The creators of FAIRYTALE NEWS mix up favorite tales in a comical quest with a pull-out treasure map.Little Jack Hubbard can’t wait to set sail with Cap’n Horatio Hubbard on a hunt for long-lost treasure. But the ship’s wolfish crew are suspiciously big and bad, and soon Jack is diving into the waves to rescue a valuable treasure map. All seems lost until Jack is saved by the Owl and the Pussycat (in a beautiful pea-green boat) and passes a witch’s gingerbread cottage, where two kids are caught in a culinary plot. . . . With the help of a handy removable map, readers will happily follow Jack’s path to the treasure through a fractured-fairytale land.
Primary (ages 6-9)
Material appropriate for primary age groups
Projects about Ancient Egypt (Hands-On History)
The Starlight Cloak
Paco and the Witch
On an errand through the woods on fiesta day, Paco gets into real trouble with a scary witch, and a jovial crab has to help him break the witch’s spell.
Tam Lin
A retelling of the old Scottish ballad in which a young girl rescues the human knight Tam Lin from his bondage to the Elfin Queen.
Dick Whittington And His Cat
When Dick Whittington finally gets a ride from the countryside to London, he anticipates a wealthy paradise where the streets are paved with gold. He is shocked, though, to find that the city is in an even worse state than the country! Dick struggles to survive, barely living off scraps of food, until the wealthy merchant Mr. Fitzwarren offers him a job. Still lonely, Dick purchases a cat to comfort him and to kill the rodents in his bedroom. Little does anyone, particularly Dick Whittington, know that this cat will bring many more fortunes than anticipated! Margaret Hodges retells the optimistic story of Dick Whittington’s luck with beautiful acrylic paintings by Melisande Potter.
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.
Goldie And The Three Bears
In this spirited new version of “Goldilocks,” we meet a determined heroine with a mind of her own. Goldie knows exactly what she likes — and what she doesn’t. Can she help it if everyone she invites over is too bossy or too boring or too snobby or too rough? What she desperately wants is a friend who is just right — someone she can love with all her heart. Then one day, Goldie gets off the bus at the wrong stop, walks to a nearby cottage to find help, and opens the door. . . Diane Stanley, author and illustrator of Rumpelstiltskin’s Daughter, once again takes an old tale and gives it a fresh spin that is funny as well as perceptive. Readers will love accompanying Goldie on her up-to-date adventure and discovering the clever, heartwarming surprise at its end.
King Arthur And The Legends Of Camelot (Viking Kestrel Picture Books)
The Little Golden Lamb
In this joyfully retold Hungarian version of “The Golden Goose,” a shepherd lad befriends a lamb whose fleece is the color of gold. The lad and the lamb set off on a journey, with the lamb dancing and frolicking as the boy plays his flute. Along the way they meet one person after another who tries to put an end to their merriment, but soon enough each has no choice but to join the cheerful procession and help the shepherd boy win his fortune and fulfill his destiny. Whimsically illustrated in delicious colors, this lively tale about the magic of music and the infectiousness of a light heart will have young children ready to join in the celebration.