Shadow Spinner


Susan Fletcher - 1998
    In an adventure equal to any a storyteller might relate, a crippled serving girl faces the intrigues of the harem, the dangers of the streets, and the anger of the Sultan himself to find the needed ending to an incomplete story.

Federico and the Wolf


Rebecca J. Gomez - 2020
    But on the way, he meets a hungry wolf. And now his grandfather bears a striking resemblance to el lobo. Fortunately, Federico is quick and clever—and just happens to be carrying a spicy surprise! Federico drives the wolf away, and he and Abuelo celebrate with a special salsa. Recipe included.

Babushka Baba Yaga


Patricia Polacco - 1993
    Baba Yaga is a witch famous throughout Russia for eating children, but this Babushka Baba Yaga is a lonely old woman who just wants a grandchild?to love."Kids will respond to the joyful story of the outsider who gets to join in, and Polacco's richly patterned paintings of Russian peasant life on the edge of the woods are full of light and color." -- Booklist"A warm, lively tale, neatly mixing new and old and illustrated with Polacco's usual energetic action, bright folk patterns, and affectionate characterizations." --Kirkus Reviews

Princess Smartypants


Babette Cole - 1987
    Commanded by her parents to find herself a husband, the Princess sets tasks for her horde of suitors. All of the potential husbands fail miserably as the gleeful Princess looks on — until Prince Swashbuckle appears. . . .

Fanny's Dream


Caralyn Buehner - 1996
    Someday, she believes, she will marry a prince. When the town mayor announces he is throwing a grand ball, Fanny is convinced her time has come. She puts on her best calico dress and goes out to the garden so that she'll be ready when her fairy godmother arrives. As the seconds tick by, Fanny waits and waits. Finally, she hears a voice. It isn't her fairy godmother-but it is someone who will change her life forever.

The Violet Fairy Book


Andrew Lang - 1901
    Perhaps the best English versions available of these classic stories. 74 illustrations.

Chicken Little


Steven Kellogg - 1985
    Steven Kellogg's hilarious retelling and irresistible illustrations bring fresh delight to this timeless classic of chain reaction panic.

Waynetta and the Cornstalk: A Texas Fairy Tale


Helen Ketteman - 2007
    This fun retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk is full of cowgirl sass, as a young Texas girl discovers her luck at the top of a giant cornstalk.

Ernie Dances to the Didgeridoo


Alison Lester - 2001
    He flies over the desert and crosses the floodplains and the East Alligator River to his new home in Arnhem Land in the Australian outback, where he will live for a year while his parents work in a hospital there. Ernie writes to each friend about a different season — Kudjewk, Bangekerreng, Yekke, Wurrkeng, Kurrung, or Kurnumeleng — explaining what that time of year brings and revealing the exciting things that he and his new friends are doing. Back home, his six old friends share what they have learned and try some of the activities of the Australian outback.

Listen to the Wind: The Story of Dr. Greg & Three Cups of Tea


Greg Mortenson - 2009
    The villagers saved his life, and he vowed to return and build them a school. The remarkable story of his promise kept is now perfect for reading aloud. Told in the voice of Korphe’s children, this story illuminates the humanity and culture of a relevant and distant part of the world in gorgeous collage, while sharing a riveting example of how one person can change thousands of lives.

Sugar Cane: A Caribbean Rapunzel


Patricia Storace - 2003
    With only a pet green monkey named Callaloo for company, Sugar Cane is lonely-her only consolation is her love of music. Often she stands at her window and sings, imagining that the echo of her voice is someone answering her. Then one night, someone does hear her song, but could this young man with a gift for music break the spell of Madam Fate and help Sugar Cane set herself free? Patricia Storace's lyrical and poignant retelling of the Rapunzel tale in a Caribbean setting is perfectly matched with Raúl Colón's lush illustrations. An unforgettable feast for the senses.

Elephant in the Dark


Mina Javaherbin - 2015
    "It's like a tree trunk," says another. "No, it's like a fan!" argues the third. Who is right? Which of them knows the creature's true shape?Mina Javaherbin's charming and witty retelling combined with Eugene Yelchin's refreshingly brilliant illustrations bring this enlightened classic, inspired by Rumi's poem, vividly to life.

Prince Ribbit


Jonathan Emmett - 2016
    Fairy tales are just stories, or so Princess Martha believes. But when her sisters meet a talking frog, they're convinced that giving him the royal treatment will turn him into Prince Charming. After all, that's what happens in their story books. Martha isn't so sure. The more she sees of Prince Ribbit, the more suspicious she becomes. Armed with the facts, Martha sets out to expose Prince Ribbit and prove to her sisters that just because it's in a book doesn't mean it's true. But before The End, Princess Martha might just learn that lesson for herself!

One City, Two Brothers


Chris Smith - 2007
    In this gorgeously illustrated book, storyteller Chris Smith shows how two brothers find peace by seeing themselves in each other.

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.