The stories in this book, one from each major country or area of the world, are written in a way that young listeners and young readers will find easy to understand and enjoy

    Hidden Tales from Eastern Europe features seven little-known folk tales with titles such as The Shepherd King and The Hundred Children that reflect this variety in enchanting stories of stout-hearted men, wise women, and dull-witted dragons. These stories are culled from Croatia, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Serbia, and Russia.

    And this cleverness comes in handy when the cat comes, inviting everyone to join the secret Cat Society.

    True, the mistakes he made were common, ordinary things: a broken promise, a temper lost for no reason, a little untruth told here and there. But unlike most people, Gershon never regretted what he did. He never apologized or asked anyone's forgiveness. Why should he? Every year, on Rosh Hashanah, he would merely stuff his mistakes into a sack and cast them out to sea.Little did Gershon know, though, that his reckless behavior would certainly come back to haunt him. Was there still a chance for him to change?Eric A. Kimmel and Jon J Muth capture all the drama and wonder of this traditional Hasidic legend, as they rekindle our hope for beginning the year anew.

    Although the ciguapas fear humans, Guapa, a bold and brave ciguapa, can't help but be curious--especially about a boy she sees on the nights when she goes on the land to hunt for food. When she gets too close to his family and is discovered, she learns that some humans are kind. Even though she escapes unharmed and promises never to get too close to a human again, Guapa still sneaks over to the boy's house some evenings, where she finds a warm pastelito in the pocket of his jacket on the clothesline.From the Hardcover Library Binding edition.

    A Sufi teaching tale of a boy who visits another village and helps the townspeople deal with their fear of something that they have mistaken for a terrible, dangerous animal.

    Sources include Beowulf, The Husband's Message from the Exeter Book and runes. The second part of the book examines the original texts and extracts themes which are an endless supply of inspiration for modern storytelling.

    Born into a wealthy family, he led a dissolute life as a young man. Then one day he had a conversion experience while passing a poor leper's hut. From that day on, Francis dedicated his life to helping the poor and outcasts of society and to teaching respect for all living things. He was joined by a noblewoman, Clare, who was soon known as Sister Moon to Francis's Brother Sun. This appealing book includes many of the tales that were told about him, including his taming of the fierce wolf of Gubbio and the famous prayer that begins, "Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace". With its charming text and glowing illustrations this is a book to give, to keep, to cherish.

    Here we have gathered together some of our favorite picture books and anthologies -- all of which make wonderful holiday gifts!

    When one day Mariana finds a Merchild inside a crab shell her whole life changes - but she knows that one day, when the sea is calm again, the Merchild s mother will come to take her daughter back.A memorable story of unconditional love, this poetic retelling of a traditional South American folk tale beautifully conveys the joy that may come if you open your heart to what you cannot keep.

    A sequel to Monster Slayers. Ages 7 and up.

    Dressed in rags, he went begging for alms, but only the innkeeper Wang, passed the test. Tian rewarded Wang with a miraculous gift, a gift that brought fame and fortune to the innkeeper, and in return, Wang vowed to help the Lord of the Cranes with his special mission. The painter Jian Jiang Chen remembered this folktale from his childhood in China. He heard it from an old man who told stories accompanied by a violin -- a common form of entertainment at that time when so few Chinese had televisions. Retold here by his wife, Kerstin, it is a haunting and uplifting tale of virtue rewarded.

    Here, veteran performer Margaret Read MacDonald shares her experience in this collection of multicultural stories that involve plenty of audience involvement. You'll find riddle stories, improvisational stories, singing tales, tandem tales, and much more. The twenty stories in Shake-It-Up Tales! are easy to learn and easy to tell. and MacDonald prefaces each one with different ways of involving the audience, from implementing a simple refrain to casting characters in the lead roles. Additionally, she provides an extensive list of resources and guides for each element of audience participation (or story play, as she calls it). Shake-It-Up Tales! is invaluable for anyone telling stories to children - parents, grandparents, teachers, and librarians.

    Filled with heroes and tricksters, comedy and drama, these entertaining plays are a wonderful way to bring Native cultures to life for young people. Each play has multiple parts that can be adjusted to suit the size of a particular group and includes simple, informative suggestions for props, scenery, and costumes that children can help to create. Introductory notes and beautiful, detailed illustrations add to young readers' understanding of the seven Native nations whose traditions have inspired the plays.