The Twelve Dancing Princesses

A magic cloak. A hidden passage. A secret underground world beyond imagining. Night after night, the princesses mysteriously wear out their shoes. But how are they doing it? The baffled king promises a great reward to any man who can solve the mystery. From the colorful flurry of the princesses’ dressing room to a captivating nighttime scene on an underground lake, Rachel Isadora has revitalized and reimagined this well-loved Brothers Grimm fairy tale by bringing the story of the twelve princesses to Africa. Her collage of blazing colors, rich textures and dramatic shapes evoke the patterns and palette of this beautiful continent. Returning to the lush setting of The Princess and the Pea, the unique presentation of this classic tale is sure to enchant readers with its vibrant imagery.

Mama & Papa Have a Store

A young girl tells about a day in her family’s store and home in Guatemala City. Every day customers of many heritages—speaking Spanish, Chinese, and Mayan—come to buy cloth, buttons, and thread in colors like parrot green and mango yellow, and dozens of other items. While the girl’s parents and their friends talk about their hometown in China from where they emigrated many years ago, she and her siblings play games on the rooftop terrace, float paper boats, and make shadow puppets under the glow of flashlights. When the store closes, the girl dances to celebrate her day. Amelia Lau Carling’s thoroughly American children loved her childhood stories about Guatemala so much that she wrote them down for others.

Korean Children’s Favorite Stories

Korean Children’s Favorite Stories is a captivating collection of Korean folk tales that have thrived for generations. Some are unique to Korea, while others echo those told in other countries. Written with wit and pathos, they reveal the follies of people everywhere and expose the human-like qualities of animals and the animal-like qualities of humans.

Marooned: The Strange But True Adventures of Alexander Selkirk

In 1704, Alexander Selkirk was voyaging across the South Pacific when, after arguing with the ship’s captain, he was put ashore—alone—on an uninhabited island. Equipped with little more than a musket and his wits, Selkirk not only survived in complete solitude for more than four years, but came to be quite comfortable and happy. After being rescued by a British privater in 1709, he took a leading role in several dramatic captures of merchant ships. Although he returned to civilization a rich man,he couldn’t find a place in society and always longed to return to the paradise of his island. Selkirk’s well-documented adventures so inspired Daniel Defoe that they became the basis for his perennial classic, Robinson Crusoe. Author’s note, glossary, bibliography,index.

Secret Letters from 0 to 10

Ernest Morlaisse leads an unadventurous life. He comes home every day and eats the same snack and sits down to his homework. Enter Victoria de Montardent, the new girl in class. When Victoria sees Ernest it’s love at first sight. And she makes her declaration to everyone: ” I love Ernest. . . . We’re getting married in 13 years, eight months, and three days. This is an invitation to our wedding”. And believe it or not, Victoria’s bulldozer approach works! Quickly Ernest begins to discover that beating inside his chest is his heart. And he begins finding ways to use it.

City of Dogs

Sam has always wanted a dog, but Jenny is a dog like no other. She has come from another world—a parallel world of mythology, where the whims of the gods decide the course of Destiny. Jenny fled in terror after her attempt to save the life of her first beloved boy interrupted the gods’ plans for a battle for control of the world. But now her escape threatens Sam’s world as well. So Jenny has to convince her motley pack of dog friends—tiny Pico, giant Gentleman Jim, slow-moving Boris, excitable Checkers, and nervous Flo—that it’s their destiny to restore the worlds to order before it’s too late. Norse mythology, a huge respect for the hearts and minds of dogs, and many dashes of humor combine to tell the tale of a grand, epic quest to save the world for humans, gods, and dogs.

Flicka, Ricka, Dicka and the Three Kittens

Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka were three little girls who lived in Sweden. They had blue eyes and yellow curls, and they looked very much alike. One time, while their aunt and uncle were away, Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka offered to take care of Mitzi, the cat. The girls got fresh milk and fish for Mitzi, and they played with her all day. Then Mitzi disappeared! Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka searched everywhere–the streets and even the rooftops. Mitzi stayed hidden–but that was because she had a big surprise.