Animals

Sindbad in the Land of Giants

In this stunning sequel to Sindbad: From the Tales of The Thousand and One Nights, Sindbad, now a rich sultan, recounts more of his adventures. On this voyage, Sindbad and his hapless crew mates are driven off course, and their ship is overrun by monkeys. They abandon the ship but row into more trouble, landing on an island inhabited by a man-eating giant. They are captured but devise a daring escape, and think they are almost away, when they encounter even greater obstacles. With his ingenuity and quick wits, Sindbad prevails, but there are yet more seafaring adventures in store. Sindbad earned top marks from critics and readers alike for its breath-taking art. In Sindbad in the Land of Giants, Ludmila Zeman has once again delivered an action-packed, suspenseful tale worthy of The Thousand and One Nights. From the Hardcover edition.

The Leopard’s Drum: An Asante Tale from West Africa

Because Osebo the leopard won’t share his magnificent drum with anyone, Nyame the Sky-God offers a reward to whichever animal presents the drum to him.

How Giraffe Got Such A Long Neck– And Why Rhino Is So Grumpy

During a terrible drought in which there is nothing to eat, Man prepares a magic herb that results in Giraffe’s long neck so he can reach the high leaves on the trees and a grumpy Rhino, who arrives too late for the magic.

What the Animals Were Waiting For

Cowbells tinkle. And over there, a family of elephants munches on dry grass, flaps huge ears like slow fans, and waits. It is a time of waiting. The gazelles, the wildebeest and the zebras are all waiting. The lions, too, and the crocodiles are waiting. Little Tepi watches the animals and wonders what is coming. Soon there will be rain, and food for everyone! In simple, stirring verse, this stunningly illustrated picture book tells the story of the dramatic cycles of life on the Masai Mara range in Africa — one of the last great, wild places on Earth.

The Royal Drum: An Ashanti Tale

A read-aloud rebus treasure from the Ashanti in Ghana. Who is the laziest animal of all? All the animals gather together to help make a drum for the king of the jungle, but Anansi makes certain that Monkey ends up with the hardest job of all.

Sungura and Leopard: A Swahili Trickster Tale

A small but clever hare and a fierce leopard agree to share a house, but as the hare’s family grows, he realizes that he must find a way to get rid of his bad-tempered neighbor.