Asian Fairy Tales

These eight original tales by Chitra Soundar task two clever boys, Prince Veera and his best friend, Suku, with outwitting the kingdom's greediest, wiliest subjects.

Twelve-year old Lia Park just wants to fit in. Her parents work with a mysterious organization that makes them ridiculously overprotective. Lia’s every move has been scrutinized since she was born, and she’d love to have the option of doing something exciting for once. So when she gets invited to the biggest birthday party of the year—and her parents say she can’t go—Lia sneaks out. But her first act of rebellion not only breaks her parents’ rules, but also an ancient protection spell, allowing an evil diviner spirit to kidnap and ransom her parents for a powerful jewel.

Collected from storytellers on snow-capped mountains, and in eerie forests, opulent palaces and countries near and far, the captivating folk tales in this book have mesmerized generations. Injected with freshness, mystery, adventure and magic, Geeta Ramanujam retells her all-time favourite stories with a song here and a twist there.

When his brother Kartikeya challenges him to a race around the world, Ganesha knows he cannot win with speed. He may not be as fast as Kartikeya, but clever Ganesha knows that every problem has more than one solution! A celebration of the dynamic bond between siblings and a loving tribute to family, Ganesha’s Great Race is the story of their most famous contest and will delight readers with a tale of muscles, mangoes, and the meaning of the world.

Das Leben war hart zu Muck: der kleinwüchsige Kerl mit den großen Ohren wird unvorbereitet in die weite Welt gestoßen, wo er von einem Unglück ins nächste stolpert. Doch mit Herz und Verstand rettet er sich noch aus jeder Patsche, in die ihn Ungeschick und die Bosheit anderer gebracht haben. Dank der wundervollen Märchenstimme Brigitte Carlsens erstrahlt dieses orientalische Abenteuer in nie dagewesenem Glanz!

Durga, as this powerful warrior-goddess is known, has nine special forms - each one unique, not just a clone. Shailaputri, Brahmacharini and Chandraghanta, Kushmanda and Skandamata, Katyayani and Kaalratri, Maha Gauri and Siddhidatri... They are the Nava Durga, worshipped during Navaratri, the festival of nine nights and nine days that's celebrated across India and the world in myriad ways to praise the goddesses and their glory. This is their story!

Mei and Yun Wu have always been different from the other kids in the village. They’ve learned not to talk about why. But now, as this year’s Mid-Autumn Festival approaches, the twelve-year-olds find that they are exactly like everyone else: bursting with excitement. That’s because word of their grandfather’s incredible mooncakes has reached the Emperor of China himself. And on festival night, the emperor’s son will arrive to sample Grandpa’s mooncakes and report back to His Majesty.

The three tales in this audiobook are adapted from stories told by the peasants in Eastern Europe and Central Asia. They are drawn from some books I found in shops when I visited the former USSR in 1988 as part of a citizen diplomacy group. I was intrigued by these folktales, since my paternal grandmother lived for some time in Odessa in the Ukraine. Also, I found these stories share a common theme - the poor peasant is able to succeed despite obstacles against an unfair ruler.

In this Caldecott Medal-winning tale set in Old Japan, a lively little woman who loves to laugh pursues her runaway dumpling - and must outwit the wicked three-eyed oni when she lands in their clutches.

Clever Prince Veera and his best friend, Suku, are back in a vibrant new collection of stories riddled with surprises. When the prince’s great uncle, Raja Apoorva, invites the boys to the summer festival in Peetalpur, Prince Veera and Suku are excited to compete in the games. It’s no easy feat to make the peahen sing (when peahens can’t sing) or defeat the country's champion wrestler, but Raja Apoorva’s riddles prove the ultimate test of the boys’ wit and wisdom. Packed with wise-cracking dialogue, these festive tales of two friends will captivate listeners of all ages.

Zen knew his soul was forfeit the moment he made a deal with the Demon God known as the Black Tortoise, but he's willing to lose himself if it means saving the Kingdom–and the girl–he loves. But to crush the colonizers who have invaded his land he needs more power than even a single Demon God can provide. He needs an army. And he knows exactly where he can find it–in the undead army his great grandfather lead decades ago. The Elantians may have stolen their throne, but the battle for the Last Kingdom has only begun.

The daughter of a poor Chinese cobbler, Lijuan's beauty and grace captivates the heart of her village. But when a curse befalls her, will she persevere, or fall victim to its power? The Enchanted Dance is a tale of raw passion, courage, and love. Step, if you dare, into its pages. Lijuan will captivate your heart, and hold it in the timelessness of her embrace .

Stella and Luna know that their mama, Elsie, came from the Philippines when she was a child, but they don't know much else. So one night, they ask her to tell them her story. As they get ready for bed, their mama spins two tales: that of her youth as a strong-willed middle child and immigrant; and that of the young life of Mayari, the mythical daughter of a god. Both are tales of sisterhood and motherhood, and of the difficult experience of trying to fit into a new culture, and having to fight for a home and acceptance.

Lulu Sinagtala can’t wait for a fun Christmas break. She’s excited to hang out with her sister, Kitty, and best friend, Bart; to reenact her favorite legends from Tagalog folklore (like the amazing tale of Bernardo Carpio); and, of course, to eat as much yummy street-side inihaw as possible! But when a vicious wakwak attacks her neighborhood and kidnaps Mom, Lulu discovers the creatures and deities of Tagalog myth are real and that two additional Realms exist beyond our own. To make it worse, Lulu has superhuman strength and the ability to wield magic.

When Astrid Xu stumbles upon a magic Chinese scroll, she can't help but wonder if it holds the key to helping her mom's depression. What Astrid doesn't expect is to be transported along with her little sister, Marilla, to Zhen -- a realm where the Chinese legends of old are real! But all is not well in Zhen. An ancient evil known as Chaos is wreaking havoc throughout the land, and Astrid is the only one who can stop it.

In this story from India, a farmer's three lazy sons don't want to work. They sit around dreaming of making a lot of gold. When their mother tells them of gold buried in a field, they ask her how to bring the gold to the surface. Through clever suggestions, their mother explains how to thed the fields as they discover the true riches offered by hard work. Illustrated by Tom Wrenn.

Savitri, a beloved princess in India, is searching for a husband. While on a journey to meet the princes in the region, she meets Satyavan, a former prince. They soon marry, but Satyavan is cursed to die in one year. Instead of letting her husband go, Savitri challenges Yuma, the god of death. Will she be able to save her husband?

Hoping to avoid war, the Vietnamese king must build an extravagant gate to please the Chinese ambassador. The king’s advisor, Quynh, knows the gate will never please the ambassador, so he must come up with another plan. Will he be able to use the ambassador’s greed and pride against him to save his people?

Kashima, a god in Edo, Japan, resides in his shrine to protect the people from Namazu, a catfish, from causing earthquakes that devastate the lives of the villagers. When Kashima helps one of the villagers, Namazu must decide whether to obey Kashima and stay put or swim and potentially endanger the lives of the villagers.

A boy named Ty is sent on several impossible errands by his scheming stepmother and each time he is helped by a tortoise. Frustrated by his success, Ty’s stepmother sends him away. Ty decides to follow the river looking for work when he encounters the emperor making a sacrifice to the river god. Can Ty help the emperor?