How can a king knock some sense into his silly sons so that they grow up sensible young men? A wise man tells the king that he can do the job in six weeks. Every time one of the boys says or does something rash, the sage will put him back on the straight and narrow by telling him a cautionary tale – the story of a proud hare, or perhaps an owl, or a crow… This collection of fables, known as the Panchatantra and familiar all over Asia, were first told, then written down in Sanskrit over 2,000 years ago. Jamila Gavin brings them alove for modern readers by telling the story of the wise man and the young princes as original stories framing the classic animal fables. The result is a powerful and unique vision of this classic Indian work.
Age
Catalog sorted by age group
The Flute
In this beautiful picturebook written by Governor General’s Award-winning author Rachna Gilmore and illustrated by India’s most renowned illustrator, Pulak Biswas, a little girl nearly drowns when a swollen river overflows its banks. Tragically, her beloved mother and father are swept away in the flood. Raised by a cruel and uncaring aunt and uncle, the little girl finds solace in her mother’s magic flute. The Flute is an enchanting tale of the power of hope and the resilience of the human spirit.
Toads on Toast
Mamma Toad does everything she can think of to save her unruly brood from Fox’s frying pan, including offering up herself, and eventually persuades Fox to try her own secret recipe for Toad-in-a-Hole, a tasty treat that they all end up enjoying together. The secret? No toads!
1001 Inventions and Awesome Facts from Muslim Civilization
Traces centuries of invention and technological innovation in the Muslim world, revealing how Muslim intellectuals built elephant water clocks, drew detailed world maps, and built colossal architectural structures.
The Little Yellow Bottle
Marwa and Ahmad live in an unnamed country that could be any one of dozens touched by war. Ahmad is the star goalie of the soccer team, and Marwa is his best friend. While they know that there is a war going on, life in their village goes on largely as normal.
Marwa is the narrator of the story and she describes how one day planes fly over their village “like a cloud of angry wasps.” The children are warned that these planes dropped bombs, but after being frightened for a few days, they forget the danger. Until a day when Marwa and Ahmad are playing and Ahmad finds a small yellow bottle. Out of curiosity, he picks it up. The bomb explodes, injuring them both. Marwa describes the aftermath as she and Ahmad recover from their injuries and slowly regain hope. Written to honor the courage of children everywhere whose lives are touched by war.
The Wooden Sword
Disguised in servant’s clothes, an Afghani shah slips out of his palace to learn more about his people. When he encounters a poor Jewish shoemaker full of faith that everything will turn out just as it should, the shah grows curious. Vowing that no harm will befall the poor man, he decides to test that faith, only to find that the shoemaker’s cheerful optimism cannot be shaken. But the biggest challenge of the poor man’s life is yet to come!
The Wind That Wanted To Rest
An old and tired winter wind is searching for a place to rest. But wherever he goes, the wind is turned away, until his pain fuels a raging storm. Then he meets a good-hearted child who offers him a place to stay, and in gratitude the old wind leaves the child a lasting legacy. From Sheldon Oberman, author of the award-winning The Always Prayer Shawl, comes a timeless tale about the good that flows from kindness and understanding. Neil Waldman’s stunnign art evokes the world of old Russia, where the story originated.
When I Grow Up
Benjamin Zephaniah’s cutting-edge poetry gets to the heart of what all these people do for a living. What will you be when you grow up?
Paul Thurlby’s Wildlife
Did you know that crocodiles cry while they eat? Or that polar bears turn green if they stay hot for too long? Or that bees do a dance to speak to one another? See wildlife as you’ve never seen it before with Paul Thurlby’s menagerie of curious animals. With unique and humorous artwork that’s so stylish you’ll want to remove it from the book and hang it on your wall, Paul Thurlby brings to life twenty-three animals in a way that will appeal to readers of all ages.
What’s the Time, Mr. Wolf?
Mr. Wolf’s day is packed, not only with his own activities and errands, but with such characters as three giggling pigs and a fiddling cat continually asking him what time it is, until, at last, it is bedtime.