A Story, a Story


Gail E. Haley - 1970
    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.

Adelita: A Mexican Cinderella Story


Tomie dePaola - 2002
    So begins the age-old tale of a kind-hearted young woman, her jealous stepmother, two hateful stepsisters, and a young man in search of a wife. The young man, Javier, falls madly in love with beautiful Adelita, but she disappears from his fiesta at midnight, leaving him with only one clue to her hidden identity?a beautiful rebozo? shawl. With the rebozo in place of a glass slipper, this favorite fairy tale takes a delightful twist. Tomie dePaola?s exquisite paintings, filled with the folk art of Mexico, make this a Cinderella story like no other.

The Girl and the Wolf


Katherena Vermette - 2019
    When she realizes she is lost, she begins to panic. A large grey wolf makes a sudden appearance between some distant trees. Using his sense of smell, he determines where she came from and decides to help her. Through a series of questions from the wolf, the little girl realizes she had the knowledge and skill to navigate herself--she just needed to remember that those abilities were there all along.

The Gingerbread Man


Karen Lee Schmidt - 1980
    The gingerbread man outruns everybody, until he meets the quick-witted fox.

The Fox and the Star


Coralie Bickford-Smith - 2015
    Illuminated by Star’s rays, Fox forages for food, runs with the rabbits, and dances in the rain—until Star suddenly goes out and life changes, leaving Fox huddling for warmth in the unfamiliar dark. To find his missing Star, Fox must embark on a wondrous journey beyond the world he knows—a journey lit by courage, newfound friends, and just maybe, a star-filled new sky. Inspired by the Arts and Crafts movement and the art of William Blake, The Fox and the Star is a heartwarming, hopeful tale which comes alive through Bickford-Smith’s beloved illustrations, guiding readers both young and grown to “look up beyond your ears.”

Little Bad Wolf and Red Riding Hood


Timothy Tocher - 2012
    The Big Bad Wolf is running a successful scam on Little Red's Grandma until Little Red catches him in the act.This free sample contains the story "Little Bad Wolf and Red Hiding Hood".

Disney's Beauty and the Beast


Ellen Titlebaum - 2002
    The complete retelling of favorite Disney movies in a true read-aloud style.

Hansel and Gretel


Rika Lesser - 1984
    Lesser and Zelinsky retell the story of a pair of children lost in the woods who run into a witch with a very tasty house.

Cinderella's Dress


Nancy Willard - 2003
    In this version, two magpies who live outside Cinderella's window make her a magnificent dress from bits of shiny paper they've collected. The jealous stepsisters rip it apart, and Cinderella is left in rags--until thanks to her friends the magpies she finds a magic ring belonging to her late mother. Her fairy godmother appears, and a new dress, a coach made of a pumpkin, and happy endings follow.

Goldilocks and Just the One Bear


Leigh Hodgkinson - 2012
    One day, Little Bear wanders out of the woods and finds himself lost in the Big City. Will he find the city too noisy? Too quiet? Or just right? And what are the chances of him bumping in to someone who remembers exactly how he likes his porridge?

The Really Groovy Story of the Tortoise and the Hare


Kristyn Crow - 2011
    He was zipping, sometimes lippy, takin' taxis everywhere. Way out in the country was a tortoise calm and cool. He was quite the mellow fellow chillin' out beside the pool. Kids will love to move and groove with this dynamic duo as they hop and pop towards the finish line in this hip-hopping retelling of the classic tale.

The Little Red Hen


Diane Muldrow - 1954
    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 Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig


Eugene Trivizas - 1993
    But the little wolves' increasingly sturdy dwellings are no match for the persistent porker, who has more up his sleeve than huffing and puffing. It takes a chance encounter with a flamingo pushing a wheelbarrow full of flowers to provide a surprising and satisfying solution to the little wolves' housing crisis. Eugene Trivizas's hilarious text and Helen Oxenbury's enchanting watercolors have made this delightfully skewed version of the traditional tale a contemporary classic.

Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella


Tony Johnston - 1998
    Rrrrrella, who also lives in the forest, would be a perfect match. But can she get past her ugly stepsisters to win the prince's heart? Full-color illustrations.

The Wolf's Story: What Really Happened to Little Red Riding Hood


Toby Forward - 2005
    No, please. Look at me. Would I LIE to you? It was the old woman who started it.Everyone knows there are at least two sides to every story, and if you believe in the big-eared, sharp-toothed villain of LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD, there's a logical explanation for everything. As our antihero tells it, it all starts with the helpful wolf doing odd jobs for Grandma (are you sure you don't want to sit a little closer?). How was he to know that he spoiled Little Red would come along and ruin a good working relationship? Zooming in dramatically from strategic angles, the amusing illustrations offer visual clues that this is a story to be taken with a grain of salt - and a lot of giggling.