In a land far, far away, a long time ago, a certain town was suddenly beset by a plague of mice. And all were scared of nothing and no one. These mice chased dogs and firghtened cats and made them scuttle off, tails between their legs! The townspeople called a meeting. To the mayor, they said “We eleccted you to help solve our problems. Come on, then! Help us solve this problem before it is too late!” they did not pay him to grow fat and do nothing…

The Clever Rat is a collection of stories which originate in the eastern countries of Africa. Retold for Ragged Bears by Suzi Lewis - Barned and wonderfully illustrated by Karen Perrins. This book will give our children a unique insight into the stories that have for generations captured the hearts and imaginations of the African people. A hardback book containing over one hundred pages of original African tales and exceptional artwork for all to enjoy.

*A B&N Young Reader Monthly Pick!* *Finalist in the 2021 Goodreads Choice Awards!* *A New York Times Bestseller!* Discover a new middle-grade fantasy saga from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Descendants series, Melissa de la Cruz, where real life and fairy tales collide! Nothing ever happens in Filomena Jefferson-Cho's sleepy little suburban town of North Pasadena. The sun shines every day, the grass is always a perfect green, and while her progressive school swears there's no such thing as bullying, she still feels bummed out. But one day, when Filomena is walking home on her own, something strange happens. Filomena is being followed by Jack Stalker, one of the heroes in the Thirteenth Fairy, a series of books she loves about a brave girl and her ragtag group of friends who save their world from an evil enchantress. She must be dreaming, or still reading a book. But Jack is insistent--he's real, the stories are real, and Filomena must come with him at once! Soon, Filomena is thrust into the world of evil fairies and beautiful princesses, sorcerers and slayers, where an evil queen drives her ruthless armies to destroy what is left of the Fairy tribes. To save herself and the kingdom of Westphalia, Filomena must find the truth behind the fairytales and set the world back to rights before the cycle of sleep and destruction begins once more.

When two con-men breeze into a new town, they decide to take their tricks all the way to the top, to fool the Emperor himself... but how many people can they fool before they are found out? There are lessons to be learned by readers of all ages from this retelling of the classic Hans Christian Anderson story, which comes with free online audio.

In a land not so far away and not that long ago, Hlohlesakhe and his family lived happily, until a terrible drought came to the land. People went hungry and starved until they got so thin you could count the ribs of a grown man through his clothes. One day, while he was desperately looking for something to take home to feed his family, Hlohlesakhe wandered deep into the forest in search of roots and berries...

Long ago, the people of Gwadana lived simple, but happy, lives. They had found the secret of happiness. Their lives were very, very orderly. No one broke the rules. There were no police and no jails in that village. There were rules for just about anything and everything you care to think of, and everybody knew those rules well. Yes, they knew the rules very, very well indeed and happily obeyed them all. Until one day…

This feast of Middle Eastern folklore from an award-winning Iraqi storyteller is paired with vibrant cut-paper art. The twenty fables and folktales in this illustrated storybook have taken a long journey. Many have roots that stretch across Europe, Asia, and Africa, but when award-winning writer and gatherer of tales Rodaan Al Galidi learned them in his homeland of Iraq, it was as Arabic folktales and as part of the Arabic storytelling tradition. When he migrated to the Netherlands, he shaped twenty of those tales into his debut book for children, which was translated to English by Laura Watkinson. Filled with wisdom about love and acceptance, and warnings against folly, these elegantly translated stories of donkeys and roosters, kings, sheikhs, and paupers are exquisitely illustrated by cut-paper artist Geertje Aalders. Beautifully packaged, Arabic Folktales is a rich and varied introduction to the world of Middle Eastern folklore.

In a land not so far away and not that long ago, Hlohlesakhe and his family lived happily, until a terrible drought came to the land. People went hungry and starved until they got so thin you could count the ribs of a grown man through his clothes. One day, while he was desperately looking for something to take home to feed his family, Hlohlesakhe wandered deep into the forest in search of roots and berries...

