Country List of All Figures/Dolls

Click a country or story title to access photos, stories, maps and flags related to the culture. The stories include national folktales, legends, fictional stories, and biographies. The multicultural stories are short, and the reading levels are clearly indicated. These resources may be freely used in schools and education settings. To play a game, click the Games icon at the top for a link to cultural activities.


Country Story Title
Afghanistan Afghanistan, a Country of Veils and Victims: Life for Girls and Women
Antigua Cruising around Antigua Island: A Caribbean Paradise
Argentina Gauchos and Chinas: The Cowboys and Cowgirls of Rural Argentina
Armenia Storks in Armenia: Stork Girls Working with Nest Neighbors to Study the Birds
Australia A Visit with an Australian Swagman and His Cattle Dog
Austria The Story of Mozart's Childhood: Music by Mozart
Azerbaijan Mariya Stadnik: Inspiring Girls to Excel in Women's Freestyle Wrestling
Bahamas The Cricket Match: A National Pastime in the Bahamas
Bahamas Wild Boar and Lusca: Real and Legendary Animals of the Bahamas
Bahamas Pirates in the Caribbean: Fun Making Movies in the Bahamas
Barbados Making Steel Drums in Barbados
Barbados George Washington Visits Barbados
Belarus Radiation, Relocation and Rejection: How Chernobyl Changed My Life
Belgium The Legend of Lace Making in Belgium
Belize The Sisimite Creatures of Belize: A Story by my Maya Grandfather
Belize Garifuna Settlement Day: Celebrating the Arrival of the "Black Caribs"
Bermuda True Story of Mary Prince: A West Indian Slave
Bermuda Mark Twain Visits Bermuda: Paradise in the Atlantic Ocean
Bolivia Working at Salar de Uyuni: The Largest Salt Flat in the World
Brazil The Story of Carmen Miranda: The Lady in the Tutti-Frutti Hat
British Virgin Islands Harvesting Salt in BVI: Salt Island in the Caribbean
Cameroon African Baka Pygmies: People Who Hunt and Gather in Forests
Canada: Alberta Ice Hockey: Canada's National Sport
Canada: New Brunswick A Poem About a Canadian Log Drive: "Logging on Colter's Crew"
Canada: Nova Scotia Titanic Disaster and Rescue Efforts
Canada: Nova Scotia The Secrets of Oak Island: An Expensive Treasure Hunt
Canada: Nunavut Living in Nunavut: Cold, Dark, Treeless Wonderland in Northern Canada
Canada: Prince Edward Island The Story of Anne of Green Gables: A Children's Book from Canada
Canada: Prince Edward Island A Prince Edward Island Ghost Story: Tolling of the Bell
Canada: Quebec Hunters and Trappers in Quebec: A Marriage of French and First Nations
Canada: Saskatchewan Straw Figures Made with Saskatchewan Wheat
Cayman Islands Cayman Island Attractions: Swim with Stingrays and Visit Turtle Farm
China The Emperor's Daughter: A Story of Life in the Forbidden City
China The Story of Ashima: A Chinese Legend of Love
Colombia Life and Bats in the Andes Mountains
Congo, Democratic Republic Orchestre Symphonique Kimbanguiste: Famous Orchestra of the Democratic Republic of Congo
Costa Rica The "Magic Coffee Beans" Story (Mercado Central in San Jose)
Croatia Chess in Croatia: The Legend of the Chessboard on the Croatian Flag
Cuba A Donkey Named Perico: A Cuban Legend
Cyprus Honesty and the Golden Axe: The Greek Version of Aesop's Fable
Czech Republic Prague: Famous Clock, Castle, and Rescue under the Charles Bridge
Ecuador Anchua Tribe in Ecuador Amazon Forest vs. the Big Oil Companies
Egypt Moses and the Ten Commandments: Rules That Make Us Better People
England: United Kingdom The Story of Henry VIII: The English King Who Longed for a Son
England: United Kingdom Catherine of Aragon: 1st Wife of King Henry VIII; Mother of Queen Mary I
England: United Kingdom Anne Boleyn: 2nd Wife of King Henry VIII; Mother of Queen Elizabeth I
England: United Kingdom Jane Seymour: 3rd Wife of King Henry VIII; Mother of King Edward VI
England: United Kingdom Anne of Cleves: 4th Wife of King Henry VIII (the "Ugly Wife")
England: United Kingdom Katherine Howard: 5th Wife of King Henry VIII (his "Rose without a Thorn")
England: United Kingdom Katherine Parr: 6th Wife of King Henry VIII (the "Last Wife")
England: United Kingdom The Story of Sir Winston Churchill: Britain's Bulldog, Coach and Leader
England: United Kingdom The Story of Diana Princess of Wales: The People's Princess
Estonia The Maiden of the Milky Way: An Estonian Folktale
Finland Aino's Story: From Finnish Mythology
France Gustavo Eiffel and the Eiffel Tower: Conflict, Critics, and Creative Genius
Germany Brothers Grimm: Publishers of Hansel & Gretel and Grimm's Fairy Tales
Greece The Story of Socrates: A Great Teacher
Grenada Spice Island: Leaper's Hill and Tourists
Guadeloupe Slave Trade on the Butterfly Island of Guadeloupe in the French Caribbean
