Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 30. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Talking to Dragons is a young adult fantasy novel, the fourth and final book in the Enchanted Forest Chronicles by Patricia Wrede. It is told in first person from the point of view of sixteen-year-old Daystar, son of Cimorene, a woman who lives at the edge of the Enchanted Forest. Cimorene raises Daystar and teaches him legends about the Enchanted forest, swordsmanship, spells, and magical protocols. One day, Antorell, a member of the Society of Wizards, who has a grudge against Cimorene tries to assault them. Then, Cimorene melts Antorell with a spell, which raises many questions in Daystar's mind because he didn't know that his mother could do any magic. However, Cimorene refuses to answer Daystar's questions, and goes into the Enchanted Forest to retrieve a sword, and gives it to Daystar. She then sends him into the forest telling him not to come back until he can "tell her why he had to leave." When Daystar enters the forest, he meets a talking golden lizard named Suz, who tells Daystar that the sword Cimorene gave him is the Sword of the Sleeping King. Daystar, confused about what all this can mean, is instructed by Suz to "follow the sword." Trying to find a place to spend the night, he enters the middle of a ring of hedges and finds a young fire witch named Shiara, who can sometimes do fire magic but can only do it periodically. The wizards heard about her lack of control and kidnapped her. However, she burned the Head Wizard's staff, ran away to the Enchanted Forest, and got caught in the middle of the hedges. Daystar tells Shiara about his quest, and she decides to accompany him. Afterwards, when Daystar shows Shiara...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=689457

    Mia Wasikowska stars as 19-year-old Alice, who returns to the whimsical world she first encountered as a young girl, reuniting with her childhood friends: the White Rabbit, Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Dormouse, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, and of course, the Mad Hatter. Alice embarks on a fantastical journey to find her true destiny and end the Red Queen's reign of terror.

    After all, his father's been missing ever since that incident with the beanstalk and the giant, and his grandfather keeps pushing him to get out and find a princess to rescue. Who'd want to rescue a snobby, entitled princess anyway? Especially one that falls out of the sky wearing a shirt that says "Punk Princess," and still denies she's royalty. In fact, May doesn't even believe in magic. Yeah, what's that about? May does need help though--a huntsman is chasing her, her grandmother has been kidnapped, and Jack thinks it’s all because of the Wicked Queen . . . mostly because May’s grandmother might just be the long-lost Snow White. Jack and May's thrillingly hilarious adventure combines all the classic stories—fractured as a broken magic mirror—into the first of an epic new series of novels for the ages.

    Amazing paper structures and classically styled artwork lead readers through a magical tale. Magnificent pop-ups of a life-like Beast, a mysterious castle and a spectacular rose garden make this all-new pop-up masterpiece a must-have for your family's library.

    First, read the poems forward (how old-fashioned!), then reverse the lines and read again to give familiar tales, from Sleeping Beauty to that Charming Prince, a delicious new spin. Witty, irreverent, and warm, this gorgeously illustrated and utterly unique offering holds a mirror up to language and fairy tales, and renews the fun and magic of both.

    When Gwennie pricks her finger and the whole castle falls asleep, only Annie is awake, and only Annie-blessed (or cursed?) with being impervious to magic-can venture out beyond the rose-covered hedge for help. She must find Gwen's true love to kiss her awake.But who is her true love? The irritating Digby? The happy-go-lucky Prince Andreas, who is holding a contest to find his bride? The conniving Clarence, whose sinister motives couldn't possibly spell true love? Joined by one of her father's guards, Liam, who happened to be out of the castle when the sleeping spell struck, Annie travels through a fairy tale land populated with characters both familiar and new as she tries to fix her sister and her family . . . and perhaps even find a true love of her own.

    Until one day a handsome prince, passing by on his horse, is transfixed by the magical sound of Rapunzel singing to her animals friends and knows he must reach her... Can true love transform Rapunzel's life forever?

    As readers follow the siblings through a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind (and beyond) the bread crumbs, edible houses, and outwitted witches. Fairy tales have never been more irreverent or subversive as Hansel and Gretel learn to take charge of their destinies and become the clever architects of their own happily ever after.

