Book picks similar to
The Great Ball Game: A Muskogee Story by Joseph Bruchac
picture-books
native-american
animals
picture-book
Ming Lo Moves the Mountain
Arnold Lobel - 1982
The couple live beside a big mountain which causes them no end of trouble. Shadows fall over their garden. Rocks fall through their roof. And it is always raining. "Husband," says Ming Lo's wife, "you must move the mountain so that we may enjoy our house in peace." But how can a man as small as Ming Lo move something as large as a mountain? Maybe the village wise man can help. This whimsical literary folktale is set in China.
The Enormous Potato
Aubrey Davis - 1997
They show us that we can succeed in spite of apparent problems. And they entertain. Perhaps this accounts for their universal appeal and their amazing ability to survive. "The Enormous Potato" is one such story that has been around for generations. Retold by professional storyteller Aubrey Davis, it shows what can be accomplished when everyone lends a hand to solve a problem. The Enormous Potato begins with a farmer who plants an eye -- a potato eye. It grows and grows into an enormous potato. Harvest time comes, but the potato is so big that the farmer can't pull it out. So he calls for help, first to his wife, then to their daughter, then to the dog and so on. Energetic illustrations capture the growing determination of the family to free the potato from the soil and the celebratory feast that follows their success.
Little Red
Bethan Woollvin - 2015
The wolf is hungry, and Red Riding Hood looks tasty, so he hatches a dastardly plan, gobbles up Grandma and lies in wait. So far, so familiar. But this Little Red Riding Hood is not easily fooled, and this big bad wolf better watch his back. In this defiant interpretation of the traditional tale, the cheeky, brave little girl seizes control of her own story (and the wolf gets rather more than he bargained for).
The Tailypo
Joanna C. Galdone - 1977
Kids and adults will delight in this bone-chilling, classic tale. In this spooky, horror-filled picture book, a strange varmint haunts the woodsman who lopped off his tail and had it for dinner.
The Hunterman and the Crocodile
Baba Wagué Diakité - 1997
A hunterman and a crocodile take turns being captive and captor in a humorous folktale that teaches the importance of living in harmony with nature and is illustrated with ceramic-tile paintings.
The Way Meat Loves Salt: A Cinderella Tale from the Jewish Tradition
Nina Jaffe - 1998
One day, the rabbi asks his children a powerful question: "How much do you love me?" His older daughters profess their love in gold and diamonds, but his youngest daughter, Mireleh, declares she loves her father the way meat loves salt. For this remark, she is banished from her father's home. In this flavorful Jewish Cinderella tale, Mireleh's courageous journey is peppered with a perfect blend of magic and romance, leading to a reconciliation with her beloved father. Lavishly illustrated in Louise August's bold linocuts, The Way Meat Loves Salt will make a wonderful gift for the Jewish holidays.
The Spider Weaver: A Legend Of Kente Cloth
Margaret Musgrove - 2001
The colorful patterns of its magical web were woven into the unique fabric of kente cloth.
Mouse & Lion
Rand Burkert - 2011
When a cold moon brings a humbling lesson, Lion comes to recognizeMouse's keen skill, and deeper kindness.Mouse and Lion, Aesop's fabled duo,renew their ancient bond in this warm retelling by Rand Burkert, illuminated by the authentic natural detail of Nancy Ekholm Burkert's art.
Rechenka's Eggs
Patricia Polacco - 1988
Old Babushka is preparing her eggs for the Easter festival when she takes in Rechenka, an injured goose, who shows her that miracles really can happen. A Reading Rainbow Feature Title. Full color.
Brush of the Gods
Lenore Look - 2013
When an old monk attempts to teach young Daozi about the ancient art of calligraphy, his brush doesn't want to cooperate. Instead of characters, Daozi's brush drips dancing peonies and flying Buddhas! Soon others are admiring his unbelievable creations on walls around the city, and one day his art comes to life! Little has been written about Daozi, but Look and So masterfully introduce the artist to children.
Fall in Line, Holden!
Daniel W. Vandever - 2017
Although Holden is required to conform to a rigid schedule and strict standards of behavior, his internal life is led with imagination and wonder. Whether he is in art class, the computer lab, or walking the hall to lunch, Holden’s vivid imagination transforms his commonplace surroundings into a world of discovery and delight.Explore the world through Holden’s eyes. Join him for the day, and celebrate the strong spirit of a boy who rises above the rules surrounding him.
What's My Superpower? (English)
Aviaq Johnston - 2017
She has friends with super speed (who always beat her in races), friends with super strength (who can dangle from the monkey bars for hours), and friends who are better than her at a million other things. Nalvana thinks she must be the only kid in town without a superpower. But then her mom shows Nalvana that she is unique and special—and that her superpower was right in front of her all along.
When I Was Eight
Christy Jordan-Fenton - 2013
Olemaun is eight and knows a lot of things. But she does not know how to read. Ignoring her father’s warnings, she travels far from her Arctic home to the outsiders’ school to learn. The nuns at the school call her Margaret. They cut off her long hair and force her to do menial chores, but she remains undaunted. Her tenacity draws the attention of a black-cloaked nun who tries to break her spirit at every turn. But the young girl is more determined than ever to learn how to read. Based on the true story of Margaret Pokiak-Fenton, and complemented by stunning illustrations, When I Was Eight makes the bestselling Fatty Legs accessible to younger readers. Now they, too, can meet this remarkable girl who reminds us what power we hold when we can read.
American Tall Tales
Mary Pope Osborne - 1991
Here are Paul Bunyan, that king-sized lumberjack who could fell “ten white pines with a single swing”; John Henry, with his mighty hammer; Mose, old New York’s biggest, bravest fireman; Sally Ann Thunder Ann Whirlwind, who could “outgrin, outsnort, outrun, outlift, outsneeze, outsleep, outlie any varmint”; and other uniquely American characters, together in one superb collection. In the tradition of the original nineteenth-century storytellers, Mary Pope Osborne compiles, edits, and adds her own two cents’ worth—and also supplies fascinating historical headnotes. Michael McCurdy’s robust colored wood engravings recall an earlier time, perfectly capturing all the vitality of the men and women who carved a new country out of the North American wilderness.
The Shark King
R. Kikuo Johnson - 2012
Award-winning cartoonist R. Kikuo Johnson transports young readers to the lush tropical shores of his native Hawaii. Fluent or not, young readers will be thrilled when they experience the transformative powers of a stirring literary work.