Gemma, a young girl living in the mountains of northern Italy, asks the blackbirds to sing to her ailing father, Duca Gennaro, and only one blackbird decides to remain when the weather becomes cooler. The story of the origins of the Days of the Blackbird.
Europe
Materials from Europe
Puss in Boots
A clever cat brings great fortune to his poverty-stricken young master, in a witty new version of the classic fairy tale, enhanced by sumptuous, richly detailed artwork.
Max and Ruby’s First Greek Myth: Pandora’s Box
When Max snoops in his sister’s jewelry box, she reads her own version of the classic Greek myth about how Pandora’s curiosity sets loose all the horrors of the world.
Name That Dinosaur: A Puzzle Adventure
Readers search artwork for dinosaurs, complete a poster with dino-name stickers, solve puzzles, and more. On the island of Rosa Turoso, there are lions that speak, lizards that dance — and a girl named Abba who is crazy about dinosaurs. With her dinosaur poster, her dachshund, and her magical hat, Abba sets off on a journey, spotting dinosaurs all the way.
Caterina: The Clever Farm Girl
In this Tuscan folktale, a poor farmer’s daughter becomes queen by charming the king with her wit and ingenuity.
A Pot o’ Gold: A Treasury of Irish Stories, Poetry, Folklore, and (of Course) Blarney
A collection of stories, folklore, poetry, and songs from Ireland.
Iron Hans
The classic Brothers Grimm folktale of a king, his son, Iron Hans, and a spell is enriched by impressive illustrations of exotic creatures in exquisite settings.
The Gingerbread Man
The author of Nanny Goat and the Seven Little Kids offers a new version of the classic folktale about a runaway gingerbread man.
The Fables Of Aesop
A collection of more than one hundred of Aesop’s classic fables, designed to delight and instruct both adults and children, features clever pen-and-ink drawings on every page and thirty full-color paintings.
The Bearskinner: A Tale of the Brothers Grimm
A dejected soldier makes a pact with the devil in this haunting, ultimately hopeful fairy tale. When a person gives up hope, is he still human? Such is the story of a soldier who has lost everything to war: his childhood home, his family and friends, his youth, and his innocence. Enter that sly opportunist, the devil, who wraps the soldier in the armor of a dead bear’s skin, fills its pockets with gold, and makes a dangerous and horrible wager.