John Ronald loved dragons. He liked to imagine dragons when he was alone, and with his friends, and especially when life got hard or sad. After his mother died and he had to live with a cold-hearted aunt, he looked for dragons. He searched for them at his boarding school. And when he fought in a Great War, he felt as if terrible, destructive dragons were everywhere. But he never actually found one, until one day, when he was a grown man but still very much a boy at heart, when he decided to create one of his own.
Europe
Materials from Europe
Kings of the Castle
George didn’t want to waste the night moon bathing. He wanted to build a sand castle that would turn any monster green with envy! But when George meets the strangest creature he has ever seen, the night takes an unexpected turn.
Selkie
When a greedy oysterman captures a selkie–a seal that turns into a girl–a boy outwits him and returns her to the sea and wins her reward.
Will’s New Cap
Wills new cap is soaked in a sudden downpour but, in the end, it looks better than before.
Smoke And Ashes
An account of the tragic fate of the six million Jews killed during the Holocaust is set against a chronicle of the roots of Nazi anti-Semitism, Hitler’s rise to power, World War II, and the Nazi program of extermination. Simultaneous.
Witnesses To War
For millions of children, living in Europe during World War II was a terrifying experience. Here, eight of those children share their true stories — of living in the Warsaw Ghetto, of being sent to concentration camps, of being selected for “Germanization”. Each story is different, but each represents the stories of millions of innocent victims of the Holocaust. B&W photos.
Little Mouse’s Big Secret
Shh…! Little Mouse has a secret! He’s found a delicious-looking apple and doesn’t want to share a bite. So he buries it, and no matter how many of his friends ask what he hid, Little Mouse won’t tell. But when a tree sprouts from the seeds of the fruit, there are enough apples for everyone-and Little Mouse realizes some secrets are even better when they’re shared. Award-winning illustratorEric Battuthas created a charming picture book that will delight-and teach-children. Kids will delight in knowing more than Mouse as they watch the apple tree sprout behind him Simple text and illustrations encourage sharing, but avoid preachiness Subtle “green” subtext about the abundance and importance of nature ERIC BATTUTwas born in Chamalieres, France, where he still lives and works today. After studying economics and civil rights for six years, he went on to study illustration at L’Ecole Emile Cohl in Lyon. He has since created many successful and award-winning books for children.
Standing Up
Inspired by the historic Manneke Pis statue in his hometown of Brussels, a little boy practices and perfects the art of standing up.
Hedgehog’s Secret
Hedgehog is terribly busy. She’s washing, she’s cooking, she’s cleaning. One by one, Elephant, Pig, Teddy, and Lottie stop by. They’d like to eat and play; they’d like attention! But for once, Hedgehog doesn’t have time for them. At the end of the day the mystery is solved when Hedgehog introduces all her friends to her newborn treasure.
The Rabbit Who Didn’t Want To Go To Sleep
Young Rabbit is a true expert on wheedling a few more minutes out of his weary parents. After all, he’s only just started playing, and he’s built this really cool race track for his cars, and he has to find the tow truck after he crashes into his little sister’s nightstand and knocks something over (waking her up in the process). However, by the time his parents have reached the end of their rope, Rabbit seems to have disappeared. Luckily, a snore from behind the couch gives them the clue they need to finally get that bunny into bed. But guess who’s wide-awake and wanting her oatmeal now!