I Am Otter


Sam Garton - 2014
    Here's what Otter has to say about her book: "Hi! I am Otter, and this is a book about me and my best friends, Otter Keeper and Teddy. And it's about the fun and messy (and little bit scary) adventure we had one day when Otter Keeper was at work. I hope you like the story! (And if you don't, it's probably Teddy's fault.)"Otter's utterly winning voice and Sam Garton's classic yet fresh artwork combine to create a truly hilarious and unforgettable friendship story.

The Princess and the Pea


Jana Christy - 1835
    The famous fairy tale The Princess and the Pea is retold in this all-new Little Golden Book--destined to be an instant classic!

Thumbelina


Amy Ehrlich - 1979
    One day she planted a magic seed and from the seed grew a flower. Inside the flower was a tiny, exquisite girl no bigger than the woman's thumb. Her name was Thumbelina.The two lived happily together until an ugly old toad snuck in and snatched Thumbelina away. So began Thumbelina's adventures in a world full of dangers for little people. Luckily, size isn't all that matters, and Thumbelina's kindness and courage bring her long-lasting happiness.One of the most popular fairy tales ever written!This classic edition pairs the complete, unabridged story translated by a distinguished Hans Christian Andersen authority with the picture-book debut of an accomplished artist. A perfect gift for the holidays!*"A remarkable, lovely version of one of the author's most beloved tales. . ." "--School Library Journal, " starred review

Stranger in the Woods: A Photographic Fantasy


Carl R. Sams II - 1999
    Who is this Stranger? Why did he arrive after a winter storm and what wonderful surprises does he bring?Your children will love this photographic fantasy created by two noted wildlife photographers.You'll discover this tale is beta-carotene for the spirit in everyone.

There Was an Old Dragon Who Swallowed a Knight


Penny Parker Klostermann - 2015
    Now meet the old dragon who swallows pretty much an entire kingdom! Will he ever learn a little moderation?! This rollicking rhyme is full to bursting with sight gags, silly characters, and plenty of burps! Parents and kids alike will delight in Ben Mantle’s precisely funny illustrations and in Penny Parker Klostermann’s wacky rhymes.In days of yore, before a certain fly's ultimately fatal encounter with an Old Lady, there was an old dragon who felt rather peckish. "There was an old dragon who swallowed a knight. / I don't know why he swallowed the knight // It's not polite!" He follows the knight with the knight's steed ("that galloped around at a terrible speed"). Then a squire, a cook, a lady, a castle, and finally a moat are each swallowed in turn. But…"With all of that water, he started to bloat. / And that's when the dragon roared, and I quote: / ‘Okay, enough! I've had enough— / More than enough of this swallowing stuff!' " So realizing that eating all those things might have been "a tad impolite," the old dragon burps them all out in reverse except the knight (which is "ahhh…just right"). Klostermann's debut is a rollicking and warped Medieval take on the well-worn cumulative rhyme. Prolific British animator and illustrator Mantle's expressive and bright cartoon illustrations of the red, horned dragon (and the contents of his stomach) are a perfect match. The antics within the dragon's stomach—every image of the steed is accompanied by a little "clippity, clippity, clippity, clop" in teeny type—and his copious burping will leave 'em laughing. No matter how many swallowed-fly titles you own, this one belongs on your shelf too. KIrkus, May 1,2015

It's a Book


Lane Smith - 2010
    This satisfying, perfectly executed picture book has something to say to readers of all stripes and all ages.This title has Common Core connections.

The Ordinary Princess


M.M. Kaye - 1980
    Unlike her six beautiful sisters, she has brown hair and freckles, and would rather have adventures than play the harp, embroider tapestries . . . or become a Queen. When her royal parents try to marry her off, Amy runs away and, because she's so ordinary, easily becomes the fourteenth assistant kitchen maid at a neighboring palace. And there . . . much to everyone's surprise . . . she meets a prince just as ordinary (and special) as she is!"This delightful fairy tale is sure to please young romantics . . . Neither Kaye's princess nor her book should be considered ordinary." (School Library Journal)

The Runaway Wok: A Chinese New Year Tale


Ying Chang Compestine - 2011
    But then the wok rolls out of the poor family's house with a skippity-hoppity-ho! and returns from the rich man's home with a feast in tow! With spirited text and lively illustrations, this story reminds readers about the importance of generosity.

Princess Hyacinth: The Surprising Tale of a Girl Who Floated


Florence Parry Heide - 2009
    And so the king and queen have pebbles sewn into the tops of her socks, and force her to wear a crown encrusted with the heaviest jewels in the kingdom to keep her earthbound. But one day, Hyacinth comes across a balloon man and decides to take off all her princess clothes, grab a balloon, and float free. Hooray! Alas, when the balloon man lets go of the string . . . off she goes. Luckily, there is a kite and a boy named Boy to save her.

The Elves and the Shoemaker


Jim LaMarche - 1812
    Jim LaMarche's stunning paintings, reminiscent of his earlier work in The Rainbabies, are the perfect compliment to this favorite Grimm fairy tale.

Bloom


Doreen Cronin - 2016
    Bloom and her mud fairy magic might be able to turn weeds into flowers and spin sand into glass, but the people of the kingdom ceaselessly complain about the trails of dirt and puddles of mud that seem to follow her every step, and finally they cast her out.But when the glass castle begins to crack, then cracks some more, the King and Queen in a panic search for the long-banished fairy, but they can’t find Bloom anywhere. Desperate to save their home, they send their meekest, most ordinary subject, a girl named Genevieve whose sole task until now has been to polish the Queen’s crystal sugar spoon—to coax any worthy fairy to come and save the kingdom. Genevieve finds Bloom exactly where the king and queen failed to see her, and Bloom knows exactly how to save the kingdom. But it will take the two girls working together, along with a mighty dollop of self-confidence—and some very messy hands—to accomplish the extraordinary.

Cinderella


Jacob Grimm - 1857
    Several pages have been finished with soft sparkles giving the book a magical feel.

Rapunzel and the Seven Dwarfs: A Maynard Moose Tale


Willy Claflin - 2011
    Rapunzel?... and The Seven, or Eight, or NINE Dwarfs?!? Hey, what's going on here??? Welcome to the slightly off-track world of Maynard Moose and the ancient Mother Moose tales. Willy Claflin channels and translates these tales for our entertainment and enlightenment--or maybe just to confuse us. Rapunzel and the Seven Dwarfs exemplifies the lesson in many of these stories "...That there ain't no moral to some stories at all."Fractured English is translated in the glossary at the front. The cast of characters seems oddly familiar, while the plot is... well, plot is overrated. James Stimson's delightful digital artwork brilliantly renders the details that add wit and substance to every page. Enjoy!

The End


David LaRochelle - 2006
    . . backwards! Before you reach the beginning, you'll meet a temperamental giant, a beleaguered cook, a dragon who's scared of bunny rabbits, an oversized tomato, and an impish figure on a flying pig who just might be the cause of all the madness. It's a conventionally perfect and perfectly unconventional take on the fairy tale -- guaranteed to convert the Grimmest reader to giggles.

The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm


Laura Amy Schlitz - 2006
    Enter that sly opportunist, the devil, who wraps the soldier in the armor of a dead bear’s skin, fills its pockets with gold, and makes a dangerous and horrible wager. An unforgettable retelling of a classic Grimm tale, THE BEARSKINNER is a story about the struggle between the two sides of our selves, and the heroic strength it takes to claim a victory.