Gr 3 Up-Some of the stories included here are well known, such as "The Wise Fools of Gotham" (England) and "Seven Foolish Fishermen" (France), while others, like "When Giuf. Guarded the Goldsmith's Door" (Italy), will probably be new to most youngsters. In the introduction, the authors explain the popularity of noodlehead tales around the world, and the fact that the same story is often found in more than one tradition. Tellers are also warned to be careful about using derogatory terms such as "dumb" or "stupid" to describe the fool, numbskull, or knucklehead. The selections are very short (none are more than two pages long, some are less than one), which makes them easy for the youngest, most inexperienced storytellers to perform. The fact that they are funny is a bonus: most kids love reading, telling, and listening to amusing stories. A short note about the tale as well as tips for telling it follow each piece. The authors also include ideas on how to choose a story and learn it, along with some basic guidelines for presenting it.

There are also ideas for follow-up activities and source notes. Humorous black-and-white sketches appear throughout. A good storytelling tool for children.