Bringing the Rain to Kapiti Plain: A Nandi Tale


Verna Aardema - 1981
    A cumulative rhyme relating how Ki-pat brought rain to the drought-stricken Kapiti Plain. Verna Aardema has brought the original story closer to the English nursery rhyme by putting in a cumulative refrain and giving the tale the rhythm of “The House That Jack Built.”

The Secret Birthday Message


Eric Carle - 1972
    A message in code starts Tim off on an exciting treasure hunt through a dark cave, an underground tunnel, and other strange places until at the end he finds a happy surprise.

The Five Chinese Brothers


Claire Huchet Bishop - 1938
    "An original nonsense tale told with...spirit and gusto." -- The Horn Book

Why the Sun and the Moon Live in the Sky


Elphinstone Dayrell - 1968
    But so many poured in that they were forced to move to the sky.

Ossiri and the Bala Mengro


Richard O'Neill - 2017
    She plays it enthusiastically, but it sounds terrible! Ignoring warnings not to awaken the ogre in the hills, Ossiri goes there to practise playing her instrument. Will she wake the ogre, and will it appreciate her playing? Told by a Romani storyteller and a picture book author, this original tale offers a fascinating insight into Travelling lifestyles and cultures.

The Story of Colors/La Historia de los Colores


Subcomandante Marcos - 1999
    At the same time, it provides us with a fresh perspective on the struggles of the people there. They fight to conserve their culture and a vision of the world which they see as flowering with holiness—a holiness that cannot be measured in dollars or defined by politics.The text for La Historia de los Colores is taken from the communiqué dated October 27, 1994 from Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos to the Mexican People. Originally published in Mexico with illustrations by Domitila Domínguez as La Historia de los Colores © 1996 by Colectivo Callejero, Guadalajara.Who is Marcos?Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos is the military strategist and spokesperson for the Zapatistas, an indigenous guerrilla movement in Mexico. It is his person, more than any other factor, that has pushed the Zapatista movement and the plight of the indigenous people in Mexico onto the international scene. Marcos continues to be the focus of media attention—in Mexico, in the States, and internationally, despite the Mexican government’s attempts to discredit him.On New Year’s Day, 1994, Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos and the Zapatistas, wearing their trademark ski masks, erupted on the world scene by declaring war on the Mexican government and attacking military installations in San Cristóbal, Chiapas. Since that time, Marcos—because of his charm, intelligence and mystique—has become a post-modern revolutionary hero. In his communiqués to the Mexican people, he has often related folktales and stories that reflect the culture and wisdom of the indigenous peoples of Chiapas.But no one seems to know who Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos is. The Mexican Government claims he is Rafael Guillen, but they’re literalists. He says he’s a Mexican like any other, born somewhere between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and between the northern and southern borders. He says he wears a ski mask because he is no longer whoever he was.

The Bremen Town Musicians


Lisbeth Zwerger - 1944
    But they get more than they bargained for when they stumble upon a frightful gang of robbers. Maybe they can find a clever way to turn their dreadful singing to their advantage in this wittily illustrated book that’s sure to appeal to Ms. Zwerger’s many fans.

Madeline in London


Ludwig Bemelmans - 1961
    To help celebrate his birthday, Miss Clavel and the girls pay him a visit. When his mother won't let Pepito keep one of his birthday presents--a horse--Madeline is more than willing to help out.

Red Riding Hood


James Marshall - 1993
    But the wolf she met on the way to Granny's was so charming and urbane. What could be the harm of telling him that she was on her way to Granny's pretty yellow house on the other side of the woods? Who could be a better escort than the big-eyed, long armed, big-toothed wolf?

The Little Red Hen


Diane Muldrow - 1954
    P. Miller's graphic, colorful farm animals seem to jump right off the page--but they aren't jumping to help the Little Red Hen plant her wheat! Young children will learn a valuable lesson about teamwork from this funny, favorite folktale.

Thunder Rose


Jerdine Nolen - 2003
    Coretta Scott King Honor Book Thunder Rose vows to grow up to be more than just big and strong, thank you very kindly--and boy, does she ever! But when a whirling storm on a riotous rampage threatens, has Rose finally met her match? Jerdine Nolen's wondrous tale and Kadir Nelson's outstanding illustrations bring to life this larger-than-life story about a resilient young girl who overcomes adversity even in the face of mother nature.

The Story of the Milky Way: A Cherokee Tale


Joseph Bruchac - 1995
    In those days there lived an elderly couple who discovered one morning that a thief was stealing their cornmeal. And the culprit was no ordinary thief, but a giant spirit dog!It took the courage of the couple's young grandson, the wisdom of the people's Beloved Woman, and the help of their entire village to drive the spirit dog into the night sky. And ever after the great band of stars formed in its wake has reminded us of the people's brave deed.A lyrical text by two renowned Native American storytellers and exquisite paintings by Cherokee-Creek artist Virginia A. Stroud illuminate this lovely story's timeless message: that great things can be accomplished when a community works together.

Goldilocks and the Three Bears


Gennady Spirin - 2009
    Each spread—painted in watercolor, pen, and ink—brings renewed life to this endearing children’s classic in a way that only a master illustrator can. No wonder Goldilocks want to sample the bears’ porridge, sit on their chairs, and rest on their beds!

Merlin and the Making of the King


Margaret Hodges - 2004
    But many threats befall Arthur in the kingdom of Camelot: the evil witch Morgan le Fay, the traitor Mordred, and even his best friend, Sir Launcelot. Will the courageous Arthur triumph over the evil forces in his path and bring peace and justice to the world?With lyrical storytelling and dazzling paintings, renowned author Margaret Hodges and celebrated illustrator Trina Schart Hyman together capture the beauty, danger, and glory of these timeless tales adapted from Sir Thomas Malory's Le Morte d'Arthur.

Golem


David Wisniewski - 1996
    The golem's task was to vanquish those who persecuted the Jews of Prague, and he performed it almost too well. Retold from traditional sources and accompanied by masterly cutpaper illustrations, Golem is a dramatic tale of supernatural forces invoked to save an oppressed people. It offers a thought-provoking look at the consequences of unleashing power beyond human control.Winner of the 1997 Caldecott Medal.