A retelling of a Russian fairy tale in which an archer assigned many dangerous quests by the greedy, cruel czar wins a crown and the woman of his dreams.
I-Know-Not-What, I-Know-Not-Where: A Russian Tale
Magic
Little Rooster’s Diamond Button
Little Rooster is happy to find a diamond button-it’s a perfect present for his mistress. Then along comes the King, who snatches the button for his treasure chamber! And when Little Rooster demands the button back, the King is so furious he has Little Rooster thrown into a well. One thing the King doesn’t know: Little Rooster has a magic stomach. Water? Fire? Bees? No problem! Children will cheer for the spunky hero of Margaret Read MacDonald’s sparkling retold tale, which she has been sharing with children since 1965. Will Terry’s vibrant and funny paintings complete the delight. The author lives in Washington State; the illustrator lives in California.
The Frog Princess
Forced to marry an ugly frog, the youngest son of the Tsar is astounded to learn that the frog is really the beautiful princess Vasilisa the Wise.
The Little Humpbacked Horse: A Russian Tale
A young peasant, with the help of his faithful horse, captures magical beasts, marries the woman he loves, and becomes Tsar of Russia.
The Spider’s Gift: A Ukrainian Christmas Story
Katrusya is devastated that her family cannot afford Christmas presents this year, but it simply wouldn’t be Christmas without a tree. She soon finds the perfect one in the deepest part of the forest and decorates it with homemade ornaments. But the next day the tree is crawling with spiders! Luckily, Katrusya convinces her mother not to throw the tree away. When the family returns from church that evening, they discover that the spiders have left a dazzling Christmas miracle.
The Tale Of Tsar Saltan
Betrayed by her jealous sisters, a Tsarina and her infant son are marooned on a barren island until a magical swan helps them regain their rightful heritage.
First Snow, Magic Snow
A little girl made from the magical first snow lives with a lonely man and his wife through the winter, and when she disappears in the spring, the couple set out in search of her.
Firebird
“In the shadow of King Vaslav’s Palace was a marvelous garden, and in the middle of that garden stood a tree that grew apples of solid gold, each one as dazzling as the sun.”Someone is stealing the king’s famous golden apples, and the culprit must be found. The palace gardener spots the luminous Firebird snatching the apples in the night. The king’s two oldest sons are sent to capture it but fail. So Ivan, the youngest son, must go on the dangerous quest, befriending a gray wolf, winning both the Firebird and the heart of the beautiful Princess Helen. Saviour Pirotta’s powerful retelling of this classic folktale plumbs the heart of human fears, courage, and love.
Chickerella
When Chickerella’s new step mother and step sisters, Ovumelda and Cholestera, move in, life in the chicken coop takes a turn for the worst. Forced to cook and clean for her new family, Chickerella won’t even be able to attend the Fowl Ball, that is, until her Fairy Goosemother appears. The unusually stylish Chickerella dazzles the prince in her eggsquisite gown but at the stroke of midnight, she must race home before the spell is over. Will the prince ever be able to find his love? Only a glass egg remains a clue to her identity.
Something From Nothing
In this retelling of a traditional Jewish folktale, Joseph’s baby blanket is transformed into ever smaller items as he grows until there is nothing left–but then Joseph has an idea.