Best Children's African Folk Tales
Coretta Scott King Award for Illustration Caledcott Honor Reading Rainbow Book Boston Globe-Horn Book. When the king decided to take a wife and invited "The Most Worthy and Beautiful Daughters in the Land" to appear before him, Mufaro declared proudly that only the king could choose between Nyasha and Manyara.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I recommend this for every child to read, worth every penny."
"I remember reading this story growing up."
"Wonderful book with a great message."
"Saw this on Reading Rainbow years ago."
"The picture of the beautiful young girl will appeal to the female members of this African village."
"It is a wonderful Cinderella story written with a cultural twist."
"My kids, at 3 and 1, are not quite ready for this book."
"This was my favorite book growing up as a child and I purchased it for a friend of mine daughter, it's a great book and the moral of the story is great and relatable at any age."
When a prince sets out to find a princess to marry, he soon discovers this is not a simple task. Andersen's classic, silly fairy tale gets an East African setting in this simple picture-book retelling with brightly colored oil-paint and cut-paper collage illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner Isadora.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Don't hesitate to add this lovely book to your home library."
"I bought this as a book a gift."
"Bought this for my granddaughter."
"Bought for my bi-racial four year old niece."
"The illustrations are beautiful and my goddaughter loves to make up her own stories to the pictures."
"My God daughter LOVES this book!!"
"The book didn't have too much to the story."
"In this Caldecott Medal winner, Mosquito tells a story that causes a jungle disaster. Winner of Caldecott Medal in 1976 and the Brooklyn Art Books for Children Award in 1977. Her book, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears (1975) received the Caldecott Medal in 1976 and the Brooklyn Art Books for Children Award in 1977. Who's in Rabbit's House? The Dillons won the Caldecott Medal in 1976 and 1977 In 1978 they were the runners-up for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award for children's illustrators, and were the U.S. nominee again in 1996.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"He recognized and loved that the book had a similarity to The House That Jack Built, as it recites the events adding one at a time."
"The book was also in great condition."
"Childhood classic book stands the test of time."
"GREAT product--great service!"
"I think it's a great learning tool to show children different ways that people or groups can solve a problem or come to an agreement, whether I agree with it or not."
"I remember hearing this story for the first time as a child on Reading Rainbow sound effects and all, so when i saw it on Amazon I decided to buy it for my sister as a birthday gift."
Best Children's Kwanzaa Books
In an African village live seven brothers who make life miserable with their constant fighting. This latest title is an original folktale that will help introduce children to the holiday's seven principles, while also suggesting how Kente cloth was first created. Working together, the brothers create a tapestry of Kente cloth, the first multicolored cloth the village has seen, which they sell to the king's treasurer for gold, before returning to their village to farm and live harmoniously.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It's a great story to read aloud and would make a super gift for any young reader."
"This was a wonderful book - read it to my 3rd graders during Kwanzaa unit!"
"Wonderful approach to the Kwanzaa celebration and many other life lessons!"
"I bought this book to teach about Holidays around the world."
"daughter uses it in her class."
"Great story and glad we added it to our Kwanzaa book collection this year."
"My students and I loved this book!"
Best Children's European Folk Tales
A once-famous Italian juggler, now old and a beggar, gives one final performance before a statue of Our Lady and the Holy Child. He's been published for over 40 years and has written and/or illustrated nearly 250 books, including Strega Nona, 26 Fairmount Avenue,The Art Lesson, and Christmas Remembered.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"She caught on to the concept that Giovanni was aging throughout the book, and had a lot of fun spotting him in each picture and saying, "There's Giovanni!" "She's not mad, she's just *stern* because Olivia wants to read five bedtime stories and her mommy just wants to read one.")."
"I read it to my children when they were little, but will NOT ever part with my copy!"
"I loved this story when we checked it out of the library."
"Granddaughter loved it."
"I was at a book fair in Chicago many years ago and Tomie dePaola was signing a book."
"My children love this book."
"I got this to read to my kids for studies about Italy, but it was so much more."
"My favorite book to read to the kids."
