She cannot find her mother. What does her mother look like? Her answer is, “My mother is the most beautiful woman in the world.” When her mother is finally found, she proves to be the most beautiful woman in the world—if only, perhaps, in the eyes of her small daughter.

    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.

    A collection of folk tales from the southern Appalachians that center on a single character, the irrepressible Jack.

    Contents:- The Selfish Giant- The Nightingale and the Rose- The Devoted Friend- The Happy Prince- The Remarkable Rocket- The Young King

    

    And they were told the story of a fierce fairy knight who now guarded the woods for the fairy queen. But Janet didn't believe in fairy stories and Janet didn't like being told what to do.

    Horrid Henry reaches a younger generation of readers in a new picture storybook.

    And Greta... well, Greta and trouble are never far apart. Alice spends her time helping others by weaving her enchanting spells. All Greta does is wreak havoc. But when a forgotten spell comes back to haunt her, Greta's stuck learning something she should have learned long ago.

    An experience with a slingshot and a sparrow helps him realize that it's okay to cry when you are sad, but it's best not to cry when you're mad.

    Through thoughtful and fanciful questions Ashford explores what we risk when we ask for love and what special rewards may be waiting for us in return. Subdued watercolor illustrations perfectly capture the book's gentle tone and important message. The perfect book for any occasion when a gift of love is needed.

    Originally published in 1959, Candy Floss will be as treasured today as it was a generation ago. Full color.

    But perhaps a good fairy can save her, even if it means that Rosebud will sleep for 100 years?

    David takes pity on her and gives her his cakes which are exactly the way she likes them - burnt! And there is a recipe on the last page too.

    Award-winning author Ursula Jones tells the story with elegance and humour, capturing all the magic and excitement of this timeless fairy tale. Illustrated with exquisite style by Sarah Gibb, this is a beautiful book to pore over and cherish.

    But without the seventh brother's most unusual talent, all of their efforts would have been in vain.