Children's Books: Fairy Tales, Folklore, Mythology

THE SALMON OF KNOWLEDGE (Irish Legends series)
retold by Reg Keating. Color illustrations by Heather McKay. Condition: Gently pre-read 1999 Tarantula Books small hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ), reprint. No major problems - just pre-read. Interior clean. Content: The story of a magic fish, a wizard-poet, and how Finn Cumhall became the wisest man in Ireland. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 1.59 + $ 2.94 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

THE SAND HORSE
by Ann Turnbull. Mystical color illustrations by Michael Foreman. Condition: NEW 1989 Atheneum hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: An artist who lives on the beach in St. Ives with his wife and baby loves to sculpt the sand into animal shapes, especially horses. One particularly fine day, when the white horses (whitecaps) gallop over the water, the artist works all day to mold a powerful sand horse. People throw him coins, and when the sun sets, he leaves. The sand horse, embedded in the beach, hears the call of the foamy white horses and longs to join them, and by dawn, he has. A smooth beach greets the artist, who smiles with the knowledge of where the sand horse has gone. A poetic paean to the eternity of the tides, or gentle musings on the ephemeral nature of art--this is a poignant story. The lyrical text combines with Foreman's dusky, delicate paintings to evoke the pounding, rhythmic surf and the lure of the sea. Ages 5-8. Wonderful! Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 6.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

Disney's Fairies: SECRET FAIRY HOMES (Fold-out pages)
by Disney. Wonderful detailed color illustrations by Judith Holmes Calrke and Adrienne Brown. Condition: UNREAD, but perused on the shelf, 2006 Disney hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), second printing. Content: Welcome to the Home Tree! This is where Tinker Bell and all the Disney Fairies live in their own beautifully- and personally-decorated bedrooms. Girls can lift the large gatefolds on each spread of this unique and interactive book and peek inside each of the fairies' rooms. The intricate metalwork on Tink's bed, the seaweed curtains on Rani's windows, and even the saddle Beck uses when riding frogs are just a few of the delightful fairy treasures to be discovered! Reviewer: "The perfect gift for any little girl who loves books and fairies. The fold out pages show beautiful details of the fairy homes. It's one of my daughter's favorites now. The fairies featured in this book are Lily, Tinkerbell, Rani, Fira, and Beck. Would definitely recommend it!" Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 6.89 + $ 3.19 media shipping. International shipping available.

SHAMROCK & SPEAR: Tales & Legends from Ireland
retold by F. M. Pilkington. B&W illustrations by Leo & Diane Dillon. Condition: UNREAD c. 1966-68 Holt Rinehart hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ), although stated First Edition, I doubt it. There are two dates given: 1966 and 1968. I opt for 1968. Light taning to white cover edges. Interior clean & tight. Content: Pilkington presents a book of folklore and legends with almost no heroic legends included - "only those that are purely Irish and traditional in origin. 23 stories. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 8.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

SIMEON'S GIFT (Book & CD - Reading by Julie Andrews)
by Julie Andrews Edwards & Emma Walton Hamilton. Beautiful color illustrations by Gennady Spirin. Decorated end pages. Content: Convinced that his "lowly status" and the "simplicity of his art" will never provide more than a "meager existence" for his beloved, minstrel Simeon sets out on a fairy tale-like quest to free the music "deep in his soul." He encounters a veritable symphony of new sounds on his pilgrimage--the insistent beat of soldiers' drums, the harmonic chanting of monks, the general cacophony of a big city--but sadly, this barrage of new sounds bewilders and overwhelms Simeon, who feels his own attempts at song suffer in comparison. Lonely and weary, he abandons his quest and trades his lute for a canoe to take him home. On the way, Simeon befriends a bright little bird, a beautiful fish, and lovely fawn who become his companions. Heartened by his new friends and overjoyed to see his beloved Sorrel, Simeon breaks into song and discovers the music of his soul. The illustrator’s ornate, gorgeous watercolors add substance to a pursposeful tale. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.29 + $ 3.59 media shipping.

