Fairy Folk

Slow but steady Turtle exhibits wisdom, perseverance, and cunning in these world folktales. Full of adventure that's sure to captivate young listeners, these tales hold meaning for all ages. Turtle is alive with possibilities. Living on land and in the water and breathing air, Turtle joins these three elements of creation, becoming symbolic of the earth itself. Always clever, always wise, and ever patient, Turtle never fails to find humor in any situation.

"What is your favorite story?" is the question children across the country often ask professional storyteller Pleasant DeSpain. As he attempts to answer, his list grows longer and longer, until he confesses he likes them all. An untiring researcher of oral traditions, DeSpain is known for his concise versions of world folktales specifically crafted for retelling. This new, digital recording of 10 stories is excerpted from DeSpain's 22 Splendid Tales to Tell from Around the World, Volume One.

Around the world each night, parents tell stories to children as they put them to bed. Margaret Read MacDonald - a folklorist, storyteller, and children's librarian - uses bedtime tales in the daytime to end her story hours on a calm note. Here, with accompaniment on dulcimer and autoharp by musician Richard Scholtz, she includes seven of her favorites from around the world.

Did you ever look carefully at a spider's webs? Did you ever wonder what causes thunder and lighting? Why do dogs chase cats? Why does it look like there's a man in the moon? In this delightful recording of tales from around the world, each story explains why an animal, plant, or natural object looks or acts the way it does.

Newly re-mastered for digital formats, this is the definitive recording of Hans Christian Andersen's six best-loved stories. Narrator Diane Wolkstein, the artistic director of the Hans Christian Andersen Center in New York City, tells Andersen stories throughout the world. She is the author of 23 award-winning books of folklore and has been honored by the National Storytelling Network as a recipient of its coveted Circle of Excellence Award, a designation reserved for America's best living storytellers.

Jumbeelia the young giantess loves to hear the old story about the iggly plop who climbed up the bimplestonk to the giants' land of Groil. Then, one day, she throws a bimple over the edge of Groil. Down, down, down Jumbeelia climbs, right down into the land of the iggly plops, where she discovers Colette, Poppy, and Stephen Jones; puts them into her canvas bag; and carries them back to Groil. Soon, the children find themselves shut in her dollhouse, with no visible means of escape.

Kitsune are fox spirits that take on human form and play tricks on people. One such man fell in love with a kitsune disguised as a beautiful woman.

Detective Princess King is taking on her toughest case yet: find the "pea"—a priceless emerald that's disappeared from Mrs. Snell's jewelry collection. But as Princess searches for clues, she discovers that Snell Manor holds many mysteries—from secret passageways to a towering bed of stacked mattresses.

The second epic installment of Brandon Mull’s #1 New York Times bestselling fantasy series!After the cliffhanger ending of A World Without Heroes, Jason is back in the world he’s always known - yet for all his efforts to get home, he finds himself itching to return to Lyrian. Jason knows that the shocking truth he learned from Maldor is precious information that all of his friends in Lyrian, including Rachel, need if they have any hope of surviving and defeating the evil emperor.

ハリー・ポッターは孤児。意地悪な従兄にいじめられながら11歳の誕生日を迎えようとしたとき、ホグワーツ魔法学校からの入学許可証が届き、自分が魔法使いだと知る。キングズ・クロス駅、9と4分の3番線から紅色の汽車に乗り、ハリーは未知の世界へ。ハリーを待ち受けていたのは、夢と、冒険、友情、そして自分の生い立ちをめぐるミステリー。

Sviska is a man of the shadows, an assassin without any one place to call his own. But in the Far North, he discovers a secret. Magic, long thought lost to the world, is alive. The genocide to destroy every elf, wizard, and sacred being of old is not yet complete. Sviska's masters work the strings of the world and he has been sent for a task he does not even fully understand yet. When at last he feels he has what he has always wanted, darkness falls upon the world.

Jason is born the son of King Aeson. His destiny is to rule Iolcus, the land that his father's brother, King Pelias, has taken from him. When Jason comes of age, he returns to Iolcus. But the king is not yet willing to give up his throne. So he cunningly persuades Jason to accept a dare to bring back the famous Golden Fleece of Colchis. Jason accepts the challenge, unaware that he is being conned into a dangerous and perhaps fatal journey far, far from the land he loves.

My friend Robin and I were going to have the best sleepover ever. We'd stay up late, eat s'mores, share secrets - and not knock on my magic mirror. I was not getting pulled into another fairy tale. But the mirror still ends up pulling me and my brother, Jonah, into Sleeping Beauty's story - and this time, Robin comes with us, too! When Robin pricks her finger on the spindle, I know we're in trouble.

"La sorcière de la rue Mouffetard", "Le géant aux chaussettes rouges", "La sorcière du placard aux balais"... Avec une malice et un humour contagieux, Pierre Gripari et François Morel nous font partager ces 13 contes modernes, insolites et savoureux! Celui qui a su ouvrir de nouvelles portes à l'imaginaire en inversant les codes du conte classique continue de faire rire et rêver avec un univers poétique et facétieux adoré des enfants.

Of course you think I was the bad guy, terrifying poor little Jack. You don't know the other side of the story. Well, let me tell you....

The Bremen Town Musicians never wanted to be heroes. They wanted a recording contract! At least that's the story listeners hear from the donkey's point of view in this charming twist on a classic fairy tale that supports curriculum standards.

Tania "Thumbelina" Pulgar may be small, but she's fierce in the wrestling ring. When her friend Jorge “The Mouse” Mendoza introduces her to a manager named Mr. Mole, she’s promised a pro career full of fame and fortune. But soon Thumbelina is miserable as she's dragged from match to match and forced into a flashy new persona that just isn’t a good fit. Can the little wrestler break free of Mr. Mole’s hold and live her own life?

Masha is a lovely little girl who lost her way in the forest. Now to find her way back she will have to plan a trick on the bear who had held her captive.

Master storyteller Jim Weiss takes listeners on a thrilling journey through the night sky, sharing the fascinating stories behind Orion, Taurus, and other constellations. For thousands of years, cultures around the world have told stories about the stars--tales of brave heroes, mysterious monsters, faithful friends, and epic journeys.

Bartimaeus, everyones favorite (wise-cracking) djinni, is back in book four of this best-selling series. As alluded to in the footnotes throughout the series, Bartimaeus has served hundreds of magicians during his 5,010 year career. Now, for the first time, fans will go back in time with the djinni, to Jerusalem and the court of King Solomon in 950s BC. Only in this adventure, it seems the great Bartimaeus has finally met his match.