David Conger author page

David Conger biography

David Conger is a children’s author and reteller of traditional tales whose work introduces young readers to classic stories from across Asia. He is best known for Asian Children’s Favorite Stories, a collection of folktales adapted for contemporary readers and published by Tuttle. The anthology presents well-known narratives from China, Japan, Korea, India, the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia, pairing concise retellings with cultural context suitable for classrooms and family reading.

Conger studied electrical engineering and Japanese at Brigham Young University. His sustained interest in Asian history and folklore began during two years spent in Japan, where he engaged closely with regional storytelling traditions. This background informs his adaptations, which focus on clarity, fidelity to source motifs, and accessibility for elementary and middle grade audiences.

Asian Children’s Favorite Stories has appeared in multiple editions, including an updated Tuttle hardcover released in 2019. Across editions, the volume features enduring tales such as “Liang and His Magic Brush,” “The Clever Rabbit and Numskull,” and “The Crane’s Gratitude,” selected to reflect a range of countries and narrative styles. Conger’s editorial and retelling work aligns with a broader effort to make international folklore available to English-language readers in library and school settings.