Guatemala Mayan Story: The Rabbit & the Coyote
Haiti My Daughter's Decision to Stay in Haiti
Honduras Catching Rabbits for Dinner
Honduras Chocolate Farming with Cacao Trees
Hungary An Hungarian Folk Tale: It's Not True
India The Story of Gandhi: Father of India
India Traditions of a Hindu Wedding
India Amber Fort Palace: Hall of Mirrors
India The Story of Rama & Sita from the Hindu Epic, Ramayana
India Wild Elephants in India: A Revered Animal to Hindus and Buddhists
Indonesia The Independence Day Celebration: Freedom from The Netherlands
Iran Living in Masouleh, Iran: The Mountain Village Built on Rooftops
Ireland, Republic Loving and Leaving Ireland: The Story of Annie Moore
Ireland, Republic An Irish Shepherd Girl: Encounter with a Wolf
Ireland, Republic Leprechauns -- The Irish Wee Folk. Be Careful What You Wish For!
Israel Living in an Israeli Kibbutz
Italy The Man Who Wrote Pinocchio: Carving a Boy from Wood
Italy The Island of Sicily: A Magical Italian Island
Italy Italian Holiday Giver of Gifts: The Legend of La Befana
Jamaica A WhatNot for Viola: The Grand Market in Kingston Jamaica
Japan Onna-Bugeisha: Female Samurai in Japanese History
Laos The Land of a Million Elephants
Latvia Bear-Slayer: Latvia's Super Hero and the Long Road to Independence
Lebanon Lebanon: Dabke National Dance of Help and Assistance
Liechtenstein Big Winner from a Small Country: Hanni Wenzel
Luxembourg Charlotte Grand Duchess of Luxembourg: Saving a Country by Running Away
Malawi Galimoto: A Push Toy Made from Wire, Rags and Cornncobs in Malawi
Martinique Historic Volcanoes in Martinique: Diamond Rock and Mount Pelee
Mexico Our Lady of Guadalupe: Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe
Mongolia Genghis Khan: Father of Mongolia
Mongolia Naadam Festival in Mongolia: Archery, Horse Racing, and Wrestling
Namibia Maherero Day Festival: Honoring Warriors and Celebrating Freedom
Nepal The Day My World Shook: Earthquake on Mount Everest
Netherlands A Dutch Milkmaid: Where Are You Going My Pretty Maid
New Zealand Body Art in New Zealand: Native Maori People and Ta Moko Tattoos
Nicaragua Coffee Picker's Life
Northern Ireland The Myth of the Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland
Norway Cross Country Skiing: The National Pastime
Norway The Troll and Three Billy Goats Gruff
Norway Folktales under the Northern Lights: Why the Bear is Stumpy-Tailed
Pakistan A Wedding in Pakistan
Pakistan A Visit to Islamabad: Learning about the Muslim Culture
Panama Dancing the Tamborito: The National Dance and Song of Panama
Peru Machu Picchu: Lost City of the Incas, High in the Peruvian Mountains
Philippines Corazon (Cory) Aquino: The First Female President in the Philippines
Philippines Abadeha, Filipina Cinderella: A Folktale from the Philippines
Poland Living in Poland: A Country that Suffered During World War II
Poland Podhale Poland: Area of Religion, Legends, Mountains and Highlanders
Portugal Portugal: Land of Cork Oak Forests and White Marble Quarries
Puerto Rico Fishing for Crabs in Puerto Rico
Romania Nadia Comaneci: Perfect Score in Gymnastics at 14 Years Old
Russia Matryoshka- Russian Nesting Dolls
Scotland Life in Scotland: Golf, Kilts, and the Loch Ness Monster
Sierra Leone Freetown, Sierra Leone: A Refuge for Slaves and the Inspiration for Amazing Grace
Slovakia Making Wicker Baskets for the Royals in the Slovakian Castle
Slovenia Melania Trump: From Small Town Girl to First Lady in the White House
South Africa A Doll Called "Smiling Girl"
South Africa The Zulu Kingdom of South Africa
St. Lucia Drive-In Volcano at Sulphur Springs Park in St. Lucia and Gabriel’s Hole
Sint (St.) Maarten The Story of the Race to Divide a Caribbean Island into Two Countries
St. Vincent and the Grenadines A Volcano Named La Soufriere
Sweden St. Lucia (Sankta Lucia): Festival Bringing Light to Swedish Winters
Switzerland Searching for A Bell for Ursli: Children's Classic from Switzerland
Thailand Songkran: Thailand New Year and Water Festival
Turks & Caicos Turks and Caicos: A British Crown Colony of Islands in the Sea
Ukraine UKRAINE: From Festivals to War the Ukrainian Spirit is Strong
USA: Alabama Deaf, Blind & Smart: Story of Helen Keller & Teacher Anne Sullivan
USA: Alaska Tracking a Bear in Alaska: Eskimo's Food Source for the Winter
USA: Alaska Fishing in Alaska: The Exhausting Life of Salmon Fish
USA: Arizona Hopi Indians: Keeping Our Culture with Katsina Dance and Dolls
USA: Arkansas Eureka Springs, Arkansas: Healing Waters in the Ozark Mountains
USA: California Panning for Gold in California: Not Everyone Struck it Rich
USA: California Shirley Temple: Little Miss Miracle - The greatest child star ever!
