Through the mysterious powers of a cherished book of stories, they leave their world behind and find themselves in a foreign land full of wonder and magic where they come face-to-face with the fairy tale characters they grew up reading about.But after a series of encounters with witches, wolves, goblins, and trolls alike, getting back home is going to be harder than they thought.

    What would you do if you were invited to the princess’s tenth birthday party but didn’t have money for a gift? Well, clever Jack decides to bake the princess a cake.Now he just has to get it to the castle in one piece. What could possibly go wrong?Candace Fleming and G. Brian Karas, creators of the bestselling picture book Muncha! Muncha! Muncha!, have teamed up again to bring us a modern fairy tale starring a determined boy and a story-loving princess with a good sense of humor. While girls will fall for a story featuring a princess’s birthday party, Jack’s adventures with trolls, bears, and gypsies make this the perfect read for young boys as well—and ideal for storytime.

    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.

    The two-time Caldecott medalist illustrates Mark Helprin's enchanting story of the characters in Tchaikovsky's famous ballet.

    When a terrible witch vows to eat her for supper, a little girl escapes with the help of a mirror and comb given to her by the witch's cat and dog.

    A BIG horse. A STRONG horse. A horse fit for a WARRIOR PRINCESS! But when the day arrives, she doesn't quite get the horse of her dreams...From the artist behind the comic phenomenon Hark! A Vagrant, The Princess and the Pony is a laugh-out-loud story of brave warriors, big surprises, and falling in love with one unforgettable little pony.

    It includes Li Chi, the serpent slayer, and the old woman sly enough to outsmart the devil.

    Born a hedgehog from the waist up, he knows what it's like to truly be an outcast. Even his amazing fiddle playing can't help him fit in. So Hans flees to the forest with his herd of loyal pigs and only his music to keep him company. But then a most unusual thing happens: When Hans crosses paths with two kings with two lovely daughters, his luck starts to change. Will this lonely soul find true love after all?This lively and lyrical retelling of the classic Grimm's tale, paired with lush, detailed illustrations, reminds us of the power of music, the importance of belonging, and the transformative effect of love.

    But every morning, he'd find the beautiful creatures peacefully asleep in their corral—with their chains shattered. Puzzled, he promised a reward to anyone who could reveal the unicorns' secret. With the help of a magic cloak, a little girl sets out to discover the truth . . . and help the special unicorn that she loves the most. This charming variation on “The Twelve Dancing Princesses,” stars a delightfully spirited heroine and twelve magical unicorns.

    With its great feasts, its white stone churches, its merchant visitors from many lands, Sadko felt there was no better place to be. Yet he was lonely too, for the rich young ladies who danced to his music would never favor anyone so poor. One night he takes his twelve-string gusli and goes alone to play by the River Volkhov. Suddenly from the water rises the Sea King, who invites the astonished musician to play at his underwater palace. But how will Sadko get there? And how will he get back? And will he want to return at all, when he meets the Sea King's lovely daughter? One of the most popular legends of Russia, Sadko's story is found in medieval epic ballads, as well as in a popular opera by Rimsky-Korsakov. It is retold here in elegant prose, complemented by the entrancing illustrations of a modern Russian master. TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS -- A READER'S THEATER SCRIPT OF THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN AARON'S BOOK "FOLKTALES ON STAGE," OR FREE ON AARON'S WEB SITE. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen," "The Sea King's Daughter," "The Monkey King," and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Gennady Spirin, with a style he describes as "fairy-tale realism," is one of the world’s most esteemed children’s illustrators. His honors include five gold medals from the Society of Illustrators, the Golden Apple from the Bratislava International Biennial, First Prize at the Bologna and Barcelona international book fairs, and four appearances on the New York Times list of Ten Best Illustrated Books of the Year. Born and trained in Russia before moving to the United States, Gennady already knew well the legend of Sadko and welcomed the chance to contribute his sumptuous art to this retelling.  ///////////////////////////////////////////////// HONORS 1997 New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Books of the Year  1998 American Library Association Notable Children's Books  1998 NCSS/CBC Notable Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies  1997 Aesop Accolade, American Folklore Society  1998 Honor Title, Storytelling World Awards  1997 Cincinnati Enquirer Best Illustrated Children's Books  American Bookseller Pick of the Lists  Starred review, Publishers Weekly  Featured on "CBS This Morning" ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "Emotionally authentic prose and jewel-like illustrations make this an exquisite volume. . . . [A] mood of eloquent enchantment." -- Publishers Weekly, Aug. 25, 1997, starred review "Exquisite." -- The New York Times Book Review, Oct. 26, 1997 "Knock-your-socks-off beautiful. . . . Will stay in a family's library forever." -- Valerie Lewis, "CBS This Morning," Dec. 11, 1997 "Retains the flavor of Old Russia. . . . A fascinating spin on mermaid/human interaction." -- Denise Anton Wright, School Library Journal, Dec. 1997 "The telling is descriptive yet very accessible. . . . The pictures are gorgeous and resplendent with extraordinary details." -- Stephanie Zvirin, American Library Association Booklist, Nov. 15, 1997

    Little princess Leora likes balloons very much, but her evil uncle hates balloons and he destroys all the balloons except one.

    Brings to vivid life the trials and tribulations of young Ella, mistreated by her nasty stepmother and unattractive stepsisters, who dreams of going to the Prince's ball.

    But cunning Mr. Dog tricks Salma, and before she knows it, he’s wearing her stripy ntama, her pretty white beads, and her yellow sandals. And he’s on his way to Granny’s house! African culture and flavor infuse this inventive retelling of a favorite fairy tale, and the vibrant lively illustrations bring it to life. The result is a story that combines new and old and spans cultures as successfully as it has spanned the centuries.

    Brown's illustrated translation of Perrault's tale in which Cinderella leaves behind a glass slipper in her haste to flee the palace before the fairy godmother's magic loses effect won the 1955 Caldecott medal.A free translation from the French of Charles Perrault, with pictures by Marcia Brown.

    But the story will be ruined if you turn the page right now. So please don't. A beautiful pie-making princess is trapped in a tower. Can Sir Wilbur rescue her? And more importantly, can he do it while wearing a tutu? He's going to try! But if you read the story too quickly, Ned won't be able to make the pictures or costumes in time. And happily-ever-after may start to go a bit haywire. Join Ian Lendler and Whitney Martin for a fairy tale that takes off into hilarious uncharted territory -- all because you won't slow down!