vos
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Age Recommendation: ages 7 to 17
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 15.04.1996
• EAN: 9781563081903
• ISBN: 978-1-56308-190-3
• No. of pages: 426
• Weight: 822 g
• Subjects: Children's and young people's books > Non-fiction books / Non-fiction picture books > Miscellaneous; English, SOCIAL SCIENCE / Folklore & Mythology, YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Literary Criticism & Collections, YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Social Science / Sociology, Folklore, myths & legends, Children’s / Teenage general interest: Information resources, Libraries, museums, schools (Children's / Teenage), Educational: English Literature, YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Religion / General, Educational: Citizenship and social education, Educational: First / native language: Literature studies, Educational: Citizenship & social education, YOUNG ADULT NONFICTION / Books & Libraries, Folklore studies / Study of myth (mythology), Educational: Religious studies