SKIP ACROSS THE OCEAN: Nursery rhymes from around the world
collected by Floella Benjamin. Wonderful colorful illustrations by Sheila Moxley. Condition: Pre-read 1996 Orchard hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first printing. No major problems - just pre-read. Content: Faux-naive, vibrantly colored paintings dominate this attractive international collection of 32 nursery rhymes. Some of the verses are familiar ("Frere Jacques," "Ride a Cock Horse" ), but most are less well known. Although the absence of music is a drawback with the lullabies, parents and babies should enjoy the finger plays, complete with unobtrusive directions. Some ditties appear in both the original language (German, Yoruba) and English; unfortunately, rhythm is sometimes sacrificed in translation. The illustrations often evoke the native country, but Moxley has taken care to include urban settings, not just the rustic or picturesque. Preschool +. [1 copy available]
$ 3.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

SNOW WHITE & ROSE RED
by Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm. Beautiful, soft color illustrations with "Old World" charm by Gennady Spirin. Condition: NEW 1997 PaperStar soft cover, first printing. Tiny edge wear. 2 small red spots upper back cover - most likely from some other book on the shelf being "stuck" to this one. Content: Every detail of this intricately illustrated volume seems to extol the triumph of beauty and purity, as symbolized by the lovely, fragile rose. Floral garlands adorn the book inside and out, and heart-shaped rosette wreaths frame each page number. Romping blissfully through the flora, the eponymous sisters exhibit a cherubic innocence, their chubby cheeks and rounded bodies suffused in a soft glow. In contrast the woeful bear embodies a feral shagginess, evoking the ursine images from Spirin's Once There Was a Tree. As with this artist's previous fairy tale interpretations, the superbly executed paintings enhance the story's grandeur; at times, however, the effect is somewhat diminished by the characters' frozen, china-doll expressions. This enduring tale distinguishes between the personalities of the two girls but, happily, makes no judgments. The book's handsome design adds to its Old World allure: text and art are set forth in ruled, arch-shaped borders, while Spirin's colorations suggest medieval tapestries. The text, based on an 18th-century translation of the Grimms' original, is adequate although unremarkable. All the elements of the tale are here, and the language is formal enough to match the mood of the illustrations without being stilted. Ages 4-8. [This was always my favorite fairy tale.] Questions welcome. [2 copies available]
$ 5.29 + $ 3.09 media shipping. International shipping available.

Mary Englebreit's THE SNOW QUEEN
by Hans Christian Anderson. Mary Engelbreit color illustrations. Decorated end pages. Condition: NEW 1993 Workman Publishing hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. DJ shows very light shelf wear. Content: Engelbreit presents her first children's book, an illustrated retelling of the Hans Christian Andersen classic The Snow Queen. This beautiful full-color gift booktells of a feisty heroine and the t triumph of love and innocence over wickedness. Ages 4-8. [1 copy available]
$ 8.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE
text and color illustrations by Inga Moore. Condition: UNREAD c. 1989 Macmillian hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: Moore serves up a fresh and thoroughly enchanting version of the timeless story of the sorcerer's overeager helper, Franz, and the mayhem that ensues when he unleashes magic he imperfectly understands. Her telling is brisk and nimble, and her illustrations capture both the mystical and comical aspects of the tale. They offer dizzying views of the castle's turrets and its seemingly bottomless ravine, an unforgettable panorama of the single-minded army of broom-servants which Franz--hair standing on end--has unwittingly created, and many strange and wondrous details. And Franz himself is portrayed engagingly, his irrepressible--and winning--inquisitiveness evident on almost every page. Ages 5-8. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE STORY OF LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
by The Brothers Grimm. Beautiful detailed color illustrations by Christopher Bing. What appears to be a "flaw" on the DJ bottom panel is actually a part of the original cover. Odd, eh? Decorated end pages. Condition: UNREAD 2010 Handprint Books large hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (no mylar jacket possible), first printing. There are a few rubbings along illustrations on front board - result of binding process. Content: From the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Christopher Bing comes a rich and exquisitely crafted edition of one of the best-known tales by the Brothers Grimm. Christopher Bing captures the light and darknessas well as the deep emotional coreof the story of an innocent girl and the wolf who would devour her, in this most magnificent and definitive version of the classic fairy tale. Reviewer: "As a German, I can assure you that Christopher Bing's book is exactly what you are looking for if you want your child to have a Little Red Riding Hood book that is absolutely faithful to the original Brothers Grimm tale. Everything is here: it is actually set in Germany (unlike Hyman's Americanized version), it contains all the scary parts (Grandma and Red actually get eaten etc.), and it contains the second story with the second wolf." Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.00 + $ 3.40 media shipping.

