How did the leopard get his spots? Why won't cats come when they are called? And why do the tides ebb and flow? These delightful tales of porcupines and cats and kangaroos and camels were originally bedtime stories told by Rudyard Kipling to his daughter. They had to be told 'just-so' as his daughter would delight in putting back a missing sentence if Kipling tried to alter the story. Imaginative and funny, this collection of fantastical stories were published to high acclaim and have since become a children's classic, loved by children around the world. With an introduction by folklorist Neil Philip and beautifully illustrated by Isabelle Brent's fine gold paintings, this enchanting edition will continue to delight a new generation of readers.

The fairy tales of Hans Christian Andersen have enchanted children for over a hundred and fifty years. The twelve stories in this selection include old favourites such as The Nightingale, The Snow Queen, and the Ugly Duckling, as well as some lesser-known tales such as The Snowman, The Shepherdess and the Chimney Sweep, and The Shadow. These tales show many facets of Andersen's unique genius. By turns romantic and practical, sentimental and comic, straightforward and ironic, they are sure to captivate new and old readers alike. Neil Philip's sparkling translation aims to capture Andersen's relaxed, conversational style while Isabelle Brent's glowing gold pictures are full of rich, decorative detail.

An Irish proverb tells us. "A tale is more precious than the wealth of the world," and judging from the richness of their storytelling traditions, the Celts have always believed this. In In fairy tales, as in music, the romantic artistry of the Celts came to full flower. In this wonderful collection of fairy tales from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, The Isle of Man, and Brittany, we meet heroes and villains, princes and paupers, enchanting creatures and magical mermaids. Each story has been retold by Neil Philip and display a common Celtic heritage in their love of extravagance and poetry, their quick wit and their daring sense of adventure. Here, retold much as they were around Celtic peat fires a hundred years ago, are the enthralling tales of 'Fair, Brown, and Trembling', 'The Brown Bear of the Green Glen', and 'The Ship That Went to America'. Some of the stories give familiar tales a Celtic twist: 'Duffy and the Devil' is a comic Cornish take on the Rumpelstiltskin story; 'The Black Cat' is a dark and mysterious Breton Cinderella. Others seem new and strange: the doomed love of 'Lutey and the Mermaid', or the mystic rapture of 'The Little Bird'. Perhaps most riveting of call is the Irish tale of 'The Soul Cages', in which a fisherman makes friends with one of the sea-people, Coomara, and uses that friendship to free the souls of drowned sailors, kept by Coomara in lobster pots in his house beneath the waves. Illustrated in watercolour and gold by acclaimed artist Isabelle Brent, these tales are full of Celtic magic.

Oscar Wilde's fairy tales were, he said, "meant partly for children, and partly for those who have kept the childlike faculties of wonder and joy." The tales include The Happy Prince, The Remarkable Rocket, and The Fisherman and his Soul. In them, Wilde mocks the self-important and self-righteous, and celebrates the virtues of pity and charity. Finely-wrought, and studded with dazzling word-pictures, these are stories to treasure. In this new edition, which contains all of Wilde's fairy tales, his rich prose is evoked beautifully with the sumptuous, intricate work of artist Isabelle Brent. With an insightful introduction by Neil Philip, this is surely the definitive edition of Wilde's classic tales.

The world of fairy tales is one that we all love to enter. Many of these stories had been told for centuries, delighting children and adults alike with their mixture of magic, mystery, and truths older even than the stories themselves. Here twenty best-loved tales by the famous German storytellers, the Brothers Grimm, are retold for the enjoyment of children today. As well as many old favourites, other tales of magic and enchantment are included, such as The Musicians Bremen, Hans the Hedgehog, and Clever Elsie. Neil Philip's retelling tries to capture some of the immediacy and sparkle of the living storyteller's voice. The language is fresh and direct, and the pace is lively. Isabelle Brent's detailed illustrations decorate the pages beautifully.

This sparkling collection of fairy tales captures the true spirit of Christmas - a mixture of magic, fantasy and joy. It opens with Hans Andersen's moving story, 'The Book of Fairy Tales, ' and also features two other Andersen tales, 'The Fir Tree, ' and 'The Last Dream of the Old Oak Tree, ' specially translated for this edition. Ruth Sawyer's joyous 'Schnitzle, Schnotzle, and Schnootzle, ' and Alf Proysen's witty 'Father Christmas and the Carpenter, ' are two classic modern tales to stand beside such enchanted favourites as 'The Nutcracker' by E.T.A. Hoffmann, and the Russian legend of 'Babushka and the Three Wise Men.' All are beautifully illustrated by Isabelle Brent, whose gold-leaf pictures glow with seasonal cheer.

The Little Mermaid is one of the most haunting love stories ever written. Its author, Hans Christian Andersen, is a master storyteller whose tales have withstood the test of time and have been shared across borders and languages. In this sparkling anthology 17 of his creations are enchantingly retold for children today by Neil Philip. Many of his most popular tales are here: The Tinderbox, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and The Little Match Girl. Read about Little Ida who dared to dance at night with the flowers, the young prince who searched for a mysterious bell deep in the forest, and the very vain emperor who was cruelly tricked by wicked thieves. There are also some less-well known stories that will delight a new generation of children including Five Peas from the Same Pod, The Goblin at the Grocer's, The Flying Trunk and The Beetle. Delightfully illustrated with Isabelle Brent's magical watercolours, lavishly embellished with gold decorations. Originally the son of a poor shoemaker, the secret of Andersen's success is that he wrote his stories as if he were telling them to a child. None of the original magic has been lost in this joyful new edition, ideal to read aloud or for older readers to enjoy discovering by themselves.

A beautifully designed collection of well-loved fairy tales, including such favourites as Rumpelstiltskin, Little Snow-White, Rapunzel, The Emperor's New Clothes and many more. The book is illustrated throughout by Isabelle Brent's magical watercolours, lavishly embellished with gold leaf and her mastery of decorative style, making this a book the whole family will treasure.