Dover Children's Classics

This entertaining collection of 30 traditional Nigerian folk tales is filled with instructive lessons in honesty, loyalty, and friendship. Timeless fables recount adventures of Ajapa the Tortoise: how he saved the king and tricked the lion, what happened when he rented his house, how he came to be bald, and more.

At the end of the 13th century, the oppressed Scots rebelled against England under the leadership of William Wallace and Robert Bruce. This gripping tale of courage, loyalty, and ingenuity takes readers into heroic company with a fictional protagonist, young Archie Forbes, who fights alongside the legendary heroes.

Hoffmann, a 19th-century German physician, gained lasting fame for writing Struwwelpeter, a darkly humorous compilation of cautionary tales about naughty children. Created by the author specifically for American readers, Slovenly Betsy features the same perverse drollery as its predecessor. Adults and children alike will revel in these quaintly illustrated rhyming stories of bad habits and their dire consequences.

Loki, the deity of mischief; Gerda, the beautiful goddess of light; Odin, the chief of all the gods; and other immortal figures of Norse mythology come vividly to life in this beautifully illustrated book for young readers. The exciting collection of 29 tales is myth at its best, narrating the adventures of (among others) Thor, the thunder god, son of Odin; Baldur, another son of Odin, a radiant god of beauty, purity, and peace; and Freya, the goddess of fertility and beauty. Closely bound to Asgard, their mythologic home, these mighty warriors are powerful beings, capable of superhuman feats, but still exhibit very human weaknesses. Handed down from generation to generation, the thrilling tales of gods on earth and their miraculous feats will charm young readers with their powerful stories of magic and mystery.

This hardcover keepsake of a children's classic presents color reproductions of images by the famed Wonderful Wizard of Oz artist. Full-page illustrations accompany the text of many favorite nursery rhymes.

Simon enters the Land of Chalk Drawings, where his doodles spring to colorful life and join him in adventures that challenge his wits as well as his imagination. This exclusive collection comprises all four of author Edward McLachlan's Chalk stories, which served as the inspiration for the popular PBS and Nickelodeon animated shorts. In the Land of Chalk Drawings: An unfinished stick figure asks to be completed and introduces Simon to a host of other drawings that need his attention. Simon and the Chalk Drawing Army: Some soldiers have invaded the Land of Chalk Drawings and are making everyone drill to the point of exhaustion. With quick thinking, Simon finds a way to keep the soldiers busy, and the other drawings get a treat. Simon and the Moon Rocket: Simon flies to the moon, where he's forced to solve a mountain of sums. How can he finish them all and get away? Simon and the Dinosaur: All the children and animals have disappeared from the Land of Chalk Drawings ― they've been eaten by a dinosaur! Simon must rescue them and help the hungry dinosaur, too.

A butcher's daughter in a small Sussex town ends her nightly prayers with "Oh, God, give me horses, give me horses! Let me be the best rider in England!" The answer to fourteen-year-old Velvet Brown's plea materializes in the form of an unwanted piebald, raffled off in a village lottery, who turns out to be adept at jumping fences-exactly the sort of horse that could win the world's most famous steeplechase, the Grand National. Richly atmospheric of rural English life between the World Wars, National Velvet has enchanted generations of readers since its 1935 debut. The heroine's grit and determination, backed by the support of her eccentric and loving family, offer an inspiring example of the struggles and rewards of following a dream.

Best remembered for his collections of folk and fairy tales, Andrew Lang was also highly regarded as a Homeric scholar. In this thrilling book, superbly illustrated by H. J. Ford, Lang draws masterfully upon his classical training to bring to life some of the central stories of Greek mythology. Readers will follow the exciting adventures of Ulysses from his boyhood through his perilous return from the Trojan War, meet the lovely Helen of Troy, hear about the amazing Trojan horse, join Jason on his determined quest for the Golden Fleece, encounter the fierce, beautiful Amazons, and learn about the legendary deeds of other remarkable Greek heroes.