Nature Myths

Ruth Mary the tooth fairy is used to collecting teeth from under the pillows of sleeping children, not animals. But when the Fairy Queen sends her off to the jungle, Ruth Mary doesn't mind. Everything goes well until she collects the tooth of a crocodile, who wakes up and decides that Ruth Mary looks like a tasty snack...and with her wings not working, how will the tooth fairy escape?

The mighty chicken Thundercluck is in trouble. He and Brunhilde have run a-fowl of the gods of Asgard, and the best friends must fly the coop. But when a seasoned foe serves up more danger, it’s out of the frying pan and into the fire for these plucky heroes. Can their friendship handle the heat...or will they both be cooked?

A magical beanstalk leads to a giant surprise in book four of Ursula Vernon's critically acclaimed Hamster Princess series. Harriet Hamsterbone doesn't go looking for trouble. Somehow it always finds her. So she isn't completely shocked when a salesman attempts to sell her some magic beans, or when one of those beans grows into a towering beanstalk leading up into the clouds. But even Harriet is surprised to find a giant castle - complete with one very poetically challenged giant - at the top of it.

Harriet Hamsterbone is not your typical princess. She may be quite stunning in the rodent realm (you'll have to trust her on this one), but she is not so great at trailing around the palace looking ethereal or sighing a lot. She finds the royal life rather...dull. One day, though, Harriet's parents tell her of the curse that a rat placed on her at birth, dooming her to prick her finger on a hamster wheel when she's 12 and fall into a deep sleep. For Harriet, this is most wonderful news: It means she's invincible until she's 12!

Penny isn't just the fourth little pig—she's an engineer. So when big bad Wolfgang destroys her brothers' homes, Penny comes to the rescue! When Wolfgang returns, Penny must use all her engineering know-how to save her family from his huffing and puffing.

A Cherokee couple spends their days fishing and making cornmeal. When a giant dog steals their cornmeal, the neighbors all gather to help. Find out how this Cherokee legend explains the creation of the Milky Way.

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.

When you think of Aesop's Fables, you probably think of "The Tortoise and the Hare" or "Country Mouse and City Mouse". In this collection, Rob Cleveland brings you three of Aesop's lesser-known but equally powerful fables. You will learn why bats fly at night, why you should pick your friends carefully, and why even a tiny ant could be your guardian angel.

When Anansi the spider decides to help rescue Brother Tiger, he makes Brother Tiger agree to a simple promise.

Join a cat who loves to wear boots as he tries to buy a new pair of shoes at the Sixpence Shoe. When he accidentally tries on a pair of magic boots, he is transported far away! Now he must find his way back with the help of all your favorite fairy tale characters. Will he ever be able to buy a new pair of boots?

Long ago a trickster rabbit cheated other animals in order to become more elegant. What happened when the other animals caught on? Find out in this tale from Uganda. The rabbit wants the fox’s tail, the fish’s scales, the bird’s feathers, and the leopard’s spots and greedily tosses away one feature for the next.

A long time ago in Japan, a great warrior was pestered by a large rat. He tried using traps and his sword, but the rat was too clever. Strong cats and speedy cats are no match for this clever rat. Will the samurai’s new cat be able to outsmart the rat?

Learn about how eggs grow and hatch, and how baby chickens can be hatched using an incubator.

A big bully lion is no match for the Clever Monkey in this retelling of a classic story from West Africa

A big bully lion is no match for the Clever Monkey in this retelling of a classic story from West Africa

When eight-year-old Kirstie brings home a strange egg from the Scottish shore, her family never expects it to hatch. But the next day, Kirstie discovers a baby sea monster swimming in her bathtub! Part horse, part toad, part turtle and part crocodile, he's the oddest-looking creature Kirstie's family has ever seen. Only Kirstie's grandfather knows what the beastie really is: a Water Horse! This lovable creature is the perfect pet. The only trouble is, he can't stop growing.

In this Chinese folk tale, an old widow’s son is killed by a tiger. After she demands justice from the magistrate, he grants it to her, but not quite in the way she expected. Will she be able to move past her grief and find a way to survive on her own?

Actress Glenn Close narrates this story, accompanied by original music by Mark Isham. The Emperor and his court in ancient China discover a little grey bird with an enchanting song. But when the Emperor is presented with a jewel-encrusted, artificial singing bird, he banishes the nightingale from his court. Years later, he realizes that the song of the real nightingale is the true treasure.

Poppy Woodlock believes in magic, but so far, she hasn’t found any. It’s been two weeks since her parents moved their family to Oregon to undertake their biggest project yet: revitalizing the once-grand Lark-Hayes Manor. Her older brother instantly found his place, but after being thrown into middle school midyear, Poppy is feeling…invisible. So she retreats to where she’s always felt most at home: books and magic. And if the fantastic and supernatural exist, certainly they can be found in this mysterious old estate. A late-night prowl leads Poppy to a desperate water nymph.

Filled with jaunty humor, this is an exciting take on the classic story of Red Hen and her adventures in baking. Includes a step-by-step recipe for Red Hen's very own Simply Splendid Cake.