As a group of refugees huddles together in a rubber dinghy, one of them uses his violin to weave their stories together and give them hope for freedom in the future.
Featured in WOW Review Volume XI, Issue 3
A Story Like The Wind
fable
The Shady Tree
In this new Chinese fable, Ping returns and deals with the selfish and greedy Tan Tan, who owns a beautiful house and a beautiful shady tree, but who does not share. Ping turns Tan Tan’s greed into his own gain, but even with his new-found wealth, Ping is true to his generous nature there is room for everyone.
School for Princes: Stories from the Panchatantra
How can a king knock some sense into his silly sons so that they grow up sensible young men? A wise man tells the king that he can do the job in six weeks. Every time one of the boys says or does something rash, the sage will put him back on the straight and narrow by telling him a cautionary tale – the story of a proud hare, or perhaps an owl, or a crow… This collection of fables, known as the Panchatantra and familiar all over Asia, were first told, then written down in Sanskrit over 2,000 years ago. Jamila Gavin brings them alove for modern readers by telling the story of the wise man and the young princes as original stories framing the classic animal fables. The result is a powerful and unique vision of this classic Indian work.
Rabbit’s Snow Dance
A hip and hilarious fable perfect for wintertime
Rabbit loves the winter. He knows a dance, using a traditional Iroquois drum and song, to make it snow–even in springtime! The other animals of the forest don’t want early snow, but Rabbit doesn’t listen to them. Instead, he sings and dances until more and more snow falls. But how much snow is too much, and will Rabbit know when to stop?
This stylish and oh-so-funny story is a modern take on a traditional Native American fable from master storytellers Joseph and James Bruchac.
Fox Tails
Four of Aesop’s fables are combined in this tale about three animal friends who outsmart a tricky fox.
Town Mouse Country Mouse
A town mouse and a country mouse exchange visits and discover each is suited to his own home. Peep-holes in some of the pages allow the reader to guess at what happens next.
Feathers and Fools
Long ago and far away, in a rambling garden beside a clear blue lake, two flocks of birds began to fear each other for their differences. The fear grew, and soon the birds became enemies, hoarding great quantities of weapons for protection–until panic struck and the chance for peace seemed lost forever.
Mouse & Lion
On a ridge above the Kalihari, Lion naps, until Mouse bumbles into him, willy-nilly, startling him awake. After a show of teeth, Lion is softened by Mouse’s pledge of loyalty and sets him free. When a cold moon brings a humbling lesson, Lion comes to recognize Mouse’s keen skill, and deeper kindness.
Once in a Wood: Ten Tales from Aesop
A retelling of ten fables by Aesop, including “The Fox and the Crow,” “The Crow and the Water Jug,” and “The Lion and the Mouse.”
How the Leopard Got His Claws
In the beginning, all the animals lived as friends. The leopard, their king was strong but gentle and wise. Only the dog had sharp teeth, and only the dog scoffed at the animals plan to build a common shelter for gathering out of the rain. but when the dog was flooded out of his own cave, he attacked the leopard and took over as king. It was only then that the leopard returned with a new roar, sharp claws, and shining teeth, life for the animals would never be the same.
In this riveting fable for young readers, Nigerian writer Chinua Achebe, author of Things Fall Apart, evokes themes of liberation and justice that echo his novels about post-colonial Africa. Glowing with vibrant color, Mary GrandPre’s expressive and action-filled paintings bring this unforgettable tale dramatically to life.