THE STORY OF LITTLE RED RIDING HOOD
by The Brothers Grimm. Beautiful detailed color illustrations by Christopher Bing. What appears to be a "flaw" on the DJ bottom panel is actually a part of the original cover. Odd, eh? Decorated end pages. Condition: UNREAD 2010 Handprint Books large hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (no mylar jacket possible), first printing. Content: From the Caldecott Honor-winning illustrator Christopher Bing comes a rich and exquisitely crafted edition of one of the best-known tales by the Brothers Grimm. Christopher Bing captures the light and darknessas well as the deep emotional coreof the story of an innocent girl and the wolf who would devour her, in this most magnificent and definitive version of the classic fairy tale. Reviewer: "As a German, I can assure you that Christopher Bing's book is exactly what you are looking for if you want your child to have a Little Red Riding Hood book that is absolutely faithful to the original Brothers Grimm tale. Everything is here: it is actually set in Germany (unlike Hyman's Americanized version), it contains all the scary parts (Grandma and Red actually get eaten etc.), and it contains the second story with the second wolf." Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 4.50 + $ 3.40 media shipping.

THE SURPRISING ARMCHAIR
written & illustrated by Jean Gilder. Wonderful full-page, detailed color illustrations with B&W illustrations on the text pages. Condition: Gently pre-read, if at all, 1983 Medici Society (UK) soft cover (stapled wraps), no printing given. Shelfwear top spine. Book perfect. The paper for this book is unusual and wonderful to the touch. Content: Warning! This is a very delightful English story. Boofy Bunny takes his money out of his piggy bank and goes shopping for , well, "something." He and his little sister find an old woman selling an armchair - a very comfy armchair. When they finally get it into the Bunny hutch, everyone takes turns sitting in the chair. When the sitter says how "compy" the chair is, they are rewarded with a gift - just what they need. A very cute story. [1 copy available]
$ 3.39 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

THE SWINEHERD
by Hans Christian Andersen. Translated from the Danish by Anthea Bell. Wonderful soft color illustrations by Lisbeth Zwerger. Condition: UNREAD 1984 Picture Book Studio soft cover, no printing given. Small "nic" back cover fore edge. Light tanning to white cover edges but none to interior pages. Content: The Swineherd is not as well-known as some of Andersen's other works, but it is a good one regardless. Like The Nightingale, the message is overwhelmingly of the superiority of the real in all things instead of the false. The story is more than slightly dated by our standards, and there is no happy ending. The frivolous princess (whose disdain for real things is never explained) is banished by her father for kissing a swineherd, a detail that some children may have trouble understanding today. However, if you're building a library of fairy tales, you can hardly afford to miss this one, and this edition is well-made - love the awesome and fanciful clothes, btw. You look at the girls and you can see them wearing clouds and canyons on their dresses! Ages 4-8. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

TALES OF AMAZING MAIDENS
by Pomme Clayton. Beautiful color illustrations by Sophie Herxheimer. Condition: NEW 1995 Orchard hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first US printing. Content: These rich colourful stories have one thing in common - a female protagonist. Whether she is brave or powerful, clever or foolish, she always wins the day. This is a book to be read aloud, listened to and looked at - but above all to be enjoyed. Stories: A Thousand and One Nights (Middle East); Three Spinners (Germany); Degadina and the Magic Snake (Chile); Sun Goddess (Japan); Master of All Masters (England); Golden Saucer (Russia); Anansi's Daughter (West Africa); Sedna Under the Sea (Arctic); Clever Cook (Germany); White Bear King (Norway). Wonderful collection! Aprox. Junior High and up. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 8.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping.

THE THREE LITTLE PIGS (Pop-up Fairy Tales series)
text by Sarah Pairman. Adoraable bright color illustrations by Gemma Page. Paper engineering by Brian Bartle. Condition: UNREAD, BUT NOT PERFECT, 2006 Book Studio (UK) hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued). reissue, no printing given. Small shelf wear "ding" bottom front edge at spine. All pop-ups in perfect working order. Content: This classic fairy tale of the Pigs comes to life with exciting, fun pop-ups and beautiful pictures - a delight for young children. Not suitable for children under 36 months dur to potential small parts. Ages 4+. Questions encouraged. [1 copy available]
$ 5.49 + $ 3.40 media shipping.

