He kept them in a box beside his throne. But Ananse, the Spider man, wanted them -- and caught three sly creatures to get them. This story of how we got our own stories to tell is adapted from an African folktale.

    So the question arises: Do we really need another edition of Puss? Presented with Fred Marcellino's magnificent interpretation of this nimble new translation of the authentic text, book lovers young and old are apt to decide that this Puss in Boots belongs on their shelf of special favorites.Long regarded as the preeminent designer of book jackets in America, Fred Marcellino provides an unstinting visual feast in his first full-color picture book. The eadventures of that rascal, Puss, and his master, the miller's sonare portrayed in a lavish series of illustrations that range from sumptuous grandeur to comedy both boisterous and sly.

    When the Czar proclaims that he will marry his daughter to the man who brings him a flying ship, the Fool of the World sets out to try his luck and meets some unusual companions on the way.

    But so many poured in that they were forced to move to the sky.

    She tries capturing the night in a sack, tying it up with vines, shaking her fist at it, but the night takes no notice - until it disappears.

    Human and canine both struggle to rouse themselves, eat breakfast from bowls, and have an intimate knowledge of their route. Pilkey paints their shared experiences with a graceful economy of language.

    . . sleepy bunnies, sleepy birds, and sleepy children, too, are getting under their covers. "Jean Charlot's illustrations are first-rate." —NYT. Barbara Bader called this 1943 book, now restored to its original size and format, "the first of the true bedtime books." 1944 Caldecott Honor Book

    When his parents go away overnight, he's left as the man of the house and promised a special reward if he can keep himself and the farm out of trouble. But that night a bad storm brings trouble--the kind that not even a full-grown man could handle easily. A Caldecott Honor Book. Illustrations. 48 pp. Ages 7-11. Pub: 7/97.

    "" Everybody listened." A Caldecott Honor classic that celebrates friendship and new experiences-back in print on its 40th anniversary One afternoon late in August, before the start of a new school year, Jay finds Cricket. Cricket fits just right in small spaces-like under a tea strainer or in Jay's very own pocket-and Cricket makes the most exciting sounds. But what happens when it's time to go back to school? Will Cricket come too? Forty years after its original publication, this charming tale continues to capture the imaginative world of a child.

    Using the art-deco style of the period, Rachel Isadora not only captures the poignancy and yearning of a youthful talent, but in page after page of striking art seems to convey the very sound of music.

    Wouldn't it be wonderful to be loved and cuddled, thinks Alexander, and he wishes he could be a wind-up mouse too. In this gentle fable about a real mouse and a mechanical mouse, Leo Lionni explores the magic of friendship. Originally published in 1969, the Caldecott Honor-winning Alexander and the Wind-up Mouse is sure to enchant a whole new generation of readers.

    . .and became a pond. . .and spilled over into a lake. . .and grew larger and larger until it joined with a river and travelled out to sea.With this classic picture book, young readers can follow the course of a heavy rain as it drenches people and animals and changes the landscape below. With its poetic text and lovely, detailed illustrations, Rain Drop Splash is a delight to read, rain or shine.

    He faces many obstacles on his quest and sacrifices much to help others in need. But the mouse's compassion and faith in himself prove to be a source of great power...and bring him rewards even beyond his dreams.

    The illustrator won the American Library Association's Caldecott Medal for Where the Wild Things Are, in 1964.

    A young boy searches for his father, but before he can claim his heritage he must first prove his worthiness by passing through the four ceremonial chambers: the kiva of lions, the kiva of snakes, the kiva of bees, and the kiva of lightning. Striking in its simplicity and grace, Arrow to the Sun vividly evokes the Native American reverence for the source of all life--the Solar Fire.Winner of the Caldecott