A well-curated collection of folkloric tales - I enjoyed reading these retellings by Crossley-Holland. Most of the stories were knew to me ; the tales had a fable-istic flavour. The collection is one that can be read in piece meal fashions - the tales are short and no need to worry about reading them in order. I appreciate the work the author has put into this collection and would recommend this book as a way to begin one's exploration of GB and IE folklore.

Some tales were better than others. Seems like it’s for research or adults. While a few were recognizable I didn’t know many. At times the tales were so short they didn’t seem worth telling. I’d only recommend this to lovers of traditional stories.

This compilation of gathered tales from Britain and Ireland was completely captivating. I was engrossed from the start by the voices in each story. There was such an enchanting variety! My heart lifted, my stomach turned from the imagery and/or ached from laughter, and my logical brain began believing in myths and legends.

I was cast into each setting with a firm and clever hand. From dreary roads and spooky graveyards to taverns and cottages, from the realm of fairies to the castles of giants...I could go on and on. Each story's end is the crook of a finger, beckoning you to read juuuuuust one more. The cast of characters is large and the stories range from long and complete, to shorter tales that feel more like snippets of a delightful inside joke or the wink of a fairy. The unique story voices, the humor (often a bit macabre), and the nods to morality reminded me of stories in a similar title, the Yeats-edited, Fairy & Folk Tales of Ireland.

This is a large collection of short, simple and lesser-known folk tales originating form Ireland and Britain. The illustration add some interest to the tales which I think is needed for many of them. Though they are very well told, my thoughts for most of them can be summed up with the thought that there is a usually a reason something is "lesser-known."

A magnificent and masterful collection of fifty rich and magical folktales from across Britain and Ireland.

Crossley-Holland's lyrical and concise writing have given these tales, many of which I'd never heard of, a refreshing new life, and have been beautifully reimagined and retold for a generation of new readers both young and old.

Whilst at times dark and eerie, and then funny and wild, no two tales are the same, and accompanied with earthly illustrations from Frances Castle, Between Worlds, makes for perfect bedtime reading.

Between the Worlds, compiled by Kevin Crossley-Holland, features a wide variety of folktales from Britain and Ireland. Like most readers, I generally skip right past the Foreword but I am so glad I read this one! The author provides some fascinating background history on the origin of folktales and the reasons Europeans began to write them down.

Following the Foreword, readers will find a pronunciation guide to help them navigate some of the archaic and regional vocabulary. The book has tales organized within the following categories:

*Magic and Wonder
*Adventure and Legends
*Fairies and Little People
*Power, Passion, and Love
*Wits, Tricks, and Laughter
*Ghosts

Most of the tales were totally unfamiliar to me. I was very grateful that the author included end notes with some explanation of the origin of the tale and insight into the meaning of some. The book offers an interesting glimpse into times long past and how previous generations viewed the world. The title is well chosen as the tales have an "other worldly" quality.

And don't miss out on the Afterword. The author finishes off the book with a very entertaining admonition, "Why Everyone Needs to Be Able to Tell a Story." Storytelling has certainly become a lost art and hopefully Between the Worlds will help foster a renewed interest in the telling and sharing of tales.

Because many tales are rather odd, and some a bit disturbing, I would recommend these tales for middle grades and above. I encourage parents to pre-read the volume and find some appropriate selections to enjoy reading aloud as a family. Between Worlds will be available October 8, 2019--giving you plenty of time to grab copies for Christmas gift-giving.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of Between Worlds for the purpose of review. No other compensation was received.

I received an ARC of this book thanks to Net Galley and publisher Candlewick Press in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything I hoped for and more. It is essentially a collection of very readable fairy/folktales, most of which I hadn't heard of before and I thoroughly enjoyed. They are told in such a way that both children and adults can appreciate them and they all run a really good length so you can binge several of them at once. I can't really say much about this collection. If you enjoy reading fairy/folktales, this is a brilliant way to get to know some of the less-common ones. I am British but haven't read much about Irish folktales before so this collection was very fresh to me. The writing style is typical of those found in folktale collections and I would recommend checking this one out if you have an interest in the subject matter.

Overall Rating: 4/5

A very enjoyable read. Each folktale is short, which made this quick and easy to read in a couple of sittings.

Kevin Crossley-Holland's Between Worlds provides 48 tales from Britain and Ireland, broken into five sections (Magic and Wonder, Adventures and Legends, Fairies and Little People, Power, Passion, and Love and Wits, Tricks, and Laughter). It's a great addition for readers of the genre, whose knowledge of folktales might just be the Brothers Grimm (or Disney!). You'll probably recognize a story or two here as well, for example, "The Small-Tooth Dog," which is a twist on Beauty and the Beast.

Crossley's writing is crisp and clear. These retellings are perfect for the middle grade target audience, but adults will enjoy this just as much. I can also see this being great in a classroom.

A pronunciation guide and source list are very helpful, though I may have liked the sources for each section with those pages, rather than the entirety at the end of the book as a whole.