THE THREE LITTLE WOLVES AND THE BIG BAD PIG
by Eugene Trivizas. Delightful color illustratins by Helen Oxenbury. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect (perused on shelf), 1994 Scholastic soft cover, first printing. Light edge wear. Interior clean. Not crisp. Content: What a take on an old nursery rhyme/fairy tale. Reviewer: "As a kid, I loved wolves and hated the Three Little Pigs. So this funny, wolf-friendly revision of the creepy old classic really tickles me! It begins with Mama Wolf sending her doting pups off into the wide world with the warning: "Beware of the Big Bad Pig!" Keeping Mama's message in mind, the trio decides to build a strong house for protection from the boorish boar. The three fluffy, friendly, refined little wolves are never named, but I like to call them Frasier, Niles, and Daphne. The pig, a burly bully of a construction-worker, could be named Brutus. Safe in the yard of their new brick home, the little wolves play a spirited game of squash. Suddenly the swaggering swine shows up! In a reversal of the original tale, the Big Bad Pig pounds on the wolves' door and demands to come in, while they quaver, "Not by the hair on our chinny-chin-chins!" Then, using his construction hardware, the pig destroys the brick house, and the wolves flee with their fluffy tails between their legs! As the three little wolves build progressively massive fortresses, the big bad pig employs heavy ground-breaking and demolitions equipment to smash them to rubble. At last, the little wolves have no materials left with which to build, except -- ah, but I'm not going to give away the surprise! Let's just say, the ending is a lot sweeter than the original. No one gets boiled alive or devoured, and the the classic adversaries even become friends. Kids and parents will love the beautiful artwork and the silliness of the story, although the ending might seem just a bit too saccharine after all the destruction and mayhem." Also, there is a mesage on how to deal with bullies that is appropriate to troubles in schools today. Ages 4 - 8. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 2.59 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

THUMBELINA
by Hans Christian Anderson. Adapted by Tom Roberts. Wonderful, soft, dream-like color illustrations by David Johnson. Condition: UNREAD 1989 golden Books soft cover, no printing given. Very light edge wear. Content: This adaptation of Anderson's beloved fairy tale details closely the accepted translations of Anderson's work. To me, it's the watercolor illustrations that carry the book. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 1.49 + $ 2.94 media shipping. Priority & International shipping available.

A TREASURY OF KATE GREENAWAY STORIES
by Kate Greenaway (and others). Color illustrations by Greenaway. Condition: Gently pre-read 2003 Robert Frederick (London) large hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first edition. Content: Most of the stories and poems are by Greenaway, but 2 are from other authors. Stories: Apple Pie; Book of Games; Mother Goose; Robert Browning's The Pied Piper of Hemelin, Under the Window: The Birthday Book (verses by Mrs. Sale Barker; and The Book of Tunes. Excellent for younger readers and for pre-school and first grade teachers. Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
$ 6.49 + $ 3.49 media shipping.

A TREASURY OF STORIES FROM THE BROTHERS GRIMM
by The Brothers Grimm. Retold by Jenny Koralek. Robin Lawrie wonderful B&W drawings illustrate. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1996 Kingfisher first American edition, first printing. Light edge wear with light rubbings along the spine hinge. Interior clean & very tight. Content: A collection of familiar fairy tales, including "The Musicians of Bremen," "The Fisherman and his Wife," and "Rumpelstiltskin." Questions welcome. [1 copy available.]
$ 2.49 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

TROUBLE ON THUNDER MOUNTAIN
by Russell Hoban. Adorable, fun color illustrations by Quentin Blake. Condition: NEW 1998-99 Faber & Faber hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Tiny edge wear to DJ top edge at spine. Content: A children's picture book about market forces, modern architecture and ants. The O'Saurus family of modern dinosaurs live happily on Thunder Mountain until the evil J.M. Flatbrain from Megafreight International evicts them to make way for a plastic mountain theme park. The thoroughly modern O'Saurus family of Thunder Mountain owns a TV and a VCR, and watch Rocky Dinosaur movies. Even so, the dark side of contemporary life catches up to them when J. M. Flatbrain of Megafright International sends them a letter saying that they have to move. His company wants to level their home in order to build "a hi-tech plastic-mountain theme park" on their mountain. How the dinosaurs prevail over Flatbrain and his robot-monsters makes for a wonderfully quirky story full of humor and drama. Blake's signature watercolors capture so much emotion with just a few sketchy lines that he makes the artwork look effortless. Hoban's writing is equally skilled. He compares manufactured entertainment to such simple pleasures as fresh air, picnics, and birds singing; he exposes the steamroller/bullying tactics of big business; and portrays an uprooted family (one can draw comparisons to anything from the Indian's displacement to wild animals forced out by suburban sprawl and shopping centers). The ideas are there for the taking but they never get in the way of the story. It is rare for a book with such serious themes to be so much fun. While early readers will have little problem with the text, some of the concepts may go right over their heads - but they will still enjoy it. [1 copy available]
$ 3.29 + $ 3.00 media shipping.

