Golem

David Wisniewski (Illustrator - Lee Salsbery). This selection is about the legend of Rabbi Judah Loew ben Bezalel and the Golem that he made to protect the Jews because of the Blood Lie that some Gentiles were spreading about the Jews. Set in 16th century Prague, it explains some of the happenings of the time. The Golem did protect the Jews from the angry mob that tried to attack their ghetto, but once the Golem had completed his task, the Rabbi had to return him back to the clay from which he came. The Golem did not want this to happen because life was precious to him. The lesson of this story is that humans need to be careful when creating and unleashing something of great power.
Publisher: Clarion Books, New York, 1996.
General Grade Level: Intermediate.
Award: Caldecott Medal.
Note: at the end of the book, there is an endnote that discusses the history of the legend of Rabbi Loew and the Golem, as well as all the Jewish religious beliefs and the history of the persecution of the Jews.
Other Works: The Wave of the Sea Wolf; Suindiata, Lion King of Mali; Rain Player.

A Story, a Story

Gail E. Haley. This selection is a retelling of an African folktale about Kwaku Ananse, the "spider man." He is called a spider man because he spun a web up to the sky and bargained with the sky God, Nyame, for his stories. The price of the stories was that Ananse had to catch Osebo, the leopard-of-the-terrible-teeth, Mmboro the hornet-who-stings-like-fire, and Mmotia the fairy-whom-men-never-see. Ananse pays the price and receives the Sky God's golden box of stories. When he opens the box, all the stories scattered to the corners of the world. Many African stories are called "spider stories" because they tell of how small, defenseless man or animals that outwit others and succeed against great odds.
Publisher: Atheneum, New York, 1970.
General Grade Level: Vocabulary/Comprehension.
Caldecott Medal.
Note: the foreword of this book explains the history of "spider stories" and how they came to the Caribbean Isles and America.

Frog Went A-Courtin'

John Langstaff (Illustrator - Feodor Rojankovsky) This selection is based upon the song that was composed in Scotland more than 400 years ago and then brought to America. The selection is comprised of the different versions sung in many parts of America and other countries. At the end of the book, one of the earliest tunes associated with the ballad is written out.
Publisher: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Publishers; San Diego; 1955.
General Grade Level: Primary.
Award: Caldecott Medal.
Other Category: Artwork.

Little House

Virginia Lee Burton. This story is about a little house that was built in the country. It was built strong and sturdy because it was meant to last for the great-great-great grandchildren of the owner's great-great-great grandchildren. Time went by and the children of the house grew up and moved to the city. The little house liked living in the country but wondered what it would be like in the city. Over time, the city grew up around the little house. After a while, no one lived in the little house anymore and the house grew sad. Then one day, the great-granddaughter of the owners came by and recognized the house. She and her husband moved the sturdy little house out to the country--on top of a hill, in the middle of a field.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1942.
General Grade Level: Primary.
Award: Caldecott Medal.
Other Category: Artwork.

Shadow: One Man's Quest to Find the Hidden Treasure of the Confederacy

Marcia Brown. This selection is about the African storytellers' and shamans' view of shadow. It is an eerie depiction of what shadow is and does.
Publisher: Charles Scribner's Sons, New York, 1982.
General Grade Level: Intermediate.
Award: Caldecott Medal.

Saint George and the Dragon

Retold by Margaret Hodges (Illustrator - Trina Schart Hyman). This is the tale of Saint George, the Red Cross Knight, and Princess Una who came to find someone to rescue her people from a horrible dragon. Princess Una and St. George travel back and St. George fights the dragon several days' in a row and defeats him. The king is grateful and gives St. George riches, which St. George gives to the poor. The king also gives Princess Una to St. George in marriage. Saint George serves the Fairy Queen for 6 more years.
Publisher: Little, Brown, and Company, Boston, 1984.
General Grade Level: Advanced.
Award: Caldecott Medal.
Other Works by the Illustrator: Snow White, The Sleeping Beauty.

Fables

Arnold Lobel. This book is a collection of twenty original fables. They are humorous and contain morals that are often unexpected. The fables include The Crocodile in the Bedroom, The Ducks and the Fox, King Lion and the Beetle, The Lobster and the Crab, The Hen and the apple Tree, The Baboon's Umbrella, The Frogs at the Rainbow's End, The Bear and the Crow, The Cat and His Visions, The Ostrich in Love, The Camel Dances, The Poor Old Dog, Madame Rhinoceros and Her Dress, The Bad Kangaroo, The Pig at the Candy Store, The Elephant and His Son, The Pelican and the Crane, The Young Rooster, The Hippopotamus at Dinner, and The Mouse at the Seashore.
Publisher: Harper Collins Publishers, 1980.
General Grade Level: Intermediate.
Award: Caldecott Medal.
Other Works: Frog and Todd are Friends, Frog and Toad Together, Frog and Toad All Year, Days With Frog and Toad.

