Tag Archives: Classics

The Wind In The Willows

Sebastian Meschenmoser’s expressive artwork brings a new look to Kenneth Grahame’s classic story about Rat, Mole, Toad, and Badger. More than one hundred watercolor vignettes and twelve full-page oil paintings bring life to the adventures of the lovable characters in pastoral Edwardian England. mjw

Title: The Wind In The Willows
Author: Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932)
Illustrator: Sebastian Meschenmoser
Publisher: North South
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: NordSud Verlag. Zürich, Switzerland
Original Copyright: 2017 (1908)
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4295-3
Hardcover pages: 220
Age range: 9 up
Genre: Illustrated Fiction
Book setting: England
Author’s ethnicity: Scottish
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Germany
Subjects: Automobiles, Badgers, Boats, Folktales, Moles, Rats, Toads

The Three Musketeers

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This beautifully illustrated adaptation of the classic French novel by Alexandre Dumas will introduce young readers to Athos, Porthos, Aramis, and their friend D’Artagnan, whose dream is to become one of the king’s elite guardsmen the Musketeers. In seventeenth century France, they learn that loyalty and friendship are the most important values. “One for all and all for one!” Vibrant watercolor effects enhance this ambitious retelling. mjw

Title: The Three Musketeers
Author: Benedicte Riviere. Adapted from the novel by Alexandre Dumas
Illustrator: Camille Andre
Publisher: Auzou Publishing. Paris, France
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: French
Original Title: Les Tres Mousquetaires
Original Publisher: Auzou Publishing. Paris, France
Original Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 978-2-7338-4326-0
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 8 up
Genre: Picture Book, Historical Fiction
Book setting: France
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: France
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: Paris, France
Subjects: Action, Adventure, France, History, Louis xiii, Swordsmen

The Wonderful Adventures Of Nils

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Nils teases an elf, is bewitched, and is turned into a thumb-size Thumbletot. He makes friends with a wise goose named Martin and together they travel all over the provinces of Sweden. The book was originally a commission from the Swedish National Teachers Association in 1902 to be a geography reader for the public schools. The story is still popular in Swedish culture. The text is simple and playful and the glorious illustrations incorporate intricate papercut pages. mjw

Title: The Wonderful Adventures Of Nils
Author: Selma Lagerlof (1858-1940), adapted y Kochka
Illustrator: Olivier Latyk
Publisher: Words and Pictures, an imprint of Quarto Publishing, CA
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: Swedish
Original Title: Nils Holgerssons underbara resa genom Sverige
Original Copyright: 1906
ISBN: 978-1-91027-719-5
Hardcover pages: 64
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Book setting: Sweden
Author’s ethnicity: Swedish
Adapter’s ethnicity: born in Lebanon
Adapter’s residence: France
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: Strasbourg
Awards: Selma Lagerlof was the first female to win the Nobel Prize in Literature
Subjects: Ducks and other waterfowl, Europe, Geese, Fantasy, Sweden

The Blue Jackal

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Little Juno, the jackal, was puny, lean, and hungry. The bigger jackals teased him and would not share their food. The big village dogs chased him, too, until he found safety in the dyer’s shed, where he fell into a vat of indigo dye. Juno, now with blue fur, terrified all the other animals, and they declared him their king. He banished the jackals and then had no more hunger or worries until his true identity was discovered. This is a retelling of a story from the Panchatantra, a collection of Indian fables from the 3^rd century, BCE. The illustrations were inspired by the traditional white paintings in rice flour on a mud base of the Warli tribe of western India. An informative historical note is included. mjw

Title: The Blue Jackal
Author: Shobha Viswanath
Illustrator: Dileep Joshi
Publisher: Eerdmans Books. Grand Rapids, Michigan
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Karadi Tales Company. Chennai
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5466-7
Hardcover pages: 34
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: India
Author’s ethnicity: Indian
Author’s residence: India
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Indian
Illustrator’s residence: India
Subjects: Fables, Folklore, Folk tales, Legends, Myths, Stories in rhyme

A Child Of Books

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a-child-of-books The young girl is a child of books. She uses books and their words to go on adventures. On a journey after she crosses a sea of words, she meets a young boy at his house. The two go on an exploration into the worlds of words. The word artwork is amazing in this picture book. The background and landscape are made of words from classic novels and lullabies and the main characters interact with the text throughout the story. Moreover, the endpages of the book are packed with titles and authors of several classics of children’s literature. Readers can use the book as a game of trying to find quotes and classic titles on each page. This is a brilliant picture book that all bibliophiles must read. ema

