This beautiful book tells the folktales of ten Goddesses from different cultures around the world. The illustrations are truly lovely with colorful detailed costumes and borders on the pages filled with diverse flora from water lilies to hazel branches, to cherry blossoms. You will discover many different faces of the Goddess and young girls in particular will benefit from these positive role model examples. The stories are purely good yarns which have stood the test of time and when combined with the artistry of Helen Cann they sparkle! Invite Isis, Kuan Yin, Cerridwen, Freya, White Buffalo Woman, Oshun, Ama-terasu, Persephone, Demeter, and Hekate in when you enjoy this bountiful treasure of stories and add balance and beauty to your life.

This book was written by Shirley Jackson whose spooky short story, "The Lottery", you might have had to read in High School.Originally published in 1963, it's back now with beautiful new illustrations filled with color and dreams from the lively imagination of childhood.
What if a magician with stars on his hat suddenly came up to you and gave you 9 wishes? Would you wish to live forever, or for world peace or for something much more wonderful like "a squirrel holding a nut that opens and inside is a Christmas tree." The wishes our lucky girl chooses are delightful and the illustrations of them are pure magic. The ending is the most beautiful part of a very special book. Read this one and find out.

This book is just beautiful all the way around. It is the story of a scarecrow who is very lonely because the little country animals are too frightened by his raggedy clothes and his not-so-pretty appearance to get close to him. Eventually things change for the better and in the process we are treated to a wonderful lesson in tolerance and acceptance. We are also delighted by a natural atmosphere filled with charming animals and detailed illustrations of golden wheat fields dotted with red poppies. Pages trimmed with all manner of lovely flora from foxgloves and daffodils to snow drops and violets lift the heart. To further add to the beauty of this book, it is printed on heavy stock which will tolerate the handling of little learning people and the drawings are embossed to add texture and appeal to the total work. I love this book and I think you will, too.

I discovered this book only a few days after watching a rerun of the wonderful movie "The Sound of Music." This book really enhances the beautiful lyrics of the song from that movie called "My Favorite Things" with lovely, heartfelt illustrations filled with nostalgia and the innocence of children. The colors glow with soft light and scenes are either set in cozy, homey environments or in serene natural settings. The lyrics and music are printed at the back of the book so you can play it on the piano for your children or just sing it to them as you go along. My children are all grown up and no grandkids yet, so I know from experience that it's quite alright to sing it to yourself, too! This is a delightful book.

Tim Preston wrote it but there are only 40 words of text (though they are 40 good words and lead the drama in the illustrations along nicely.) The fantastic illustrations of Simon Bartram totally make this book happen! If you love Halloween you will love this book. Large brilliant paintings featuring grinning jack-o-lanterns soaring through the dark Halloween skies along with witches and ghosts and tattered clouds create a shivering Halloween atmosphere in abundance! We start out with kids carving pumpkins, kids trick-or-treating and then at the stroke of midnight things really begin to take off! Join in the fun! You'll love this one.

Published in 1912 this quaint little book of nature sprites is one of four by Elizabeth Gordon and one of three illustrated by M.T. Ross. (The 4th one, "Wild Flower Children: The Little Playmates of the Fairies" was illustrated by Janet Laura Scott and is by far the best.) This book features charming couplets of rhyme about various birds, including many that we don't see quite so much of these days like the Golden Pheasant, Indigo Bunting, Kingbird or the Redstart. The book is definitely worth seeing because it is so quaint and it once spoke to a sweet and innocent pre-Nintendo audience that probably adored the little bird beings it depicts. I loved the whimsy and delicate details of Gordon's flower sprites but somehow the concept of a flower-human hybrid just doesn't transfer well to the bird kingdom. The cute little children's faces sticking out of a bird's body is just a little bit creepy. The Guinea Hens, for example have a normal bird's beak and black button eyes, but underneath there is a human face and sticking out from the underside of the wings are human arms. It just doesn't work the way a Daisy bonnet does. As a collector's book this may be desirable but if you must choose, I suggest you go with one of the three plant themes and leave the birds, well...for the birds.

Originally published in 1918, this beautiful picture book is filled with sweet little flower children that look a lot like fairies but of course they are only "playmates of the fairies" so they don't always have wings. They are dressed in the most charming Victorian costumes including lace petticoats, bonnets, pinnafores, spats, and waistcoats. Each one represents a wild flower, rendered in satisfying detail by this talented illustrator and accompanied by a nostalgic little poem. The flowers are identified by their Latin names as well as their often quaint and colorful folk names such as Frostweed, Virgin's Bower, Pearly Everlasting, Baby Blue Eyes and Gold Thread.
I love this book and the other three by the same writer, Bird Children, Flower Children, and Mother Earth's Children. I'm so glad they are back in print and I know they will delight anyone who believes in fairies.

I love everything about this terrific little book. It has an exciting adventure-filled plot, stout-hearted little heroes and scary adversaries. It has a quest filled with peril and great hope. There are just barely possible tasks to be fulfilled, some sorrow and some mystery and some happiness, too. The illustrations are very lovely and filled with details that take you to the heart of this story of the last five survivors of an ancient Peruvian race of tiny folk who must journey to find a new home knowing full well that it is prophesied that only three will survive the voyage. They set off across the vast sea, afloat in an old earthen poppykettle and you will eagerly rock with them upon the waves through many an astonishing adventure. Children will love this and so will any adult with a gypsy soul and a child's heart.

I love everything about this terrific little book. It has an exciting adventure-filled plot, stout-hearted little heroes and scary adversaries. It has a quest filled with peril and great hope. There are just barely possible tasks to be fulfilled some sorrow and some mystery and some happiness, too. The illustrations are very lovely and filled with details that take you to the heart of this story of the last five survivors of an ancient Peruvian race of tiny folk who must journey to find a new home knowing full well that it is prophesied that only three will survive the voyage. They set off across the vast sea, afloat in an old earthen poppykettle and you will eagerly rock with them upon the waves through many an astonishing adventure. Children will love this and so will any adult with a gypsy soul and a child's heart.

Right from the start this book is one of those that just feels good in the hand. A thin aesthetically pleasing little volume it has a red satin ribbon to mark your place and a brightly colored huge red heart invites you inside from the front cover. The text is a love poem by the great Carl Sandburg that has never before been published. The pictures are by Anita Lobel and they are filled with glad, warm-hearted images and colors.
A young man goes to "where the aurora borealises grow" and brings home a beautiful speciman for his true love's birthday. The enchanting swirls of color actually do quite well at depicting the essence of the aurora borealis and its mysterious, magical light show. I know, because the northern lights were swirling in the skies over my home just a few nights ago and Lobel captured the feeling just perfectly.
We follow the young man's struggle to find and bring the aurora borealis to his love and we believe that his feelings are so strong that he really can do anything for his love that he sets his heart on doing. He offers to bring her more aurora borealises or even a rainbow if she would like. This poetical man is letting her know that he will always work hard for her and struggle through life with her which is something a young woman may hope for, but this clever man has found a beautiful and romantic way to say it. His sensitivity to her need for beauty and abundance is the endearing point of the colorful promises he makes in this story.
I treasure this book and I think it makes a wonderful gift for anyone you love, especially yourself.