A retelling of the Slavic folktale in which the Month Brothers’ magic helps Marushka fulfill seemingly impossible tasks which prove the undoing of her greedy stepmother and stepsister.
Magic
The Moon Man
Marion’s painting of a Moon Man comes to life and seeks ways to shine like the real moon.
The Impudent Rooster
Using his amazing swallowing ability, a rooster foils the evil plans of a greedy nobleman and brings back riches to his poor master.
James and the Giant Peach
James Trotter loses his parents in a horrible accident and is forced to liveNmiserablyNwith his two wicked aunts. Then James is given some magic crystals that give him hope. But when he accidentally spills these crystals on an old peach tree, strange things begin to happen. A peach starts to grow and grow until James is able to climb inside and escape his awful aunts! And through this adventure, he makes some interesting friends, including Grasshopper, Earthworm, Miss Spider, and Centipede, and finally finds a place where he belongs.
The Yellow House
A favorite back in print! A child discovers, in the old house and overgrown garden she passes every day, that wonders wait in secret. One day, on the way to the park, a little girl climbs the gate of an old yellow house. Although no one has lived there for a very long time, a little boy suddenly appears before her. “Come and play with me,” he beckons. He leads her through an enchanted garden, showing her all its marvelous inhabitants: a tiger playing with its cubs in the long grass, a dolphin leaping in the goldfish pond, a pelican roosting high in the apple tree. Then the mysterious boy is gone, the girl’s mother is calling, and all is as it was before. In this well-loved picture book, Blake Morrison and Helen Craig bring us to a place where, for a moment, magic is real.
The Tale of the Firebird
When Prince Ivan sets out to find the Firebird for his father the tsar, he must complete a series of tasks before obtaining the Firebird and winning the hand of a beautiful princess.
Vasalisa and Her Magic Doll
A retelling of the old Russian fairy tale in which beautiful Vasalisa uses the help of her doll to escape from the clutches of the witch Baba Yaga.
The Dream Mouse
The Dream Mouse drives his cart with its load of sleep through the darkening village, bringing wondrous dreams to all the children.
Dragon Feathers
This spirited folktale from Austria’s Ziller Valley tells the story of a poor woodcutter’s son who learns that he must pluck three feathers from the wings of a terrible dragon in order to win the hand of his beloved.
The Treasure Chest
A rainbow-colored magic fish helps Laifu protect his bride-to-be from the evil ruler Funtong.