Before they can get there, though, the band of prairie critters gets tricked by a mean Coyote and trapped in his evil den. Will the friends escape in time? And where is that rumbling coming from after all?

    And that lost mitten stretches and stretches -- and stretches -- to provide shelter for many woodland creatures. A Ukrainian folk tale.

    Jim LaMarche's stunning paintings, reminiscent of his earlier work in The Rainbabies, are the perfect compliment to this favorite Grimm fairy tale.

    The delightful characters will become storyland friends for life for children who meet them here. Just wait until your child sees the Giant's expression as he cries, "Fee, fi, fo, fum," or the adorable Elves dancing in the Shoemaker's cottage! The Ginger-bread Boy's candy buttons and the dazzling feathers of the Ugly Duckling are among the many inviting details to discover with each new look.A collection of nursery tales so child friendly, rewarding, and full of fun could only have come from the rich and playful imagination of Mary Engelbreit.

    When the selfish townspeople of Hamelin refuse to pay the piper for spiriting away the hordes of rats that had plagued them, he exacts his revenge by luring away their greatest treasure, the children of the town.Excerpt from The Pied Piper of Hamelin The Pied Piper of Hamelin. I. Hamelin Town's in Brunswick, By famous Hanover city;The river Weser, deep and wide, Washes its wall on the southern side;A pleasanter spot you never spied;But, when begins my ditty, Almost five hundred years ago, To see the townsfolk suffer soFrom vermin, was a pity.

    To satisfy his every desire, he hires builders to design the tallest pagoda; a world-famous tailor to make his clothing from silk and gold threads; and a renowned chef to cook him lavish meals with rice from the lord's own fields. What more could he possibly want?Yet when drought plagues the land, Lord Cat is faced with his first taste of deep loss, he ventures down the mountain and what he discovers will change his life forever.

    Three little gators strike out on their own in an east Texas swamp. Their mother warns them to build strong houses that can protect them from Big-bottomed Boar, who likes to eat tasty, tender gators for his snack. Soon, First Gator builds himself a nice house out of rocks. Second Gator reckons rocks are too much work, so he builds his house with sticks. And Third Gator’s house of sand is the easiest one to build! But soon Big-bottomed Boar shows up. With a bump, bump, bump of the fierce boar's rump, he knocks over Third Gator's house of sand. It doesn't take long for that rump to bump Second Gator's house of sticks. But he can't knock over Third Gator's house of stones, so he tries another way in - through the chimney! Guess what happens to the Boar's rump after that?!

    

    No one knows when he came to the farm, no one has ever seen him, but everyone knows it is the troll Tomten who walks about the lonely old farmhouse on a winter's night, talking to all the animals and reminding them of the promise of Spring.Adapted by Astrid Lindgren from a poem by Viktor Rydberg

    Each one had a special talent. When baby Seventh Sister is snatched by a hungry dragon, her loving sisters race to save her.

    

    When a woodcutter and his scheming wife abandon Hansel and Gretel in the forest, all hope is lost until they come upon a cottage made of tasty sweets. But the owner is not the kindly old woman she pretends to be. Can Gretel save Hansel from the clutches of a hungry witch? Holly Hobbie's masterful watercolors reach new heights in this spine-tingling rendition of the tale, faithful to the beloved classic.

    Long ago, the first man and woman quarreled. The woman left in anger, but the Sun sent tempting berries to Earth to slow the wife's retreat. Luminous paintings perfectly complement the simple, lyrical text. "Complete harmony of text and pictures: altogether lovely." -- Kirkus Reviews, pointer reviewJoseph Bruchac is an award-winning storyteller whose books for children include Eagle Song, Children of the Longhouse, and Arrow to the Sun (all Dial). He lives in Greenfield Center, New York. Anna Vojtech lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts.

    A hungry lion. A little girl. A box of doughnuts…? Gorgeous proof that a perfect picture book can look even more tempting than a sweet shop window. Worried about wolves? Don’t make Little Red laugh. She’s not even scared of hungry lions. After all, why would this furry chap want to gobble her up? She’s sure he’d rather have a doughnut. Right, Mr Lion? A sassy heroine, beautiful artwork, jungle animals, a funny twist on a tale you adore. Once again, the World Book Day artist gets us all eating from his hand.(Taken from the Scholastic Book Clubs UK site)

    A charming illustrated folktale about three billy goats, who outwit a menacing troll.