THE WATER BABIES (Children's Treasury)
by Charles Kingsley. Beautiful color plates by Harry Theaker. 256 pages. Decorated end pages. Condition: Gently pre-read, IF at all, 2007 Bounty Books hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), reissue of the 1990 edition, no printing given. DJ shows very light edge wear. Content: This story tells how little Tom, the chimney sweep, escapes from his cruel master, Mr. Grimes, falls into a river and is turned into a water baby. Little Tom befriends all kinds of river creatures and has the type of adventures most children only dream about. He meets fairies and dragonflies that speak, otters and water snakes dressed in velvet, and, of course, the thousands of happy, laughing water babies who have taken refuge in the river. Tom also decides to explore the underwater world of the sea, where he meets the porpoises, a shoal of sharks, and eve helps a lobster escape from his trap. Soon after this, he meets up with the little girl Ellie and tackles the journey to the Other-end-of-Nowhere. Harry Theaker, an Edwardian artist, specialized in work for children. Questions welcome. [2 copies available]
$ 13.49 + $ 3.49 media shipping.

WHEN CATS WERE GREEN
by David McNeil. Wonderfully bright, vivid color illustrations by Tina Mercie. Condition: NEW 1998 Harlin Quist Book (Paris) hardcover (decorated front board) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition. Content: A long, long time ago when wondrous things could be seen, the earth was a vast and peaceful place and every cat was green. From spring's beginning through winter's end, all cats took special pride in sharing a colour and living nine lives side by side by side. (That was from the book text.) This is such an inventive and unusual book. The cats finally tired of being green and began to paint themselves different colors - bright purples, blues, and oranges. White cats were imprisoned. Young children will love this book for the rhyming text and bright pictures. Perfect for read-aloud. [2 copies available]
$ 4.49 + $ 3.40 media shipping.

WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE: The Movie Storybook
based on the book by Maurice Sendak. Based on the screenplay by Spike Jonze and Dave Eggers. Full-color movie stills illustrate. Condition: UNREAD 2009 HarperFestival/Warner Brothers hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ), first printing. Tiny shelf wear. Interior perfect. Content: Just as the title states - the storybook based on the movie. Full color photos. [1 copy available]
$ 3.59 + $ 3.19 first class shipping.

WILLOW (Picture Storybook)
based on the novel by Wayland Drew. Text by Cathy West. Beautiful color illustrations by Diane de Groat. Condition: Gently pre-read, if at all, 1988 Random House Pictureback soft cover, first printing. Tiny edgewear. Content: A wonderous tale of a child . . . a prophecy . . . and the power of magic. Willow Ufgood is a nelwyn (little people) farmer who aspires to being a good farmer, a good father, and (if possible) the village sorcerer's next apprentice. However when he finds a daikini (tall people/us) baby, his whole world is turned upside-down. This baby is Elora Danan, a child of prophecy, destined to be the end of the evil witch-queen Bavmorda, and Bavmorda's army is looking for her. There's a destiny at work here, and Willow must see it through. But along the way he will find help in unexpected places, most unexpectedly in the form of Madmartigan, a rogue of rogues and self-proclaimed "greatest swordsman that ever lived." The 1988 movie stars Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Warwick Davis, Jean Marsh, Patricia Hayes. Directed by Ron Howard. The movie is better than the novelization, but it's still a good read. [1 copy available]
$ 2.89 + $ 3.09 media shipping.

THE WINDCHILD
by Cheryl Harness. Beautiful, detailed color paintings in the Flemish style. Condition: UNREAD 1991 Henry Holt hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Bookstore stamp top front corner loose end page. Content: When Tom accidentally fells with an arrow a girl who turns out to be the Windchild, the wind ceases to blow in the village of Finn which means no cooling breezes nor life-sustaining rain. An original fairy tale. [1 copy available]
$ 7.00 + $ 3.40 media shipping.

WORLD OF FAIRY TALES
selected by Michael Foreman. Beautiful color illustrations by Foreman. Condition: NEW 1999 Crysalis (UK) soft cover, first printing. Content: This is a wonderful selection of folklore and fairy tales from around the world - from Australia to Native America to the Arctic. Many of these stories may be new to you. this volume features a collection of 22 familiar and lesser-known fairy tales from around the world. Each one has a short introductory piece by Michael Foreman, which outlines its origins. [1 copy available]
$ 4.19 + $ 3.19 media shipping.

TWO BOYS ON A LOG BOOKPLATES
art by David McPhail. Condition: NEW package of 12 bookplates made by pacaritambo books. The peel-off label stock is heavier than most bookplate materials and is matte and not glossy. They are as perfect as possible, and we feel the subject matter is much different than you can get anywhere else. 4.0 wide x 3.00 high. Content: Times gone past - two boys spending an afternoon sitting on a log and enjoying nature. We can personalize your bookplate (the font is Kids) - just email us the name. Any questions, click here to email us.
$ 4.00 + $ 2.85 first class shipping. International shipping available.