A Wonder Book and Tanglewood Tales, for Girls and Boys
Nathaniel Hawthorne recast the ancient Greek myths for young listeners, and the results possess a peculiar magic that has not faded in nearly two centuries. Eustace Bright serves as the charming narrator, gathering children at Tanglewood and weaving tales where Perseus conquers Medusa, King Midas learns the burden of his golden touch, and Proserpina eats those fateful pomegranate seeds. These are not sanitized fairy tales, Hawthorne preserves the darkness and wonder of the originals while threading them with gentle moral wisdom. His prose has a lilt perfect for reading aloud, mixing humor, danger, and quiet contemplation. The stories feel both ancient and strangely modern, as if told by a gifted uncle around a fire. They are best enjoyed together, read aloud in the fading light of an afternoon.
