Stories, Books, and Websites on Fairness

Folktales that in some way touch on fairness: Sue Black www.sue-black.com

Emperor's New Clothes http://deoxy.org/emperors.htm -- folks who cannot see the beautiful cloth: "But that's not fair! I'm very good at my job."
 
King Log/King Stork, Aesop  http://www.pagebypagebooks.com/Aesop/Aesops_Fables/The_Frogs_Desiring_a_King_p1.html -- old bull frogs complain it isn't fair that the young frogs play all day
 
Lazy Jack http://www.rickwalton.com/folktale/jacoba27.htm -- "Son, you've got to do your fair share around here. Now tomorrow you go out and get another job, and this time put your pay in ...."
 
Three Billy Goats Gruff  http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0122e.html#gruff   -- Troll: "You can't cross my bridge; it's mine, all mine." Goats: "But that's not fair!"
 
Brementown Musicians  http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm027.html -- robbers wanted their fair share. animals divided food and money fair and square.
 
Cinderella http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/type0510a.html -- it wasn't fair, the mice were the first to notice: the jobs, no ball, no carriage, no dress, hiding in the attic when the prince came
 
Why Frog and Snake Never Play Together  http://kaleidosthoughts2.blogspot.com/2005/10/why-frog-and-snake-never-play-together.html Is it fair that Frog and Snake can't play together?
 
The Horned Animals' Party  http://www.motherlandnigeria.com/stories/horned_animals_only.html  - Also found in Holt and Mooney Ready to Tell Tales -- only animals with horns invited
 
The Monster in Rabbit's House -- http://articles.latimes.com/2003/feb/05/entertainment/et-story5 "That's not fair! You can't be in there!"
 
Lion and the Mouse - http://www.longlongtimeago.com/llta_fables_lionmouse.html  - "You let me go and I'll help you some day."
 
Little Red Hen http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Little_Red_Hen -- doing your fair share
 
Turtle Who Had No Hair -- snuck into the kitchen to take more than his fair share and as a result, lost his hair
 
What Made Tiddalick Laugh http://www.jbarnstable.org/ftcyber/tiddalick/index.html -- frog took all the water and wouldn't share
 
 

COLLECTIONS OF FOLKTALES

• Bringing Out Their Best: Values Education and Character Development through Traditional Tales
  Livo, Norma J.
• Wise Magistrate Stories - list on SOS site includes references for Judge Ooka
• The Purse of Gold - a Jewish folktale
• Stories to Grow By - Justice (Ages 6-12)
• Fair is Fair: World Folktales of Justice by Sharon Creeden
• Birbal Stories (also called "Akbar-Birvbal Stories are very famous and popular in India among all ages of people.

           http://www.english-for-students.com/Birbal-Stories.html  (on line)

• My favorite source for justice stories is The Cow of No Color: Riddle Stories and Justice Tales from Around the World by Nina Jaffe and Steve Zeitlin. My favorite story from that is "The Water Pot and the Necklace". It's about a girl who gives her friend a broken water pot to use as a collar to protect a tiny kola tree that she has planted. When the tree bears fruit and the friend makes money, the girl decides she wants the pot back. The friend had given the girl's baby daughter a necklace with no clasp. Once the little girl grew into it, there was no way to remove it, and yet the friend says she wants it back. They have to go to a judge to have the case decided. It's sort of like the King Solomon story with the 2 women who claim to be the mother of the same baby.
  Joanne Piazzi, storyteller
  Host, StoryHome Storytelling Center
  Rochester, NH

BOOKS and BOOK LISTS

Oak Terrace - List of books dealing with Fairness issues concerning children (k-6th)

United Way of Marin County book list on Fairness

The following list of books is from Character Counts:

Bonsall, C         Case of the Double-Cross    Young girl upset at "no girls allowed" sign

Brandenberg, F. Nice New Neighbors           The Fieldmouse children find a way to make new friends when they move to a new house

Bunting, E        The Wall                             A Boy and his father visit the Vietnam Wall and discuss the fairness of losing someone in war

Christopher, M   Fox Steals Home                 Bobby just makes a name for himself stealing bases, when family must move

Clifton, L.         Everett Anderson’s Friend    Everett loses his key, but makes a new friend with his neighbor

Cohen, B.         Thank You, Jackie Robinson A Jewish boy and African American share their love of baseball and Jackie Robinson

Henkes, K.        Lily's Purple Purse               Teacher takes away purse and Lily thinks it's unfair.

Hoban, L.         Arthur’s Penpal                    Arthur's sister thinks it's not fair when he finds a new friend

Lester, H.         It Wasn't My Fault                Murdley Gurdson suddenly has an egg laid on his head. The bird claims "it wasn't my fault...". 

Lucado, M.       You Are Special                   This book shows how freedom for us comes by not being enslaved to the opinions of others

VIDEOS, RESOURCE BOOKS AND MAGAZINE ARTICLE

• Charley Chimp's Fairness Jungle  Resource book and activities (3 t0 6 yr olds) from Quiet Impact
• "Fairness" video - part of a series featuring Popcorn Park Puppets provided thru Character Counts (elem)
• Fairness/Justice Video - part of a series called "In Search of Character: thru Character Counts (7th-high school)
• Children Struggle with the Idea of Fairness - article in Cape Cod Times with interesting insights.

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