Gon, The Little Fox

In this retelling of Nankichi Niimi’s masterpiece, delicate watercolors bring to life the mischievous yet kind-hearted spirit of Gon, the Little Fox. Readers should proceed with caution as they begin this tale, however, especially as Gon is sure to win over their hearts. Like many Japanese folktales, Gon, The Little Fox does not exactly end happily; a circumstance which will inspire lively and provocative conversation among young readers. When readers first meet Gon, he is relishing his life as a rascally fox. Each day brings a new opportunity for him to stir up trouble in Nakayama. One day, however, he feels remorse for having killed an eel that was meant for the poor villager Hyoju’s dying mother. Ironically, it is this rare moment of conscience that leads Gon down a path that leads to his fate. As with all great folktales, the world of Gon, The Little Fox is both extremely familiar and extremely mysterious. This quality, as evident in both the text and illustrations, will greatly appeal to readers, both young and old.

Grandma Lives in a Perfume Village

Xiao Le’s grandmother lives in a faraway village. A visit with Grandma is always a special event, but this time she is frail. With encouragement from his mom, Xiao Le plays with and helps Grandma. When Grandma dies shortly thereafter, Xiao Le comforts his mom―reminding her that when it rains, Grandma is washing her clothes in the sky . . . and that although the Perfume Village in heaven cannot be reached by train, it can be accessed by the heart.

Oh, The Places You’ll Go!

Don’t be fooled by the title of this seriocomic ode to success; it’s not ‘Climb Every Mountain,’ kid version. All journeys face perils, whether from indecision, from loneliness, or worst of all, from too much waiting. Seuss’ familiar pajama-clad hero is up to the challenge, and his odyssey is captured vividly in busy two-page spreads evoking both the good times (grinning purple elephants, floating golden castles) and the bad (deep blue wells of confusion). Seuss’ message is simple but never sappy: life may be a ‘Great Balancing Act,’ but through it all ‘There’s fun to be done.

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Story Of The Kind Wolf

People say someone was as fierce as a wolf, as timid as a rabbit, asa sly as a fox or as wise as an owl. But not all wolves are fierce, any more than all foxes are sly or all owls wise. A gentled wolf returns to the forest of his birth to practice medicine, but a silly owl warns sick animals to stay away.

Very Little Cinderella

Very Little Cinderella is upset when her ugly Sisters are off to a party without her. But her Fairy Godmother (the babysitter) comes to the rescue and takes her to the ball in her favorite blue dress. When the clock strikes midnight, she discovers she’s lost her favorite “lello” boot. A happy playdate ensues when a young prince shows up the next day.

Exquisite Corpse

Zoe isn’t the intellectual type, which is why she doesn’t recognize world-famous author Thomas Rocher when she stumbles into his apartment…and into his life. It’s also why she doesn’t know that Rocher is supposed to be dead. Rocher faked his death years ago to escape his critics, and has been making a killing releasing his new work as “lost manuscripts,” in cahoots with his editor/ex-wife Agathe. Zoe doesn’t know Balzac from Batman, but she’s going to have to wise up fast… because she’s sitting on the literary scandal of the century.

The Letter For The King

On the night of his final vigil before being knighted, Tiuri answers a request to deliver an urgent letter to a distant kingdom across the Great Mountains–a journey that will threaten his life and teach him the true meaning of what it is to be a knight.