Multiracial fairy tales?

December 10, 2013 9:13 AM

I am looking for kids books that depict fairies that aren't all white. Sometimes, one can find some variation in hair color - but little in the way of anything that doesn't look classically european. I am mainly looking for books for little kids, Dr. Seuss reading level.
posted by jammy to Media & Arts (8 answers total)

This is a movie, not a book, but it might fit the bill, anyway. And it's totally wonderful: The Adventures of Prince Achmed, by Lotte Reiniger.

Here's the Wikipedia entry on it, and here's the full film on YouTube.
posted by Dr. Wu at 9:29 AM on December 10, 2013

The Disney Fairies seem pretty multicultural/racial from first glance. There are a ton of books, and the books are widely available. (DISNEY)
posted by joelhunt at 10:02 AM on December 10, 2013

If you want "fairy tales" without actual fairies, the Jump at the Sun series features nonwhite main characters in standard fairy tales (Cinderella, Rapunzel, Jack and the Beanstalk).
posted by SeedStitch at 10:04 AM on December 10, 2013

There is an ongoing kickstarter for an indie comic of African fairy tales: Cautionary Fables and Fairy Tales: Africa Edition (I'm a backer of it and I think it'll be really good!)
posted by jillithd at 11:57 AM on December 10, 2013

Adelita by Tomie DePaola (Mexican Cinderella story)
posted by mermily at 12:45 PM on December 10, 2013 [1 favorite]

Would princesses do? There's Princess Grace.
posted by Dansaman at 2:19 PM on December 10, 2013

The Rainbow Fairies easy reader series from Scholastic features multiethnic fairies. They are written at about a 2nd grade level. (There is another Ranbow Fairies series for older kids, too)
posted by Biblio at 4:37 PM on December 10, 2013

The Invisible Princess by Faith Ringgold
posted by bad grammar at 5:21 PM on December 10, 2013