Fairy tales are a profound force of storytelling, extending far beyond the nursery into film, advertising, novels, politics, propaganda, music, and more. Folklorists Sara Cleto and Brittany Warman explore the two intertwining branches of these tales: traditional folkloric fairy tales and literary fairy tales.

They share traditional tales collected orally, moving from the well-known text of the Brothers Grimm to less-familiar stories from collectors around the world, and literary tales, examining creators from 17th-century Madame d'Aulnoy to 19th-century Oscar Wilde to 20th-century Angela Carter and beyond. These stories are powerful: Both overlooked and omnipresent, they shape many aspects of our culture while flying under the radar. Taking them seriously can be rewarding—and fun too!

Cleto and Warman, former instructors of folklore and literature at Ohio State University and co-founders of the Carterhaugh School of Folklore and the Fantastic, lead a journey through the strange and marvelous world of the wonder tales, concentrating on their complex history and incredible staying power.

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