Tall Tales Booklist

Really looking forward to our Summer Theme! Here are some of my favorite resources for U.S. Tall Tales. Do you have a book title that is not on this list?

Pro tip: Always check your local library! The call number for Folklore is 398.

Main Text

Heroes, Outlaws & Funny Fellows of American Popular Tales
by Olive Beaupre Miller

list of all the stories that are included

Supplemental Resources for

Southwest Region
7 states (TX, OK, CO, NM, AZ, UT, NV)

States & Capitals List
Texas - Austin
Oklahoma - Oklahoma City
Colorado - Denver
New Mexico - Santa Fe
Arizona - Phoenix
Utah - Salt Lake City
Nevada - Carson City


"Pecos Bill, the Cowboy"


Pecos Bill
retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg


Pecos Bill and Lightning
retold by Leigh Peck


"Finn MacCool, the Greatest of Civil Engineers"


Fin M'Coul: The Giant of Knockmany Hill
retold and illustrated by Tomie dePaola


Finn McCool and the Great Fish
retold by Eve Bunting, illustrated by Zachary Pullen

Midwest Region
10 states (MN, IA, MO, KS, NE, SD, ND, MT, WY, ID)

States & Capitals List
Minnesota - St. Paul
Iowa - Des Moines
Missouri - Jefferson City
Kansas - Topeka
Nebraska - Lincoln
South Dakota - Pierre
North Dakota - Bismarck
Montana - Helena
Wyoming - Cheyenne
Idaho - Boise


"The Sad Story of Febold Feboldson and His Enormous Load of Sand"


Febold Feboldson: Tall Tales from the Great Plains
compiled by Paul Beath


"Big Paul Bunyan and His Blue Ox, Babe"


Paul Bunyan
retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg

Northwest Region
3 states (CA, OR, WA)

States & Capitals List
California - Sacramento
Oregon - Salem
Washington - Olympia


"Paul Bunyan Goes West"

Northeast Region (New England and the Mid-Atlantic)
13 states (ME, NH, VT, MA, RI, CT, NY, NJ, PA, DE, MD, WV, VA)

States & Capitals List
Maine - Augusta
New Hampshire - Concord
Vermont - Montpelier
Massachusetts - Boston
Rhode Island - Providence
Connecticut - Hartford
New York - Albany
New Jersey - Trenton
Pennsylvania - Harrisburg
Delaware - Dover
Maryland - Annapolis
West Virginia - Charleston
Virginia - Richmond


"Old Stormalong"


Stormalong: The Legendary Sea Captain
retold by Eric Metaxas


"John Henry's Contest with the Big Steam Drill"


John Henry
retold by Julius Lester, illustrated by Jerry Pinkney

Southeast Region (Southeast and the Mississippi & Ohio Valleys)
15 states (NC, SC, GA, FL, AL, MI, LA, AR, TN, KY, OH, IN, MI, WI, IL)

States & Capitals List
North Carolina - Raleigh
South Carolina - Columbia
Georgia - Atlanta
Florida - Tallahassee
Alabama - Montgomery
Mississippi - Jackson
Louisiana - Baton Rouge
Arkansas - Little Rock
Tennessee - Nashville
Kentucky - Frankfort
Ohio - Columbus
Indiana - Indianapolis
Michigan - Lansing
Wisconsin - Madison
Illinois - Springfield



Swamp Angel
by Anne Isaacs


"Old Johnny Appleseed"


The Story of Johnny Appleseed
retold and illustrated by Aliki


Johnny Appleseed: The Story of a Legend
retold and illustrated by Will Moses


"Mike Fink and the Outlaws of Cave-in-Rock"


Mike Fink
retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg


Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind Crockett
retold and illustrated by Steven Kellogg

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