He rescues and comforts the bird, then watches it fly away. The next night, a mysterious young girl arrives at Yasuhiro's home seeking shelter from the cold. The boy and his father welcome the girl, named Hiroko, to stay with them. But when Hiroko notices that Yasuhiro's father is struggling to earn money, she offers to weave silk for him to sell. After the fabric fetches a good price, the boy's father becomes impatient for more silk, and his greed has a life-changing effect on them all. Lyrical storytelling deftly interwoven with original haiku create a magical adaptation of popular Japanese folktales--an inspirational story of friendship and the power of kindness to transform lives.

     But a lonely goblin has been watching. And he knows what to do to help them heal. From internationally acclaimed picture book masters Mem Fox and Leo and Diane Dillon, here is a rich and moving original fairy tale about family, friendship, and the power compassion has to unite us all.

    Winston grows to love reading and is soon devouring books with his eyes, and reading them (disguised as Granny Winston) to groups of children at the library. This hilarious book, complete with fabulous art and a die-cut cover highlights the importance of books and the joy of reading!

    When Too Nice's evil sisters, Horrid and Very Horrid, force her to kidnap the witch Baba Yaga's jeweled toad, Baba Yaga devises a series of impossible tests for the little girl. If Too Nice passes them, she gets the toad, but if she doesn't -- the toad gets her Too Nice's only companion through the ordeal is the wise doll in her pocket, a gift from her mother, whose help leads to the miraculous completion of the tasks. And as gifts beget gifts, Too Nice gets the toad and the two evil sisters get theirs

    The sky was once so close to the Earth that people cut parts of it to eat, but their waste and greed caused the sky to move far away.

    The stories, chosen and edited by the artist, are a balance of 'princess' classics and frolicking adventure tales. Artist Scott Gustafson spent more than four years creating the seventy-five rich oil paintings, reproduced here in full color. His style is reminiscent of N.C. Wyeth and Wyeth;s gifted student Jessie Wilcox Smith (plus a touch of Arthur Rackham in the fairies). The rounded-face, glowing children and charming interiors contribute to Gustafson's unique and contemporary style, which will capture the hearts of even the most hard-boiled media-savvy child.Book Details: Format: Hardcover Publication Date: 10/15/2003 Pages: 144 Reading Level: Age 9 and Up

    This is a story about a mouse, and how he got swallowed up by a wolf, and who he met down in its belly, and what happened after that.

    . . backwards! Before you reach the beginning, you'll meet a temperamental giant, a beleaguered cook, a dragon who's scared of bunny rabbits, an oversized tomato, and an impish figure on a flying pig who just might be the cause of all the madness. It's a conventionally perfect and perfectly unconventional take on the fairy tale -- guaranteed to convert the Grimmest reader to giggles.

    When a terrible witch vows to eat her for supper, a little girl escapes with the help of a mirror and comb given to her by the witch's cat and dog.

    He can't even conduct an errand as simple as selling the cow; instead, he trades the beast for a handful of beans. But then, amazingly, those very beans sprout into a towering stalk, elevating Jack to a strange land ruled by a greedy giant. Jack must be clever and brave as he tries to return the giant's stolen treasures to their rightful owner. E. Nesbit's charming, wry retelling of JACK AND THE BEANSTALK was first published in 1908. Preserving the author's unabridged text, this gorgeously designed edition features the dynamic artwork and dramatic perspectives of Matt Tavares, realized in full-color illustrations for the very first time.

    When a king and a queen promise to marry their daughter Lucia to the man who can show them the most wonderful thing in the world, suitors descend on the palace bearing gifts. Roses, jewels and exotic birds; dancing girls, wind machines and mythical beasts – but nothing feels quite right. As the last suitor leaves, his weapons of mass destruction rejected, the king and queen are exhausted. But when a shy, young man, who isn’t a suitor at all, steps forward, they finally understand what the most wonderful thing in the world really is. Vivian French’s masterful retelling of a forgotten story is both funny and heart-warming, and Angela Barrett’s breathtaking illustrations give life to an enchanting and romantic fairytale city.

    Ruler, Newlywed Scissors, Young Bride Needle, Young Bride Red Thread, Old Lady Thimble, Young Lady Flatiron, and Little Miss Iron. When Lady Hahn's friends start boasting about how important they are, Lady Hahn turns her back on them. But it's not long before she realizes how much she needs her friends as every one of them contributes in an important, special way.

    Includes "The Fox & the Grapes," "The Hare & the Tortoise," others. 10" x 13". All agesBrad Sneed brings his zany and creative talents to the world of Aesop. In his signature style of tricky perspectives, amusing exaggerations, and rich, delicate watercolors, his animal characters are beautifully realistic and yet humorously human, as they mimic a wide range of human feelings . . . and foibles.The stories of Aesop have been told and retold over the centuries; in his lively adaptation Brad Sneed updates the language and infuses these fifteen stories with a sense of humor that children will enthusiastically enjoy. And once again, as in his popular alphabet book Picture a Letter, Brad has included a wordless bonus for sharp-eyed readers of all ages-a sixteenth tale told only in pictures is hidden somewhere between the covers.Adapted and Illustrated by Brad Sneed

    Featuring the work of seven writers and three illustrators, this anthology of "princess stories with attitude" will make kids laugh as they encounter a bevy of sleepy, sporty, clumsy, brave, resourceful, and curious princesses. The exuberant typographic design is an excellent match for the story-telling style and colorful artwork.

    Once upon a time, four fairy tale misses, tired of dwarves, witches, princes, and kisses,so bored and fed up, or just ready to flop, upped and left home for a fairy tale swap.The fairy tale world is turned upside-down when Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Rapunzel and Snow White swap places in this hilariously clever new classic! Is the grass really greener in someone else's castle?