Akimba and the Magic Cow : A Folktale from Africa
by
A poor man repeatedly loses his magic animals through the trickery of his friend.
Anansi the Spider: A Tale from the Ashanti
by
A 1973 Caldecott Honor Book. Anansi the Spider is one of the great folk heroes of the world. He is a rogue, a mischief maker, and a wise, lovable creature who triumphs over larger foes. In this traditional Ashanti tale, Anansi sets out on a long, difficult journey. Threatened by Fish and Falcon, he is saved from terrible fates by his sons. But which of his sons should Anansi reward? Calling upon Nyame, the God of All Things, Anansi solves his predicament in a touching and highly resourceful fashion. In adapting this popular folktale, Gerald McDermott merges the old with the new, combining bold, rich color with traditional African design motifs and authentic Ashanti language rhythms.
Arrow to the Sun
by
With vibrant colors and bold geometric forms, Gerald McDermott brilliantly captures the stylized look of Pueblo Indian art in this Caldecott Award-winning retelling of an ancient legend. A young boy searches for his father, but before he can claim his heritage he must first prove his worthiness by passing through the four ceremonial chambers: the kiva of lions, the kiva of snakes, the kiva of bees, and the kiva of lightning. Striking in its simplicity and grace, Arrow to the Sun vividly evokes the Native American reverence for the source of all life--the Solar Fire. Winner of the Caldecott
Baboushka and the Three Kings
by
Winner of the 1961;Caldecott Medal; The Russian folktale about an old woman's endless search for the Christ child.
Burro's Tortillas
by
What do you get when you cross The Little Red Hen with a burro and his friends? Burro's Tortillas! In this humorous Southwestern retelling of a childhood favorite, Burro finds it difficult to get any help from his friends as he diligently works to turn corn into tortillas. Young children will love the repetition; older children will enjoy the book's many puns. In addition to its Southwestern "flavor," the delightful story imparts an accurate picture of the traditional way that tortillas are made. A Spanish/English glossary and a simple recipe for making tortillas are included in the "For Creative Minds" section.
Cajun Folktales
by
Nationally acclaimed storyteller J.J. Reneaux includes animal stories, fairy tales, ghost stories, and humorous tales from her native Cajun culture. While children will giggle over the foolishness of Jean Sot, who jumps to the conclusion that the purpose of a new fence of telephone and electricity poles is to pen up giant cows, adults will recognize the all-too-human fear of anything new and different that lies at the heart of this tale. Among the 26 stories included here are such favorites as ....
The Five Sparrows : A A Japanese Folktale
by
When a kindly old woman is richly rewarded for nursing a wounded sparrow back to health, a greedy neighbor attempts to emulate the old woman and brings trouble upon herself and her family.
Folk Tales of England
by
A collection of English folk literature including six of Robin Hood's adventures, five stories about King Arthur and his knights, and eleven familiar tales of rural England.
The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship
by
When the Czar proclaims that he will marry his daughter to the man who brings him a flying ship, the Fool of the World sets out to try his luck and meets some unusual companions on the way. The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship is the winner of the 1969 Caldecott Medal.
The Giant Devil-Dingo
by
Retells the Aboriginal legend that explains how Gaiya, the giant devil-dingo, became the small dog that has since been man's friend and helper.
How Many Spots Does a Leopard Have?
by
An illustrated collection of twelve folk tales, ten African and two Jewish.
The Moody Peacock and Other Indian Folk Tales
by
Six traditional folk tales from different parts of India.
Nomi and the Magic Fish : A Story from Africa
by
Mistreated by her stepmother, a Zulu girl is helped by a magic fish.
Peter Bull : An Old Danish Tale
by
A childless couple who have grown quite fond of a young bull hire the town clerk to teach it to speak.
The Potato King
by
Once upon a time there was a Prussian King, Frederick, also known as Fritz, who saw potential in the lowly potato -- a newly introduced crop from South America -- and decided to plant it for his people. However, it quickly became clear that his subjects didn't like being told what to eat. Determined to see the potato thrive, Fritz cleverly used reverse psychology to pique his people's curiosity and make the crop popular, and the potato has flourished ever since. Potato-stamp illustrations throughout are simple and effective, exhibiting Niemann's trademark wit and playfulness. The book includes a short informational note on the historical background to the story. Readers will be interested to discover how one of today's most common foods likely rose to popularity and may also be inspired by the king's creative problem solving.
The Seven Magic Orders
by
With the help of an old man's advice and seven magic orders, the brave Chung Shun wins his bride back from the demon monster.
The Skull : A Tyrolean Folktale
by
A #1 New York Times bestseller! Caldecott Medalist and New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Jon Klassen delivers a deliciously macabre treat for folktale fans. Jon Klassen's signature wry humor takes a turn for the ghostly in this thrilling retelling of a traditional Tyrolean folktale. In a big abandoned house, on a barren hill, lives a skull. A brave girl named Otilla has escaped from terrible danger and run away, and when she finds herself lost in the dark forest, the lonely house beckons. Her host, the skull, is afraid of something too, something that comes every night. Can brave Otilla save them both? Steeped in shadows and threaded with subtle wit-with rich, monochromatic artwork and an illuminating author's note-The Skull is as empowering as it is mysterious and foreboding.
The Story Thief
by
This retelling of a traditional African folktale explains how we came to have stories in the world.Nyame the sky god has a special treasure - in a big, brass chest are all the stories ever told. Anansi, the cleverest of spiders, sees that down on Earth, the people are bored. Unfortunately, she can't spin a tale, but she can spin a web. So she makes a ladder up into the sky, determined to bring back the stories, whatever it takes.
Sure as Sunrise
by
With the humor and wisdom of her North Carolina roots, Alice McGill shares the stories she remembers from her father, mother, grandmother, and neighbors. Her telling is as fresh as "a loaf of bread still warm from the ashes" as she brings to life the creatures that so fascinated her as a child: Bruh Rabbit, Sis Possum, Bruh Bear, and Bruh Fox. Illustrated with zest and warmth, these stories were passed on for generations and are, ultimately, a celebration of the human spirit.For as sure as sunrise, the cleverness of the small but sassy Bruh Rabbit shines through as he outwits the more powerful, again and again.
The Talking Eggs
by
The author of such delights as The Christmas Ark and The Enchanted Tapestry joins forces with illustrator Pinkney to resurrect a colorful folktale that captures the unique flavor of the American South. A 1989 Caldecott Honor Book.
Tops and Bottoms
by
In this funny Caldecott Honor-winning fairy-tale retelling by Janet Stevens, wily Hare solves his family's problems by tricking rich and lazy Bear into giving up half his crops. Once a upon a time, there was a lazy Bear and a clever Hare. Bear had lots of money and lots of land but all he wanted to do was sleep. Hare had nothing but hungry children, so he came up with a plan to convince Bear to split his land down the middle--tops and bottoms. Hare can work all day and Bear can sleep. It's the perfect solution! Or is it? A trickster story sure to spark giggles at home or in preschool and kindergarten classrooms, this hilarious Caldecott Honor picture book is perfect for fans of Louis and Unicorns Are the Worst!
The Gigantic Turnip
by
This retelling of a classic Russian tale is sure to become a favorite at story hour. Niamh Sharkey's original artwork is lively and colorful, and provides the perfect accompaniment to this cumulative story about the hilarious efforts of an old man, an old lady, and a host of farm animals as they try to pull out an oversized turnip. Text copyright 2004 Lectorum Publications, Inc.
The Legend of Buffalo Stone
by
