Tag Archives: Classics

The Frog Prince

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the-frog-princeIn 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

Peter And The Wolf

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peter-and-the-wolfPeter goes into the meadow with his friend the bird, when a duck waddles in and argues with the bird. Next, a fierce cat tries to catch the bird. Grandfather warns Peter about the wolf that may be in the meadow and Peter watches the wolf appear and eat the duck. Quick-witted Peter devises a plan to capture the wolf and help the hunters take the wolf to the zoo. This favorite Russian tale that children know because of Prokofiev’s music is stunningly illustrated with eccentric geometric shapes, vibrant colors, and innovative die cuts. mjw
Title: Peter And The Wolf
Author: Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953), Martin West (English text)
Illustrator: Kveta Pacovska
Publisher: Mineditions, Michael Neugebauer Publishing, Ltd.
Copyright: 2013
Original Language: German
Original Title: Peter und der Wolf
Original Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing, Ltd.
Original Copyright: 2013
ISBN: 978-988-15955-6-0
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 5-8
Genre: Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Russian – Prokofiev
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Czech
Illustrator’s residence: Prague, Czech Republic (Czechia)
Awards: 1992 Hans Christian Andersen Medal
Subjects: Grandfathers, Music, Wolves

Princess Sylvie

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princess-sylvie-elsa-beskow-booksPrincess Sylvie persuades her father to explore the woods outside of the castle gates. The woods enchant the royal family as they delve into new surroundings. Along with her dog Oskar, Sylvie meets a rabbit and a bear that live in the woods. New friendships are formed as the adventure continues. This classical fairytale is filled with vibrant watercolor paintings that add realistic detail to the timeless story.  amo
Title: Princess Sylvie
Author: Elsa Beskow (1874-1953)
Illustrator: Elsa Beskow (1874-1953)
Publisher: Floris Books
Copyright: 2012
Original Language: Swedish
Original Title: Sessalätts Äventyr
Original Copyright: 1934
ISBN: 978-0-863315-813-1
Hardcover pages: 28
Age range: 3-6
Genre: Fairytale, Picture Book
Author’s ethnicity: Swedish
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish
Subjects: Bears, Dogs, Kings, Princesses

Emily Of New Moon

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UnknownYoung orphan Emily Starr is raised by her aunts Elizabeth and Laura Murray and her cousin Jimmy at New Moon Farm on Prince Edward Island. Her dear friends are Ilse, Teddy, and Perry. Tomboy Ilse’s father ignores Ilse because of a terrible secret concerning her mother. Teddy is a gifted artist and Perry has the makings of a great politician. Emily doesn’t always get along with stern Aunt Elizabeth because she doesn’t understand Emily’s need to write. Emily is a wonderful heroine with a deep love for beauty in nature and art, a strong loyalty to her friends, a thirst for knowledge, and an impassioned dedication to her writing. Similar to the more famous Anne of Green Gables series, the Emily novels are Emily of New Moon (1923), Emily Climbs (1925), and Emily’s Quest (1927). Emily was the author’s favorite character. mjw
Title: Emily Of New Moon
Author: L.M. Montgomery (1874-1942)
Publisher: Virago Press, an imprint of Little, Brown Book Group, London
Copyright: 2013
Original Language: English
Original Publisher: McClellan and Stewart
Original Copyright: 1923
ISBN: 978-1-84408-988-8
Paperback pages: 416
Age range: 8-12
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Prince Edward Island, Canada
Author’s ethnicity: Canadian
Author’s residence: Lived on Prince Edward Island, Canada
Subjects: Aspiration, Child authors, Foster homes, Orphans, Romance

Tales From The Brothers Grimm

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Tales form the Brothers grimmNine favorite fairy tales are brought to life by Herbert Leupin’s brightly colored, bold illustrations which he created from 1944 to 1949. Leupin was one of the most important international poster designers. Among his famous designs, still known today, is the Milka chocolate purple cow. Stories included in this collection are The Brave Little Tailor, Hans in Luck, Hansel and Gretel, Snow White, The Wishing-Table, Puss in Boots, The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids, Sleeping Beauty, and Mother Holly. mjw
Title: Tales From The Brothers Grimm
Author: Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) Grimm
Illustrator: Herbert Leupin (1916-1999)
Publisher: NorthSouth Books, an imprint of NordSud Verlag. Zurich, Switzerland
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Original Title: Marchen der Bruder Grimm
Original Copyright: 1812
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4228-1
Hardcover pages: 160
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Fairytales, Folktales, Picture Book, Fiction
Author’s ethnicity: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swiss
Subjects: Fairytales – Germany, Folklore

