Recommended Books
The Tale of Peter Rabbit
When Mrs. Rabbit begs her four furry children to stay away from Mr. McGregor’s garden, the impish Peter Rabbit naturally takes this as an open invitation to create mischief. But when he is spotted by the farmer himself, the chase is on! A century after it was first published, Beatrix Potter’s beloved tale of a certain naughty bunny with a taste for radishes continues to enchant readers. Using Potter’s original text, popular illustrator Michael Hague has made Peter’s world bigger and brighter than ever, bringing this cherished tale to a new generation of youngsters, in a larger format that will delight mischievous bunnies young and old.
ISBN: 0811849066
PlainTales Comments: Many people think the original illustrations by Beatrix Potter are hard to top, and generally that’s true, but Michael Hague does an excellent job with his illustration of the tale. Unlike many illustrated classics for this age the story is unabridged just like the PlainTales version found in The Tailor of Gloucester and Other Tales by Beatrix Potter.
A Collection of Rudyard Kipling’s Just So Stories
In this sumptuous volume, eight of Kipling’s playful, inventive tales are brought to life by eight of today’s most celebrated illustrators, from Peter Sis’s elegantly graphic cetacean in “How the Whale Got His Throat” to Satoshi Kitamura’s amusingly expressive characters in “The Cat That Walked by Himself.” This collection of pourquoi tales is sure to please and delight curious children everywhere who wonder, “Why won’t cats come when they’re called?” and “How did the rhinoceros get his wrinkly skin?” First told aloud to his own daughter, Rudyard Kipling’s inspired answers to these and other burning questions draw from the fables he heard as a child in India and the folktales he gathered from around the world.
ISBN: 0763626295
PlainTales Comments: This is an excellent version of the Just So Stories, with a number of world class illustrators making contributions. Included are the stories The Elephant’s Child, How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin and The Cat That Walked By Himself, available in audio format in the PlainTales title Selected Just So Stories.
King Midas and The Golden Touch
“There once lived a very rich king called Midas
who believed that nothing was more precious than gold.”
So begins this imaginative and breathtaking retelling of the myth of the man with the golden touch. When a mysterious stranger offers to reward Midas for a kindness, the king does not hesitate: He wishes that all he touches would turn to gold. To his delight, his wish is granted and he soon sets about transforming his ordinary palace into a place of golden beauty. But to his dismay, when he accidentally turns his beloved daughter into a golden statue, Midas learns that what at first seems a blessing can also become a curse.
ISBN: 006054063X
PlainTales Comments: This is an abridged version of the original Nathaniel Hawthorne story found in A Wonder Book for Girls and Boys. The daughter in this version also has a different name than the original. The story is beautifully illustrated though and most of the story line is the same.
The Reluctant Dragon
When a dragon is discovered up on the Downs, the Boy is not in the least surprised. He’s always known the cave there was a dragon cave, so it seems only right for a dragon to be living in it.
The Boy decides to pay a visit to the cave, and he thinks he knows just what to expect. But this particular dragon is not a bit like the ones in fairy tales!
ISBN: 0805008020
PlainTales Comments: Michael Hague has illustrated a number of great children’s classics and this is a wonderful example of his work. This book makes an excellent compliment to the PlainTales unabridged recording of The Reluctant Dragon.
Lionel and the Book of Beasts
“Master Lionel, dear, they’ve come to fetch you to go and be King.”
And with that, even though Lionel is just a small boy, he is crowned King.
Now, Lionel’s great-great-great-great-great-grandfather was not only King but a wizard as well, a wizard who loved books. When Lionel explores the palace library, he opens a huge volume entitled The Book of Beasts, only to let loose a spectacular red Dragon in all its fury. The red Dragon terrorizes the people in Lionel’s kingdom. Determined to be brave, Lionel returns to The Book of Beasts and “with a fluttering of wings and a stamping of hoofs” sets free the amazing Hippogriff. Together the mighty Hippogriff and King Lionel close the book on the red Dragon.
ISBN: 0688140068
PlainTales Comments: Retold and illustrated by Michael Hague, this book makes an excellent companion to PlainTales unabridged recording of the Tales from the Book of Dragons by Edith Nesbit.
The Selfish Giant
When the Selfish Giant builds a high wall round his lovely garden to keep the children out, the North Wind blows, the Frost comes and the Snow dances through the trees. The Giant wonders why Spring never comes to his cold, white garden. Then one day the Giant looks out to see a most wonderful sight . . . Oscar Wilde’s much-loved fairy-tale is brought to life again with beautiful illustrations by Michael Foreman and Freire Wright.
