Folk Myths

Maleficent was a different sort of faerie. For one thing she was raised by all the Fair Folk after her parents were killed. For another she believed there had to be some good in everyone, even humans. Happy and spirited, Maleficent was beloved by all who knew her. That is until she experienced the ultimate betrayal by a trusted friend.

“The People Could Fly,” the title story in Virginia Hamilton’s prize-winning American Black folktale collection, is a fantasy tale of the slaves who possessed the ancient magic words that enabled them to literally fly away to freedom. And it is a moving tale of those who did not have the opportunity to “fly” away, who remained slaves with only their imaginations to set them free as they told and retold this tale.

With clever tricks and surprising twists, these tales teach children to think smart and act with care.

The children who populate these classic stories are heroes and heroines of timeless tales. Their unpredictable antics confound evil and treachery at every turn and leave listeners of generation after generation transfixed and uplifted. A forced marriage. A dangerous job. A horrible assignment. "Character-building experiences," we quip. And that's the truth. Painful as the truth may be, we cannot achieve our potential without facing force, danger, and horror head-on.

Denzel Washington reads this larger-than-life tale about the African-American hero who was born with a hammer in his hand. Join John Henry on a scenic journey from cotton country to the wilderness, where he finds men of all colors working together to build a great railroad. In no time, John Henry becomes king of the railroad camps by driving more steel than any man alive. And, in an exciting contest that pits man against machine, he single-handedly out-performs a new-fangled steam drill.

Magnus Chase has always been a troubled kid. Since his mother's mysterious death, he's lived alone on the streets of Boston, surviving by his wits. One day he's tracked down by an uncle he's never met - who tells him an impossible secret: Magnus is the son of a Norse god. The Viking myths are true. The gods of Asgard are preparing for war. Trolls, giants and worse monsters are stirring for doomsday. To prevent Ragnarok, Magnus must search the Nine Worlds for a weapon that has been lost for thousands of years.

The Aldens have joined Dr. Iris Perez as she investigates legendary creatures around the world. In this adventure, the children travel to Iceland to look into stories of mischievous elves causing trouble. The legends of huldufolk, or hidden people, go back a long way in the country, but are elves really the cause of the problems, or is there a more natural explanation for the strange events on the island?​

Nothing ever happens in Filomena Jefferson-Cho’s sleepy little suburban town of North Pasadena. The sun shines every day, the grass is always a perfect green. But one day, when Filomena is walking home on her own, something strange happens. Filomena is being followed by Jack Stalker, one of the heroes in the Thirteenth Fairy, a series of books she loves about a brave girl and her ragtag group of friends who save their world from an evil enchantress. She must be dreaming or still reading a book. But Jack is insistent - he’s real, the stories are real....

It's not easy being Zarf. As a troll, he's stuck at the bottom of the middle school hierarchy, way below the prince and knights (populars), ogres and giants (jocks), and even the lowly minstrels (band geeks). Plus, trolls aren't exactly known for their brain power or cool demeanor. But it gets worse. When the king disappears and Zarf's archenemy, the prince, ascends the throne, he makes Zarf's life even more miserable.

Filled with bold decisions and wise leadership, this set of tales shows how intelligence always wins the day.

Siblings Abby and Jonah are in for a surprise when the magic mirror in their basement pulls them into the classic story of "The Frog Prince". Abby knows how the tale goes: The princess kisses the frog, and he transforms into a handsome prince. Right? Wrong. Turns out the princess is spoiled and mean and wants nothing to do with the kindly little frog. It's up to Abby and Jonah to help their new friend, the frog, while also making sure the story doesn't spin out of control.

Fans of both Percy Jackson and Indiana Jones will be captivated by the lost civilizations, ancient secrets, and buried treasure found in the third book of the Ashtown Burials series, an action-packed adventure by N. D. Wilson, the author of Leepike Ridge and the 100 Cupboards trilogy.

The tormented witch Sheba has made a terrible prophecy of certain doom for the village of Rin. Skinny, timid Rowan must solve the riddle once again. The secret enemy is here. It hides in darkness, fools beware! The witch Sheba is tormented by strange visions and terrifying riddles. No one can help her except perhaps the boy Rowan, the 'skinny weakling' whose face appears mysteriously in her dreams.

The teacher Patrick Healy traveled around the world, talked with people in different places, and collected around 500 myths, legends, and folktales and their several alternative versions. His opinion and comments (directly or indirectly) are inevitable. This is the 10th volume of his work, 34 Norse Myths, in his words. He retold the stories with his own opinion and approach to them.

Red Riding Hood encounters an urbane wolf on the way to her sick grandmother's house.

Anansi the spider used to be handsome, but his never-ending appetite eventually cost him his hair.

The 100 greatest fairy tales by Denmark's legendary author Hans Christian Andersen: The snow queen, The wild swans, The little mermaid, The ugly duckling, The little match-seller, The emperor's new suit, The brave tin soldier, The princess and the pea, and many more! Also included: pdf file with complete track list.

Honesty is the best policy. Beware a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Look before you leap. A bird in the hand. These and countless other everyday expressions originated centuries ago with Aesop, the slave and storyteller of ancient Greece. With humor, irony, and commonsense philosophy, Aesop’s Fables illuminates the follies, frailties, and resilience of humankind to this day.

Billy, Bill, and William, the three Gruff Brothers, are preparing to cross the bridge to get to a lush meadow on the other side of the river. Unfortunately, a terrible troll lives beneath the bridge, and his favorite meal happens to be billy goat - the fatter the better!

"Don't you know anything?" Animals try to outsmart the vicious tiger so that they won't get eaten.