Flicka, Ricka, Dicka And The Strawberries

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Flicka, Ricka, and DickaSwedish triplets, Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka, go off on an adventure through the woods to pick wild strawberries for their mother. They get lost and find the cottage of a poor family, and the little girl living there helps the triplets find their way home. Later, the sisters find a special way to spend the money they have earned. They buy gifts and a basket of food to share with the poor family. The watercolor illustrations are realistic in depicting a 1940s Swedish summer. This is one of nine Flicka, Ricka, and Dicka books. The author is also known for her Snipp, Snapp, and Snurr books about Swedish boy triplets. mjw
Title: Flicka, Ricka, Dicka And The Strawberries
Author: Maj Lindman (1886-1972)
Illustrator: Maj Lindman
Publisher: Albert Whitman and Company, Chicago
Copyright: 2013
Original Language: Swedish
Original Copyright: 1946
ISBN: 978-8075-2499-9
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-7
Genre: Picture Book
Book setting: Sweden
Author’s ethnicity: Swedish
Author’s residence: Lived in Stockholm, Sweden
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Swedish
Illustrator’s residence: Lived in Stockholm, Sweden
Subjects: Charity, Helpfulness, Sisters, Strawberries, Sweden, Triplets

Heidi: The Years Of Learning And Travel

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heidiYoung, orphaned Heidi lives with her Aunt Dete, but is taken to live with her good-hearted, but grumpy, grandfather in the mountains. Grandfather mistrusts everyone and hopes to protect Heidi from the evils of the world. Heidi makes friends with Peter, the goatherd, and they live in their idyllic mountain world until Dete appears again to take Heidi to Frankfurt (Germany) to live with Fraulein Rottenmeier and work as a companion to her granddaughter Clara, who cannot walk. Heidi suffers from homesickness and eventually returns to her grandfather. Heidi and Clara keep in touch and Clara visits to experience the joy and healing power of the mountains. Gorgeous watercolor paintings take readers to the Swiss Alps and reflect the beauty of the region as described by Spyri in this classic story. An Afterword by Verena Rutschmann, head of research at the Swiss Institute of Media for Children and Young Adults, provides more information about the novel, which is the most popular piece of Swiss literature ever written. A condensed, illustrated young readers’ edition (2009, paperback 2015) is also available. mjw
Title: Heidi: The Years Of Learning And Travel
Author: Johanna Spyri (1827-1901)
Illustrator: Maja Dusikova
Publisher: North South Books, Inc, an imprint of NordSud Verlag AG, Zurich Switzerland
Copyright: 21105
Original Language: German
Original Title: Originally published in two parts. Heidi’s Lehr und Wonderjahre and Heidi Kann brauchen, was es gallant hat
Original Copyright: 1881
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4250-2
Hardcover pages: 162
Age range: 5 up
Genre: Fiction
Book setting: Switzerland, Germany
Author’s ethnicity: Swiss
Author’s residence: Lived in Zurich, Switzerland
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Born in Czechoslovakia
Illustrator’s residence: Florence, Italy
Subjects: Alps, Swiss; Grandfather; Grandparent and child; Mountain life; Orphans

I Capture The Castle

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I Capture The CastleReaders follow seventeen-year-old Cassandra’s diary accounting her life with her extraordinary family in their crumbling castle. Her family slides into genteel poverty after her father falls into a long phase of writer’s block. Rose, Cassandra’s sister, is desperate to marry for riches as a way of supporting her family. The castle’s atmosphere changes when their new neighbors and landlords from America arrive. Rose and Cassandra discover that the heart cannot choose who it falls in love with no matter how hard the mind may try. Fans of Jane Austen and Charlotte Bronte will be enchanted by this captivating and bittersweet read. The author, who is best known for her novel The Hundred And One Dalmatians, wrote I Capture The Castle during World War II when she moved to California. Cassandra’s story is inspired by the  author’s experiences in England during the 1930s. ema
Title: I Capture The Castle
Author: Dodie Smith (1896-1990)
Publisher: Vintage Classics
Copyright: 2012
Original Language: English
Original Title: I Capture The Castle
Original Publisher: William Heinemann
Original Copyright: 1949
ISBN: 978-0-099-57288-6
Paperback pages: 566
Age range: 14 up
Genre: Historical Fiction
Book setting: 1930s England
Author’s ethnicity: English
Subjects: Artists, Castles, Love, Poverty, Romance, Sisters, Writers