Mr Alestair Miller, the owner of Miller and Sons Auto Emporium, has died. His oldest son inherited his father's garage. The middle son received his valuable collection of classic cars. And his youngest son, Hank, was given his father's old motocross bike and gear and his pet cat, Gus. Hank is a talented mechanic, but he has a disabled leg and doesn't like cats. How would his father expect him to ride motocross? And what is he supposed to do with Gus? But Hank shouldn't worry. Gus has a plan! When the two are alone, Hank finds that Gus can SPEAK! Not only that, but with a special pair of motocross boots, Gus can shapeshift into one of the top motocross racers in the world! After facing off in some tense head-to-head competitions, Hank learns that his inheritance is actually the best of all three brothers.

The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers' attention in the book known as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now, thanks to Hermione Granger's new translation from the ancient runes, we present this stunning edition with an introduction, notes, and illustrations by J. K. Rowling, and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore. Never before have Muggles been privy to these richly imaginative tales: "The Wizard and the Hopping Pot," "The Fountain of Fair Fortune," "The Warlock's Hairy Heart," "Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump," and of course, "The Tale of the Three Brothers." But not only are they the equal of fairy tales we now know and love, reading them gives new insight into the world of Harry Potter.
The stories are accompanied by delightful pen-and-ink illustrations by Ms. Rowling herself, featuring a still-life frontispiece for each one. Professor Dumbledore's commentary--apparently written some eighteen months before his death--reveals not just his vast knowledge of Wizarding lore, but also more of his personal qualities: his sense of humor, his courage, his pride in his abilities, and his hard-won wisdom. Names familiar from the Harry Potter novels sprinkle the pages, including Aberforth Dumbledore, Lucius Malfoy and his forebears, and Sir Nicholas de Mimsy-Porpington (or "Nearly Headless Nick"), as well as other professors at Hogwarts and the past owners of the Elder Wand. Dumbledore tells us of incidents unique to the Wizarding world, like hilariously troubled theatrical productions at Hogwarts or the dangers of having a "hairy heart." But he also reveals aspects of the Wizarding world that his Muggle readers might find all too familiar, like censorship, intolerance, and questions about the deepest mysteries in life.
Altogether, this is an essential addition to our store of knowledge about the world and the magic that J. K. Rowling has created, and a book every true Harry Potter fan will want to have for their shelves.
This purchase also represents another very important form of giving: From every sale of this book, Scholastic will give its net proceeds to the CHILDREN'S HIGH LEVEL GROUP, a charity cofounded in 2005 by J.K. Rowling and Baroness Nicholson of Winterbourne, MEP. CHLG campaigns to protect and promote children's rights and make life better for vulnerable young people. www.chlg.org
Published by the Children's High Level Group, in association with Arthur A. Levine Books, THE TALES OF BEEDLE THE BARD will be available December 4, 2008.

Many years ago, when the world was still young, Nuwa was the only person on Earth. She was very happy playing with the fish and the birds, but she longed for someone she could talk to. Then one day, Nuwa found a way to create a friend. And when this new little person said, "Hello!", something magical began to happen . . . An uplifting story about the importance of communication, based on the Chinese creation myth. Written and playfully illustrated in bold, neon colour throughout by the creator of Rabbit Bright, Viola Wang.

Africa has a wonderfully rich store of folk tales that have been passed down from one generation to the next. There are stories about how the world came into being, stories that tell of the relati onships between human beings and between man and his environment, and of the lessons to be learned from everyday experience. The tales are like the fairy tales told all over the world, but they have a strong African flavour that is as real as the smell of rain on hot earth.

Now in a revised format with an updated cover, The Best of African Folklore takes the reader into an enchanted world where animals can talk and humans are often changed into diff erent forms, where magic is commonplace and reality is turned delightf ully on its head.

Despite numerous setbacks, things usually turn out all right in the end. Wicked and greedy people (and animals) come off worst and the good receive their just rewards. The gods are stern but fair, and every story has a moral for those who are wise enough to see it.

Revisit the tale of the Princess and the Pea with this graphic novel for new readers. A young prince must find a princess to marry. But he has trouble finding the right one. Finally, he finds a princess who shares his interest in football. But how can he find out if she's a real, true princess?