An Ocean Full of Stories 50 Folktales and Legends from Around the World

by McAllister, Angela; Agar, Sally

• ISBN13: 9780711295902
• ISBN10: 0711295905
• eBook ISBN(s): 9780711295919
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2025-05-20
• Publisher: Frances Lincoln Children's Books
• More Book Details

Summary

Sit back, get comfortable and dive into this illustrated collection of folk stories from every corner of the globe, all inspired by water ways big and small.

From the bubbling source of a river and the gentle pitter patter of rain to the powerful crashing waves of a storm and the murky depths of the oceans, this is a rich resource of folk tales old and new.

Featuring stories of mermaids; ocean gods; magical fish and majestic dragons, there is something for everyone in this collection of tales inspired by watery worlds.

Expertly retold by the award-winning Angela McAllister, each story is brought to life with rich and detailed illustrations by Sally Agar that will capture imaginations and transport readers to water ways across the world. For story lovers young and old this is the perfect gift for all the family and ocean lovers everywhere.

Stories include:
Colapesce (Italy)
The Cat and the Dog (Korea)
The Land That Went to Sea (Fiji)
Thor’s Fishing Trip (Norway)
Dragon Lake (Romania)
The Selkie and the Otter King (Scotland)
The Fish-Peri (Turkey)
The Siren (France)
Tambanokano (Phillippines)
Why the Crocodile Has a Wide Mouth (North America)

The World Full of… series is a collection of beautiful hardback story treasuries. Discover folktales from all around the world with these stunning gift books, the perfect addition to any child’s library.

Also available from the series: A Year Full of Stories, A World Full of Animal Stories, A Stage Full of Shakespeare Stories, A World Full of Dickens Stories, A Year Full of Celebrations and Festivals, A Bedtime Full of Stories, A World Full of Spooky Stories and A World Full of Winter Stories.

Author Biography

Angela McAllister took a degree in Humanities at Middlesex College before becoming a children's book author. To date, she has written more than 80 books for children, including Frances Lincoln Children's best-selling titles A Year Full of Stories and A World Full of Animal Stories.

Sally Agar is an illustrator and designer from North Yorkshire, UK. She spent the first ten years of her career living in Sweden, working as a print designer in the fashion industry. She is the illustrator of Alexander von Humboldt in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series and loves working with color, texture, and pattern to bring spark and energy to her work.

Table of Contents

FISHY TALES
Colapesce (Italy) 
The Lost Fisherman (England) 
The Deceitful Pelican (Malay Peninsula) 
The Monstrous Pike (Russia) 
The Swordfish (Singapore) 
The Magic Mackerel (England) 
The Fisherman and his Wife (Germany) 
Hippo's Promise (South Africa) 
Crossing the Water
How the Animals Came to Australia (Australia) 
Tiggak the Sorcerer (Inuit) 
The Cat and the Dog (Korea) 
The Land that Went to Sea (Fiji) 
The Mermaid and the Apples (Isle of Man) 
Thor's Fishing Trip (Norway) 
Dionysus and the Pirates (Greece)
Pools, lakes, and rivers
The Hare, the Tortoise, and the Fish (South Africa) 
Dragon Lake (Romania) 
Sina and the Eel (Samoa) 
The Wild Waves of the Sea (Sweden) 
The Twin Lakes (Portugal) 
Why River Waters are Never Still (North America) 
The Four Dragons (China) 
Echo and Narcissus (Greece) 
The Water Lily (Brazil) 
The Talking Fish (China) 
Yanachek and the Water Demon (Czechia) 
The Bended Rocks (North America, Seneca) 
TRICKS AND TRIALS
Why the Sea is Salty (Japan) 
The Alligator and the Jackal (India) 
The Selkie and the Otter King (Scotland)
The Fox and the Fleas (Europe) 
The Octopus and the Whale (Micronesia) 
Anansi’s Fishing Trip (Ghana) 
The Girl Fish (Spain) 
Pu-nia, King of the Sharks (Hawaii) 
Ocean Gods and Water Spirits
Why the Crocodile has a Wide Mouth (North America) 
The Sea King's Gift (Finland) 
The Fisherman and the Genie (Asia) 
The Two Serpents (Chile) 
The Fish-Peri (Turkey) 
The Music of the Sea (Finland)
BESIDE THE SEA, BENEATH THE WAVES
The Siren (France) 
The Shemi Wâd and the Seagulls (Wales) 
Maui and the Great Fish (New Zealand) 
The Merman (Iceland) 
The Sea, the Fox, and the Wolf (India) 
Turtle's Island (Papua New Guinea) 
The City Under the Sea (North America) 
The Forbidden Knot (Estonia) 
Tambanokano (Philippines) 
APPENDIX
Sources