Lovely illustrations by Frances Castle and the cover is beautiful.

Thank you to NetGalley and Candlewick Press for this review copy. It's another solid selection from this publisher.

I loved this collection! The included folktales are strange and dark. There is so much wit and humor. I found the stories to be incredibly entertaining. The illustrations complement the stories perfectly.

If you are looking for a step back in time, and a "cannot put this book down" then you need to check this one out! I LOVED it! There are some great tales and stories, and each one takes you down a different path. It was amazing.

As a history teacher, I loved reading this, as I can recommend this book to my students! I will be blasting this one on social media to as "the must-read book for Fall."

This book is a great collection of folk tales. Full of wild and weird and lovely stories, it's an example of the fascinating tales that were passed down orally for generations. The black and white drawings are fantastic and add to the whole appeal of the book.

I loved the scary (more like spooky) stories in this book. You could use this as a read-aloud for elementary grades on up through the middle school ages. Some of the stories were familiar to me, but many were new. I'd also pair it with any fairy tale units or reading challenges that require a book from 398.2

This is a very entertaining collection of folktales retold in a slightly different way for today's young readers. Crossley-Holland did a great job at selecting a wide range of stories to include and compiled them into sections that allow readers to read ones that fit their interests first.

Thank you NetGalley and Candlewick Press for the opportunity to read an advance reader copy.

No one tells the stories of the United Kingdom as well as Kevin Crossley Holland. His knowledge of the folklore, fairytales, and general lore of the region would probably only be surpassed by Katherine Briggs and she’s been dead for almost 30 years.

Crossley Holland tells some new stories, and puts a shine on old ones, all wrapped up in his trademark lyrical and saucy text. Storytellers will especially love this.

I received an advance galley of this book through NetGalley.

The author, Kevin Crossley-Holland, mentions at the end that his intent with this collection was to take old tales and re-clothe them in clean, bright, direct language. He succeeded. The collection flows between England and Ireland and all around the isles, and includes tales unfamiliar and familiar. His takes are entertaining and feature men and women and fairies and specters. The end of the book was a special delight for a research geek like me: he cites his sources and mentions the specific classic stories he drew from and why and how he changed them. The original stories were published throughout the 19th century and into the very early 20th.

This would be a great book to read aloud to children, but as an adult I found it to be quite enjoyable.

Forty-eight folk and fairy tales from Britain and Ireland; some you've heard before, most will be new to you. The tales are organized by Magic and Wonder; Adventures and Legends; Power, Passion, and Love; Wits, Tricks, and Laughter; and Ghosts. This is a wonderful tome for your fantasy and fairy/folk tale collections; especially, if, like me, you love having a collection of tales from all over the world. Some are short enough to read aloud, others are longer and invite readers to sit down, have a nice cup of hot chocolate, and imagine a storyteller leading you back through time for  stories about fairy rings, boggarts, and changelings. Frances Castle's stark black-and-white illustrations set a mood for each story and each section. An afterword on "Why Everyone Needs to Be Able to Tell a Story" is told as a final folktale, infusing the entire volume with a bit of magic. Comprehensive source notes identify each story's source(s) and original titles, if any.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with this, in exchange for my honest opinion. This will be available to purchase on October 8th.

This is the sort of book I love. I’m a huge fan of fairy stories and folktales, especially those from Ireland. They’re rich and magical. So, I went into this with the expectation that I’d enjoy it. And I did, indeed.

This is a very well-rounded collection. There were some stories that I’d already heard versions of, such as Tom-Tit-Tom, but also many that I hadn’t. The book was divided into different sections, based on the type of story was being told. For example, one section was devoted to Tricksters and Fools.

This book had it all. I’m a sucker for fairies, and there were fairies galore. And changelings; boggarts; giants! Everything my fantasy-loving heart could desire. They were told with great care taken to ensure the integrity of the way the stories were originally told. It was wonderful. I was reminded of the stories I read when I was young that made me fall in love with fantasy of all kind.

If you enjoy fairy tales, or fantasy of any kind, this is one to add to your collection.

This is a fascinating collection of lesser known folk and fairy tales, with a few better known ones thrown in for spice. Crossley-Holland uses a variety of narrative voices and styles, which helps to situate each story in its local setting, and all are compulsively readable. The choice of tales doesn't veer away from the macabre or dark sides of folklore, which is always nice to see, and this means that though the book may be a little dark for the youngest readers, it is well-suited to an adult audience as well as children. A well-thought out and well presented collection of tales.

Kevin Crossley-Holland has a gift with this kind of title. There's no denying it. This one stands among his best, a wonderful selection of folk takes from the British Isles, retold in his signature style. This will make a wonderful gift for anyone and find a home on any bookshelf. Just wonderful.

this is a superlative collection of "olden days"-type folklore and fairy tales. With a range of settings and characters, this is a must-read for lovers of high fantasy and elven folklore.