A thousand years ago, in the Celtic kingdoms of Wales, great lords gave great feasts for their fighting men and courtiers. In timbered halls, for days on end, heaps of meat and bread were washed down with gallons of beer and mead. And in between the meals, when bellies were stuffed and spirits high, the storyteller rose and spun his tales of times long past.  He told of lords, bold and generous. He told of ladies, grand and glorious. He told of friends, brave and faithful. But of all he told about, no friend was more reliable than Manawydan, son of Llyr. No lady was more admirable than Rhiannon. And no lord was more honorable than Pwyll, King of Dyfed.  The halls are now long gone -- yet some tales were written down and gathered in a book we call today The Mabinogion. And so the tales live on.

The Mountain of Marvels: A Celtic Tale of Magic, Retold from The Mabinogion - Skyhook World Classics, #1

"I'm quick and smart as I can be. Try and try, but you can't catch me!" Mouse Deer sings his song as he walks through the forest looking for tasty fruits and roots and shoots. Though he is small, he is not afraid. He knows that many big animals want to eat him -- but first they have to catch him!  In these delightful trickster tales from Southeast Asia, find out how Mouse Deer gets the best of his enemies -- Tiger, Crocodile, and the most dangerous animal of all, Farmer! ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen, " "The Sea King's Daughter, " "The Monkey King, " and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Kim Gamble is one of the most popular children's book illustrators of Australia. He is also a frequent contributor to that country's much-loved School Magazine, where Aaron's Mouse Deer stories first appeared.  ///////////////////////////////////////////////// "A retelling of some of Southeast Asia's most popular folklore .... Simply narrated, The Adventures of Mouse Deer is witty and steeped in the power of myth, as well as high-spirited determination.... [A] delightful introduction to an enduring legend."-- Small Press Bookwatch, Midwest Book Review, May 2005 "Mouse Deer's small stature leaves him vulnerable in the jungle, but Crocodile, Tiger, and Farmer are no match for this quick-witted, fearless creature. Give this book to children making their first forays into chapter books, and visit the author's Web site to download readers theater scripts." -- Daryl Grabarek, School Library Journal, Dec. 1, 2009 ///////////////////////////////////////////////// CONTENTS 1 ~ Mouse Deer and Tiger2 ~ Mouse Deer and Crocodile3 ~ Mouse Deer and Farmer ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE Then he heard something. ROWR!  There was Tiger! "Hello, Mouse Deer. I was just getting hungry. Now you can be my lunch." Mouse Deer didn't want to be lunch. He looked around and thought fast. He saw a mud puddle. "I'm sorry, Tiger. I can't be your lunch. The King has ordered me to guard his pudding." "His pudding?" said Tiger. "Yes. There it is." Mouse Deer pointed to the mud puddle. "It has the best taste in the world. The King doesn't want anyone else to eat it." Tiger looked longingly at the puddle. "I would like to taste the King's pudding." "Oh, no, Tiger! The King would be very angry." "Just one little taste, Mouse Deer! The King will never know." "Well, all right, Tiger. But first let me run far away, so no one will blame me."

The Adventures of Mouse Deer: Favorite Folk Tales of Southeast Asia

Traditional tales are retold by a master storyteller in this collection of folktales, myths, and legends from India and Pakistan. The stories are: THE GIFTS OF THE GRASSCUTTER Wali Dad, a humble grasscutter, never asked for wealth -- so why can't he give it away? THE PRINCESS AND THE GOD The princess Savitri must use all her wit and will to save her husband from the god of death. THE MILLIONAIRE MISER Sushil is so stingy, even a god takes notice. HOW VIOLENCE IS ENDED A prince must choose whether to heed his father's last words or take revenge on the king who has killed both parents. KINGS FOR BREAKFAST! King Vikram must rescue a magic goose from King Karan and discover the secret of his wealth. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the author of many books, stories, and scripts for young people, as well as professional books and resources for writers and educators. He has also worked professionally in both storytelling and reader's theater, as a performer, director, and teacher trainer. Aaron's lively and meticulous retellings of folktales and other traditional literature have found homes with more than a dozen children's book publishers, large and small, and with the world's top children's literary magazines, winning him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. His extensive Web site, visited by thousands of teachers and librarians each week, is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater, while his stories and scripts have been featured in textbooks from publishers worldwide, including Scholastic, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, SRA, The College Board, Pearson Education, National Geographic, Oxford University Press, Barron's, Hodder Education, and McGraw-Hill.