    In the cathedral-city of Lodellan and its uneasy hinterland, babies are fashioned from bread, dolls are given souls and wishes granted may be soon regretted. There are ghosts who dream, men whose wings have been clipped and trolls who long for something other. Love, loss and life are elegantly dissected in Slatter's earthy yet poetic prose. As Rob Shearman says in his Introduction: 'Sourdough and Other Stories manages to be grand and ambitious and worldbuilding-but also as intimate and focused as all good short fiction should be . . . The joy of Angela Slatter's book is that she's given us a set of fairy tales that are at once both new and fresh, and yet feel as old as storytelling itself.'

    What would you do if you were invited to the princess’s tenth birthday party but didn’t have money for a gift? Well, clever Jack decides to bake the princess a cake.Now he just has to get it to the castle in one piece. What could possibly go wrong?Candace Fleming and G. Brian Karas, creators of the bestselling picture book Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, have teamed up again to bring us a modern fairy tale starring a determined boy and a story-loving princess with a good sense of humor. While girls will fall for a story featuring a princess’s birthday party, Jack’s adventures with trolls, bears, and gypsies make this the perfect read for young boys as well—and ideal for storytime.

    Brimming with keen observations and wild assumptions on human anatomy, customs, languages, rituals, dwellings, and more, The Land of Stone Flowers is as absurd as it is astounding, examining contradictory and nonsensical human behaviors through the lens of the fantastic: from the bewitching paper wizards who live in humans' wallets to their invisible hats, known as "moods," which cloud their view of the world. Bursting with intricate and evocative illustrations, The Land of Stone Flowers will draw readers into a world of fantasy and fable that slyly reveals many hidden truths about human existence.

    In fact, she's terrible! She daydreams, she breaks dishes, and her cooking is awful. Still, she hardly deserves to be sold off to the mean-spirited miller and his family. Refusing to accept that dreadful fate, she decides to flee. With her best friend, Kai, and his sister, Karina, beside her, Lilia heads north to find the family she's never known. But danger awaits. . . .As their quest leads the threesome through the mysterious and sinister Bitra Forest, they suddenly realize they are lost in the elves' domain. To Lilia's horror, Kai falls under an enchantment cast by the Elf King's beautiful daughter. The only way for Lilia to break the spell and save Kai is to find a jewel of ancient power that lies somewhere in the North Kingdoms. Yet the jewel will not be easy to find. The castle where it is hidden has been overrun with princess hopefuls trying to pass a magical test that will determine the prince's new bride. Lilia has only a few days to search every inch of the castle and find the jewel—or Kai will be lost to her forever.

    This trilogy of novellas by critically acclaimed author Mark Helprin will stand that test by time. The heroes of his imagined kingdom pit the power of their love and devotion against dark forces of greed and suppression. His themes resonate for readers of contemporary fantasy as well as those who cherish classic legends and tales. This Calla Edition presents Helprin's novellas — Swan Lake, A City in Winter, and The Veil of Snows — in a single volume, as he had always intended. Award-winning illustrator Chris Van Allsburg's 42 full-color plates complement Helprin's prose with sensitively wrought, finely nuanced images — sometimes grand, sometimes fanciful, always evocative. This signed, numbered edition, limited to 300 copies, includes a deluxe slipcase.

    Now, we proudly welcome another of his lavishly illustrated classic tales: Snow White. This exquisitely retold and newly designed edition remains faithful to the Grimms' beloved original. Featuring dreamy vistas, lush forests filled with animals, expressive characters, and an unforgettably beautiful heroine, it weaves a magical spell that will enchant children.

    The book costs $8 (with free shipping), for which you'll receive the perfect-bound minibook, plus an audiobook version that you'll be able to download immediately upon completion of your order. As an added bonus, you'll also receive an e-coupon for $3 off my full-length collection How They Were Found when it becomes available for pre-order later this year, sometime before its October release.

