Tall Tales
Tall talk, or exaggerated storytelling, began in the 1800s as a way for Americans to come to terms with the vast and inhospitable lands they’d come to inhabit – thick, dark forests filled with bears and panthers; treeless, arid deserts and plains; towering mountains; and uncharted seacoasts. The heroes and heroines of the tales were like the land itself – gigantic, extravagant, restless, and flamboyant. Their exaggerated feats of courage and endurance helped the backwoodsman face the overwhelming task of developing such a land.
--American Tall Tales, by Mary Pope Osborne, 1991.
--American Tall Tales, by Mary Pope Osborne, 1991.
Discovering one's identity is such an important thing in the development of a child. This is why it is important for children to know the stories of their home. Loving them certainly is not required, but they do not even have the chance to love the stories if they're unaware of them. I have compiled a group of tall tale heroes that are not often talked about, but very deserving of attention. The purpose of this site is to give librarians, educators, or even parents or children a jumping off point in the education about the tall tale heroes who have become obscured. Included are book suggestions, reviews, links to amazon, and other interesting supplemental resources that can be easily reached by sites like youtube.com or americanfolktale.net. It is by no means comprehensive, and I would like to develop it in the future.