Crackling Brat

Crackling Brat, a fantastical child who has power over fire, wind, thunder, and lightning, laughingly outwits three ferocious obstacles-Snow Cat, Night Bear, and Hunger Wolf-to save his father from the ravages of Time. The language is fresh, primarily due to the inventive use of metaphor. “Night Bear’s fur was as dark as midnight. His eyes were star-colored and his teeth were sharper than the points of the new moon.”

Too Many Leprechauns: Or How That Pot O’ Gold Got To The End Of The Rainbow

On St. Patrick’s Day, leprechauns are lucky. But on every other day of the year, they make for noisy neighbors–and they’re turning the entire town of Dingle upside down! Fortunately, Finn O’Finnegan always has a clever plan brewing, and this time, with a little luck of the Irish, it’s a scheme that just might fool even the cleverest of creatures.

When The Root Children Wake Up

When Old Grandfather Winter disappears into his ice palace high in the mountains, Young Robin chirps her wake-up song to the Root Children deep underground. ³Wake up,² she sings, ³it¹s time for the masquerade!² Right away, the Root Children set to work sewing their flowering costumes and painting bugs with rainbows until they sparkle like jewels. Then they frolic out into the world in a joyous chorus of frolic and song all through Summer, until the frosty Autumn winds blow away the leaves and flowers. The Root Children return to their underground bed with gentle Mother Earth until Spring returns again.

The Loathsome Dragon

A lovely princess, a brave prince, a wicked stepmother, evil enchantments, magic rowan wood, and an immense, scaly dragon. . . . Favorite fairytale elements sparkle in The Loathsome Dragon, a traditional English tale. Majestic, romantic paintings by two-time Caldecott medalist David Wiesner display the remarkable artistry and dizzying perspectives his work is known for. Now available once again—with several new illustrations, revised text, and a brief source note—this picture-book classic will delight David Wiesner’s many fans, and win him a generation of new ones.

The Irish Piper

In this version of the traditional tale, the Pied Piper plays upon Irish pipes and travels from County Clare in Ireland to the village of Hamelin to rid it of its rats. An author’s note discusses the Piper’s music and provides examples of what he may have played.