How could everyone in a castle - even the flies on the walls - sleep for a century and then wake up? This magical, beautifully illustrated tale begins when the king excludes the most difficult fairy of the kingdom from a feast celebrating the birth of his beautiful daughter Briar Rose. Furious, the fairy storms in and curses the baby, pronouncing that on her fifteenth birthday she will be pricked by a distaff (from a spinning wheel) and fall down dead. The youngest fairy softens the curse to a century-long sleep. Despite the fact that the king burns all the spinning wheels in the kingdom, 15-year-old Briar Rose finds herself in the tower where the evil fairy and her fate await her. The drama of the spell unfurls as she and the other inhabitants of the castle fall instantly asleep, from courtiers to kitchen maids. Thorny briars - moodily captured by Trina Schart Hyman's masterful paintbrush - grow up around the castle. Hyman depicts those who died attempting to break through the maze of thorns to reach the legendary sleeping beauty in a nightmarish illustration. But goodness and true love prevail when the perfect prince does finally find his way through the thick vines.Hyman won a Caldecott Medal for her work in Saint George and the Dragon by Margaret Hodges, and her version of The Sleeping Beauty makes us believe in the magic of the spell. The scenes inside the castle are alive with color and movement and rich with details that children will devour eagerly. Moods and expressions are rendered exquisitely, especially those of the wild, red-haired beauty Briar Rose. This wonderful read-aloud classic is one of Hyman's best.

    It is a quite often situation for little kids. Their vivid imagination creates a genuine fear about what is waiting in the darkness of the room. Bobby's Mom treats with understanding to his feelings and peculiarly calms him. She makes up a story that makes son smile and ready to sleep.What is this story about? Just start to read, and you know it.It is a cute little story will entertain children and make a good time with parents before sleep.

    She gets her chance after making a deal with an evil sea witch, but something’s fishy! Can Flounder, Sebastian, and Scuttle help make the little mermaid’s dream come true? Find out in this full-color retelling of Disney’s classic film, The Little Mermaid.

    Ruler, Newlywed Scissors, Young Bride Needle, Young Bride Red Thread, Old Lady Thimble, Young Lady Flatiron, and Little Miss Iron. When Lady Hahn's friends start boasting about how important they are, Lady Hahn turns her back on them. But it's not long before she realizes how much she needs her friends as every one of them contributes in an important, special way.

    Tortuga the tortoise, Conejo the rabbit, and Culebra the snake all want to come. But do they want to help Iguana deliver invitations or stuff the pinata or cook the food? No, no, and no! A lazy trio loses out in this clever update of the story of the Little Red Hen with a Mexican twist. A glossary of Spanish words is included.

    Sadly, Annie learns that she cannot change the course of life.

    Perilous quests, true love, and animals that talk. The traditional stories of Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, and Wales transport us to the fantastical world of Celtic folklore. These timeless tales brim with wit and magic, and each on is brought to life with elegant silhouette art in this special illustrated edition.

    A Storytelling World magazine award winnerIn turns funny, poignant, and wise, these nine lively stories are peopled with an array of unusual characters, including a young woman raised as a boy who is then faced with the complicated business of marriage; a carp-fish spirit who changes herself into a young woman for love's sake; a Miracle Doctor who can cure all illnesses except one; and a shopkeeper who learns the hard way the true meaning of justice.

    He can make rainbows. But what he really wants is to fly. So he sets off on a quest--past birds and butterflies--to find wings of his own.

    Down this passageway, it is not cold, there is no danger, and nothing bad can ever happen—and the person she longs for is with her again. The only problem is that, on some days, the passageway is not there. But maybe, together, mother and daughter can find a way to carry that feeling with them always.First published in Argentina, this lovely picture book will tug on the heartstrings of anyone who knows what it means to miss a loved one.

    . . odd for a God. He’s so odd, in fact, he’s not sure if he has any powers at all. And if that isn’t bad enough, his twin brother, Adonis, is everything Oddonis isn’t. He’s the most popular, most athletic, and most otherworldly-handsome God of them all. Even if Oddonis is just starting Mount Olympus Middle, his future isn’t looking bright, not after he makes the last-minute decision to run against Adonis to be class president. Losing to his own brother by a landslide is not how Oddonis wants to start sixth grade. So with the help of his friends Mathena (Goddess of math and, yes, poultry), Germes (God of all things sniffling and snotty), Gaseous (enough said?) and Puneous (the smallest God of them all), Oddonis hatches a plan to win the race, prove that the Odds are just as good as the Gods, and maybe, just maybe, find out what his true powers really are.Read the hilarious new adventures of Oddonis and his friends from debut children’s authors David Slavin and Daniel Weitzman, filled with dozens of black-and-white illustrations by award-winning artist Adam Lane.

    “I am not as spry as I used to be ... I have decided it is time to name my successor!” she tells the surprised crowd. Sophie, an energetic and very tiny mouse, desperately wants the job. “C'est moi!” Sophie thinks. “Choose me! Choose me!” But the position of Tooth Mouse --- or La Petite Souris --- isn't just given to anyone; it must be earned by participating in a difficult and dangerous three-part contest to determine which of all the mouse applicants is the most brave, honest and wise. Will Sophie, the smallest and daintiest of the aspirants, manage to beat the odds and win the challenging competition for her dream job?In the style of a classic fable, this gentle yet inspiring story is sure to captivate young children with the delightful idea of a small mouse making her way under the pillows of sleeping children at night instead of the Tooth Fairy. It also provides an irresistible and uplifting message that size doesn't have to determine who succeeds in life. Award-winning artist Janice Nadeau's lovely illustrations in soft, muted colors add a delicate whimsy to the tale. This book would be a fantastic read-aloud for any storytime. Sprinkled with French expressions and phrases throughout, it would make a terrific introduction to foreign languages as well.

    Da Qin—Big Piano—and her younger sister, Xiao Qin—Little Piano—live in the city of Wuhan with their parents. For decades, China's government had kept the country separated from the rest of the world. When their country's leader, Chairman Mao, dies, new opportunities begin to emerge. Da Qin and Xiao Qin soon learn that their childhood will be much different than the upbringing their parents experienced.

    She paints fish, pots and ladders and watches them come to life for the poor people in her village. But when the Emperor hears of this, how can Shen outwit his greedy plans?

    On a snowy Chinese New Year’s Eve in Northeastern China, it’s Dandan’s last night with Yueyue. Tomorrow, she moves to America. The two best friends have a favorite wintertime tradition: crafting paper-cut snowflakes, freezing them outside, and hanging them as ornaments.As they say goodbye, Yueyue presses red paper and a spool of thread into Dandan’s hands so that she can carry on their tradition. But in her new home, Dandan has no one to enjoy the gift with—until a friend comes along.