Joseph Jacobs collected these fairy stories in the closing days of the nineteenth century. They are engaging brief episodes of fancy and fantasy from the oral tradition, which were designed to engage and fascinate the young mind. In this fast-paced, electronic world where life whizzes and fizzes by, it is a comfort and joy to pause awhile to savour such delights from a simpler and less pressured age. Reading one of these stories is the literary equivalent of stepping into the quiet and majesty of a medieval church or a circle of standing stones. In the twenty-first century there is a renewed appetite for magic, fairies, and fantastic worlds. With Celtic Fairy Tales, we are not only entertained but can also feel the gentle spiritual hand of history resting on our shoulders.

Eight Punjabi tales, five from Armenia, 16 others. An enchanting world of flying dragons, ogres, fairies, and princes transformed into white foxes. 50 illustrations.

"The Magic Mirror," "The Two Caskets," "The Clever Cat," "The White Slipper," and "The Girl-Fish." 33 tales from Jutland, Rhodesia, Uganda, and various European traditions. 58 illustrations.

32 less familiar folk tales from the American Indians, Australian Bushmen, African Kaffirs and from Persia, Lapland, Brazil, and India. Different enough to capture all imaginations. 50 illustrations.

36 stories from Hungary, Russia, Finland, Iceland, Tunisia, the Baltic: "The Cottager and His Cat," "The Crab and the Monkey," "Little Wildrose," "The Gold-bearded Man," and more. 53 illustrations.

Once on a time there were three princes, who had a step-sister. One day they all set out hunting together. When they had gone some way through a thick wood they came on a great grey wolf with three cubs. Just as they were going to shoot, the wolf spoke and said, 'Do not shoot me, and I will give each of you one of my young ones. It will be a faithful friend to you.'

35 stories, many from oral traditions, others from French, German, Italian collections: "The Goat-faced Girl," "The Sunchild," "The Street Musicians," "The Twin Brothers," "Prunella," and many more. 59 illustrations.

41 Japanese, Scandinavian, and Sicilian tales: "The Snow-Queen," "The Cunning Shoemaker," "The Two Brothers," "The Merry Wives," "The Man without a Heart," and more. 69 illustrations.

American Indian, Russian, German, Icelandic, French, and other stories -- 48 in all -- among them "The Tinder-box," "The Nightingale," and "How to Tell a True Princess." 104 illustrations.

Finest stories from around the world -- most of them old favorites: "Sleeping Beauty," "Rumpelstiltskin," "Cinderella," "The Arabian Nights," 33 more. Includes original 138 black-and-white illustrations.

Giants, dwarfs, monsters, and magicians star in 42 classic stories from China, Russia, Italy, Spain, France, Germany, Scotland, and England. Includes "The Three Little Pigs" and "The Half-Chick." 100 illustrations.

37 familiar ("Rapunzel," "Jack and the Beanstalk," "The Golden Goose,") and not-so-familiar stories ("The Voice of Death," "The Enchanted Pig," and "The Master Thief." 97 illustrations.

`The road to the City of Emeralds is paved with yellow brick,' said the Witch; `so you cannot miss it. When you get to Oz do not be afraid of him, but tell your story and ask him to help you.' A cyclone hits Kansas and whirls away Dorothy and her little dog Toto to the magical Land of Oz, where wild beasts talk, silver shoes have magic powers, and good witches offer protection with a kiss. But Dorothy has made an enemy of the Wicked Witch of the West. With her new friends the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion, they brave many dangers in search of the Wonderful Wizard in his Emerald City at the heart of Oz to ask him to grant each of them what they most desire - only to find that they already possess it. Published at the dawn of the twentieth century, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz (1900) immediately captivated child and adult readers alike. This new edition includes many of W. W. Denslow's original illustrations, and the introduction considers both the famous MGM film version and recent literary theory in a fascinating discussion of this children's classic. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

"The Tale of Peter Rabbit" first appeared in 1902 and made its author, Beatrix Potter, a household name. This special gift edition, a replica of the very first edition of the book, features a glamorous silver foil jacket to commemorate the release of the film "Miss Potter," which tells the story of that remarkable woman and how she found success with her first book.

Violet, Klaus, and Sunny Baudelaire are intelligent children. They are charming, and resourceful, and have pleasant facial features. Unfortunately, they are exceptionally unlucky. In the first two books alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, a lumpy bed, a deadly serpent, a large brass reading lamp, a long knife, and a terrible odour. In the tradition of great storytellers, from Dickens to Dahl, comes an exquisitely dark comedy that is both literary and irreverent, hilarious and deftly crafted. Never before has a tale of three likeable and unfortunate children been quite so enchanting, or quite so uproariously unhappy. Ages 10+

A new, small-format edition of one of Edward Gorey's "dark masterpieces of surreal morality" ("Vanity Fair"): a witty, disquieting journey through the alphabet.