A Knock at the Door

It's the original children's suspense tale! Thirty-four English-language stories from many different cultures (and one Spanish-language tale from Mexico) all share a common theme: a dangerous character knocks at the door and pretends to be a familiar, protective family member or friend to those inside who have been warned not to open the door to strangers. But the door is opened, and there the adventures begin. These folktales include a wide range of narrative twists and diversity of tone. They come from Europe, Asia, Africa, India, and sections of the Americas. Supplementary materials examine the many approaches to illustrating A Knock at the Door and provide information on how to link the cultural context of a tale to an audience's interests.