Unexpected Magic

A cat tells how the kindhearted wizard she owns is suddenly called upon to defeat a horrific Beast. When Anne has mumps, her drawings come to life, and she must protect her home from them.
Four children become involved in the intrigue surrounding an innocent prince, an evil count, and a brave outlaw. These fifteen stories and one novella will enchant, startle, and surprise.

The Sea Tiger

The Sea Tiger is Oscar’s best friend and Oscar’s only friend. They do everything together: explore the ocean, visit the sea circus, even hitch a ride to the surface to look at the stars. But Oscar is shy, and so it’s up to the Sea Tiger to help him find other friends.

The Princess and the Giant

Princess Sophie is exhausted, and it’s all because that grumpy old giant up on the beanstalk can’t sleep. His stomps and stamps keep everyone awake. But as the resourceful Princess Sophie reads her favorite book of fairy tales, she wonders if she might just have the answer. She bravely climbs the beanstalk carrying a tasty bowl of porridge, a cuddly teddy bear, and cozy blanket to help soothe the giant.

Half A Creature From The Sea

May Malone is said to have a monster in her house, but what Norman finds there may just be the angel he needs. Joe Quinn’s house is noisy with poltergeists, or could it be Davie’s raging causing the disturbance? Fragile Annie learns the truth about herself in a photograph taken by a traveling man near the sea. Set in the northern English Tyneside country of the author’s childhood, these eight short stories by the incomparable David Almond evoke gritty realities and ineffable longings, experiences both ordinary and magical.

Cinderella’s Stepsister and the Big Bad Wolf

So, you think you know the story of Cinderella? Well, you’d better think again because in this hilarious tale, nothing is what it seems. Did you know that Cinderella wasn’t actually very nice? And that there were three Ugly stepsisters? And that the youngest sister, Gertie, was absolutely the nicest person you could ever hope to meet?

A Great Big Cuddle

In this exuberant compilation, Michael Rosen invites children to joyfully celebrate sounds and the infinite possibilities of language. Nonsense verses with the feel of classic nursery rhymes tickle the ear and set feet tapping while expressive illustrations by Chris Riddell illuminate the larger-than-life characters. With subject matter that runs the gamut of a child’s emotional range from hungry and angry to wiggly and giggly, these thirty-six clever poems will delight little listeners.

Use Your Imagination

Rabbit is bored. What shall he do? Luckily, Wolf has the perfect solution. “Why not write a story?” he suggests. Rabbit thinks this is a great idea! And so Wolf teaches Rabbit to use his imagination to create the perfect story with lots of exciting props and interesting characters.