All the central characters are spirited females—decisive heroes of extraordinary courage, wit, and achievement who set out to determine their own fate. Some of their stories are comic, some adventurous, some eerie, and some magical. The Chicago Sun-Times writes: "A sparkling gathering of traditional, yet little-known, tales from all parts of the globe. The female characters. . . manage to outsmart, outdo, and over-power the villains with nerves of steel, cunning minds, and disarming senses of humor."

    He also composed poetry by the pen name 'Brahma'. Birbal's fame had spread far and wide. As Akbar's favourite minister, he had an answer to every question and a solution to every problem. In fair tribute to his shrewdness, even the mighty Shah of Persia addressed Birbal as the "Ocean of Intelligence". Combining tact and common sense with a fair pinch of humour, he won his master's heart.

    Zvorykin left Russia after the Revolution and settled finally in Paris, where he found employment in the publishing house of H. Piazza. At some point in the 1920s, years after the Russia he knew had disappeared, he made the original of this book as a present for his employer, Louis Fricotelle. He translated four Russian fairy tales into French, writing them out in beautiful calligraphy and illustrating them on heavy vellum pages, which he then bound in red Moroccan leather embossed with Russian motifs. It was a gift of gratitude for a new life, celebrating all he valued and missed in the old.Fifty years later Andreas Brown of the Gotham Book MArt brought this luxurious manuscript to the attention of Jacqueline Onassis (who also edited In the Russian Style) and The Viking Press, where it was decided to issue the book in a format that would make it accessible to the public. All the splendid illustrations - vivid in color, detail, and not least of all, whimsy - are reproduced from the original art. The stories - The Firebird, Maria Morevna, The Snow Maiden, and Vassilissa the Fair - spiced with quintessentially Russian images and supernatural beings, are based on existing English translations that have been modified to preserve the flavor of Zvorykin's versions.

    Each spring the snow child must leave, but every winter she returns with the first snowfall and comes to life with a kiss.

    Feeling a little foolish perhaps, but determined to see for himself if the dream is true, Isaac sets out on his long journey. What he finds makes a surprising and heart-warming ending to this retelling of a well-known folk tale. In a few words, Cadelcott Medal winner Uri Shulevitz draws a man who is innocent enough to have faith in a dream, and wise enough to understand the greatest reward of all.Isaac's solitary journey, his arrival at hte vast city, and his discovery there are all enriched by Mr. Shulevitz's beautifully detailed illustrations, which masterfully capture the spirit of the original tale while keeping it simple enough for the very youngest reader.The Treasure is a 1980 Caldecott Honor Book and a 1979 New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year.

    From orange trees growing at the command of a child to talking fish, these stories present us with a world of wonder, delight, and mystery.

    In fact, the book is mostly a collection of tales published in previous Manning-Sanders anthologies.Contents:My lord bag of rice (Japan) Merman Rosmer (Scotland) The old witch (England) The skipper and the dwarfs (Jutland) Something wonderful (Finland) Selim and the Snake Queen (Greek Isles) Jon and his brothers (French Canada) The monster with seven heads (Madagascar) The giant who had no heart in his body (Norway) The little tailor and the three dogs (Germany) The silver penny (Hungary) Vasilissa most lovely (Russia) Fin M'Coul and Cucullin (Ireland) King Josef (Czechoslovakia) Long, Broad and Sharpsight (Bohemia) The Knights of the the Fish (Spain) The girl in the basket (Italy) The monster in the mill (Macedonia) The lost prince (Iceland) --Lilla Rosa (Sweden) Smoke bones (North America (Indian)) The magic roots (South America) The sailor and the devil (Holland) Sausages (Transylvania) The caribous wife (Alaska)

    Aided by others who have suffered at the hands of the king, a blackbird seeks revenge on the monarch who has stolen his wife.

    Fifteen full-page illustrations of the strange haunting world of the trolls accompanied by a simple descriptive text.

    Alexandra cleverly outwits the dragons as she attempts to find food for her one hundred children.