The Pied Piper Of Hamelin: An Old Legend Collected By The Brothers Grimm

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Pied piper of hamelinIn the year 1284, the town of Hamelin was overrun by rats and the Mayor himself offered a good fee to the stranger, wearing a parti-colored or “pied” robe, who promised he would rid the town of the plague of rats. The rat-catcher played a tune on his pipe “that had never been heard before,’ which caused the rats to scurry to the River Weser, where they all drowned. But when the townspeople would not give him the gold he had earned, the Pied Piper left the town angry and later returned, dressed like a huntsman, playing another strange melody on his pipe. This time, the Hamelin children followed him and disappeared. This fine translation of the original strange and unsettling tale is adorned with dark and creepy, yet elegant watercolor painting by one of the world’s preeminent book artists. An afterword gives information about the legend and a list of other tales illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger. mjw
Title: The Pied Piper Of Hamelin: An Old Legend Collected By The Brothers Grimm
Author: Retold by Renate Raecke
Illustrator: Lisbeth Zwerger
Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing Ltd.  A Minedition book
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: German
Translator: Anthea Bell
Original Title: Originally published in German Legends (1816/18) by Jacob Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859)
Original Copyright: 1816-1818
ISBN: 978-988-8240-82-1
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 7-9
Genre: Picture Book, Fairy tale
Book setting: Hamelin, Germany
Author’s ethnicity: Renate Raecke – German
Author’s residence: Germany
Illustrator’s ethnicity: Austrian
Illustrator’s residence: Vienna
Awards: Illustrator has won Hans Christian Andersen Medal in 1990
Subjects: Greed, Legendary characters, Legends, Folklore, Rat
 

Little Red Riding Hood

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Little Red Riding HoodThis eye appealing retelling of Little Red Riding Hood with die-cut patterns and textures is absolutely gorgeous. The brilliantly placed text and die-cut illustrations create a fun and alluring interactive reading experience.The die-cut pages’ placement foreshadows upcoming events which invite readers to guess what will happen next. The mixture of patterns, textures, ominous shades, and bright colors evokes Little Red Cap’s  carefree attitude despite being surrounded by clues of looming dangers. ema
Title: Little Red Riding Hood
Author: Jacob Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859)
Illustrator: Sybille Schenker
Publisher: Michael Neugebauer Publishing Ltd.
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: German
Translator: Anthea Bell
Original Title: Little Red Cap
Original Copyright: 1857
ISBN: 978-988-8240-79-1
Hardcover pages: 52
Age range: 5-7
Genre: Picture Book, Fairytale
Author’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s ethnicity: German
Illustrator’s residence: Berlin
Subjects: Fairytale reimaginings/ retellings, Folklore, Folktales, Little Red Riding Hood

The Tortoise And The Hare

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The Tortoise and the HareAs the animals are having a picnic in a meadow, the Tortoise says to the Hare, “I bet I can beat you in a running race!”  Despite everyone’s laughter, the Hare accepts the challenge. This favorite classic about how “slow and steady wins the race” is retold in this book’s wondrous artwork. The illustrations of the woodland creatures and stunning landscape were created using  ink drawings with soft watercolor washes. Intricately detailed illustrations make this book excellent for one-on-one reading. ema
Title: The Tortoise And The Hare
Author: Aesop (620-560 BC),  retold by Bernadette Watts
Illustrator: Bernadette Watts
Publisher: North-South Books
Copyright: 2015
Original Language: German
Translator:  North-South Books
Original Title: Der Hase und die Schildkröte
Original Publisher: North-South Books
Original Copyright: 2015
ISBN: 978-0-7358-4207-6
Hardcover pages: 32
Age range: 4-8
Genre: Picture Book, Fable
Author’s ethnicity: Aesop: Greek, Watts: English
Author’s residence: Watts: England
Illustrator’s ethnicity: English
Illustrator’s residence: England
Subjects: Fairytales, Folklore, Folktales, Races, Running, Retellings

Tales From Rumi: Mathnawi Selections For Young Readers

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Tales fom rumiThis collection of 32 anecdotes, fables, and tales of everyday life from the Mathnawi is adapted for younger audiences. The Mathnawi is a compilation of more than 24,000 verses by Rumi (1207-1273) and is considered by many to be one of the greatest works of mystical poetry. The stories, such as The Rabbit and The Lion, The Merchant and The Parrot, and The Teacher’s Fear, have interesting, action-packed plots that illustrate a point and morals at the end that reinforce the message. Amusing black-and–white drawings and a ribbon bookmark add to this lively and insightful introduction to world literature for young readers. mjw
Title: Tales from Rumi: Mathnawi Selections For Young Readers
Author: Mawlana Jalaladdin Rumi (1207-1273)
Edited by: A. Fuat Bilkan
Illustrator: Erdinc Semen
Publisher: Tughra Books, New Jersey
Copyright: 2014
Original Language: Persian, also Turkish, Arabic, Greek
Translator: Jeannette Squires Okur
Original Title: Mathnawi
Original Publisher: Rumi dictated the verses
Original Copyright: 1258-1273
ISBN: 978-1-59784-124-5
Hardcover pages: 128
Age range: 12 up
Genre: Fiction, Fables, Folklore
Author’s ethnicity: Persian
Subjects: Fables, Folk tales, Iran, Islam, Poetry, Religion, Storytelling