Search Results: 306 books from 20 publishers. Learn more

Anansi and the Pot of Beans

Bobby Norfolk (author), Baird Hoffmire (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874838114

Did you ever wonder why spiders have no hair? After reading this African trickster tale, you will know. When Anansi goes to help his grandmother, he can't resist her steaming, hot pot of beans. Co-authors Bobby and Sherry Norfolk take a wonderful new look at a classic African story.

The Woman Who Flummoxed the Fairies

Heather Forest (author), Susan Gaber (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9781939160713

According to this Scottish folktale, long ago sweet-toothed fairies flew into peoples homes and feasted on leftover cake crumbs. But the King of the Fairies was annoyed that crumbs never remained from the very best cakes baked by the talented bakerwoman so he orders the fairies to capture her and bring her down to the Fairy Kingdom. The resourceful woman requests items from her kitchen at home, where her bewildered husband looks on as utensils and ingredients float out of the window, borne by invisible fairies. Eventually she strikes a clever bargain with the impatient Fairy King to win her freedom and return home in return for sharing her tasty cakes.

When Turtle Grew Feathers

Tim Tingle (author), Stacey Schuett (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9781939160218

In this Choctaw variant of Aesop's fable "The Tortoise and the Hare," master storyteller Tim Tingle reveals some unexpected twists and expands the cast to include a wild turkey, a colony of ants, and a cheering squad of Little Bitty Turtles as well. When Rabbit boastfully challenges Turtle to a race, he gets his comeuppance and Turtle gets a little assist from his winged friend, Turkey. In the process, we learn why Turtle's shell is cracked and why you never see Rabbit racing Turtle today. The bold and vibrant illustrations capture not only the grasslands of the High Plains but also the demeanor of its animal inhabitants and the humor of the tale.

Why Alligator Hates Dog

J.J. Reneaux (author), Donnie Lee Green (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836219

Deep in the Cajun country of Louisiana, Alligator is king of the swamps king to everyone that is, except a sassy clever old Dog. Storyteller J.J. Reneaux's musical rendering of this classic Cajun folktale explains how the feud between Alligator and Dog got started in the first place. When Alligator finally corners Dog in his swamphole, he falls for the oldest trick in the book and barely escapes with his life back to where he belongs. After being tricked by Dog, Alligator thinks he's a lot smarter. As he floats alone in the dark swamp water waiting for Dog, he promises that next time he'll get that Dog for sure. But will he? The combination of Cajun dialect and beautifully illustrated acrylic paintings, capture the unique flavor and mystery of the region.

Surf War!

Margaret Read MacDonald (author), Geraldo Valerio (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874838893

Sandpiper finds her daily stroll on the beach interrupted by Whale, who boasts that he is ruler of the sea. Sandpiper responds with equal bravado, asserting her rights to the sand and seawater. Soon the rivals are calling in their cousins, and the beach and sea are filled with shorebirds and sea mammals of every stripe. The standoff grows ominous as Whale leads his cousins in an assault on the beach, eating the sand from under the birds. Sandpiper retaliates by ordering her cousins to drink up the ocean. Soon the landscape is filled with fish, crabs, and sea creatures gasping for survival. How will this end? The outcome of this timely yet timeless nature tale suggests that we are all connected in the ecological chain.

Holy Molé!

Stefan Czernecki (author), Stefan Czernecki (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837759

Carlos is working in the kitchen of the Mexican monastery when the cook enters the room in a panic. The Spanish Viceroy is on his way for a surprise visit and will arrive by noon, expecting dinner. What will the brothers feed this important ambassador to the king? Carlos tries to stay out of the way as lunch is hastily prepared, but his curiosity gets the best of him. His eagerness results in a moment of crisis, followed by what the brothers can only assume is a miracle. This story, inspired by the Mexican folk tradition, explains the origins of molé , the popular national dish that combines chocolate with turkey, spices, and nuts. Stefan Czernecki's amusing, angular illustrations capture the chaos in the kitchen as well as the folk tradition behind the tale.

The Great Smelly, Slobbery, Small-Tooth Dog

Julie Paschkis (author), Julie Paschkis (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874838084

When a rich man is rescued from thieves by a smelly, slobbery dog, the man offers the dog any treasure is his house as a reward. The treasure that the dog chooses is the rich mans daughter. With great sadness, the daughter honors her fathers promise and goes to live with the dog. Over time, a friendship grows between the girl and the dog, but she still misses her father. In this tale from Great Britain, award winning author, Margaret Read MacDonald puts a new spin on the classic story, Beauty and the Beast, reminding us all that appearances can be deceiving and that compassion can be powerful.

Go to Sleep, Gecko!

Geraldo Valerio (author), Geraldo Valerio (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837803

Gecko may be small, but he has a giant-sized problem. Every night he is awakened by the fireflies outside his window. And when Gecko doesn't get his rest, he gets a little grumpy. So he goes to Elephant, the head of the village, to complain. His request that the fireflies stop working at night sets off a comical chain of problems for everyone in the village and complicates everyones life. Through this cumulative tale from the Balinese tradition, Gecko learns that his well-being depends on that of the entire village and he finally goes to sleep, a little wiser.