ISBN: 0140503838
PlainTales Comments: This is our favorite illustration of The Selfish Giant. The text is tastefully abridged. The PlainTales recording found in The Happy Prince and Other Tales by Oscar Wilde presents the unabridged Oscar Wilde story.
Tenggren’s Golden Tales from the Arabian Nights
The city is under siege! The King, enraged by his wife’s dishonesty, has vowed to marry every young woman in the city only to have each bride beheaded the following day at sunrise. But Scheherazade, the beautiful and wise daughter of the King’s vizier, foils the King’s plans by telling stories so captivating and imaginative that the King delays her death every day to hear how each enchanted tale ends. From “Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp” and “Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves” to “Sinbad the Sailor,” the most famous stories from the great classic A Thousand and One Nights comprise this collection of beautifully told tales—brought powerfully to life by the vivid illustrations of Gustaf Tenggren.
ISBN: 037582636X
PlainTales Comments: At PlainTales we believe it’s good for kids to read or hear different versions of these classic stories. It provides an opportunity to see how classic stories develop and change over time. The tales in this beautifully illustrated collection make an excellent complement to Andrew Lang’s Arabian Nights stories recorded in the PlainTales title Tales From the Arabian Nights.
Rip Van Winkle
You’ve heard the story of Rip Van Winkle, that curious fellow who, with his dog Wolf, ran away from a hard day’s work to the Catskill Mountains. He ran into a band of revelers who gave him a drink so powerful he slept for twenty years. Here is the retelling and re-creation by Will Moses, an artist of the upper Hudson River himself, who knows the lands of this river valley. He brings Washington Irving’s classic tale to life with breathtaking landscapes and his unmistakable folk style.
ISBN: 0399231528
PlainTales Comments: Washington Irving’s story is beautifully written in its original language and that’s why we recorded it in its unabridged form in the PlainTales title Rip Van Winkle + The Devil and Tom Walker. But we agree that some of the archaic language can be challenging. The unabridged version is actually more accessible as an audio recording where the unfamiliar words can be understand from their context. Will Moses’ retelling is done with obvious for the original and the illustration help bring the story to life.
The McElderry Book of Grimms’ Fairy Tales
Enter a magical world of beautiful princesses, handsome princes, goblins, faeries, and dwarves. Here are ten of the most loved fairy tales from the Brothers Grimm in one wickedly entertaining volume. From that odd little man with the strange name, Rumpelstiltskin, to that slimy green frog who — when kissed — becomes a handsome prince, to brave Rapunzel, imprisoned high in her tower, this is a book full of wonder.
Saviour Pirotta’s spirited, contemporary language is perfect for reading aloud. Emma Chichester Clark’s illustrations glow with humor and mischief, capturing the loveliness and spookiness of these eternally enchanted tales.
ISBN: 1416917985
PlainTales Comments: For listeners who enjoy the PlainTales title The Gingerbread Boy and Other First Talesthe stories in this collection are in the same spirit. Retold classics can be very inconsistent in quality and this collection has the right mix of respect for the original story and skillful modernization. The same things we work to accomplish in our retellings.
Johnny Appleseed
The larger-than-life story of a true American hero–John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed. Kellogg “is ideal as interpreter of this fascinating man….[His] color has never been so rich and luxuriant….An affectionate portrayal, enthusiastically accomplished.”
ISBN: 0688064175
PlainTales Comments: Listeners who enjoy the PlainTales title Johnny Appleseed and Other American Legends should also enjoy Steven Kellogg’s fantastic illustrations and his shorter retelling.
American Tall Tales
Upstarts like Davy Crockett, giants like Paul Bunyan, and gentle souls like Johnny Appleseed are among the nine “tall” heroes featured in this exuberant collection of traditional American folk tales. McCurdy’s intricate wood engravings set these larger-than-life folk on majestic landscapes brimming with energy, rich with wildlife and local color.
ISBN: 0679800891
PlainTales Comments: Listeners who enjoyed the PlainTales titles Paul Bunyan and Other American Tall Tales should enjoy these excellent retellings as well. We took a slightly different approach and separated the purely fictional tall tales from the legends based on real people which we included in a separate collection.
Walk with a Wolf
Walk with a wolf . . . as she hunts alone, howls to her pack, and greets her cubs and mate. Hunt with the pack as it follows the scent of a bull moose, crouching and charging. Learn all about these lords of the far north, who have been hunted by man nearly to extinction. With evocative watercolors by Sarah Fox-Davies, Walk with a Wolf is as full of beauty and drama as it is of facts about this mysterious and often maligned creature.
ISBN: 0763618721
PlainTales Comment: The PlainTales Animal Tales: Raccoon, Bear and Coyote collection combines an exciting story with real information about the lives of animals. This story from Candlewick’s Read and Wonder Series is another great example of this genre.