5 Tales of India: Folktales, Fairy Tales, Myths, and Legends of India and Pakistan

If you think Superman or Spiderman has been around a long time, think about Monkey. He has been China's favorite superhero for at least five centuries. He's amazingly strong, he can fly, and he has a few tricks those other superheroes never heard of. And he's always ready to do battle with demons, dragons -- sometimes even the gods.  Monkey stars in The Journey to the West, an epic comic fantasy from the sixteenth century. The part retold here is about Monkey's origin and early career -- and the one time he didn't come out on top.  For ages 10 and up. Not illustrated! ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen, " "The Sea King's Daughter, " "Lady White Snake, " and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Cover artist Xiaojun Li, a native of Inner Mongolia, was an award-winning children's book illustrator and art director in China before moving to the United States. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE "Here I am, only four hundred years old, " said the Monkey King, "and I've already reached the heights of greatness. What is left to hope and strive for? What can be higher than a king?"  "Your Majesty, " said the gibbon carefully, "we have ever been grateful for that time four centuries ago when you hatched from the stone, wandered into our midst, and found for us this hidden cave behind the waterfall. We made you our king as the greatest honor we could bestow. Still, I must tell you that kings are not the highest of beings."  "They're not?" said the Monkey King.  "No, Your Majesty. Above them are gods, who dwell in Heaven and govern Earth. Then there are Immortals, who have gained great powers and live forever. And finally there are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, who have conquered illusion and escaped rebirth."  "Wonderful!" cried the Monkey King. "Maybe I can become all three!" He considered a moment, then said, "I think I'll start with the Immortals. I'll search the earth till I've found one, then learn to become one myself!"

The Monkey King: A Superhero Tale of China, Retold from The Journey to the West - Skyhook World Classics, #4

"I want shoes that are spiffy, not iffy." Katie is tired of her same old shoes, so she goes to the store to buy new ones. But with so many wondrous choices, how can she ever decide? In this fun story told in lively verse, a young girl gets a peek at the many possibilities open to her in life and embraces them with joy. For ages 2 to 8. ///////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen, " "The Legend of Lightning Larry, " "The Sea King's Daughter, " and many more children's books. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Wendy Edelson is the award-winning illustrator of "The Baker's Dozen, " "Christmas Truce, " "Quackling, " and many more children's books. She has applied her talent to a wide range of illustration projects, including picture books, pet portraits, posters, and puzzles. Among her clients have been Seattle's Woodland Park Zoo, the Seattle Aquarium, Pacific Northwest Ballet, the U. S. Postal Service, Cricket Magazine, McGraw-Hill Education, and the American Library Association.  ///////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE TEXT Katie was tired of her same old shoes."I want shoes I choose!" she said. She went to the store to buy new ones. The sales clerk asked, "Which shoes do you choose?"Katie said, "I want shoes that are braggy, not baggy.""Let me see, " said the clerk.      "We have small shoes,     and tall shoes,     and walk-on-the-wall shoes.      "We have red shoes,     and head shoes,     and down-the-hill-sled shoes.      "We have blue shoes,     and BOO shoes,     and paddle-canoe shoes. "Which shoes do you choose?"Katie said, "I want shoes that are slicky, not sticky.""Let me see, " said the clerk.

Which Shoes Do You Choose?

