Gold! For as long as the castle had stood, alchemists had struggled to make gold from the simple elements of the earth. And for as long as the castle stood they had failed. Then comes the greedy, ambitious Spinifex, who promises the king riches and glory beyond his wildest dreams. Arthur, the alchemist's young apprentice, cannot see the point - after all gold cannot make you happy, heal the sick, or make people love you - and he watches in amazement as the experiments grow more elaborate and fantastic. As time ticks on Spinifex becomes a man obsessed, plundering the country for more gold to aid his experiments, even tearing the rings from people's fingers. Then, as the Millennium approaches, Spinifex constructs his last great experiment - a monstrous machine stretching up from the cellar through the castle to the roof. But the great gold-making machine only suceeds in destroying its creator, leaving just one tiny nugget of gold. However, gold of another kind floods the castle - glorious sunlight rains down on the kingdom, dispelling darkness and gloom forever. As for Arthur, he takes the tiny nugget and fashions a sunflower pendant for the king. One day the king loses it while out swimming, but he doesn't even notice, it is forgotten.

    Join Madeline in another adventure when she and Pepito run off to join the carnival with a band of traveling gypsies! At first they're having the time of their lives—they don't have to go to school, brush their teeth, or ever go to sleep. But soon Madeline and Pepito start to feel homesick. Leave it to clever Miss Clavel to find Madeline and Pepito and bring them home.

    An IRA-CBC Children's Choice.An American Bookseller "Pick of the Lists."When Ping admits that he is the only child in China unable to grow a flower from the seeds distributed by the Emperor, he is rewarded for his honesty.

    Jan Brett’s popular tale of adventure in prehistoric times is now a big book!

    Paddle's journey, in text and pictures, through the Great lakes to the Atlantic Ocean provides an excellent geographic and historical picture of the region.

    Boy lay curled on a bed of leaves But he sat up when an old man said: "This thought keeps spinning in my head. There must be caves just like our own Somewhere And other axes made of stone Somewhere And other men like me." Though only Boy shares his dream, the old man leaves the tribe to search for what the world may hold. Boy does the old man's work in his absence and watches hopefully for his return... For any good thing Can happen when The world is full of Tribes of men Who know that they have brothers. First published in 1965 and long out of print, Byrd Baylor's powerful story is newly illustrated with Ronald Himler's vigorous yet tender pictures.

    Generations of kids have interacted with lovable, furry old Grover as he begs the reader not to turn the page--for fear of a monster at the end of the book. Oh, I am so embarrassed, he says on the last page . . . for, of course, the monster is Grover himself! This all-time favorite is now available as a Big Little Golden Book--perfect for lap-time reading. From the Hardcover edition.

    Even as a small girl, Erika loved that picture.It will pull her through childhood, across vast oceans and modern cities, then into towns—older, quieter places—she has only ever dreamed about.But Erika cannot truly know what she will find there, among the rocky seacoasts, the rice paddies, the circle of mountains, and the class of children.For Erika-san, can Japan be all that she has imagined?

    . . Mummy Cat prowls his pyramid home, longing for his beloved owner. As he roams the tomb, lavish murals above his head display scenes of the cat with his young Egyptian queen, creating a story-within-a-story about the events of centuries past. Hidden hieroglyphs deepen the tale and are explained in an informative author’s note.         Marcus Ewert and Lisa Brown’s smart, beautiful book is a marvel of sophisticated simplicity, infinitely engaging to examine in detail, and complete with a sweetly surprising plot twist sure to delight young cat-lovers and budding Egyptologists alike.

    He's frightened of the dark, the dark all around, which not even Big Bear's largest lantern can light up. Big Bear finds a way to show Little Bear that there is no need to be afraid.

    Seuss!  A new Dr. Seuss book! This follow-up to The Bippolo Seed and Other Lost Stories features familiar Seussian faces and places—including Horton the Elephant, Marco, Mulberry Street, and a Grinch—as well as an introduction by renowned Seuss scholar Charles D. Cohen. Seuss fans will learn more about Horton’s integrity, Marco’s amazing imagination, a narrowly avoided disaster on Mullbery Street, and a devious Grinch. With a color palette enhanced beyond that of the magazines in which the stories originally appeared, this new volume of “lost” tales is a perfect gift for young readers and a must-have for Seuss collectors of all ages!

    Even when they argue, it's like belonging to a special club, she thinks. How can she get a larger, more lively family? Rosemary is stumped, until she discovers some "only" creatures and figures out a way to bring home what's missing in her life. Humorous illustrations that pop with personality show Rosemary growing from a bewildered baby surrounded by too many hovering adults to a confident backyard ringmaster who proves that being an only child can be fun!

    In a relaxed and humorous tone, these splendid artists bring to life the myths that have inspired great European literature and art through the ages, creating a book readers of all ages will cherish."For any child fortunate enough to have this generous book...the kings and heroes of ancient legend will remain forever matter-of-fact; the pictures interpret the text literally and are full of detail and witty observation."--The Horn  Book"The drawings, particularly the full-page ones in this oversized volume, are excellent  and excitingly evocative."--The New  York Times"Parents, uncles, and aunts who have been searching for a big picture book that has good reading-aloud value for the younger ones and fine read-it-yourself value on up, have it in this volume...a children's classic."--Christian Science Monitor

    Mixing vibrant color with black-and-white pencil drawings, the author/illustrator explore the magic of myth in a fantastical boat ride that sweeps Will and Mabel into the sky.

    When a farm girl discovers a runaway slave hiding in the barn, she is at once startled and frightened. But the stranger's fearful eyes weigh upon her conscience, and she must make a difficult choice. Will she have the courage to help him? Unspoken gifts of humanity unite the girl and the runaway as they each face a journey: one following the North Star, the other following her heart. Henry Cole's unusual and original rendering of the Underground Railroad speaks directly to our deepest sense of compassion.