Best Children's American Folk Tales & Myths
Heather and Picket are extraordinary rabbits with ordinary lives until calamitous events overtake them, spilling them into a cauldron of misadventures. A captivating story with sword-bearing rabbits, daring quests, and moments of poignant beauty, The Green Ember is a tale that will delight and inspire young readers to courage and creativity. I don't usually tell people that there is a book they absolutely-must-no-questions-HAVE-TO-without-a-doubt read. --Sarah Mackenzie, Author of Teaching From Rest, Host of The Read-Aloud Revival Podcast.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I was surprised to find something that reminded me, powerfully, of Edith Nesbit, CS Lewis and George MacDonald - while being something completely different at the same time. But, this, like Lewis, somehow lets us forget that Heather and Picket are animals and instead we relate to the heroes in these interesting characters. I have waited weeks to write this review because I want so badly to communicate the profound value of this humble and tender little story. Heather and Picket are unwitting participants in an adventure that transforms them into the very best versions of themselves - in the old fashioned way. Smith is the creative force behind Story Warren - a website dedicated to being the horns of Rohan in our lives as we seek stories of truth, goodness and beauty that point our children to the Maker. Stories which inform the moral imagination and continue to speak to the reader long after the book has been returned to the shelf. I think that it is fair to say that the intensity progresses as follows: Narnia. The Green Ember/The Black Star of Kingston. The Hobbit/The Wingfeather Saga. The Lord of the Rings."
"Smith's debut novel stands in stark contrast to most contemporary middle school fiction. Their journey begins as their parents are visited by mysterious strangers, and their father hints that the family history may be tinged with intrigue, betrayal, and great pain. Within the first few pages, Smith launches the reader along with Heather and Picket on a fast-paced flight away from their home and headlong toward something momentous. Along the way they meet wonderful characters like the unexpectedly capable Smalls whose own path may be more dangerous than theirs. There is the dark and mysterious Helmer whose mastery of the arts of war draw Picket out from the prison of crippling self-indulgence and sets him on a trajectory of great danger and self-sacrifice. Despite living in a blighted world surrounded by foes and treachery, Heather, Picket, and their new friends hold firmly to that hope."
"The world of the Green Ember is well thought out and you can really get a sense of the lore and history and legacy tied into this land and its families."
"Compelling and wonderful book."
Best Children's Arthurian Folk Tales & Myths
The complete Dark Is Rising Sequence is now available as one keepsake collection. One of the most celebrated fantasy sequences of all time, The Dark Is Rising is a searing, epic rendering of the eternal conflict between good and evil. She is also the author of Victory , a Booklist Top Ten Historical Fiction for Youth book and a Washington Post Top Ten for Children novel; King of Shadows , a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award Honor book; The Boggart ; Seaward ; Ghost Hawk ; and many other acclaimed novels for young readers and listeners.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I read the entire series a few times when I was a kid and I was transported every time."
"I really enjoyed "The Dark Is Rising Sequence"."
"I certainly think that The Hobbit is a vastly superior book, but I agree with my son's assessment re: age-appropriateness, and frankly it was more fun to read aloud."
"Otherwise you will have a young person struggling to deal with very adult problems, dealing with good versus evil and how to tell the difference."
"I've read the whole series several times."
"As a kid I thought this was one of the best fantasy trilogies I read."
"This is a great series for anyone who loves a well told and engaging story."
"All three are ostensibly for children, yet reading (or rereading) them as an adult brings a wealth of depth and detail to the tales that truly show them to be classics in the fantasy genre."
Best Children's Latin American Folk Tale Books
Bursting with color and spirit, this collection of Latin-American songs is a tribute to Latino culture. Fiesta-bright folk art accompanies songs from locales ranging from Argentina to the Dominican Republic.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Sweet book, many delightful songs."
"Our two year old twins love this book and the cd."
"Looking forward to sharing and making memories with my daughter!"
"The grandchildren love them."
"We love this book and the cd we bought separately."
"I recommend buying this book with the "De colores" CD."
"Our son loves the songs, and it's really fun to read the song."
Best Children's Mermaid Folk Tales & Myths
Have a tea party undersea and practice counting with Three Little Mermaids , a sparkling interactive novelty concept book by bestselling creator Mara Van Fleet! Mara Van Fleet has worked in children’s publishing for more than twenty years.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"A little disappointed that it came loose in a big box that was partially opened & had some minor dings in it but overall LOVE it."
"My 4 year old daughter is obsessed with mermaids and this book is perfect for her."
"I bought this for my granddaughter & she just loved it."
"bought for gift with other mermaid items....it was loved!"
"This book is adorable."
"Got this for my nieces birthday, so cute!"
"This book is absolutely adorable!"
"Very sturdy book."
