The Girl with a Brave Heart

After showing kindness to a strange old woman, Shiraz receives the gift of beauty but her lazy and unkind stepsister, Nargues, suffers a less pleasant fate in this adaptation of the Grimm’s fairy tale, Mother Hulda, reset in Tehran, Iran.

Yeh-Shen (Paperstar Book)

This version of the Cinderella story, in which a young girl overcomes the wickedness of her stepsister and stepmother to become the bride of a prince, is based on ancient Chinese manuscripts written 1000 years before the earliest European version.

James Marshall’s Cinderella

Vain and horrid relatives, tons of laundry, and a fireplace that just never stays clean…this pooped and put-upon heroine needs a little magic in her life! Luckily for her, and for kids and delighted grown-ups everywhere, the inimitable James Marshall cast his wacky brand of enchantment upon Cinderella’s tale-complete with grinning rats, a daffy godmother, and a whole golden coachful of belly laughs! “Will take its rightful place on the fairy-tale shelves, but won’t sit there for long!” (Booklist, starred review) “An excellent storytime version of the favorite fairy tale, e.g. A strong addition to any picture book collection…and great fun.” (School Library Journal, starred review)

Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters

Mufaro was a happy man. Everyone agreed that his two daughters were very beautiful. Nyasha was kind and considerate as well as beautiful, but everyone — except Mufaro — knew that Manyara was selfish, badtempered, and spoiled.

When the king decided to take a wife and invited “The Most Worthy and Beautiful Daughters in the Land” to appear before him, Mufaro declared proudly that only the king could choose between Nyasha and Manyara. Manyara, of course, didn’t agree, and set out to make certain that she would be chosen.

John Steptoe has created a memorable modem fable of pride going before a fall, in keeping with the moral of the folktale that was his inspiration. He has illustrated it with stunning paintings that glow with the beauty, warmth, and internal vision of the land and people of his ancestors.