    These are the stories told to warn children, entertain adults and beguile all. Contents:BluebeardThe Living BookThe Jacaranda WifeRed SkeinThe Chrysanthemum BrideFrozenThe Hummingbird HeartWordsThe Little Match GirlThe Juniper TreeSkinThe Bone MotherThe Dead Ones Don’t Hurt YouLight As Mist, Heavy As HopeDresses, ThreeThe Girl With No HandsCover design by Lisa L. Hannett

    This edition is notable for combining favourites such as 'Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp' with less familiar tales such as 'The Diamond Anklet' and 'The Speaking Bird and the Singing Tree'. The collection also features the frame story about Shahriyar and Shahrazade. A classic of world literature, newly translated by an Arab author who has divided her adult life between Europe and the Middle East, and who has based this retelling on a fourteenth-century Syrian manuscript. Sumptuous illustrations by French illustrator Carole Henaff, who has travelled in the Arab world and now lives with her family in Barcelona.Shahriyar meets Shahrazade --Aladdin and the wonderful lamp --The diamond anklet --Jullanar of the sea --The ebony horse --The speaking bird and the singing tree --Prince Kamar el Zaman and Princess Boudour --Seven nights of celebrations.

    Klaus? Michelle Erickson brings readers a delightful story of a princess and a carpenter. Eralee's father is a River King and her mother is a Queen. They live in the forest of Everaude, a world filled with immortals and the Rashim (deer). Her parents planned a marriage for her to a river prince. She had no desire to marry him. When she saw a human freezing to death in the woods, she wanted to save him, although it was forbidden by her people. The reader watches as Klaus and Eralee fall in love. Throughout this enchanted story the reader learns the answers to many Santa questions. The reader also meets several incredible secondary characters such as Dasher, Dancer and Vixen. Erickson explains why reindeer can fly and why their antlers glow. Eralee refused to give up the man she loves, no matter the cost. Erickson combines romance, adventure, suspense, and humor to create one of the best Christmas tales I've ever read. Eralee's antics were very funny and her innocence was extremely heartwarming. This book will become a family favorite. I can see this tale making it to TV as a Christmas special. I highly recommend Klaus for the whole family... Eralee is a misfit among immortals. She is supposed to marry a philandering river Prince. She doesn’t want him. She wants to save the human called Klaus. Klaus lives alone at the edge of the Everaude Forest, a dangerous forbidden place. He’s convinced he will never know love until he meets Eralee. Unfortunately, she’s immortal - there's no reason for her to return that love There is another immortal who wants him. She is Kamichen, the Winter Witch, known in legend for eating men’s hearts. She has plans for Klaus and they don’t include Eralee.

    Troll supposed to sleep when the three Billy Goats Fluff keep trip-trapping over his bridge? Twice a day, they loudly cross it to eat the lush green grass in the field by Mr. Troll's home. (The grass makes their fleeces extra fluffy, important for Mother Goat's knitting business.) But when Mr. Troll threatens to eat them, Mother Goat has a fluffy plan to keep everyone happy in this funny twist on a classic fairy tale!

    While trying to keep his head above the water, he navigates his increasingly complicated social life, inner demons, and overwhelming feelings about the nature of love. NOTE: This book was originally published under the title "Psychology Of Want". It has been heavily revised with large portions rewritten completely. WARNING: This novel is not a romance, rom-com, or small-town love story. It is not intended to be a lighthearted read and may prove to be too troubling for more sensitive readers.

    --- Written in verse, this is the previously untold story of the previously unknown 8th dwarf, named Creepy. He is banished to the basement for being different and, well, weird. Yet he plays a vital - and of course previously unknown - role in the popular tale of Snow White – whose title character is an intruder Creepy refers to as "the Maid". (Intended for readers aged 10 and up)

    A modern retelling of the classic Arabian Nights tale "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves."

    Richard also gives Violet his heart, but he knows his marriage is destined to be an affair of state, not of passion. For the king and queen have devised a contest to determine who will win their son's hand in marriage.To be reunited with her prince, Violet must compete against princesses from across the land. It will take all of her wits - and a little help from an unexpected source - if Violet is to demonstrate the depth of her character and become Richard's bride.

    Illustrated in charming detail by Edward Gorey and retold with engaging wit by James Donnelly, these unique renditions offer a fresh take on age-old tales. What happens when Little Red Riding Hood ignores her mother's advice to "Keep yourself to yourself"? How will young Jack fight the Giant who gobbles children by the fistful? And how will Queen Omoline save her baby from the devious Rumpelstiltskin? Gorey's expressive drawings and Donnelly's breezy text prove that good stories never grow old: rather, the tales in Three Classic Children's Stories are better than ever.