The Ghost Catcher

Martha Hamilton, Mitch Weiss (author), Kristen Balouch (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874838350

This story is a retelling of a traditional Bengali tale in which a kind and generous Indian barber, pressed by his father and then his wife to earn more money, cleverly persuades a ghost to bring him riches.

The Girl Who Wore Too Much

Yvonne Davis (author), Yvonne Davis (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874835038

In this timeless tale from Thailand, a girl cannot decide which of her many silken dresses and lavish jewels to wear to the dance. So she wears them all. Her foolish decision teaches her a valuable lesson.

¡Fiesta!

Paula Barragan (author), Paula Barragan (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874838619

A colorful romp celebrating traditional festivals and holidays in Latino culture with a festival for each month of the year, written in both English and Spanish.

The First Music

Erin Bennett Banks (author), Erin Bennett Banks (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837766

When the animals get together in the jungle, they discover that the noise that they have been making is indeed music. Celebrated author and master storyteller, Dylan Pritchett weaves a tale that helps us discover that we all have music inside just waiting to come out when the time is right. This original award winning story is based on the model of traditional African folktales.

Fat Cat

Margaret Read MacDonald (author), Julie Paschkis (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837650

Have you ever heard the saying, Your eyes are bigger than your stomach? Well, Cat's stomach is bigger than a lot of things. He is always hungry, and living with culinary-inclined Mouse, who makes thirty-five pies in one day, just makes it worse. Fat Cat swallows everything in sight, including the washlady and her washtub, a troop of soldiers and their swords, even a king and his elephant! But when Cat swallows Mouse and her sewing basket, that's the last straw. Tiny Mouse cuts to the heart of the situation, taking an upside-down world and turning it right-side-up again. Greedy Cat learns his lesson and turns fat into fancy, fabulous, and fantastic. Margaret Read MacDonald's infectious energy combines with Julie Paschkis's folk-inspired gouache paintings to create a new retelling of a favorite comic cumulative tale.

Feathers

Heather Forest (author), Marcia Cutchin (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837551

A wise rabbi uses a pillow full of feathers to teach a gossipy villager a lesson on what happens when a person's reputation and trust are harmed by someone's negative, mean-sprited remarks.

The Dancing Turtle

Pleasant DeSpain (author), David Boston (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874835021

Turtle loves to dance and play the flute. But her exuberance puts her at risk when her music attracts the attention of a brave hunter who brings her home to make turtle stew. After she is caught, her only hope for escape is the hunter's children ... and her own wit. This folktale, first told by the indigenous people of Brazil, is now told throughout Latin America. Like the people of Latin America, Turtle always seems to survive any challenge by using her courage and wit. Beautiful watercolors radiant with the dense foliage and hardy wildlife of the Amazon rain forest, guides the reader through this timeless adventure story.

Conejito

Margaret Read MacDonald (author), Valerio Geraldo (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837797

In this action packed folktale from Panama, a clever little rabbit and his Tía Mónica find ways to outwit a fox, a tiger, and a lion, all of whom want to eat him for lunch.

A Big Quiet House

Heather Forest (author), Susan Greenstein (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836042

With a tiny, cluttered house, giggling children, and a snoring wife, the poor man can't get a good night's sleep. If only, he thinks, I had a big quiet house! He throws off his covers and goes to visit the wise old woman at the edge of the village. Surely she can help him solve his problem. And she does, but not without giving him some very unusual advice. Bring a chicken into your house, she suggests. And when that doesn't work, she has him add a goat, a horse, a cow, and even a sheep. The ending of the story proves, as so many ancient folktales do, that quite often, nonsense makes the best sense of all.

Cajun Folktales

J.J. Reneaux (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874832822

Nationally acclaimed storyteller J.J. Reneaux has compiled highly engaging animal stories, fairy tales, ghost stories, and humorous tales from her native Cajun culture.

Through the Grapevine

Martha Hamilton, Mitch Weiss (author), Carol Lyon (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836240

This collection of 31 stories comes from all over the world and different variations can be found in a variety of cultures that have been passed over the grapevine and adapted in different cultural traditions.

How & Why Stories

Martha Hamilton, Mitch Weiss (author), Carol Lyon (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874835618

This collection of delightful tales from around the world and through the ages explains why an animal, plant, or natural object looks or acts the way it does.

More Ready-To-Tell Tales

David; Mooney Holt (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874835830

This collection of world tales focuses on stories originating from nearly every continent. They are short, gripping stories that "kick in fast including comedy, trickster, tall tales and family themes for middle and young readers.

Five-Minute Tales

Margaret Read MacDonald (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837827

As a companion to her award-winning story collection Three Minute Tales, Margaret Read MacDonald has compiled another delightful collection of entertaining stories from around the world edited especially for the tastes and interests of young readers.

Noodlehead Stories

Martha Hamilton, Mitch Weiss (author), Ariane Elsammak (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874835854

This collection of humorous folktales from around the world share one common feature: the character of a fool.

Don't Kill Santa

Donald Davis (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837469

In this book, the award winning author shares humorous childhood memories of Christmas with his family in rural Appalachia.

Tales of Insects

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836684

Nine traditional tales about insects from various parts of the world, including Mexico, Japan, Jamaica, and Fiji.