"A gem of a book, with a collection of 33 tales, many of which have never been written down in English before."  ...Kirin Shah, Good Books Bookstore, Singapore

"The stories really come alive both through the retelling and through the extensive history that’s included…backgrounds that will make them more meaningful both in the retelling and in their study."  ...Dan Keding, Sing Out!

"World Folktales series continues its tradition of careful contextualizing. … chapters on the history and culture of the Indonesian archipelago, buttressed by photos, bibliography, glossary, and notes, give a firm foundation for the 29 stories – 13 from oral sources, 16 from written – that Murti Bunanta has translated."  ...storynet.org

National Storytelling Network

"Indonesian Folktales is worth reading--and keeping--for those who want to broaden their knowledge on traditional Indonesian culture. It is hoped that this kind of literature will reach a wide readership through publishing and literary discussions to preserve Indonesia's heritage. "  ...The Jakarta Post

"Readers will be delighted with such a fresh and interesting collection of tales, many never before published, even in Indonesian. The extra materials enhance the understanding of each story and place it in proper cultural context. Impeccably documented."  ...Story Bag

"As with other volumes in this series, the book begins with valuable information about the country....MacDonald has appended excellent source notes giving background on each tale....There have been few collections of Indonesian folktales readily available. Thanks to Libraries Unlimited for opening a window to traditions little known in the U.S. and countering the often grim headlines from Indonesia"  ...Territorial Tattler

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• Children's Folktale Collections

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Murti Bunanta
Murti Bunanta’s storytelling and children’s literature organization website.