The Ugly Duckling
Once upon a time, there was a maligned misfit who grew into the most glorious creature of them all. Never has such a fairy tale transformation touched more hearts than the one in “The Ugly Duckling,” one of Hans Christian Andersen’s most familiar and cherished stories. Now, in the hands of esteemed translator Stephen Mitchell, an iconographic fable regains all the humor and pathos of its very first telling. And with their vivid, arresting collage illustrations, Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher bring an oft-told tale to soaring new life.
ISBN: 0763621595
PlainTales Comments: This is not the same translation used in the PlainTales unabridged recording of The Ugly Duckling and Other Tales by Hans Christian Andersen but it’s interesting to compare the two versions of the classic story and the excellent illustration makes a great complement to either version.
The Velveteen Rabbit
When a young boy gets a beautiful velveteen rabbit for a gift, he plays with his new toy for a while, but in all the excitement of opening presents, he forgets about it. But only temporarily. How the rabbit comes to be loved by the boy and finally comes to life is a classic story that has been read and cherished by many generations of children and their parents.
ISBN: 0312377509
PlainTales Comments: Michael Hague provides a wonderfully illustrated complement to the PlainTales unabridged recording of The Velveteen Rabbit.
Jack and the Beanstalk
Join young Jack as he climbs a giant beanstalk to a magic castle in the clouds. Meet a hen that lays golden eggs and a harp that sings by itself. And don’t forget the ogre. A classic fairy tale with a vigorous look that will leave you chanting “Fee-fi-fo-fum!”
ISBN: 0688152813
PlainTales Comments: This wonderfully illustrated version of Jack and the Beanstalk makes a great complement to the PlainTales title Jack and the Beanstalk and Other Classic Fairy Tales.
Hansel and Gretel
The first Grimm tale illustrated by 1998 Caldecott medalist Paul O. Zelinsky is once again available in hardcover. Originally published in 1984, Zelinsky’s paintings for Hansel and Gretel are as compelling as his later work and will captivate readers with their mysterious beauty, emotional power, and brilliant originality. Each spread brings to life a world as rich and real as our own—detailed, colorful, sensual—yet filled with the unearthly shadowed magic of the Hansel and Gretel folktale. Whether portraying the fear and anguish of children abandoned by their parents, the delicious sumptuousness of a candy house, or the joy of being reunited with one’s family, the artist captures the subtle nuances of emotion and the tactile quality of the physical world with exquisite accuracy and elegance. The hauntingly spare retelling of this perennial favorite by the poet Rika Lesser perfectly complements the vivid storytelling of Zelinsky’s artwork. Once again this gifted artist gives us a unique interpretation of a beloved fairy tale, allowing us to both see it anew and rediscover its eternal truths.
ISBN: 0525461523
PlainTales Comments: Fans of the PlainTales title Hansel and Gretel and Other Tales by the Brothers Grimmwill enjoy the wonderful illustrations and thoughtful retelling in this version of Hansel and Gretel.
The McElderry Book of Greek Myths
Walk among the gods and goddesses, men and monsters, in this enchanting volume of classic Greek myths! Here are twelve of the most beloved legends of Greek mythology, from Pandora and her dreaded box to Icarus with his wings of wax, and, of course, that greedy, gold-fingered King Midas. Vibrant art adds a fresh twist to this collection, giving today’s readers their own version of these timeless tales. Eric A. Kimmel brings these adventures to life with language that is colloquial and easy to read. Pep Monserrat breathes beautiful modern colors and style into his paintings, even as he reinvents images from classical antiquity. Together they’ve created a masterpiece of mythology, perfect for young readers.
ISBN: 1416915346
PlainTales Comments: Getting the Greek myths right for younger children can be a challenge. We’ve found that it’s hard to strike the right balance between simplifying them too much and leaving in too much of the often very adult themes and violence found in the original stories. This collection does an excellent job in striking the right balance. PlainTales will be releasing our retold audio collection of Greek myths in the near future.
Aesop’s Fables
Now available in a sleek paperback format, this acclaimed collection of gloriously illustrated retellings brings ancient Greece back to life. Saviour Pirotta lends his warm and lively style to a mixture of familiar and lesser-known fables that are perfect for reading aloud to young children. Aesop himself narrates, providing context for the eight selected tales. Full of engaging text, lively artwork, and reliable morals, this collection of timeless stories will remain relevant for a new generation of readers.
ISBN: 0753461331
PlainTales Comments: The tales in this version of Aesop’s Fables are a little longer than typical which can be a good thing for younger readers because it gives them more opportunity to get into the story, this is particularly true with audio recordings of these stories. Look for PlainTales to release our own retold Aesop’s Fables in the near future.