Extend cultural boundaries with this collection of fantastic folktales and legends from Latin America.
Offers young readers a look at Jason, King Arthur, and other heroes of myth, history, and literature.
Ten boldly illustrated stories tell classic tales from different cultures of giants, who were usually villains being outwitted and defeated by mythological heroes. Myths include: the hero Heracles versus the hated giant Geryon, and Odysseus versus the giant Cyclops Polyphemus, from Greek mythology; the good-natured giant Finn McCool from Celtic mythology; the Mayan twins versus the destructive mountain giant Cabracan, from Mayan mythology; Sedna, the giant goddess of the sea, from Inuit mythology; and the giant Goliath who was slain by David, from the Bible. Feature boxes add additional details to help readers better understand concepts in the story as well as the time period in which the story was written.
When his neighbor Mrs. Sugarman reports seeing a seven-foot tall monster resembling Big Foot in New York City's Central Park, Cody Smith and his friend Maria Romero set out to investigate the sighting.
A humorous retelling of an Italian tale in which a Genoese merchant, richly rewarded for solving an irritating problem for the king of the Spice Islands, causes a greedy rival to try and gain a fortune in the same way.
When Goat, Rooster, and Donkey decide to try their hand at farming, Donkey learns the price of being greedy and discovers that the truth will always come out in the end.
Does your family have a favorite holiday meal? What are your birthday traditions? Do the older people in your family tell stories about their childhood and what life was like when they were young? All these are parts of family folklore. Tell Me a Story will help you better understand: what family is; the ways the generations are linked together; how families relate to each other; and how families pass along a heritage for the future. We get strength from our family's past, and this sort of folklore also gives us hope for the future.
A high-interest inquiry into the possible existence of North America’s forest-dwelling Bigfoot, emphasizing reported sightings and seekers as well as footprint analyses.
A high-interest inquiry into the possible existence of Scotland’s water-dwelling Loch Ness Monster, emphasizing reported sightings and stories as well as scientific investigations.
A high-interest inquiry into the possible existence of magical fairies, emphasizing reported sightings and stories as well as investigations into fairy rings.
Crow has some food and clever Fox wants it! Can Fox make Crow drop the food?
Long ago, the Old Ones were bad. They drank all the water, ate all the pine nuts, and left nothing for the other creatures. Sinawav the coyote punished them by turning them into rocky hoodoos. Now when children misbehave, their Paiute elders remind them that they too could be turned into stone columns! Vivian has heard the stories, but this year as she and her grandmother climb the mesa to pick pine nuts, Vivian has something more important on her mind: basketball tryouts. When Vivian is disrespectful to the trees and the land, her grandmother must remind Vivian of the legend of the hoodoos and how nature has made it possible for her people to live.
While Ming plays outside one summer day, the smell of delicious food fills the air. It is coming from greedy Fu Wangs house, What is he up to? wonders Ming. To his alarm, Fu Wang demands that all the neighbors pay him for the pleasant smells. When the neighbors refuse, the case goes to court. How will the judge rule in this unusual case? Can Fu Wang make money from the neighbors sense of smell? A wise judge makes use of another sense to close the case with clever and convincing logic.
A myth is a story that attempts to explain a natural phenomena - such as how the world was created. Myths often include supernatural characters who have extraordinary powers. How To Tell a Myth is an engaging title that introduces readers to myths from around the world and highlights the common elements that make up this genre. Step-by-step instructions help readers create their own myths.
A legend is a story about a hero, a people, or a natural phenomena. Popular legends include King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, Blackbeard, and Robin Hood. This exciting new title teaches readers about the common characteristics found in legends from around the world. Engaging writing activities guide readers as they use these characteristics to create their own legends.
Ten beautifully illustrated stories tell classic tales from different cultures of powerful gods and goddesses in mythology clashing with each other and with humans. Myths include: Pandora opening the box that releases the evils of humanity, and King Midas whose touch turned everything to gold, from Greek mythology; Ganesha, the god with the elephant head, from Indian mythology; Thor's Hammer, from Norse mythology; mighty Glooscap and the baby Wasis from Native American mythology; and the god Horus taking back the throne of Egypt, from Egyptian mythology. Feature boxes add additional details to help readers better understand concepts in the story as well as the time period in which the story was written.
Ten wonderfully illustrated stories tell folktales and legends from different cultures about ghosts and spirits, and their interaction with the human world. Feature boxes add additional details to help readers better understand concepts in the story as well as the time period in which the story was written.
This book introduces readers to Greek mythology, presents legendary characters and stories, and shows how Greek myths have influenced our culture. Readers are engaged with historical content while sharpening their skills at analyzing images and identifying evidence.
It started with a mother's love... Fleeing from a forest fire, a mother bear urges her two cubs into the watery shelter of a vast body of water. Though it will be difficult, she knows if they can swim across to the opposite shore, they will be safe. With calls of encouragement and steadfast love, Mother Bear guides her cubs across the great lake, Lake Michigan. And the story of what happens once Mother Bear reaches the far shore becomes the legend behind the natural wonder known as Sleeping Bear Dune.
Five minutes after his birth, Johnny Kaw is over six feet tall and still growing. When he outgrows his crib and even their town, his parents decide to move west where "little" Johnny can have plenty of room to play. After the family crosses the wide Missouri River to Kansas, Johnny sits down to play with his dog. His bottom ends up making the valley where his family will settle. And when Johnny clears stones from a field so his father can plow, he ends up creating the Rocky Mountains in the process. The legendary folk hero shapes the state's landscape by carving out valleys and creating prairies with his bare hands. Why, he even takes on a tornado when it threatens the family farm.
Readers will meet the fascinating main characters featured in many myths and legends. Award-winning children's book author and former U.S. Children's Poet Laureate J. Patrick Lewis not only examines creatures of popular legends such as mummies, werewolves, and zombies, but he also introduces lesser-known-but-just-as-menacing monsters such as the Roc and the giant called Xing Tian. Includes origins of the Frankenstein story as well as creatures such as the Loch Ness Monster, Baba Yaga, and the Phoenix. Monster, mystery, and fantasy fans of all ages will enjoy this alphabetical tribute.
Long ago in a faraway place there lived two mothers. One, a humble peasant woman who struggled daily to provide for her children. And the other, a mother spider who also worked hard to care for her family. And although it would appear they were as different as night and day, these two mothers had more in common than would first seem. As the only holiday gift she can give her children, one cold Christmas Eve the peasant woman goes to the forest to get a tree, never noticing that someone has made a home among its branches. During the night, the mother spider spins webs decorating the tree, resulting in a Christmas that neither mother will ever forget. Based on an old Ukrainian story, Trinka Hakes Noble (The Orange Shoes) crafts an original heartwarming tale of the grace that can be found in the true spirit of Christmas.
Introduces the Greek god Zeus and explains his importance; features well-known Greek myths about this god; and includes map of ancient Greece and family tree of the Greek gods.
Have you heard these common proverbs? Let sleeping dogs lie. Where there's smoke, there's fire. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Or what about these riddles? What is black and white and red (read) all over? Why did the chicken cross the road? Why is 6 afraid of 7? Proverbs and riddles are tiny, bite-size pieces of folklore. They make us think. They tease our brains. They may make us laugh. But most of all, they tell us something about who we are and how we see the world.
When Tree Kangaroo and Koala dig a well to get some water, Tree Kangaroo ends up doing all of the work and Koala ends up with a stumpy tail in this origin story from Australia.