USA: Colorado Mining Silver in Colorado: My Great-grandfather's Story
USA: Connecticut PT Barnum: From Connecticut Boy to the Greatest Showman on Earth
USA: Delaware A Delaware Indian Legend and the Story of Their Troubles
USA: Florida Draw and Color with Uncle Fred Lasswell: Snuffy Smith Artist
USA: Georgia Trail of Tears: Forced Removal of the Cherokees from Georgia
USA: Hawaii The Legend of Pele: Hawaii's Goddess of Fire
USA: Idaho Sacagawea: The Shoshone Who Helped the Lewis and Clark Expedition
USA: Illinois The Corn Husk Doll Legend: Why the Dolls Do Not Have Faces
USA: Indiana The Story of Raggedy Ann: A Labor of Love by Johnny Gruelle
USA: Iowa Heroine from Iowa: Kate Shelley Saves a Passenger Train from Disaster
USA: Kansas Amelia Earhart: Pilot from Kansas Who Disappeared in Pacific Ocean
USA: Kentucky Abraham Lincoln: From Kentucky log cabin to the White House
USA: Louisiana Hurricane Katrina: The Day the Music Died in New Orleans
USA: Maine Guard Llamas to the Rescue: Protecting Sheep in Maine
USA: Minnesota The Story of Chief Little Crow: Hero or Villain in the 1862 US-Dakota War?
USA: Mississippi Hurricane Camille Hits Mississippi
USA: Missouri Free land! -- Building a homestead in the Missouri Ozarks
USA: Montana Blackfoot Indian: My First Deer Hunt with Bow and Arrow
USA: Nebraska Nebraska: Cornhusker State, Corn Mazes, Corn Dolls, Cornhusking Competitions, and Legends
USA: Nevada Nevada: Dams and Deserts
USA: New Jersey Thomas Edison: Inventor and Wizard of Menlo Park, New Jersey
USA: New Mexico The Pueblo Storyteller: The Tale of the Coyote and the Turtle
USA: New York The Shofar: An Ancient Musical Instrument Made from a Ram's Horn
USA: Ohio My Amish Life: Humility, Modesty, Obedience, Equality and Simplicity
USA: Oklahoma Oklahoma: Black Sunday - The Worst Dust Storm in America's History
USA: Pennsylvania Betsy Ross and Her Famous Flag
USA: South Carolina South Carolina Gullah Geechee: Making Sweetgrass Baskets on a Coastal Island
USA: South Dakota Sitting Bull: From Custer's Last Stand to Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show
USA: Tennessee The Legend of Davy Crockett: King of the Wild Frontier
USA: Texas The Legend of the Bluebonnets: A Texan Folktale
USA: Utah Mormon Migration from Illinois to Salt Lake City: A Beehive of Activity
USA: Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands: Sea, Shells, Snorkels, Coral, and Fishermen
USA: Virginia Thomas Jefferson and His Fiddle
USA: Washington Picking Apples in Washington State
USA: West Virginia West Virginia: The Only US State Created by the Civil War
USA: Wisconsin Harley Davidson Motorcycles: Two Young Men with a Dream
USA: Wyoming Buffalo Bill Cody: Life in the Wild West and Wyoming
Vatican City Vatican City: Living in the Smallest Country in the World
Venezuela The Republic of Venezuela: Also Called "Little Venice"
Vietnam A Letter from Vietnam
Wales A Doll for St. David's Day: The Patron Saint of Wales
Zimbabwe An African Safari: Lions, Hippos, Crocodiles, and Giraffes