Best Children's Asian Literature
This stunning fantasy inspired by Chinese folklore is a companion novel to Starry River of the Sky and the New York Times bestselling and National Book Award finalist When the Sea Turned to Silver. A fantasy crossed with Chinese folklore, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon is a timeless story reminiscent of The Wizard of Oz and Kelly Barnhill's The Girl Who Drank the Moon . After her mother ridicules what she believes to be a foolish purchase, Minli sets out to find the Old Man of the Moon, who, it is told, may impart the true secret to good fortune. Stories, drawn from a rich history of Chinese folktales, weave throughout her narrative, deepening the sense of both the characters and the setting and smoothly furthering the plot.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I just read this book again yesterday, because my daughter borrowed When the Sea Turned to Silver from the library, and I figured out pretty quickly that it would be better if I refreshed my memory on Where the Mountain Meets the Moon first."
"This was a story with underlying themes that older readers will pick up on but younger ones may not initially but as the stories are told by the characters each are intertwined with in each other and woven together very nicely."
"Would make a good bedtime story to read to kids about 6-10, who have longer attention spans for chapter books with minimal pictures."
"Where the Mountain Meets the Moon has questions at the end of the book that I could ask my 7 year old after each chapter. Our 7 year old needed a few reminders on what had happened during previous chapters."
"This book is a family favorite I highly recommend you read this book."
"Purchased this book for my grand niece when she turned 8."
"Even as an adult I could not stop reading the chapters as we follow the characters on this interesting journey."
"A wonderful children's book that my children have highly enjoyed."
Best Children's Folk Tale & Myth Anthologies
Jack and Annie are whisked back in time to the Age of Dinosaurs, a medieval castle, ancient pyramids, and treasure-seeking pirates. Books in this set include: Dinosaurs Before Dark (#1), The Knight at Dawn (#2), Mummies in the Morning (#3), and Pirates Past Noon (#4). MARY POPE OSBORNE is the author of the New York Times number one bestselling Magic Tree House series as well as coauthor of the Magic Tree House Fact Tracker series, along with her husband, Will, and her sister Natalie Pope Boyce.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I also like that the stories teach us something, and can be used with the corresponding nonfiction "fact tracker" series to learn about all sorts of interesting creatures and/or historical events. I know kids talk to each other this way, but I want to build an atmosphere of mutual respect, and some things just kind of hit me as bad examples, even if I am being a bit too picky. Honestly, I would say that I my kiddos and I enjoyed the companion Fact Tracker books a lot more than the actual Magic Tree House ones. The chapters are a little longer and there are more words on a page, but the adventures are just an interesting, the grammar is correct, and the characters are good role models."
"My nephew loves these books."
"I bought this for me grandkids."
"I read these books to my older grandchildren when they were young and they wanted me to share them with the youngest grandchild."
"I loved these books when I was little, and I am excited to give the to my younger brother!"
"My kids love reading these books and we had to get the next set soon after!"
"my granddaughter asked for these book so she can start to read, was so glad that i was able to find them for her."
"May 9 year old love these books!"
Best Children's Dragon Stories
From every sale of the Hogwarts Library , Scholastic will donate twenty percent of the retail sales price less taxes of this boxed set to two charities selected by the author J.K. Rowling: Lumos, a charity founded by J.K. Rowling which works to end the institutionalization of children (wearelumos.org), and Comic Relief, a UK-based charity that strives to create a just world free from poverty (www.comicrelief.com). J.K. Rowling is the author of the bestselling Harry Potter series of seven books, published between 1997 and 2007, which have sold over 450 million copies worldwide, are distributed in more than 200 territories and translated into 79 languages, and have been turned into eight blockbuster films by Warner Bros. She has written three companion volumes to the series in aid of charity: Quidditch Through the Ages and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them in aid of Comic Relief; and The Tales of Beedle the Bard in aid of her children's charity Lumos.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"It`s beautiful, love the presentation."
"The box is very good quality and very beautiful, you learn a lot about J.K.Rowling's world and annotations (that the characters have written) present in the books add a nice touch to these books."
"A gorgeous set of Hogwarts text books, these are a must have for any Potter collector."
"Beautiful books."
"Great quality and lots of interesting detail to make original series even more realistic."
"came with no bent corners or cracked spines."
"Bought this set for my Harry Potter fan son and when he opened it up on Christmas he had never heard of the series."
"As such, I owned all of these books from the day of their original releases, and remember them well. Many people reading this review (and indeed, there are even pictures posted from previous releases showing it) may remember that the original release was presented as a copy of the textbook as owned by Harry Potter. As such, it contained a lot of doodles and "handwritten" notes from Harry and his friends throughout the book, integrating a lot of humor and personality into the textbook content about the various creatures."
