Europe

Materials from Europe

Mama’s Favorite

Muri loves his mama, and Mama loves him. But being one of seven, he sometimes wonders who is Mama’s favorite. He thinks maybe she loves his baby sister the most, but whenever he acts like the baby, Mama doesn’t like it. Then he wonders if she loves his oldest sister the most, because she lives far away. But when he threatens to run far away, Mama doesn’t appreciate it. Even when Muri pretends to be sick, Mama is wise to his ways. But when the two of them encounter a fearsome cat out in the yard, Mama grabs Muri and scampers to safety, and Muri finally understands that Mama loves them all the same.

A Promise Is a Promise

Bruno the marmot hibernates all winter, and upon waking in the spring, he discovers the most beautiful dandelion outside his burrow. The two quickly become friends, playing together every day. But when summer comes, the dandelion asks Bruno to trust her, so he obliges her request to blow her seeds away into the wind. Devastated that his friend is no longer with him, Bruno is lonely until next winter’s hibernation. When he wakes again, he discovers that an amazing surprise sprouted while he slept.

War Horse

In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey’s courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer’s son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?

Jumpy Jack & Googily

Meet Jumpy Jack, a very nervous snail who’s afraid of monsters, and Googily, who is a—well, who is a very good friend, indeed. Wherever they go, Googily kindly checks high and low just to make sure there are no scary monsters about. But as every child knows, monsters come in many shapes and sizes. Some are even blue with hairy eyebrows and pointy teeth.

Dragonhaven

When Jake Mendoza, who lives in the Smokehill National Park where his father runs the Makepeace Institute of Integrated Dragon Studies, goes on his first solo overnight in the park, he finds an infant dragon whose mother has been killed by a poacher.