Kids are in for Jurassic-size laughs as they follow a boy in his quest to bring a pterodactyl to school. And not just any pterodactyl: this one wards off bullies, loves to read stories, and makes an excellent science display. Hilarious illustrations capture the madcap imagination of the determined hero and his creative pleas to his teacher.
Joe Dumpty, Humpty's brother and private detective, thinks Humpty Dumpty's fall was no accident. But who would have pushed him? Was it Little Miss Muffet? Old Mother Hubbard? Chicken Little? Joe has until five o'clock to question characters and catch the culprit.
After arriving for a visit, Little Red Riding Hood discovers her grandmother doesn't look like herself. She kind of looks like a wolf!
The ugly duckling is a baby duck that doesn't look like his brothers and sisters. In fact, some of the animals call him "ugly" and bully him. But one day everything changes for the ugly duckling.
The mice must try to figure out how to protect themselves from the house cat. One young mouse has a great idea. But will he have the courage to bell the cat?
The poor prince can't seem to find a TRUE princess. Will a tiny green legume save the day?
A mean old woman puts a young girl in a tower with no door or stairs! How will she get visitors? How will she escape?
This Aesop's fable retelling is about two cousins who live in two very different places: the city and the country. They visit each other to try to decide which place is better. Which do you think is better?
This is a fable about kindness and mercy. The mouse is feeling playful and wakes up the lion. At first the lion is angry. But the lion shows mercy on the mouse. And that kindness is returned one day.
The Lord of Luchow was a kind man, but his people are threatened with war. A loyal servant finds a way to protect his master and bring peace to the lands. Themes: bravery, intelligence, devotion.
When the north wind blows away the flour carried by a baker's young son, he sets out on a journey to insist it be returned. This Norwegian tale shows the value of perseverance nd gifts of nature.
When a princess learns a terrible secret about the man she loves, she marries him in spite of the news. Her devotion pays off when she is granted a wish.
Day after day, a poor young girl discovers a lion who needs her help. In time, her care for the lion-in-need and her dreams of a better life intersect.
The king, who loves adventures, is imprisoned during one of his journeys. But when the queen dets out to find her husband, she must travel in disguise. This is a story of ingenuity from medieval Russia.
When a village is terrorized by a lion, the hunter Kambili wishes to track down the beast. But his wife Kumba warns that the lion is an evil wizard. This is an adaptation of a Malinke story.
Tokoyo, a skilled diver, is devoted to her father who has been banished by the emperor. She goes in search of him and in the process kills a sea dragon, breaking an evil spell. Tokoyo and her father are reunited and return to their village. Themes: bravery, devotion.
Read the traditional nursery rhyme Itsy Bitsy Spider first, then enjoy a fun new rhyme. Can you make up a rhyme of your own?
Read the traditional nursery rhyme Hey Diddle Diddle first, then enjoy a fun new rhyme. Can you make up a rhyme of your own?
Read the traditional nursery rhyme Humpty Dumpty first, then enjoy a fun new rhyme. Can you make up a rhyme of your own?
Read the traditional nursery rhyme Baa, Baa, Black Sheep first, then enjoy a fun new rhyme. Can you make up a rhyme of your own?
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.
You may think you know the classic story of the Ugly Duckling, but think again. In the capable hands of his alter ego Maynard Moose, renowned storyteller Willy Claflin takes us on a wacky journey where this Uglified Ducky, a hapless young moose, "blunders away" from his home, is mistaken for a baby duck, and endures endless humiliation as he tries to learn to waddle, quack, swim, and fly. Eventually, he finds his true "fambly," who helps him discover his own beauty. In his fractured Moose English, translated in the glossary at front, Maynard relays a surprisingly tender story that echoes the original tale's theme of the struggle to belong and discover your true self. The Uglified Ducky's quest is playfully but sympathetically interpreted in James Stimson's luminous, droll gouache illustrations.
Only Maynard Moose could dream up this hilarious story that mashes up three fractured fairy tales by combining the stories of Rapunzel's golden locks with Sleeping Beauty along with Snow White & the Seven Dwarfs to create a bizarre adventure story.
Two hungry travelers arrive at a village expecting to find a household that will share a bit of food, as has been the custom along their journey. To their surprise, villager after villager refuses to share, each one closing the door with a bang. As they sit to rest beside a well, one of the travelers observes that if the townspeople have no food to share, they must be "in greater need than we are." With that, the travelers demonstrate their special recipe for a magical soup, using a stone as a starter. All they need is a carrot, which a young girl volunteers. Not to be outdone, another villager contributes a potato, and the soup grows as others bring corn, celery, and other vegetables and seasonings. In this cumulative retelling of an ancient and widely circulated legend, author Heather Forest shows us that when each person makes a small contribution, the collective impact can be huge. Susan Gaber's paintings portray the optimism and timelessness of a story that celebrates teamwork and generosity
In this award-winning home-grown version of "The Three Little Pigs," the villain is, naturally, a fox - the Appalachian red fox, who any local hunter will tell you is a worthy and cunning opponent. Davis's storytelling skills make full use of the tale's inherent repetition, capturing the mountain rhythms, homestead setting, and rural wisdom of the Appalachians. The bright watercolors depict a clever fox and capture the eastern mountain terrain that has shaped this unique version of a well-known tale.