Best Children's Greek & Roman Books
All five books in the blockbuster Percy Jackson and the Olympians series in paperback have been collected in a boxed set fit for demigods Now with glorious new cover art and packaged with a special poster this value priced set includes the best selling The Lightning Thief The Sea of Monsters The Titan s Curse The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian Whether it is for readers who are experiencing Percy s thrilling adventures with Greek gods and monsters for the first time or for fans who want to devour the saga again this gift will be prized by young and old Now with glorious new cover art by Rocco and packaged with a special poster this special boxed set contains paperback editions of Riordan s New York Times bestsellers The Lightning Thief The Sea of Monsters The Titan s Curse The Battle of the Labyrinth and The Last Olympian Consumable.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I bought the entire set based on reviews and reading more information about the Percy Jackson series to see if this would hold interest."
"Great Books love them 😊. Great for teens to older ages who love books like Harry Potter and books with monsters and magic."
"I have loved this series since I was in high school."
"We love these books!!!"
"I purchased this set for my grandson for Christmas and he read them all quickly."
"I have personally enjoyed reading these books and bought this set for my nephew for Christmas."
"This book series was on a gift list."
"The only other complaint I have about the printing is that in the previous three books, every few pages or so there would be a page where a few words were almost unrecognizable because they didn't print correctly (very faded and a lot of the time many letters missing)."
Best Children's Norse Literature
Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits, keeping one step ahead of the police and the truant officers. When an attack by fire giants forces him to choose between his own safety and the lives of hundreds of innocents, Magnus makes a fatal decision. I thought I knew Norse mythology, but now that I've read the gripping and hilarious Sword of Summer , I'll never see Thor the same way again. "Should pacing and wit continue unabated into the third volume, whose foretold European setting promises further freshness, fans will eagerly await numbers four and five." "Adventure fans will relish the action as their heroes confront formidable foes, while readers who have come to love the characters will enjoy following the different individuals as they take the stage in scenes that are usually dramatic, often witty, and occasionally surprising. "Riordan masterfully orchestrates the huge cast of characters and manages a coherent, powerful tale at once exciting, philosophical and tear-jerking. "The novel's winning combination of high-voltage adventure and crackling wit is balanced with scenes in which human needs, fears, and ethical choices take center stage."
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"For those who are not familiar with Rick Riordan’s writings, this is a perfectly fine book to jump into Riordan’s fantasy world, there is no benefit gained in having read his other books that deal with heroes from Greek, Roman, or Egyptian mythology. As a result of this lineage, there are obligations that Magnus is thrust with, and the story is a modern day interaction of Magnus through components of Norse mythology, ranging from characters to weaponry of the ancient belief system. Know that the structure is similar to the books in the past, the characters who are introduced throughout this book are unique in their own ways, especially Magnus’s new companions and, I especially enjoyed the history and sense of honor associated with the Valkyrie corps, especially Samirah al-Abbas, who identifies from a Muslim family."
"Just like the former series Greek Roman & Egyptian mythologies, he creates a world that is both imaginative and has some scientific plausibility."
"When I heard that Rick Riordan was starting a new mega adventure ride with Norse mythology at its centre, I was on board before you can say Yggdrasil (the world tree – how do I pronounce it?). On the successful wave of Marvel’s Thor movies and the ultra popularity of Loki, this seemed to be a gold mine, because while the named characters are known, Norse mythology itself isn’t that widespread in all its glorious details. I loved the insight into Norse mythology, all the big and small details, the nine worlds, famous and less known figures, legends, connections, diverse beings, magic, the dividing of the gods to nature and war gods, the two so called “afterlives”, etc, etc, and especially Ragnarok. Norse mythology is a lot more grimmer and fatalistic that it’s Greek counterpart, but it’s none the less fascinating and rich with imaginative stories. From the important mythological characters, Loki was confusing -- is he evil or just misunderstood? Apparently, he’s the most similar to Chris Hemsworth, so obviously, I was drawn to him… I, overall, found it funny how Magnus compared everyone to the images we are used to from Thor movies. The connection to the Heroes of Olympus series was also quite intriguing due to Annabeth being the cousin of Magnus. I did, however, notice that compared to the latter books, the new series story had a lot of info-dumping, which I didn't feel to the extent in the previous series. Further recommendations: The anime (based on the manga of the same name) Mythical Detective Loki Ragnarok (2003) was one of my favourites some years back and it focuses on a cursed, but cute as a button and physically little boy, Loki, a quirky wannabe detective girl student and Loki’s children – Fenrir the adorable doggy was soooo squichy (I loved how he said “daddy” to Loki all the time)."
