Search Results: 154 books from 18 publishers. Learn more

Peace Tales

Margaret Read MacDonald (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837834

Maybe it's the king who spills honey, and then says it is not his problem - until it causes a war. Or maybe it's some sandpipers and whales who get into a foolish fight that almost destroys their homes. Perhaps it's the man who thinks that a gun makes him strong or the monkeys who follow their leader into water that's too deep. Peace Tales contains more than three dozen folktales and proverbs that illustrate these choices. Always fun to read these stories also prompt us to think about the seemingly minor events that lead to war and the little events that can also lead to peace. Stories from across the globe are accompanied by generous story notes, source information, and suggestions for further reading on the topic of peace.

Greek Myths, Western Style

Barbara Mc Bride Smith (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836172

When she was a young girl, Barbara McBride-Smith was introduced to the ancient Greek myths but she didn't quite hear right. When her teacher told her they lived in the cradle of western civilization, young Barbara thought she said Western civilization - as in central Texas, around about Waco, where they seemed to fit right in. Ol' Man Zeus, after all, was a gun-totin' Big Daddy, sort of the J.R. Ewing of Mount Olympus. You know Aphrodite, the school basketball queen or Pandora the debutante, the best guitar picker around was Orpheus - Tom T. and wasn't Medusa the one who started the fashion trend known as Big Hair? With her incurable Texas drawl, feminist sympathies, and cheerleader's do-right attitude, master storyteller Barbara McBride-Smith spins the Greek myths as you've never heard them before.

Fair Is Fair

Sharon Creeden (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874834772

This collection of 30 stories about wise judges, clever lawyers, and deceitful tricksters, were collected from places as diverse as ancient Greece, Morocco, Germany, China, and Ireland. Some date back to pre-biblical days while others come from the American colonies.

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.

The Broken Tusk

Uma Krishnaswami (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874838060

This collection of Hindu folktales for middle readers features stories about the Hindu god, Ganesha, who is easily recognized because of his elephant head. Krishnaswami introduces the stories by recalling her own introduction to Ganesha and goes on to offer a mythological context for the tales. Included among these classic stories are "Ganesha's Head", "The Broken Tusk", and "Why Ganesha Never Married". Most of the stories come from Hindu legend; one comes from Mongolia, where Ganesha made his way into the Buddhist tradition. The simple pen-and-ink illustrations support the themes and a helpful pronunciation guide and glossary are also included.

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.

Emerald Lizard

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874835526

For the past three decades, Pleasant DeSpain has explored Latin America its people, customs, cultures, and especially the myths and legends. The tales in this collection are full of compassionate souls, tricks and humor, explanations of nature and geography and as always, memorable characters and places. Mario Lamo-Jimnez's Spanish translation that accompanies the English version reverberates with the rich, vibrant quality that has become the bench mark for the best stories from Latin America.

Eleven Turtle Tales

Pleasant Despain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874833881

If you love animal stories or like turtles, then this collection of eleven turtle stories is for you. Turtle carries the world on her back: this story has been told by different cultures around the world for generations. Like Mother Nature, Turtle is unhurried, wise, and enduring. She walks on land, swims in water, and breathes the air and so embodies three of the four elements of creation. We have much to learn from Turtle in these timeless, classic turtle stories.

Earth Care

Margaret Read MacDonald (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837841

This collection of traditional tales and proverbs from over twenty ethnic groups touches upon both human and ecological themes such as environmental protection, the care of other creatures, and the connection of all things in nature.

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 Wisdom & Justice

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836714

This collection of classic and timeless short folktales from Mexico, Israel, Poland, and other parts of the world, demonstrates wisdom and justice.

Tales to Frighten and Delight

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874839166

A collection of nine traditional scary stories from various parts of the world, including Japan, Uruguay, and other countries. The stories are sure to entertain young readers.

Tales of Nonsense & Tomfoolery

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836707

A hilarious collection of short folktales from all over the world featuring silly characters, nonsensical situations, and general tomfoolery.

Tales of Tricksters

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836448

This book contains nine short traditional and very entertaining folktales about tricksters, featuring selections from Persia, India, Poland, France, and other parts of the world.

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.

Tales of Holidays

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836677

These nine short folktales feature stories about traditional holidays celebrated from Czechoslovakia, Russia, France, the United States, and other parts of the world.

Tales of Heroes

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836660

Nine inspiring folktales about heroes, including selections from Hungary, Switzerland, India, Japan, and other parts of the world. Each of these classic stories shares an inspiring message of courage and perseverance.

Sister Tricksters

Robert D. Sansouci (author), Daniel San Souci (illustrator)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837919

Everyone remembers the exploits of Br'er Rabbit and his cohorts Br'er Fox, Br'er Possum, and other sly characters. But while these tales were circulating among slaves in the southern United States, another set of stories was passed along just as enthusiastically only here the clever tricksters were female. Who better to tackle the stories of these sister tricksters than the San Souci brothers? Utilizing a contagiously rhythmic, pitch-perfect dialect, writer Robert gleefully interprets the exploits of Molly Cottontail, Miz Grasshopper, Miz Duck, and Miz Goose against worthy (and not-so-worthy) foes such as Mistah Slickry Sly-fox, Mistah Rooster, and Mistah Bear. Brother Daniel's comically realistic paintings capture the slapstick frenzy of these characters engaged in battles of wits against the rural Southern landscape that nourished the tales in their infancy.

Tales of Enchantment

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837117

A collection of nine traditional tales about leprechauns, dwarfs, shapeshifters and other enchanted creatures from various countries, including Russia, Norway, and Germany.

Tales of Cats

Pleasant DeSpain (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874837131

This collection of nine short stories features a range of cat "tales" from different countries that are especially worth sharing. You will find stories that explain why cats choose women over men, how cats trick other (in cat's view) "lesser" animals, how cats outwit humans, and how cats wait patiently for their time in the sun.

Ride the Butterflies

Donald Davis (author)

Publisher: August House ISBN: 9780874836066

Maybe it's because his mother was a teacher. Or maybe it's because he has spent most of his life in classrooms - as a wide-eyed first grader, a naive college student, a seminarian, and now as a visiting writer in residencies across the country. There's something about school that infuses the work of Donald Davis and he has collected his all-time favorite school stories in the book. Whether we're traveling around the world with Miss Daisy, the fourth grade teacher who was integrating arithmetic, geography and English before the term whole language ever surfaced; or watching in awe as a classmate conjugates malaprops in Miss Vergilius Darwin's Latin class; or driving a school bus and learning about segregation - we experience flashes of recognition in moments that transcend Donald Davis's childhood stories.