Name: CHEC Rocky Mountain Homeschool Conference
Start: 2025-06-12T00:00:00-05:00
End: 2025-06-14T23:59:59-05:00
Location: Denver, CO

Tagged: fifty famous stories, German, literature

This topic has 4 replies, 4 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 3 months ago by Christine Kaiser.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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February 25, 2011 at 4:16 am
Christine Kaiser
Participant
I was wondering why the Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales are not on the booklist. I even lurked in the AO reading list and can’t find it there either. I am German and thought it would be great to read the Fairy Tales in German as part of our “Foreign Language” lessons. My kids (5 and 6 when we start this summer) understand quiet a bit of german but speak it little to none. In Germany children get introduced to the Grimm Fairy Tales in a very early age.
Do you think there should be any objections to reading the Grimm Fairy Tales?
February 25, 2011 at 4:24 am
missingtheshire
Member
My mum was German as well, and I too grew up on the Grimm Fairy Tales in English and in German. I personally do not have a problem with them and find them delightful, however I do know that some people do prefer to avoid the fairy tales and things that are not real in nature and that is their choice. If you enjoy the tales then i would go ahead and enjoy them with your children and it would be a good way to have them hear the spoken word. We all enjoyed them when the girls were young and I much prefer the original tales than I do the modern versions. I am of the belief that we all need to do what we are comfortable doing when it comes to choosing material, some will enjoy fairy tales and some prefer not to include them – both are fine – we are all different and have differing views, no answer is right for everyone – you know what is right for you. Linda
February 25, 2011 at 4:35 am
missceegee
Participant
We enjoy the Grimm tales, in an English translation, since we don’t speak German. If you enjoy them, go for it! If you come to something you find objectionable, edit as you go, no big deal. ~ Christie
February 25, 2011 at 11:43 pm
Rachel White
Participant
We enjoy the Tales, too; though at a later age. Mine are 9 and 10 and I am introducing them now. Isn’t the history of Grimm’s tales that they were for a more mature audience?
Mine have enjoyed complete tales of H.C. Anderson and a collection of Charles Perrault (you know-Blackbeard-that was creepy), some Irish tales (I have to draw a line w/some of the more extremely supernatural ones), Arabian Nights, and those of others in our old versions of children’s story collections. We consider Folk and Fairy Tales a good reflection of a culture and important in our learning about the history of a particular people of country (not to mention, much enjoyment of many stories, regardless of historical contextual learning!).
I, too, say go ahead at what age you deem them appropriate for your children.
Rachel
February 26, 2011 at 4:05 am
Christine Kaiser
Participant
Thank you so much for your feedback:). I am just in my prep phase for starting HS this summer and sometimes I just feel so overwhelmed and confused and afraid of “making a mistake” probably for no reason.
I agree I would not want to use a twaddled Disney version and plan to stick with the original print. They are a significant contribution and part of German literature. That said it brings up the question if I should do them in year 1. It is true that a lot of the hundereds of fairytales and legends are not for young children’s ears but the Brothers Grimm actually put an edition together with 50 selected stories especially for children called: “Kinder-und Hausmaerchen;Kleine Ausgabe”. I was wondering more about the “old language” used in the original books and if it may be to hard to understand for a young child. Guess I will get the book and then decide what year to use it:)
Thank you all again:)