Book picks similar to
The Orchard Book of Stories from the Ballet by Geraldine McCaughrean
fiction
childrens
ballet
fairy-tales
Once Upon a Marigold
Jean Ferris - 2002
But he's just a commoner, and no match for royalty. Heck, he lives in a cave with a troll! And now he's discovered another reason to put his love-soggy heart on ice: Queen Olympia is scheming to take over the kingdom--and she'll bump off her own daughter to do it. Can Christian foil her diabolical plans?
Brave Red, Smart Frog: A New Book of Old Tales
Emily Jenkins - 2017
There once was a frozen forest so cold, you could feel it through the soles of your boots. It was a strange place where some kisses broke enchantments and others began them. Many said witches lived there -- some with cold hearts, others with hot ovens and ugly appetites -- and also dwarves in tiny houses made of stones. In this icy wood, a stepmother might eat a girl's heart to restore her own beauty, while a woodcutter might become stupid with grief at the death of his donkey. Here a princess with too many dresses grows spiteful out of loneliness, while a mistreated girl who is kind to a crone finds pearls dropping from her mouth whenever she speaks. With empathy and an ear for emotion, Emily Jenkins retells seven fairy tales in contemporary language that reveals both the pathos and humor of some of our most beloved stories. Charming illustrations by Rohan Daniel Eason add whimsical details that enhance every new reading.
The Gashlycrumb Tinies
Edward Gorey - 1963
Gorey tells the tale of 26 children (each representing a letter of the alphabet) and their untimely deaths in rhyming dactylic couplets, accompanied by the author's distinctive black and white illustrations. It is one of Edward Gorey's best-known books, and is the most notorious amongst his roughly half-dozen mock alphabets.[2] It has been described as a "sarcastic rebellion against a view of childhood that is sunny, idyllic, and instructive". The morbid humor of the book comes in part from the mundane ways in which children die, such as falling down the stairs or choking on a peach. Far from illustrating the dramatic and fantastical childhood nightmares, these scenarios instead poke fun at the banal paranoias that come as a part of parenting.
Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas
Tim Burton - 1993
He's in charge of making Halloweenland the coolest creepy place around. But when Jack suddenly grows bored with tricks and treats, he goes searching for new ways to celebrate...and he finds them in Christmas Town! Christmas, Jack decides, is just what Halloweenland -- and the world -- needs! He sets out to take over the role of Santa. But can anything good come of a tall and lanky skeleton dressed up as everyone's favorite jolly old elf? Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas is one of the Walt Disney Company's most successful franchises, with a huge cult following and a loyal and growing fan base. This beautiful reissue of the book first released in 1993 is a surefire Halloween, Christmas, and year-round hit! The Nightmare Before Christmas is the first book that Tim Burton has written and illustrated.
Gorilla
Anthony Browne - 1983
She has gorillas on her bedside lamp and even on her box of cereal. Hannah loves gorillas and longs to see a real one, but her father is always too busy - or too tired - to take her to the zoo. Then, on the night before her birthday, something extraordinary happens - and Hannah’s wish comes gloriously true.
Beauty and the Beast
Ursula Jones - 2011
Award-winning author Ursula Jones tells the story with elegance and humour, capturing all the magic and excitement of this timeless fairy tale. Illustrated with exquisite style by Sarah Gibb, this is a beautiful book to pore over and cherish.
The Talking Eggs: A Folktale from the American South
Robert D. San Souci - 1989
A Southern folktale in which kind Blanche, following the instructions of an old witch, gains riches, while her greedy sister makes fun of the old woman and is duly rewarded.
The Tiger Who Came to Tea
Judith Kerr - 1968
Funny and entertaining.
Haroun and the Sea of Stories
Salman Rushdie - 1990
In this captivating work of fantasy from the author of Midnight’s Children and The Enchantress of Florence, Haroun sets out on an adventure to restore the poisoned source of the sea of stories. On the way, he encounters many foes, all intent on draining the sea of all its storytelling powers.
Tom's Midnight Garden
Philippa Pearce - 1958
What a boring summer it's going to be. But then, lying in bed one night, he hears the old grandfather clock in the hall strike the very strange hour of 13 o'clock. What can it mean? As Tom creeps downstairs and opens the door, he finds out...a magical garden, a new playmate, and the adventure of a lifetime. Una Stubbs stars as Aunt Gwen in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation.© and (P)1999 BBC Audiobooks LTD2 h 16 min
The Twelve Dancing Princesses
Diane Muldrow - 1812
Where do the king's beautiful daughter disappear to night after night? And who can solve the mystery of the twelve pairs of dancing slippers, worn to shreds by the morning?Internationally acclained illustrator Jane Ray brings to vivid life the fun-loving princesses of the classic Grimm fairy tale, as they boldly escape the confines of their father's castle. Each one is a character in her own right--a loving sister and a not-so-dutiful daughter--enjoying their moments of freedom as well as their beautiful brocade ballgowns.With its sumptuous detailed illustrations and gold and silver highlights, The Twelve Dancing Princesses is the latest jewel in the crown of Jane Ray's retellings of classic stories, which are themselves rapidly becoming modern classics.
The Tomten
Astrid Lindgren - 1960
No one knows when he came to the farm, no one has ever seen him, but everyone knows it is the troll Tomten who walks about the lonely old farmhouse on a winter's night, talking to all the animals and reminding them of the promise of Spring.Adapted by Astrid Lindgren from a poem by Viktor Rydberg
Half Upon a Time
James Riley - 2010
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.
Princess Furball
Charlotte S. Huck - 1994
When the Princess learns what her father has done, she is horrified. But she is as clever as she is beautiful. Quickly, the Princess devises a plan to escape and, relying on her own spunk and good sense, ultimately marries the man she chooses for herself.