Best Children's Literature Collections
In this elegantly designed volume, more than sixty of Aesop's timeless fables have been carefully selected, humorously retold, and brought gloriously to life by four-time Caldecott Honor-winner Jerry Pinkney. Aesop's wisdom spills across the pages as freely as Pinkney's glorious watercolors, alight with the many creatures who people the tales, from fiddling grasshoppers and diligent ants to wily foxes, clever crows, brave mice and grateful lions.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Her older sister told me she loves the stories and is very excited to have it in their bedtime stories line up."
"The book arrived quickly and was in very good condition."
"It's definitely a beautiful and well built book It's sturdy and as a hard cover will last a long time."
"Written a little above our kids level."
"Great telling of these vital tales, which are a cornerstone of our Western culture."
"Forgot what fun this book was!"
"I would give it three stars, but the sizable collection of fables pushes it closer to 3.5 stars."
"Probably totally politically incorrect, would be pulled off the shelves, but it's great."
Best Children's Multicultural Literature
Featuring the wonderful illustrations of Tim Jonke, this best-selling childrens book tells the Easter story from a new and unusual point of view. Angela Elwell Hunt is the author of numerous books, including If I Had Long, Long Hair (winner of the Lorna Baslian Prize for children's books), Nat the Brat, Mom and Dad don't Live together Anymore .
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"I remember reading this book as a child and the feeling in my heart."
"I try to share a Christmas meaning book with them each year."
"The item arrived in reasonable time."
"Great story and the book is in great condition."
"love this book, I have had one for 15years, had to order the rest of my children there own, great qualty."
Best Children's General & Other Myth Books
The third book in the Heroes of Olympus series will unite them with Jason, Piper, and Leo. With old friends and new friends joining forces, a marvelous ship, fearsome foes, and an exotic setting, The Mark of Athena promises to be another unforgettable adventure by master storyteller Rick Riordan. Representing both Greek and Roman camps, the seven companions undertake a mission to prevent the imminent destruction of Rome, the awakening of Gaea, and the end of the world. --Carolyn Phelan Terrifying dreams and enigmatic prophecies mean danger for seven teen demigods, but also good times for fans of The Heroes of Olympus series. Representing both Greek and Roman camps, the seven companions undertake a mission to prevent the imminent destruction of Rome, the awakening of Gaea, and the end of the world. With his now-trademark zero-to-60 acceleration, the author engineers a ghostly possession to set Greeks and Romans at odds and initiates the Prophecy of the Seven, hurtling Annabeth, Percy, Piper, Leo, Hazel, Frank and Jason into a pell-mell flight on the magical trireme Argo II. As the trireme crosses the country, the pace drags while the demigods sort out relationships and work to figure out both cryptic prophecy and nightmare visions. A Luddite god rails against what he calls the "b-book," which displaced the far superior scroll technology; Annabeth gets a crash course in the cult of Mithros far below the streets of Rome.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Curious to see what Heracles is up to in this day age? But while the story is awesome and full of cool things like merpeople and time travel and Archimedes' lost inventions (seriously, if you love classical history and mythology then you will be rewarded with all the cool stuff found here), what I really enjoy is the whimsical irreverence. Things like a Pegasus attacking your nachos and leaving cheesy hoof prints all over the desk."
"Rick roirdan pleas pleas please make books 6 7 8. I LOVE YOUR BOOKS. We even make book clubs and all of ARE topics are based on your books. ILL REALLY TRULY BE HAPPY.I love tohave nothing to do and seeing your book on my bed or table or my backpack, and reading it for hours and hours. I have a million time have told Billions of my friends about your books and a lot of them are already read Percy Jackson and the Olympians book five."
"When the book came out last October, I deliberately held off on reading it not because I feared it would be bad but because I knew it'd be awesome - and that I'd have to wait a year for the next one. I've spent the past few weeks re-reading Percy Jackson and the Olympians, The Lost Hero, and Son of Neptune. The seven demigods - Percy, Annabeth, Frank, Hazel, Leo, Jason, and Piper - are brought together at the beginning of the book and set off on their quest to close the Doors of Death and battle the giants who want to awaken Gaea. By switching narrators - a trend he started in The Lost Hero - Riordan took a bold risk. And while it may be true that I will never love any demigod more than Percy, there is a certain son of Mars who has found a special place in my heart."