This stunning, fully-illustrated collection offers a dazzling array of narrative poems—-each of which tells an unforgettable tale. Readers will find poems to suit every taste—from stirring, heroic verses to magical fables, and from cautionary tales to humorous tongue-twisters. “Old masters” such as William Wadsworth Longfellow and Lewis Carroll are paired with great twentieth century poets such as W.H. Auden & Roald Dahl. Contemporary poets such as Tony Mitton & Kevin Crossley-Holland (who introduces each poem) are featured as well. A one-of-a-kind anthology for every child’s bookshelf.
Age
Catalog sorted by age group
The Amazing Tree
From southwest Tanzania comes this folktale of a time without rain and an amazing tree with ripe fruits that will not fall. The hungry animals decide to ask wise Tortoise how to get these fruits, and little Rabbit offers to find him. They send the big animals instead—-first Elephant and Water Buffalo, then Rhino, Giraffe, and Zebra, and finally Lion and Leopard. Tortoise tells them that they can only get the fruits if they call the tree by its name, but they all forget it. Finally the animals send Rabbit, who learns that it is called “Ntunguru meng’enye.” She returns to the other animals, who are now weak with hunger, and calls the tree by name. “And the fruits started falling like rain!” They thank Rabbit and realize that everyone is important no matter their size.
Ottoline Goes to School
Ottoline Brrown and her best friend, Mr. Munroe, are going away to school . . . and they’re not scared in the least—even if it is haunted!
Colors! Colores!
Noted Mexican poet Jorge Luján and South Africa’s illustrious illustrator Piet Grobler have teamed up again to produce this exquisite celebration of color. As day turns into night, young readers see fleeting, evocative glimpses of the qualities inherent in a range of colors. An antelope and a group of children are pictured inhabiting this delicate world. This bilingual book presents a gorgeous vision of a planet in which nature, words, and the rising and setting of the sun and the moon exist in harmony.
Oloyou (Libro Tigrillo)
Oloyou the Cat, the very first creature that the God-child creates, is also the very first friend. God-child and Oloyou play together for hours on end, until one day the cat falls into the void and lands in the dark, featureless, sea kingdom of ferocious Okún Aró. Oloyou is terribly lonely until he meets Aró’s mermaid daughter and falls madly in love. Infuriated, the father flings the pair into the heavens, where they become an everlasting part of the night sky. This imaginative tale, sparked by the author’s mesmerizing text, is the perfect introduction to the vibrant Santería/Yoruba culture.
Pure Spring
Martin O’Boy finally has a home and a job–at the Pure Spring soft drink factory–but not everything is perfect, as sometimes Grandpa Rip’s mind wanders, he gets involved with a crooked coworker, and his memories of the past overwhelm him.
The Robot And The Bluebird
Classic Poetry: An Illustrated Collection (Candlewick Illustrated Classic)
“Few anthologies for this age group include such a fine selection of works, introduce the poets so vividly, or provide such a rich collection of haunting illustrations.” — Booklist Poetry provides the best introduction to the marvels of the English language. This volume, collected by award-winning author Michael Rosen, presents a glorious selection of classic poetry, chronologically arranged from the seventeenth century to modern day—poems by such celebrated poets as William Shakespeare, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, Emily Dickinson, Carl Sandburg, and Langston Hughes— complete with biographical sketches of the poets, information on individual poems, and notes on poetic forms. Paul Howard’s full-color illustrations illuminate some of the most brilliant poems of the English-speaking world with stunning breadth and beauty. A book to be treasured, Classic Poetry belongs on every shelf—every child should know these poems and keep this book with them as they grow.
What the Rat Told Me
One day, the Great Emperor of Heaven invited all the animals to visit him on the Jade Mountain. Twelve animals came, and they became the twelve signs of the Chinese zodiac. This porquoi tale explains why the cat is not part of the zodia and why the cat and rat are no longer friends. This ancient porquoi tale is adapted from a Chinese Buddhist legend dating from the Han Dynasty (206 BC – 220 AD) introduces the Chinese zodiac and the animals of the Chinese zodiac to young readers.
Say What?: The Weird and Mysterious Journey of the English Language
Presents the history of the modern English language and how previous languages and civilizations influenced its development.