Title: A Child Of Books
Author: Oliver Jeffers
Illustrator: Sam Winston
Publisher: Candlewick Press
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-0-7636-9077-9
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 4 and up
Genre: Picture Book
Authors’ ethnicity: Irish
Authors’ residence: Brooklyn, New York
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: London
Subjects: Books, Classic Books, Readers, Words

Peter Pan

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Peter Pan is a mischievous and free-spirited young boy who can fly and who never grows up. He kidnaps three ordinary children, Wendy Darling and her two brothers, and the adventures begin. They fly to Neverland and interact with the Lost Boys, fairies, pirates, mermaids, Indians, and Captain Hook. Enchanting, delicate paintings bring the classic story to life. mjw

Title: Peter Pan
Author: J.M. Barrie (1860-1937)
Illustrator: Silke Leffler
Publisher: NorthSouth Books
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
Original Title: Peter Pan, Or The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up
Original Copyright: 1904
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4259-5
Hardcover pages: 176
Age range: 9 up
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy
Book setting: England
Author’s ethnicity: Scottish
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Austria
Illustrator’s residence: Lake Constance at the border of Germany, Austria, and Switzerland
Subjects: Fairies, Flying, Neverland, Pirates

Mrs. White Rabbit

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The wife of the White Rabbit from Alice in Wonderland describes her busy day and her children in her diary. Beatrix, the eldest, wants to be a supermodel and refuses to eat. There are two pages of 100 ways to cook carrots, but not one will do. The twins are wise and thoughtful boys sitting on their chamber pots. Betty is concerned about starting school. Little Eliot insists on wearing a bunny costume for Halloween and the baby cries all day. The wonderful detailed illustrations make the book. We see Alice’s foot, a portrait of John Tenniel, the Cheshire cat, the Caterpillar, Humpty Dumpty, and much more. Look for mad prices at the hat shop and Lewis Carroll’s photograph of the real Alice Liddell in the window of C. L. Dodgson Photographer. This modern twist is perfect for fans of the Alice books. mjw

Title: Mrs. White Rabbit
Author: Giles Bachelet
Illustrator: Giles Bachelet
Publisher: Eerdmans Books for young Readers. Grand Rapids, MI
Copyright: 2017
Original Language: French
Original Title: Madame le Lapin Blanc
Original Publisher: Editions du seuil
Original Copyright: 2012
ISBN: 978-0-8028-5483-4
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 6-10
Genre: Fiction, Fairytale, Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: France
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: France
Subjects: Alice in Wonderland, Characters in literature, Diaries, Fairytales, Folktales Housewives, Humor, Rabbits

The Sleeper And The Spindle

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Snow White meets Sleeping Beauty in this dark and definitely different adaptation of several classic tales. On the eve of her wedding, a young queen sets out with three dwarf companions to rescue a princess. Also, there is a sleeping plague sweeping the land and the queen wants to get to the bottom of the magical curse. They encounter cobweb-covered sleepers on the way to the castle tower, where they find the sleeping princess, who has been there for 70 years, and an old woman. The queen’s kiss wakes the princess. Here, the story veers off course again to a nontraditional, but satisfying ending. Intricate ink drawings with touches of gold bring all the twists and turns in the mash-up fairy tale to life. mjw

Title: The Sleeper And The Spindle
Author: Neil Gaiman
Illustrator: Chris Riddell
Publisher: Harper Collins
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: Bloomsbury
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 978-0-06-239824-6
Hardcover pages: 64
Age range: 13 up
Genre: Picture book, Fairy tale, Fantasy
Author’s ethnicity: Originally from England
Author’s residence: U.S.
Illustrator’s ethnicity: British
Illustrator’s residence: Brighton, England
Awards: 2016 CLIP Kate Greenaway Medal
Subjects: Adaptations, Fairy tales and folklore, Myths and legends, Princesses, Queens, Quests, Science fiction, Sleep