    Originally written in English by Yuri Yasuda, based on her interpretations of traditional Japanese tales, these charming stories of rich imagination are now accompanied by Japanese text by Yumi Matsunari and Yumi Yamaguchi. The Japanese text includes basic kanji accompanied by furigana to help beginning learners to recognize and learn the characters.Adventures carry us, on turtle-back, to the splendors of the underwater palace of the dragon princess, to the beautiful hills where Kintaro plays with his animal friends, and to a temple where we discover a "tea kettle" that is really a cunning badger in disguise.The 98 color illustrations bring to life the charming characters of these heart-warming tales of old Japan, which include:Shitakiri Suzume, the Tongue-Cut SparrowKintaro, the Strong BoyKaguya Hime, the Luminous PrincessMomotaro, the Peach BoyBunbuku Chagama, the Lucky Cauldron

    Their scenes of unsparing savagery and jaw-dropping beauty remind us that fairy tales, in all their simplicity, have the power to change us. With some of the most famous stories in world literature, including “Cinderella,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Hansel and Gretel,” “Snow White,” as well as some less well known stories like “The Seven Ravens,” this definitive collection promises to entrance readers with the strange and wonderful world of the Brothers Grimm.Maria Tatar’s engaging preface provides readers with the historical and cultural context to understand what these stories meant and their contemporary resonance. Fans of all ages will be drawn to this elegant and accessible collection of stories that have cast their magical spell over children and adults alike for generations.

    Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 28. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: The Bloody Chamber (or The Bloody Chamber and Other Stories) is an anthology of short fiction by Angela Carter. It was first published in the United Kingdom in 1979 by Gollancz and won the Cheltenham Festival Literary Prize. All of the stories share a common theme of being closely based upon fairytales or folk tales. However, Angela Carter has stated: My intention was not to do 'versions' or, as the American edition of the book said, horribly, 'adult' fairy tales, but to extract the latent content from the traditional stories. The anthology contains ten stories: "The Bloody Chamber," "The Courtship of Mr Lyon," "The Tiger's Bride," "Puss-in-Boots," "The Erl-King," "The Snow Child," "The Lady of the House of Love," "The Werewolf," "The Company of Wolves" and "Wolf-Alice." The tales vary greatly in length, with the novelette "The Bloody Chamber" being "more than twice the length of any of the other stories, and more than thirty times the length of the shortest ." The anthology's contents are also reprinted in Carter's Burning Your Boats. The stories within "The Bloody Chamber" are explicitly based on fairy tales. Carter was no doubt inspired by the works of author and fairytale collector Charles Perrault, whose fairy tales she had translated shortly beforehand. (based on Bluebeard) A teenaged girl marries an older, wealthy French Marquis, whom she does not love. When he takes her to his castle, she learns that he enjoys sadistic pornography and takes pleasure in her embarrassment. She is a talented pianist, and a young man, a blind piano tuner, hears her music and falls in love with...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=102557

    Naomi Lewis' translations brilliantly capture Andersen's irresistible humor and conversational tone, and a whole host of memorable characters are brought to life in Joel Stewart's fresh and whimsical illustrations.

    

    Her poor, thin wings are freezing! As she looks for shelter, she meets a friendly robin and owl who give her food and clothes, and in turn she looks after a little elf boy.It's Christmas Eve and Father Christmas is out delivering his presents. Along his way he finds the lost, shivering children, and takes them home, as well as giving them gifts. Together the children have a wonderful Christmas -- and finally get warm.Beautiful, delicate illustrations make this book one to treasure.

    Every people or nation has its own way of experiencing this psychic reality, and so a study of the world’s fairy tales yields a wealth of insights into the archetypal experiences of humankind. Folk tales and fairy stories were originally intended for both adults and children—Grimms’ Household Tales, for instance—and this international anthology brings together “The Frog Who Became an Emperor” from China, “The Thee Billy Goats Gruff” from Norway, “Pinocchio” from Italy as well as the classic stories of Aesop, Andersen, the Grimm Brothers, Charles Perrault and Oscar Wilde, among many others.