"There sure are a lot of weasels." Everywhere Skeeter looks, he sees weasels -- on the street, in his office, in the park. They sneak, and they slink, and they all wear gray trench coats and purple sunglasses. The problem is, no one else sees them! All that changes when Skeeter meets Special Agent Ratilda from Rodential, the rodent mutual aid society. Together, they set off to track down the weasels and put an end to their nefarious doings.  Will Skeeter and Ratilda foil the weasels' Big Plan? Will Most Weasel J. R. Slitherwell finally meet his match? Will Skeeter get his job back and date the cat of his dreams? And what does that big red button really do, anyway? Find out in "Skeeter and the Weasels"!  ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen, " "The Legend of Lightning Larry, " "The Sea King's Daughter, " and many more children's books. His stories have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Anne L. Watson is the author/illustrator of "Katie Mouse and the Perfect Wedding, " "Katie Mouse and the Christmas Door, " and "The Secret of Gingerbread Village, " as well as the author of numerous craft books and novels for adults. Her illustrations are imaginative collages made from photos of felted animals, miniatures, and real-life objects, along with graphic arts creations and textures from Etsy and elsewhere, all assembled and manipulated in Photoshop.  Aaron and Anne are married and now live in Bellingham, Washington. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// SAMPLE Skeeter walked to the park and sat sadly on a bench. There were weasels behind the trees. There were weasels by the picnic tables. There were weasels around the playground. "There sure are a lot of weasels, " said Skeeter. "Hold everything!" said a voice above him. "Did you say 'a lot of weasels'?" He looked up, and there on a tree branch was a lady rat in a pink trench coat and purple sunglasses.  "Yes, " said Skeeter. "A lot of weasels. There sure are." "At last!" said the lady rat. "Someone else sees them, too!" She dropped onto the bench and took off her sunglasses. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Special Agent Ratilda from Rodential, the rodent mutual aid society. You've heard of us, no doubt." "Well, no, I can't say -- " began Skeeter. "Sure, you have. Our motto? 'Get a piece of the cheese.' Right now, I'm on a secret mission. Top secret. Can you keep a secret?" "Um, unless I forget and -- " "Sure, you can. I'm looking into an alarming rise in the number of weasels. They're everywhere. But I don't have to tell you, because you see them, too."

Skeeter and the Weasels

Beauty and intelligence were the princess Savitri's, and eyes that shone like the sun. So splendid was she that people thought her a goddess. When at last she found a man worthy to wed her, no one could sway her from her heart's path -- not even the god of death. This lovely retelling, now in a 30th Anniversary Edition, presents a classic tale of devotion, courage, wit, and will from India's national epic, the Mahabharata. (Original picture book title: "Savitri: A Tale of Ancient India.") TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS -- A READER'S THEATER SCRIPT OF THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN AARON'S BOOK "FOLKTALES ON STAGE, " OR FREE ON AARON'S WEB SITE. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen, " "The Sea King's Daughter, " the Skyhook World Classics series, and many more children's books. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Vera Rosenberry has written and/or illustrated over 30 children's books, including eight "Vera" books about her own childhood experiences. She was especially eager to work on this book as her husband is from India and grew up with tales from the Mahabharata. Also, she has always been fascinated by Indian miniature paintings-especially those of the Akbar period, which were produced as illustrations but, with their beautiful colors and intricate detail, stand on their own as works of art. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// 1997 & 2000 California Collection Selection "Unique and noteworthy . . . Shepard breathes new life into the sleeping archetype of the Indian heroine. Like ancient heroic myth, [Shepard's interpretation] renews deep strains of potential within the reader." -- Publishers Weekly, Mar. 9, 1992 "A smooth retelling." -- Kirkus Reviews "Delicately rendered in both adaptation and illustration . . . A book that will open children's eyes and ears to an unfamiliar lore, and provide rich contrast to Western parallels." -- Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "Profoundly moving." -- Children's Bookwatch "Will enhance the social studies curriculum." -- Children's Book Review Service "Reads aloud very well . . . Readers will enjoy the perspicacity and tenacity of this feisty heroine [and] be fascinated by the uniquely Indian cultural details." -- School Library Journal "Portrays a woman of great intelligence and courage, as well as virtue . . . The story and pictures show great sensitivity to Hindu lore and culture." -- Deva and Gayatri Rajan, Hinduism Today "Powerfully told, with a magic all its own. Savitri's purity of spirit will touch the hearts of all readers, young and old." -- Meera Lester, India West "Fresh and respectful . . . Could be useful as an introduction to Indian classics for young adult readers, in a course on ancient cultures, or in any broad-based collection." -- Fran Stallings, Territorial Tattler "Looking for a painless dose of Hindu mythology? Here it is, with beautiful illustrations to boot." -- Ours (Adoptive Families of America

Princess of India: An Ancient Tale

Nils n'en  fait qu'à sa tête, et il décide même de quitter la maison. Son père le supplie de ne jamais travailler pour l'ogre, mais la tentation est trop forte... Heureusement, Ingrid, la servante de l'ogre, est là pour lui donner de sages conseils. Faut-il encore que Nils veuille bien l'écouter !

The Mountain of Marvels: A Celtic Tale of Magic, Retold from The Mabinogion - Skyhook World Classics, #1

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