Have you heard these common proverbs? Let sleeping dogs lie. Where there's smoke, there's fire. You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. Or what about these riddles? What is black and white and red (read) all over? Why did the chicken cross the road? Why is 6 afraid of 7? Proverbs and riddles are tiny, bite-size pieces of folklore. They make us think. They tease our brains. They may make us laugh. But most of all, they tell us something about who we are and how we see the world.
Have you heard of Anansi, the mischief-making spider from Africa? Do you know about the Blackfoot woman who married a star? Or have you heard stories about Jack, the hero who always wins both the treasure and the princess's heart? Discover stories from North America's folklore, including tales about: why the world is the way it is; heroes and fools; ghosts and horrors; and death and the world to come. Stories have power. They share the wisdom of other generations. They stir our imagination. They give us hope and courage. And sometimes they just make us laugh!
Did you know that todays jolly Santa Claus was originally a Catholic bishop? Or that Santa Claus is connected to Saturn, an ancient Roman god? Or that in some places, Santa rides a camel? Christmas is a holiday of light and giving, and Santa Claus has become a traditional symbol for the seasons deepest meanings. Learn more about: Santa the Christ Child Christmas animals the Wise Men Christmas plants Christmas songs and cards. Across North America, Christmas is an occasion for love and joy and celebration. Discover the traditions and folklore that make this holiday so special.
Trosclair loves to row to Bee Island, although he knows that Gargantua, a giant alligator, is lurking there. Using his wits and a beehive, Trosclair rids the swamp of Gargantua for good.
When Tree Kangaroo and Koala dig a well to get some water, Tree Kangaroo ends up doing all of the work and Koala ends up with a stumpy tail in this origin story from Australia.
A Ukrainian folktale about a young man who obtains a flying ship and sets off to win the hand of the Tsarevna --helped by six men with very unusual talents.
A clever, singing rabbit eats his way through the pea patch until Little Girl snatches him up and he is soon singing a new tune as he plans his escape. With a nod to Brer Rabbit, Pickin Peas is adapted from two folktales collected in Alabama and Virginia. The lively storytelling voice of award-winning author Margaret Read MacDonald, combined with Pat Cummings' bright, bold contemporary illustrations, makes this timeless battle-of-wits an instant classic.
This timeless ballad has been part of American folklore for over a century. Born with a hammer in his hand, John Henry discovers his true calling as a steel-driving man but he inevitably meets his match in a race against a steam drill that provides a powerful metaphor for the disruption and loss of innocence created by the industrial age. Thornton's charcoal drawings deftly capture the triumphal spirit of this cautionary tale.
Long ago, when the world was young, the magpies' nests were the envy of all other birds. To help the other birds, Maggie Magpie patiently explained how to build a nest. But some birds were impatient and flew off without listening to all the directions, which is why, to this day, birds' nests come in all different shapes and sizes. This clever retelling of an old English folktale teaches the importance of careful listening.
Influenced by Native American folktales, this story teaches the phases of the moon while emphasizing how to deal with bullies. After the sun insults her, the moon is hurt and disappears. With the help of her many friends, the moon regains her self-confidence each day until she is back to her full size. The "For Creative Minds" section includes moon observations, fun facts, Native American names for full moon, a section on how to deal with bullies (paperback), a lunar calendar, and graphics to help view and understand the moon's phases. Helps children deal with bullies.
In Jeremy and the Enchanted Theatre, Jeremy traveled to Mount Olympus with an orange cat named Aristotle to save Mr. Magnus's theatre, but Zeus only agreed to help Mr. Magnus if he could solve the riddles on three scrolls. Now, in Jeremy in the Underworld, Jeremy is willing to help solve the first riddle, but is he ready to travel into the Underworld to do so?
Jeremy should be at home eating his supper. Instead he has traveled through time with a cat named Aristotle to Mount Olympus, home of the Greek gods. Neither he nor Aristotle has any idea how to get home, let alone how to help Mr. Magnus lift Zeus's curse on his theater, where no play has been performed for years. Not knowing what else to do, Jeremy and Aristotle climb toward the summit, finding adventure all the way.
What has twenty legs but just one wing? That is part of the riddle Jeremy must solve in this sequel to Jeremy and the Enchanted Theater and Jeremy in the Underworld, if he is to help Mr. Magnus save the Enchanted Theater. However, he will have to captain a ship and face a magical bull to do it.
Jeremy and his cat Aristotle must solve one more riddle to save the Enchanted Theater. Once again they travel through time and space. Once again they face their fears, this time deep in a maze beneath the ground and high in the sky above ancient Greece. If they succeed, the enchantment will be lifted. If they fail...
Finn loves to swim with the seals in a secret cove. He arrives at the cove one day and rescues a young seal tangled in netting. Finn wishes the seal could live on land. That night the seals sing. "No good comes from seal songs," says Finn's father. When Sheila, a mysterious girl no one has ever seen before, appears on the cannery docks, the fisher folk are uneasy. They believe the newcomer is a magical selkie, a shape changer.
In this retelling of a Jewish folktale, Jacob tries to stump Rachel with his best riddles but fails repeatedly. When a young woman in need of help presents Rachel and Jacob with the trickiest riddles of all, they discover the only way to solve them is to work together.
The king is ready to step down and must choose one of his many sons to replace him. A contest will determine who inherits the throne.
The greedy Leprechaun King has locked away all the luck in Ireland and the whole country has fallen in to despair. Through clever charades, Fiona outwits the Leprechaun King and restores luck to the land. Luminous illustrations add to the magic and wonder of this original folktale.
What if you were given a locked box as a gift and told to never open it? Pandora received this gift from Zeus, the head of the Greek gods. What could be so important that it needs to be padlocked shut?
Hitchiti legend has it that hummingbirds ate fish. In this pourquoi American Indian tale, you'll hear an explanation of why hummingbirds dine only on nectar today.
In this retelling of the Greek myth, King Midas loves gold more than anything else in the whole world! Or at least, he thinks he loves gold the most.
Who is the best trickster in Japan? Let the games begin!
Cowboy hero Pecos Bill has one true love and that is Sluefoot Sue. He first sees her when she is riding a catfish down the Rio Grande.
Keelboat Annie does not like bullies! She does not like bullies one bit! Find out how this tall tale heroine brings her own brand of justice to the South.
Can Kanchil, the little mouse deer, trick a few crafty crocodiles with giant teeth? This Malaysian trickster tale gives a humorous insight into the difference between right and wrong.