    Both have been retold continuously in modern times in novels, poetry, plays, movies and more. Both have also been criticized for their apparently passive and occasionally foolish heroines. Despite first impressions, the stories and their many variants are filled with female characters, good and evil, active and passive. Whatever your view of either tale, it is fascinating to study their histories and explore why they have resonated with our ancestors as well as our own generations. In all the tales, whether the sleep is enchanted with a time limit or intended to be a permanent death, it is ultimately overcome, sometimes through accidental means and other times through heroic methods. With motivations ranging from petty offenses to overwhelming bouts of jealousy, the tales also present interesting villains. Offering over seventy stories, this collection compiles several variants of Sleeping Beauty and Snow White tales from around the world, some dating back to Greek myths and others to medieval times. Many of the tales are new translations, a few appearing for the first time in English. At times the stories are obviously related to each other and at other times the relationship is tenuous. Some additional stories with sleeping heroines, as well as heroes, are also presented although they are not strictly classified as Sleeping Beauty or Snow White tales. Whether you are a student of folklore or an armchair enthusiast, this anthology offers a diverse array of tales with a unifying theme that both entertains and educates, all gathered for the first time in one helpful collection.

    She wants to be a regular girl & do regular girl things. In this picture book, Haggy Aggy does the unthinkable & decides that dragons are an endangered species, & befriends the local dragon.

    Now all fourteen volumes (to date) of the Norton Annotated Books are available in a single set of 15 books (The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Short Stories is two volumes). With lush illustrations (color, two-tone, and black-and-white photos and illustrations throughout each volume) and entertaining, authoritative annotations throughout each, the Annotated Books provide the most entertaining and intimate experiences of these great classics: The Annotated Alice (by Lewis Carroll with illustrations by John Tenniel, edited by Martin Gardner): The Definitive Edition of The Annotated Alice combines the notes of Gardner's 1960 Annotated Alice with his 1990 update, More Annotated Alice, as well as additional new discoveries and updates drawn from Gardner's encyclopedic knowledge of the texts. The Annotated Brothers Grimm (by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, edited and translated by Maria Tatar): The Annotated Brothers Grimm celebrates the richness and dramatic power of the legendary fables with forty stories in new translations by Maria Tatar--including "Little Red Riding Hood," "Cinderella," "Snow White," and "Rapunzel," plus tales that were previously excised, including a few bawdy stories and others that were removed after the Grimms learned that parents were reading the book to their children. The Annotated Christmas Carol (by Charles Dickens with illustrations by John Leech, edited by Michael Patrick Hearn): With extensive annotations and reading notes, this is the first edition to combine the original text of 1843 with Dickens's Public Reading text, which had its world premiere in America in 1867 and had not been reprinted in nearly a century. Also included are rare photographs as well as the original Leech wood engravings and hand-colored etchings. The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales (edited and translated by Maria Tatar): Tatar, a leading expert in the field of folklore and children's literature, guides readers through the stories, exploring their historical origins, their cultural complexities, and their psychological effects. Tatar presents twenty-six classic stories--including "Beauty and the Beast," "Little Red Hiding Hood," "Jack and the Beanstalk," and "The Little Mermaid." Over 300 often rare, mostly four-color photographs, paintings, and illustrations. The New Annotated Dracula (by Bram Stoker, edited by Leslie S. Klinger): Traveling through two hundred years of popular culture and myth as well as graveyards and the wilds of Transylvania, Klinger's notes illuminate every aspect of this haunting narrative, including a detailed examination of the original typescript of Dracula, with its shockingly different ending, previously unavailable to scholars. The Annotated Hunting of the Snark (by Lewis Carroll with illustrations by Henry Holiday, edited by Martin Gardner): A trove of new annotations and illustrations, uncovering some of the most confounding literary, linguistic, and mathematical references embedded in any of Lewis Carroll's many works. Included in this gorgeous, two-color volume is an introduction by Adam Gopnik, as well as Henry Holiday's distinctive, original illustrations, a substantial bibliography, and a suppressed drawing of the infamous Boojum. The Annotated Hans Christian Andersen (by Hans Christian Andersen, edited and translated by Maria Tatar): Tatar celebrates the stories told by Denmark's "perfect wizard." Andersen's most beloved tales, such as "The Emperor's New Clothes," "The Ugly Duckling," and "The Little Mermaid," are now joined by "The Shadow" and "Story of a Mother," mature stories that reveal his literary range and depth, showing exactly how Andersen became one of the world's ten most translated authors, along with Shakespeare, Dickens, and Marx. The Annotated Huckleberry Finn (by Mark Twain with illustrations by E. W. Kemble, edited by Michael Patrick Hearn): Hearn's copious annotations draw on primary sources including the original manuscript, Twain's revisions and letters, and period accounts. Reproducing the original E. W. Kemble illustrations from the first edition, as well as countless archival photographs and drawings, some of them previously unpublished. The Annotated Secret Garden (by Frances Hodgson Burnett, edited by Gretchen Holbrook Gerzina): Gerzina, the author of the definitive biography of Frances Hodgson Burnett, brings out aspects of Burnett's life that led her to write the much-loved tale read by generations of children, details of the Victorian England time period, attitudes toward children, and Burnett's spiritual leanings. With over one hundred illustrations, many in vibrant color. The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Complete Short Stories, in two slipcased volumes (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, edited by Leslie S. Klinger): In two elegantly slipcased volumes, Klinger, a leading world authority, reassembles Arthur Conan Doyle's 56 classic short stories in the order in which they appeared in late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century book editions. Inside, a cornucopia of insights: beginners will benefit from Klinger's insightful biographies of Holmes, Watson, and Conan Doyle; history lovers will revel in the wealth of Victorian literary and cultural details; Sherlockian fanatics will puzzle over tantalizing new theories; art lovers will thrill to the 700-plus illustrations. The New Annotated Sherlock Holmes: The Novels, in a slipcased volume (by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, edited by Leslie S. Klinger): The four classic novels of Sherlock Holmes available in a new slipcased edition. Klinger reassembles Doyle's four seminal novels (A Study in Scarlet, The Sign of Four, The Hound of the Baskervilles, and The Valle