The Wizard Of Oz

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This picture book adaptation of the classic Oz story tells about Dorothy and her little dog Toto after they get swept away by a powerful cyclone to the Land of Oz on the other side of the rainbow. Elements from the original that may not be familiar, such as the bear-tiger Kalidahs, are included. Dorothy meets the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman whose limbs are made of cans of salmon, corn, and chile con carne, and the Cowardly Lion. Together they search for the great Wizard and a way back home, a brain, a heart, and courage. This beautifully illustrated edition is a perfect introduction to L. Frank Baum’s story and a fresh take on the classic made famous by the 1939 movie musical. mjw

Title: The Wizard Of Oz
Author: Anouk Filippini, adapted from the novel by L. Frank Baum (1856-1919)
Illustrator: Elodie Coudray
Publisher: Anzou Publishing. Paris, France
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: French
Translator: Susan Allen Maurin
Original Title: Le Magicien d’Oz
Original Publisher: Anzou Publishing. Paris, France
Original Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 978-2-7338-3942-9
Hardcover pages: 40
Age range: 8 up
Genre: Picture Book, Fantasy
Author’s ethnicity: French
Author’s residence: France
Illustrator’s ethnicity: French
Illustrator’s residence: France
Subjects: Fairytales, Fantasy, Folktales, Magic, Witches, Wizards

La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes For Los Niños

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la-madre-goose Classic nursery rhymes are creatively reimagined in this bilingual picture book. The softly colored illustrations are absolutely adorable. Rhymes in this book include: “Mary Had a Little Lamb”, “Baa Baa Black Sheep”, “This Little Piggy Went to Market”, and other classics. This is perfect for teaching both English and Spanish. English Language Learners whose primary language is Spanish will be familiar with Spanish words while learners whose primary language is English will benefit from learning a second language. The book has a helpful glossary with definitions of Spanish words translated into English. It also includes explanations of how to pronounce the words. A great resource for teachers teaching the English or Spanish language to young students. ema

Title: La Madre Goose: Nursery Rhymes For Los Niños
Author: Susan Middleton Elya
Illustrator: Juana Martinez-Neal
Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English and Spanish
Original Copyright: 2016
ISBN: 978-0399251573
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book and Nursery Rhymes
Authors’ ethnicity: American
Authors’ residence: California
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Peruvian
Illustrator’s residence: Arizona
Subjects: Bilingual, Nursery Rhymes

The White Cat And The Monk

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A monk seeks knowledge in his manuscripts. His white cat, Pangur, seeks a mouse. As the night turns to dawn, the cat leads the monk to the truth he has been seeking. Beautiful, medieval-like watercolor and ink artwork illuminates this story about human-animal companionship and the pursuit of joy. The White Cat and the Monk is a retelling of the classic Old Irish poem “Pangur Ban.” An author’s note explains more about the poem. This book is perfect for kids and adults. mjw

Title: The White Cat And The Monk
Author: Jo Ellen Bogart
Illustrator: Sydney Smith
Publisher: Groundwork Books/House of Anansi Press. Toronto
Copyright: 2016
Original Language: English
ISBN: 978-1-555498-781-8
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book, Poetry
Author’s ethnicity: U.S.
Author’s residence: Ontario, Canada
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Nova Scotia, Canadian
Illustrator’s residence: Toronto, Canada
Awards: 2016 New York Times Best Illustrated Books List. Smith has won the 2024 Hans Christian Andersen Award
Subjects: Books, Cats, Europe, Monks, Stories in verse, Truth

The Frog Prince

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the-frog-prince In this retelling of the classic fairytale, The Princess and the Frog, the prince and princess are great friends. The two have no worries in sight except the fact that a grumpy fairy placed a curse on the prince. The prince cannot have too much fun or misfortune will strike. Lovers of fairytales will enjoy noticing familiar fairytale characters in this beautifully illustrated story. The illustrations give a whimsical quality that sets the tone of how magical the gift of friendship can be. ema

Title: The Frog Prince
Author: Ulf Stark
Illustrator: Silke Leffler
Publisher: Kvack
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: Swedish
Original Publisher: TITEl Books AB for IKEA
Original Copyright: 2014
ISBN: 802-817-65
Hardcover pages: 29
Age range: 4-9
Genre: Fiction Picture Book
Authors’ ethnicity: Swedish
Authors’ residence: Sweden
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish
Illustrator’s residence: Sweden
Subjects: Fairies, Fairytales, Magic, Princes, Princesses, Retellings