A story of life in an isolated Cameroonian village.

    But so many poured in that they were forced to move to the sky.

    But when onlookers criticize his father for riding while Nasreddine walks, the boy is ashamed. The following week, Nasreddine persuades his father to walk, and let him ride -- but then people criticize the boy for making his father walk! No matter what Nasreddine tries, it seems that someone always finds something to disapprove of.Nasreddine is a legendary character popular in stories told throughout the Middle East, and this clever story will bring him to a new audience. Accompanied by stunning artwork, this tale offers a gentle reminder to readers that it isn't always necessary to listen to the world's criticisms.

    As she walks the land, swims the seas, and climbs the mountains, nurturing all of creation, she comes across Man, Frog, and Mosquito. They each give her thanks for nature's bounty, yet can't help but give her advice about making their lives better. Everybody’s got an opinion, it seems, and Earth Mother is amused when it becomes clear that the circle of life is not without a healthy dose of cosmic humor. Leo and Diane Dillon lend their formidable talents to Ellen Jackson's original folktale about the unexpected and sometimes humorous ways that life is interconnected.

    And the more she talks to her mother and father and grandfather and grandmother and aunties and cousins about it, the more her happiness grows! There's only one thing to do...Sing!

    The tale of how a father with his magic wand and a boy with his music triumph over the giant Abiyoyo is based on a South African lullaby and folk story.

    Instead, her wild imagination leads her to think of whimsical situations like riding on the back of a turtle or flying with an eagle that may explain her mothers' tardiness.Awards Grand Prize, PBBY-Salanga Writer's Prize, 2001; Grand Prize, PBBY-Illustrator's Prize, 2001

    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.

    It goes forth at nightto prowl around the fires.It even likes to minglewith the dancers...Shadow...It waves with the grasses,curls up at the foot of trees...But in the African experience Shadow is much more. The village storytellers and shamans of an Africa that is passing into memory called forth for the poet Blaise Cendrars an eerie image, shifting between the beliefs of the present and the spirits of the past.Shadow...It does not cry out,it has no voice...It can cast a spell over you...It follows man everywhere,even to war...Marcia Brown's stunning illustrations in collage, inspired by her travels in Africa, evoke the atmosphere and drama of a life now haunted, now enchanted by Shadow.

    There was a little boy in Sam-sam-sa-mara named Sam...So begins this delightful telling of one of the most controversial books in children's literature, Little Black Sambo. Julius Lester and Jerry Pinkney reveal at the heart of this story a lively and charming tale of a little boy who triumphs over several hungry tigers. "Lester and Pinkney have stripped away the ugly racism and...reclaimed a great classic for children. AThe? expansive black storytelling voice is both folksy and contemporary, funny and fearful." --Booklist

    When their father dies, he leaves an unusual will: by sundown, the brothers must make gold out of seven spools of thread or they will be turned out as beggars.

    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.

    Readers will delight in the vibrant illustrations, thrill at the appearances of the frightening sorceress, and chime in with the familiar line "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair," as they follow this well-loved tale.

    He drew them everywhere, even where they should not be: on the temple walls and in the priest's books. Although the cats sometimes got the boy in trouble, one day they found a way to reward their skillful creator.

    He is a rogue, a mischief maker, and a wise, lovable creature who triumphs over larger foes.In this traditional Ashanti tale, Anansi sets out on a long, difficult journey. Threatened by Fish and Falcon, he is saved from terrible fates by his sons. But which of his sons should Anansi reward? Calling upon Nyame, the God of All Things, Anansi solves his predicament in a touching and highly resourceful fashion.In adapting this popular folktale, Gerald McDermott merges the old with the new, combining bold, rich color with traditional African design motifs and authentic Ashanti language rhythms. Anansi the Spider is a 1973 Caldecott Honor Book.