Designed to engage and delight readers of all ages, this collection contains some of Aesop's most timeless tales. Beautifully reissued, this new book has all the enchantment of Eric Carle's art plus traditional morals of the fables.

    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.

    The tale of how a father with his magic wand and a boy with his music triumph over the giant Abiyoyo is based on a South African lullaby and folk story.

    She single-handedly defeats the fearsome bear known as Thundering Tarnation, wrestling him from the top of the Great Smoky Mountains to the bottom of a deep lake. Caldecott Medal-winning artist Paul O. Zelinsky's stunning folk-art paintings are the perfect match for the irony, exaggeration, and sheer good humor of this original tall tale set on the American frontier.A Caldecott Honor BookAn ALA Notable BookA Time magazine Best Book of the YearA New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the YearWinner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book AwardA Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year

    But the wild creature pines for his mate. When Yasuko, the kitchen maid, releases the bird against her lord's command, she and the one-eyed servant, Shozo, are sentenced to death. The grateful bird intends to return their kindness, but can he outsmart the cruel lord?Winner of the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award for Illustration, and a New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Book of the Year.

    It goes forth at nightto prowl around the fires.It even likes to minglewith the dancers...Shadow...It waves with the grasses,curls up at the foot of trees...But in the African experience Shadow is much more. The village storytellers and shamans of an Africa that is passing into memory called forth for the poet Blaise Cendrars an eerie image, shifting between the beliefs of the present and the spirits of the past.Shadow...It does not cry out,it has no voice...It can cast a spell over you...It follows man everywhere,even to war...Marcia Brown's stunning illustrations in collage, inspired by her travels in Africa, evoke the atmosphere and drama of a life now haunted, now enchanted by Shadow.

    A wily fox, notorious for stealing eggs, meets his match when he encounters a bold little girl in the woods who insists upon proof that he is a fox before she will be frightened.

    . . . The illustrations are fraught with delicious humor and detail. Like its predecessor, perfect for several uses, from picture book hour to beginning reading."--Kirkus Reviews. Caldecott Honor Medal.

    It's a deadly contest of man-vs-machine written with such power that this African-American folk hero becomes as awesome as a force of nature, yet as familiar as an older brother. Pinkney's stunning art shows John Henry's energy bursting from nature. Full color.

    Though her patron is hideous, his disarming generosity slowly leads to a surprising connection. Accessibly and with great compassion, Max Eilenberg sheds fresh light on one of our most beloved fairy tales. Angela Barrett's enchanting illustrations illuminate both the sumptuous palace and the horrifying beast himself. The resulting tour de force reminds us that ultimately love conquers all.

    He's also the silliest, most lovable, most muddleheaded possum south of the Mason-Dixon line!Better choose your words wisely when he's around, 'cause otherwise you never know what you'll get. Epossumondas just might bring you a fist full of crumbs, or a soaking wet puppy, or a scruffy wad of bread--oh, you just wouldn't believe it!Renowned storyteller Coleen Salley and Caldecott Honor illustrator Janet Stevens team up for this outrageous twist on the Southern story of the noodlehead who takes everything way too literally. (Or is that Epossumondas just pulling his mama's leg?)

    Long ago, the first man and woman quarreled. The woman left in anger, but the Sun sent tempting berries to Earth to slow the wife's retreat. Luminous paintings perfectly complement the simple, lyrical text. "Complete harmony of text and pictures: altogether lovely." -- Kirkus Reviews, pointer reviewJoseph Bruchac is an award-winning storyteller whose books for children include Eagle Song, Children of the Longhouse, and Arrow to the Sun (all Dial). He lives in Greenfield Center, New York. Anna Vojtech lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

    No one outside the palace had ever heard the royal daughter’s name.In a stroke of luck Ananse the spider discovers the secret.“I, Ananse the most wise . . . the most clever . . . I alone know the name of the Chief’s daughter! . . .”But clever Lizard has plans of his own.Pat Cumming’s lively retelling and vibrant illustrations capture all the mischief and humor of Ananse, one of the most popular characters of West African lore.

    Within a few years Sally is off to the frontier, where she stuns a hungry grizzly bear, makes a lasso out of six rattlesnakes, and is more than a match for the mighty Mike Fink. And when Sally Ann rescues Davy Crockett from a pair of ferocious eagles, even her hornet's-nest bonnet and skunk perfume don't stop him from proposing marriage.You won't find Sally Ann in any history book, but that hasn't kept her from becoming an authentic American frontier legend and the unforgettable heroine of Steven Kellogg's most delightfully rip-roaring tall tale.

    Chuku Lee stays true to the story of this beloved classic. With breathtaking palatial settings inspired by the Dogon tribe of Mali and dazzling costumes reminiscent of the clothing seen on Cummings's own trip to Africa, Beauty and the Beast becomes so much more than just a story--it's a visual and cultural experience.When her father is taken prisoner by a fearsome Beast, Beauty begs the captor to take her instead. The Beast agrees, locking her away in his palace. Though he will give her whatever her heart desires--jewels, gowns, her own living quarters--she is forbidden to leave. Over time, however, Beauty sees the gentler side of the Beast, and an unexpected bond forms. But will it be strong enough to break a curse that threatens the Beast's life?Supports the Common Core State Standards