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Rabbit’s generosity sets off a chain of events that brings his kindness full circle. The lush and accessible acrylic paintings suggest the Chinese folktale upon which the retelling is based. A note at the end supports the notion of universal truth in folktales.

Julie loves to hear her grandfather’s larger-than-life, highly imagined tales of long ago when he emigrated from Russia to New York City. Grandma, however, recalls the same events in a very different way. With fresh illustrations, these 25-year-old tales remain humorous and vivacious.

As a pirate, Jack Plank was not a very good plunderer, although he makes up for it as a fine storyteller. He wows Mrs. Del Fresno’s daughter and her other boarders with his stories as he seeks another profession. This episodic yarn spins a wonderful read aloud.

An old Inuit woman takes in a polar bear cub and raises him until others in the village become jealous of the bear’s hunting prowess, threatening to kill him. The old woman sends her beloved bear away, but continues to meet him far out on the ice where her polar bear “son” gives her food to eat. The gentle telling and illustrations evoke the Arctic.

This retelling of a Navajo folktale explains how First Woman tried to write the laws of the land using stars in the sky, only to be thwarted by the trickster Coyote.

This collection of folktales and scary stories has been a favorite of fright-loving kids for more than 20 years. These stories with creepy illustrations will be familiar to most adults who attended slumber parties, camping trips, and Halloween hayrides in their youth.

Travel back in time with a bunch of cowpokes and their cattle from Texas all the way to Kansas on the old Chisholm Trail. Cartoon-like illustration and surprisingly informative language of a traditional folksong blend laughter and learning as the tale unfolds — with or without the tune (though music is included).

This reworked version of the traditional tale of the hardworking, unaided Little Red Hen continues until her own baby chick befriends the offspring of the lazy cat, rat, and pig and together they play. By the end of the day each baby learns a new lesson in forgiveness and sharing. Dramatic black/white woodcuts with splashes of red and green enhance this meaningful saga, giving it a contemporary feel.

A wide selection of Irish poems, music, stories and folktales are presented along with delicate, evocative line and wash illustrations. Sure to please a range of listeners, this collection is ideal for sharing aloud.

This book is a collection of Spanish-language lullabies, finger games, nursery rhymes, jump-rope songs, riddles, birthday songs, and more. It compiles songs from different Spanish-speaking countries. The English translations keep the essence of the native language, and grab the reader using captivating terminology.

The biblical rainy-day tale comes to life through delicate, detail-packed illustrations in this wordless picture book.

“Stories have delighted both children and adults for as long as there have been families and communities on Earth.” So begins the informative introduction to the dozen takes which are presented here to charm another generation, ideal for reading independently or sharing aloud.

Animals teach a hunter the wisdom of life and charity in this beautifully illustrated picture book.

Have you ever wondered how the Milky Way came to be? According to a Cherokee legend, it started when an old couple learned that their corn was being stolen by a Great Spirit dog. To get away, the spirit dog jumps into the sky, spilling the corn. And we can still see the results today in the night sky.

Art combines with poetry and short prose pieces all by creators from Mexico for a culturally specific but emotionally universal literary experience. Stories are everywhere; you simply need to find them. Perhaps as one poet suggests in “The Lemon Tree”: “the tree/is older than you are/and you might find stories/in its branches.”

Spanish words add flavor to these appealing folktales, cuentos favoritos, carefully illustrated to reflect their Latin American roots. Readers young and old will recognize Juan Bobo’s foolishness, and delight in the sound of the language in the tale of Little Half Chick. Like all folktales, these are ideal for sharing aloud.

Cynthia’s old dollhouse is relegated to a dismal corner of the nursery once she receives her new Tidy Castle as a birthday present. Could a little help from a fairy queen save Racketty-Packetty House and its inhabitants from the fate of most old dolls and their out-of-date houses? Burnett’s classic has been newly illustrated in sepia-toned illustrations that capture the tale’s old world charm and timeless quality.

Owen’s singing, banjo-playing Granny goes out “to cross one river, one mountain, and a desert” just to see her bluegrass-loving grandbaby. Lilting, rhythmic language and evocative illustrations carry the reader all the way to the musical reunion of Granny and Owen.

Inspired by stories she heard as a child, the author presents original tales steeped in oral tradition and imbued with the African American experience. Rich language and memorable characters create a collection to be shared aloud time and time again on front porches or anywhere else.

In ancient times there lived a prince named Lugalbanda, the youngest and weakest of seven sons. He never expected to achieve greatness, but he discovers his true strength when he is called upon to save his brothers and bring peace to his land. Jewel-toned illustrations make the ancient epic accessible and appealing to modern readers.

When an industrious red hen finds seeds, the other animals refuse to help her plant them. But when the little red hen finally bakes the bread from the wheat she has grown, the others are all eager to eat it! Luminous, realistic, highly-detailed watercolors breathe freshness into this traditional tale.

In a carefully researched retelling of a Korean legend, the son of a powerful minister and a servant is scorned by high society because of his commoner roots. After leaving home and discovering that injustice drives criminals to crime, he begins training a group of bandits to become an army that rights wrongs. With artwork authentic to the historical time, this is a drama for sophisticated readers.

Named “Ugly” by the other ducks but loved by his mother, the big, gawky, and awkward bird has a tough go of it until he finds his real identity as a swan. This novelization of Hans Christian Andersen’s now classic tale of “the Ugly Duckling” is richly told with details of Tasmania and other parts of Australia.

Where do you find needles? All over the world, of course! Readers will recognize many things in these stories from Afghanistan, Uzbekistan, and other Central Asian countries where stories, riddles, and more are told at mealtimes to feed the soul as well as the body. As with many folktales, readers recognize what they share with people in another part of the world while celebrating what makes them unique.