"Carpenter, Frances. Tales of a Korean grandmother; illust. with reproductions from old Korean paintings. Doubleday, c1947. Gr. 4-6. 287p. $3.00
The fifth of the "Grandmother Tales" series. Thirty-two Korean folktales are told within the framework of Korean family life. The stories, told in colloquial style, are interesting although in a few cases, comments of the listeners interrupt the train of thought. The modern quality of the collection is indicated by the concluding pages in which the Grandmother speaks bitterly of the changing customs and the injustices of the Japanese invasion and even contrasts the "cruel Japanese" with the Americans who "gave us back our country." Let us hope that their feeling toward us is really this warm and not American wishful thinking. Miss Carpenter has excellent background to write these books of folklore and foreign culture but supplements her own knowledge with other sources of authority."
Thomson, Jean. "Tales of a Korean Grandmother." Books for Boys and Girls. Toronto:
Toronto Public Libraries, 1954.
"Carpenter, Frances. Tales of a Korean Grandmother. Doubleday, 1947, $3.50. An interesting and
unusual collection. Some of the stories are linked with various festivals, some are legendary,
but the majority follow the familiar folk tale patterns. There is fresh material here for the
story-teller." (p.28)
Children's Catalog
It was included in the 1951 and 1961 Children¢®?s Catalog, but not in the 1966 edition. I am guessing
that it was also included in the 1956 edition, but it could not be located in time to complete this
assignment. The 1951 edition says the following:
Tales of a Korean Grandmother (4-7) 398.2
Contents: The House of Kim; Land of Morning Brightness; Ki Ja's Pottery Hats; Why the Dog and the
Cat Are Not Friends; Sticks and Turnips! Sticks and Turnips!; The Tiger and the Puppy; The
Bird of the Five Virtues; The Blind Man's Daughter; The Man Who Lived a Thousand Years; A Fortune
From a Frog; The Great Fifteenth Day; A Korean Cinderella; The Rabbit that Rode on a Tortoise;
Letters from Heaven; The Mourner Who Sang and the Nun Who Danced; The Ant that Laughed Too Much;
Rice from a Cat's Fur; The Beggar's Friend; The Village of the Pure Queen; A Story for Sale; The
Two Stone Giants; The More and the Miryek; The King's Seventh Daughter; The Woodcutter and the
Old Men of the Mountain; The Good Brother;s Reward; The Pansu and the Stableboy; The Sparrows
and the Flies; Clever Sim Who Would "Squeeze"; The Tiger Hunter and the Mirror; The Rooster
and the Centipede; The Rock of the Falling Flower.
New York Times Advertisement: November 16, 1947
"Frances Carpenter. Tales of a Korean Grandmother. Twenty two folktales, each one an enchanting
mixture of fact, fancy and family life. Illustrated with original Korean paintings. A
distinguished gift book. Up to 12. $3.00"
Horn Book Index
Frances Carpenter is mentioned in the index several times, but it only refers to the volume and
number of the journal. I looked online to see the corresponding year of publication, and it looks
as though her nearest mentions to 1947 occurred in 1940 and 1955, but not anytime in between. I did not
see the actual magazine, but since 1947 is right in the middle of 1940 and 1955, I am assuming that the
Horn Book did not review Tales of a Korean Grandmother.