    Cindy’s stories examine the roles of women, our expectations, and the aftermath of the classic happily ever after in interesting, sometimes disturbing, ways.Every Word I Speak: Most of us know the fairy tale of the girl who, because of her kindness, was given the gift of gems and flowers that fell from her mouth with every word she spoke, but what happens afterward? Who can she trust and what will they want from her? This version of the story is a dark and troubling tale, and absolutely delicious for those of us who like our fairy tales unmarred by a Disney ending.One Hundred Eight Degrees: Once upon a time, a fairy tale princess discovered the truth of her kindom and led a revolt to overthrow the evil tyrant. And then she died on a pyre, her allies dead or scattered. That’s only the beginning. This fairy tale princess gets a new start in a new world, one with computers, and canned soft drinks, and cars, but what will she do with it, and can she start over with a clear conscience, knowing that she’s left her people behind?Remember: In “Remember,” the fairy tale princess is just a dancer who falls in love with an artist, but the artist isn’t free to fall in love. It’s not safe. So what happens to the princess who finds her happily ever after and then loses it in the blood of her lover?What Will I Do When This Dream is Over?: Matilda is a unicorn, calmly cropping the grass in Emmy’s front yard. Hank is her ex-boyfriend, who can’t see her anymore because, she’s afraid, he’s angry with her for not putting out. Emmy’s been preparing for the day Matilda would show up all her life. It’s been like a dream, always there. She’s been called upon to do a job, to save the world, and now it’s time. Emmy’s off on an adventure. She hopes she’ll win, beat the bad guys, save the day, but if she does, what happens after?The Fortunate Ones: Once upon a time, there lived a people who were always fortunate. And then they discovered that their fortune resided in their women, so they turned them into a commodity to be bought and sold. Annabelle is living the dream with her very successful husband, except he beats her sometimes, when he’s angry, when things don’t go right. She doesn’t like knowing she’s a commodity. She doesn’t like thinking like that. But she has to, and it’s up to her to save herself. If she can. If she can take her fortune back into her own hands.But Can You Let Him Go?:The fairy godmother who provides Cinderella with her pretty clothes and shoes and the ride to the ball is paying penance for her mistakes. When she’s not passing judgement on foolish and avaricious humans, she’s hunting for Cinderella, the Cinderella in this tale, at this time, and the handsome prince who will give Cinderella her happily ever after. She needs to get it right. She needs to save them both. If she doesn’t, she’ll never see her people again. Her sister, however, is determined to see her fail, and she’ll do all in her power to make that come to pass.And With This Slipper…:In this essay, Cindy Lynn Speer discusses the many Cinderella stories there are in the world, in almost every culture, and what it is that makes us love it so.