Duffy and the Devil

Harve and Margot Zemach. This selection is an interpretation of an old English play that is very similar to the story of Rumpelstiltskin. Squire Lovel of Trove wants a maid to help his housekeepers with knitting, spinning, and sewing. So he takes in a girl named Duffy to help. Duffy says that she knows how to spin, knit, and sew, but she really does not. A devil helps her do the spinning, knitting, and sewing but says that in three years he will take her away unless she correctly guesses his name before then. In the meantime, Duffy and the Squire marry. Duffy starts to panic when the three years is almost up, but Old Jone, the housekeeper, finds out the devil's name in time to save Duffy.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux; New York; 1973.
General Grade Level: Intermediate.
Other Category: Artwork.
Other Works: The Judge (Caldecott Honor Book), Awake and Dreaming, A Penny a Look (ALA Notable Children's Book)

The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship: A Russian Tale

retold by Arthur Ransome (Illustrator - Uri Shulevitz). This selection is about a young Russian boy called the Fool of the World, who is the youngest and least-liked son in his family. His parents do not care for him much because he is not very smart. One day, the Czar sends out messengers to announce that he will give his daughter in marriage to anyone that can bring him a flying ship. The two clever brothers set off to try to build a flying ship. The Fool of the World wants to give it a try also. On his journey, the Fool shares his meal with an old man. The old man gives the Fool a magic hatchet that turned a tree into a flying ship. On the way to the palace, the Fool picks up a bunch of talented strangers who end up helping him win the hand of the Princess from the reluctant Czar.
Publisher: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux; New York; 1968.
Award: Caldecott.
General Grade Level: Intermediate.
Other Category: Artwork
Other Works by the Author: Old Peter's Russian Tales, Pigeon Post, Swallows and Amazons.
Other Works by the Illustrator: One Monday Morning (ALA Notable Book), The Moon in My Room.

Always Room for One More

Sorche Nic Ledohas (Illustrator - Nonny Hogrogian). This selection is about a Scottish family whose father always says there is room for one more traveler in their home. But he lets so many people in at one time that the house collapses. All the travelers help the family raise a new home that is twice as big as the first. This selection is derived from an old Scottish nursery tale.
Publisher: Henry Holtand Company, New York, 1965.
Award: Caldecott.
General Grade Level: Advanced (because some of the Scottish words are difficult to understand).
Other Works by the Author: Thistle and Thyme, Heather and Broom.
Other Category: Artwork.
Other Works by the Illustrator: Gaelic Ghosts, Ghosts Go Haunting.

Jumanji

Chris Van Allsburg. This selection is about a brother and a sister who are left alone while their parents go to the opera. Their parents warn them to keep the house in order. Judy and Peter get bored, though, so they decide to go to he park. There, they find a board game called Jumanji with a note saying that it's free, but to read all the instructions carefully. Judy and Peter do read the instructions that explain that they cannot stop playing the game until they reach Jumanji at the end of the board, but they think that it's just like any other board game. They realize that it is not a normal game when a lion, a snake, an explorer, monkeys, and a bunch of rhinoceri escape from the game upon each turn.
Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, 1981.
Other Category: Artwork.
General Grade Level: Intermediate.
Award: Caldecott.
Note: The illustrations are wonderful--extremely lifelike. Also available in Spanish.
Also made into a major motion picture, Jumanji is available on DVD.

Mei LI

Thomas Handforth. This selection is about Mei Li, a young Chinese girl who wants to go to the city with her older brother, San Yu, to take part in the New Year's celebration. She sneaks away with her brother and has many adventures at the celebration in the city. A fortune that the fortune teller told her even came true.
Publisher: Doubleday, New York, 1938.
Award: Caldecott.
General Grade Level: Primary-Intermediate.
Other Category: Artwork.

East of the Sun and West of the Moon

Mercer Mayer. This beautiful fairytale is about a young maiden who is the daughter of a rich farmer. Many young men wanted to marry her, but none of them were to her liking. One day, her family's fortune changed because the king went to war, the soldiers took the farmer's crops and livestock, and her father became ill. The maiden's mother sent her to fetch water from the house of the South Wind to cure her father. When the maiden got there, she discovered that the spring was clouded over and dropped her cup into the spring. A frog appeared and offered to fetch the cup for her if the maiden would grant him three wishes. The princess agreed. The water cured the maiden's father and the frog came to visit her, fulfilling his first wish. His second wish was for her to marry him. The maiden became angry at this and threw him against the wall. The frog died and was transformed into a handsome young man. He was taken away by demons to be married to the troll princess because the maiden would not marry him. The maiden knew that she loved the youth, so she set out to find and marry him. The moon, a salamander, a unicorn, Father Forest, and the Great Fish all helped her find the youth in a place East of the sun and West of the moon. There, the maiden set the youth free and vanquished all of the trolls. The maiden and youth married and became king and queen of the land.
Publisher: Four Winds Press, New York, 1980.
Other Category: Artwork.
General Grade Level: Intermediate.
Other Works (written): What Do You Do with a Kangaroo? ,Great Cat Chase.
Other Works (illustrated): Reward Worth Having ,Everyone Knows What a Dragon Looks Like.

There's a Nightmare in My Closet

Mercer Mayer. This is a cute selection about a young boy who has a nightmare in his closet. At first, he is afraid of it and locks it in, but then one day he decides to get rid of it. He shoots it with his toy gun and the nightmare begins to cry. They boy feels bad for the nightmare, so he lets it sleep in his bed with him.
Publisher: Dial Books for Young Readers, New York, 1968.
General Grade Level: Primary.
Other Category: Artwork.

I Love You So Much

Carl Norac (Illustrator - Claude K. Dubois). This sweet selection is about a chipmunk named Lola. Lola wakes up with "special words" on the tip of her tongue. She wants to say them to her parents before school but they are too busy. She wants to say the words at school, but not to certain other chipmunks. When Lola gets home, she doesn't feel like saying the words anymore because she is sulking. But then she can't contain it any longer and she tells her parents that she loves them so much.
Publisher: Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, New York, 1998.
General Grade Level: Intermediate.
Other Category: Feelings.
Also available in Spanish as Las Palabras Dulces