The Little Red Hen, by Jerry Pinkney

A new twist on an old tale. Pinkney uses graphite, ink and watercolor in this visual feast; he uses color words in the text to match the color of the animals. Great for pre-ks and kinders to learn color and color words in this wonderful update.



ALA Notable
SLJ Best Books

Tunjur! Tunjur! Tunjur!: A Palestinian Folktale by Margaret Read MacDonald

A lively folktale from the middle east introduces us to a woman who longs for a child and prays to Allah "even if it's just a cooking pot" which is what she gets. The mischiveous little pot runs ("Tun-jur! Tun-jur!" is the roll-y noise she makes) off with things that do not belong to her. She learns her lesson when someone fills her up with goat muck- instead of the reward she was expecting.

A lesson of learning right from wrong is shared with strong arabic- styled illustrations.

Author's notes are included.

Dick Whittington and His Cat, retold by Margaret Hodges

Illus. by Melisande Potter.

Here's the classic tale of the young man who went to London to find his fortune and finds a cat whose rat-catching skills lead to riches. This engaging retelling and illustrations are followed by notes about the factual origin of the story and of the chapbook that preserved it. The real Dick Whittington was Lord Mayor of London and left his fortune to help the poor people in that city. This is a great story with an interesting history related to book publishing as well.

Grades 2-5

Solomon and the Ant, retold by Sheldon Oberman

Here are forty-three clever, witty, and illustrative stories sure to delight students of all ages. This collection is a goldmine for storytellers. Oberman has gathered stories from many Jewish traditions - trickster tales, riddles, King Solomon, and the prophet Elijah. Each is short and told so clearly that the jewel at the heart of the story shines through every time. It is recommended for grades 5 and up....but many of the stories have delighted younger audiences at my school. The seven page introduction was a little long. Surely the material before and after each story would have sufficed. A simple "Sheldon Oberman did not live to actually hold this book in his hands; nevertheless, he held the stories in his heart" would have been more in keeping with the spirit of these fabulous folktales.

Grades 5 - 8