School Library Journal
The trickster is a universal folklore archetype found in almost every culture, and Sherman takes readers on a whirlwind tour with these 40 tales. Globe-hopping, she visits Germany for the tale of "Tyl Eulenspiegel and the Wager," stops in India for "The Two Tricksters," and goes on to Hawaii for "The Snaring of the Sun." She also makes a short visit with Coyote in North America. Other tricksters included are the leshy, a supernatural creature from Eastern Europe/Russia; Anansi the Spider, from Ghana; and a very clever human, Pedro de Urdemalas, a character from Mexico. These stories are retold in a succinct two-to-three page format. Clear notes examine the folk motifs. Storytellers will be delighted to have this volume with its six-page bibliography at their finger tips. Lisa Von Drasek, Brooklyn Public Library