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.

    With its great feasts, its white stone churches, its merchant visitors from many lands, Sadko felt there was no better place to be. Yet he was lonely too, for the rich young ladies who danced to his music would never favor anyone so poor. One night he takes his twelve-string gusli and goes alone to play by the River Volkhov. Suddenly from the water rises the Sea King, who invites the astonished musician to play at his underwater palace. But how will Sadko get there? And how will he get back? And will he want to return at all, when he meets the Sea King's lovely daughter? One of the most popular legends of Russia, Sadko's story is found in medieval epic ballads, as well as in a popular opera by Rimsky-Korsakov. It is retold here in elegant prose, complemented by the entrancing illustrations of a modern Russian master. TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS -- A READER'S THEATER SCRIPT OF THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN AARON'S BOOK "FOLKTALES ON STAGE," OR FREE ON AARON'S WEB SITE. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen," "The Sea King's Daughter," "The Monkey King," and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Gennady Spirin, with a style he describes as "fairy-tale realism," is one of the world’s most esteemed children’s illustrators. His honors include five gold medals from the Society of Illustrators, the Golden Apple from the Bratislava International Biennial, First Prize at the Bologna and Barcelona international book fairs, and four appearances on the New York Times list of Ten Best Illustrated Books of the Year. Born and trained in Russia before moving to the United States, Gennady already knew well the legend of Sadko and welcomed the chance to contribute his sumptuous art to this retelling.  ///////////////////////////////////////////////// HONORS 1997 New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Books of the Year  1998 American Library Association Notable Children's Books  1998 NCSS/CBC Notable Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies  1997 Aesop Accolade, American Folklore Society  1998 Honor Title, Storytelling World Awards  1997 Cincinnati Enquirer Best Illustrated Children's Books  American Bookseller Pick of the Lists  Starred review, Publishers Weekly  Featured on "CBS This Morning" ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "Emotionally authentic prose and jewel-like illustrations make this an exquisite volume. . . . [A] mood of eloquent enchantment." -- Publishers Weekly, Aug. 25, 1997, starred review "Exquisite." -- The New York Times Book Review, Oct. 26, 1997 "Knock-your-socks-off beautiful. . . . Will stay in a family's library forever." -- Valerie Lewis, "CBS This Morning," Dec. 11, 1997 "Retains the flavor of Old Russia. . . . A fascinating spin on mermaid/human interaction." -- Denise Anton Wright, School Library Journal, Dec. 1997 "The telling is descriptive yet very accessible. . . . The pictures are gorgeous and resplendent with extraordinary details." -- Stephanie Zvirin, American Library Association Booklist, Nov. 15, 1997

    Through songs, puppets, and frank conversations, Mister Rogers instilled the values of kindness, patience, and self-esteem in his viewers, and most of all, taught children how loved they were, just by being themselves. A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood reimagines the songs from the show as poetry, ranging from the iconic "Won't You Be My Neighbor?" to the forgotten gems. The poems deal with topics such as difficult feelings, new siblings, everyday routines, imagination, and more.

    The three little kittens may be a bit irresponsible, but they always manage to correct their mistakes in this favorite classic tale. The kittens' dramatic displays of regret, as well as their sincere efforts to get into their mother's good graces—and taste her scrumptious-looking pie!—will delight readers young and old.

    and in fact the dragon was there too?

    This award-winning book by Janell Cannon has sold over 500,000 copies and was on the bestseller list for more than two years.

    Rudyard Kipling's dramatic tale, here excerpted from the greater volume of The Jungle Book, is the story of the loyal mongoose, Rikk-Tikki-Tavi, and the lengths to which he must go to protect his adoptive human family.

    He's embarrassed by the love poems, the terms of endearment, the cute little red heart stickers, and especially the laughter and snickers from his classmates. He wishes that Jennifer Jones would just move away. And one day, she does! There's no more sickening stickers, no more silly poems--and no more fun. Does he actually miss Jennifer Jones?

    Through a series of magical misadventures, she discovers she is very special just being herself.

    11 complete stories at a great price!Featuring:The Cat in the Hat read by Kelsey GrammerHorton Hears a Who read by Dustin HoffmanHow the Grinch Stole Christmas read by Walter MatthauDid I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? read by John CleeseThe Lorax read by Ted DansonYertle the Turtle, Gertrude McFuzz, and The Big Brag read by John LithgowThidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose read by Mercedes McCambridgeHorton Hatches the Egg read by Billy CrystalThe Cat in the Hat Comes Back read by Kelsey Grammer

    Albert reaches out the window to check the weather. But from the moment a twig lands in the palm of his hand, life is never the same.

    The doll family are owned by two sisters, Emily and Charlotte, and are very happy, except for one thing: they long for a proper home.

    Boys and girls will love the inspiring tale and the colorful illustrations by Tibor Gergely.

    A contemporary of Randolph Caldecott and Walter Crane, she attracted a wide audience in the United States and England, and many of her books were even translated into German and French.One of Greenaway's early successes was Mother Goose, or the Old Nursery Rhymes, first published in 1881, featuring such favorite poems as "Little Jack Horner," "Little Bo Peep," and "Jack and Jill" paired with whimsical illustrations of children playing in an idyllic countryside. Her enchanting watercolors evoked the urban Victorian reader's nostalgia for the rural life of earlier times and echoed Greenaway's own longing to retreat to a more tranquil setting than her native London.This new edition of Kate Greenaway's Mother Goose reproduces illustrations from the rare 1881 edition in the Huntington Library's collections. The Huntington owns an extensive collection of books illustrated by Greenaway, several of her manuscripts, and nearly one hundred of her original drawings.

    He loved stories.He loved books.But every story has its upsets.Everything in Morris Lessmore’s life, including his own story, is scattered to the winds.     But the power of story will save the day.