The beautiful daughter of a powerful headman refuses every offer of marriage that she receives in this retelling of a Tlingit legend from Alaska, going so far as to tell one suitor that she would sooner marry a frog from the local lake. When a frog prince comes calling, she accompanies him to his underwater home, and is happy for a time. Her grieving father however, learning of her location, threatens war against the frogs if she is not returned, and she finds herself once again amongst her human kin. Although her parents do everything they can to make her happy, she longs for her frog husband and children, and one day she disappears, along with all of the frogs in the lake...

According to the author's note, the narrative in The Frog Princess: a Tlingit Legend from Alaska is adapted from "The Girl Who Was Taken by the Frog People," found in John E. Smelcer's A Cycle of Myths: Indian Myths from Southeast Alaska. The story is fascinating, and reminds me of many such transformation tales the world over, in which a human is absorbed into an animal tribe or community of some kind. The accompanying artwork from Rosanne Litzinger, who also illustrated Koko Nishizuka's The Beckoning Cat: Based on a Japanese Folktale, has a stylized quality that is quite interesting. Recommended to young folklore enthusiasts, and to readers interested in the Tlingit culture and stories. ( )

This folklore is about the daughter of the Headsman who does not wish to abide by assigned marriage by her mother and father. She had no interest is pursuing marriages with any of the gentleman that confronted her, as she stated that she would rather marry a frog. One night, a young gentleman arrives at her home and takes her to lake, where the Frog People accept her into their family, and the daughter decides to start a new life with a husband of the Frog People. After a grueling search by the Headsman and the town people, a funeral was held for his daughter. Eventually, a villager realizes the daughter is living with the Frog People and tells the headsman right away, and they bring their daughter home. The Headsman and his wife attempt to persuade their daughter that they will find her the perfect husband, which leads her to escape for a second time, where she ends up as a frog in another lake, happily married with children and her Frog People family. This is an entertaining story that can be read to young readers, since fifth grade and older reading levels would able to read it themselves. I think this story can lead to essential discussion about fighting for what you want. With older students, the controversial topic of arranged marriage can be discussed as well. ( )

This was definitely a weird book in my opinion, however, I think kids would love it. You have to have a great deal of imagination to get into this book, which I believe is something I lacked, causing me to dislike it. I also feel that the ending was sort of abrupt; I had thought the book had much longer left when I got to the last page. ( )

Folklore
Age Appropriateness: intermediate, secondary
Media: Opaque and transparent watercolors on watercolor paper
This book is about a young women who is the headsman daughter and lives in Tlingit village. It is time for her to marry a man of wealth and power. All week there are gentlemen that come to her house, but she is not impressed and instead tells them she would rather marry a frog. One night she gets a knock on her door from a young man. This young man takes her to her new home underwater where the frog people live. She lives there until her dad finally finds her and takes her home. But when she is home she is sad and angry at her father for taking her away from her frog husband and frog children. In the end she goes back to live with the frog people who make her happy.
This is a good folklore because the author allows readers to see that wealth and power can be a good thing but that sometimes it can be a struggle. And the author draws kids into reading this Folklore because they are making what the young headsman daughter go through real and allow the kids to see humanity as what it is and see royal family and good or evil.

The headman of the village was wealthy and powerful and his beautiful daughter was noticed by many men. They all hoped to make her their bride. She turned down every single one. She claims she would rather marry a frog. Then she meets a man with bulging eyes and long fingers and he takes her to the bottom of the lake and marries him. She leaves her family and the frog people become her people. Her father was furious but the frog people did not want war. His daughter is happy with the frog people. This book shows me and I'm sure will teach children that you have to do what makes you happy no matter what people say. The pictures in this book are creative. Very good book. ( )