Tall tales are a type of fictional story that exaggerates the truth for entertainment. They feature larger-than-life main characters who take on regular jobs or tasks but complete them with impossible speed, strength, or cleverness. Tall tales were originally told by American settlers to pass the time and help each other face the difficulties of life in the wilderness. Some classic tall tale characters include Paul Bunyan, Johnny Appleseed, Davy Crockett, and Pecos Bill. All tall tales share four common elements - exaggerating the main character's abilities, solving problems in funny or unbelievable ways, including exaggerated details, and portraying characters that behave like ordinary people.

1. What is a Tall
Tale?

2. We have learned that all books can be
divided into two groups:
fiction and nonfiction
Fiction books and nonfiction books can
also be divided into groups. Today, we
will learn about one kind of fiction:
Tall Tales

3.
A tall tale is a fictional
story that stretches
the truth. The heroes
or sheroes of tall tales
are "larger than life.“
Sometimes the heroes
or sheroes in a tall tale
are completely made
up. Sometimes they
are based on an actual
person who really
lived.

4. Through the telling of the story,
these characters are given
exaggerated characteristics.
They are bigger or
stronger than real
people and solve
problems in a way
that is hard to
believe.

5. Tall tales were
first told in
America by the
settlers who
made their
homes in the
American
wilderness. In
those days,
people didn't have TV, movies, or even many
books, so they depended on storytelling for
their entertainment. After a long day's
work, people would gather together and tell
one another unbelievable stories.

6. The tall tale
heroes and
sheroes were like
regular people.
They did the
same type of
work as the settlers, except they did it
with amazing speed, strength, or
cleverness. Maybe having these heroes
and sheroes helped give the settlers the
courage to do their difficult and
dangerous work.

7. Some classic tall tale heroes and
sheroes are Paul Bunyan, Johnny
Appleseed, Davy Crockett, Sally
Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind
Crockett, John Henry, Pecos Bill,
and Slue-Foot Sue.

8. Four things all
Tall Tales Have
in Common

9. #1
The main character has a
regular job but is larger-
than-life or superhuman in
his or her abilities.

10. #2
The character has a problem
or problems that he or she
solves in a funny way.

11. #3
Details in the story are
exaggerated beyond belief.

12. #4
The characters use everyday
language and are like common
people in behavior.

13. The End