    The stories come from Ireland, Germany, Scotland, Spain, Switzerland, England, Flanders and Scandinavia.

    This much loved story is joined by the following classic titles, to give a collection that has something for everyone, whatever their age: Black Beauty, Little Women, Alice in Wonderland, The Secret Garden, Robin Hood, The Wind in the Willows, The Railway Children, The Jungle Book and Peter Pan.

    These talented authors have taken some familiar tales-and a few not so familiar-in new and incredible directions.Ride the desert sands with a girl who encounters a sexy incarnation of the Egyptian cat goddess Bastet and a Japanese maid who helps free her mistress from the human body trapping her heavenly spirit. We haven't forgotten the witches and wolves, but you'll also meet a Snow Bear whose gruff exterior hides a secret only a scared girl can unlock. Like a little pain with your pleasure? Then meet a delicate princess who longs for a lost lover's firm touch instead of a traditional marriage that leaves her unmarked and unsatisfied.Princess of Silk and Pain by Shanna GermainHandsome and Gretel by Kilt KilpatrickThe Art of Storm-Riding by Sunny MoraineRed in the Hood by Vivica LaceHannah and the Witch by Michael JonesSnow by Kenzie MathewsThe White Bride by G.G. RoyaleMadame Blanche by Jean Roberta

    This is a modern fairy tale, set in Elliston, Newfoundland, the root-cellar capital of the world. Scenic watercolours of the Bonavista peninsula colour this lively story.

    

    Mimbi, Pimbi and Timbi hope to find "a place cooler, a place less crowded, a place safe from eagles!" to build their new homes. The handsomely dressed Agama Man watches from the borders as the eagle flies down to flap and clap until he blows a house down. But in a deliciously funny twist, that pesky eagle gets a fine comeuppance!Bold African patterns and prints fill the stunning borders, but it is the dassies in their bright, colorful dresses and hats that steal the show in this irresistible tale, perfect for reading aloud.

    How can she grant the wishes of the prince, his rogue fairy godmother mom, and frog princess Medori if she can't even hold her wand?

    It is the simple story about the insidious Fox who takes over the Little Hare's house when her own palace of ice melts in the Spring. After enlisting the help of several animals, still the ferocious fox remains in the Little Hare's house. Is there anyone who can help him?

    Today, reading these traditional tales aloud is still the best way to experience them. From "The Twelve Dancing Princesses" to "Rumpelstiltskin," this timeless collection of much-loved and magical fairy tales is sure to delight child and parent alike.

    Written in short, easy phrases with carefully selected vocabulary and plentiful illustrations, each book helps youngsters achieve success as they have fun. The series follows three friends who love to share stories. In each book, one is reminded of a well-known story: Little Red Riding Hood in It's Not About the Hunter!, Beauty and the Beast in It's Not About the Rose!, Snow White in It's Not About the Apple!, Cinderella in It's Not About the Pumpkin!, and Hansel and Gretel in It's Not About the Crumbs! As one friend starts, the others are reminded of versions they know so each volume has three stories within one framework. The stories come from around the world, and Veronika Martenova Charles provides a note at the end of each book to describe the origins.  Easy-To-Read Wonder Tales is a great first step in developing a lifelong love of reading, and it makes a fine companion to Veronika Martenova Charles's series, Easy-To-Read Spooky Tales.

    The classic ideal gift for younger and older readers. A Book to treasure and keep forever.