Pacaritambo

ALI AND THE CAMEL (Bilingual Edition)
by Fay Gabriel. Lynn Jones color illustrations. Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 2001 Heritage of Arabia oblong soft cover, fifth edition. Very pale vertical near-crease back cover. Content: Bilingual offering with Arabic at the top of the page and English at the bottom of the page. Reads right to left. Cute story of how Ali learns how important the camel is to the desert dwellers of the Middle East. Sort of a "See Spot Run" for Arab countries. Cute and informative. For Early Readers, IMHO. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 9.50 + $ 2.94 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

THE BHARUNDA BIRD: An East Indian Legend
retold by Beulah Candappa. Beautiful vibrant color illustrations by Shirley Tourett. Condition: NEW 1996 Rigby hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), fourth printing. Content: Have you heard of the fabulous two-headed bird that dwells deep in the rain forests of India? This book will tell you about them. It is a tale of friendship, selfishness, and greed and the consequences - all wrapped up in a dandy legend for early readers. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 6.39 + $ 3.09 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

THE BLACK HEN OR THE UNDERGROUND INHABITANTS [A Russian Children's Fantasy]
by Antony Pogorelsky. Retold by Morse Hamilton. Beautiful vibrant color illustrations by Tatyana Yuditskaya. Condition: UNREAD 1994 Cobblehill hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Light edge wear to DJ top edge. Content: Written in 1829 and cited by Tolstoy as a childhood favorite, a complex tale with an intriguing mix of period setting and still-resonant message. Alyosha spends lonely weekends at school while his classmates go home; it's then that he saves a hen from the cook. That night, the hen takes him to an underground kingdom of half-sized folk, where she assumes the form of the king's minister. Though Alyosha has failed, in true fairy-tale fashion, to follow all the minister/hen's instructions (with pleasingly dramatic results), since he has saved his/her life he's rewarded with a magic seed that allows him to recite lessons without studying; but this, alas, is not a good influence on him. Then he loses the seed, is punished for his sudden inexplicable lack of proficiency, and reforms--but not without an unavoidable betrayal of his underground friends, who are forced to move away. Be they political, aesthetic, or magical, it's hard to serve two masters. In essentially realistic paintings, the Russian-born Yuditskaya subtly differentiates between a more crisply delineated real world and the luminous, freely rendered fantastical one. An unusual story with real substance. (Picture book. 7-10) Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.39 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

CARIBBEAN CARNIVAL: Songs of the West Indies
by Irving Burgie. Beautiful vibrant color illustrations by Frane Lessac. Afterword by Rosa Gary. Condition: NEW 1992 Tambourine hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: Thirteen popular calypso songs are featured in this colorful collection. Traditional chants and ballads from Jamaica, Puerto Rico, Haiti, and elsewhere as well as Burgie's original compositions, which were popularized by singer Harry Belafonte, appear. Such selections as ``Day-O,'' ``Michael Row the Boat,'' ``Yellow Bird,'' and ``Que bonita bandera'' are included. The lyrics of the latter have been translated into English at the bottom of the page. Accompanying the arrangements are full- or double-page paintings and a title bar in Lessac's characteristic, primitive style. Her bright colors and lively scenes will attract young readers to the work, and she does a good job of showing the multiethnic heritage--African, Indian, European-- of the residents of the region. An informative afterword by Rosa Guy, which is written for adults but may be read and understood by older children, traces the origins of the songs in African tradition and in the experience of African-descended peoples in the West Indies. Words & "sheet" music. Ages 4+. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 8.39 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

CATHEDRALS: Stone upon Stone
by Brigitte Gandiol-Coppin. Dominique Thibault illustrations. Condition: UNREAD 1989 Young Discovery Library hardcover (pictorial boards) first thus, first printing. Content: I can't say enough good things about this little book (7" x 4.5"). Beautiful color illustrations appropriate to the era, "blueprint" of cathedral interior, and interesting and accurate history - not only of cathedrals, but of the era in which so many were built. Simply excellent!
$ 5.50 + $ 2.89 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

THE CHILDREN OF THE SIERRA MADRE
written & photographed by Frank Staub. Color photos. Condition: UNREAD 1996 Carolrhoda hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. Content: Reviewer: "Children of the Sierra Madre by Frank J. Staub and Jules Hermes includes interesting text and beautiful photographs showing life for the Tarahumara or as they refer to themselves, the Raramuri people. The Raramuri live a traditional life in the mountains of north western Mexico. Daily life, family, food, homes, clothing, feasts, and contemporary issues such as health and clean water are revealed." Questions welcome.
$ 4.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

CUT & ASSEMBLE A MEDIEVAL CASTLE
A Full-Color Model of Caernarvon Castle in Wales)
by A. G. Smith. Color illustrations and "parts." Cover photos by Bill Pell. Condition: NEW 1984 Dover large softcover. Tiny edgewear. 48 pages. Content: Authentic full-color replica of Caernarvon Castle built in Wales (ca. 1285–1322) comes with complete instructions for cutting, folding and assembling parts. Includes historical text. Excellent for teachers either homeschooling or regular classrooms. Questions welcome
$ 8.49 + $ 3.09 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

D'AULAIRES' NORSE GODS AND GIANTS
by Ingrii & Edgar Parin D'Aulaire. Color illustrations (by the Authors?). Condition: UNREAD, but not perfect, 1986 Doubleday Books for Young Readers, no printing given. Light edgewear with pale diagonal crease bottom front cover corner. Interior clean & tight. Content: Thirty stories from Norse mythology and folklore plus Intro and a "reader's companion." Excellent selection and presentation. Color illustrations are simple, but effective. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 114.69 + $ 3.49 media shipping. . [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

THE DAY OF AHMED'S SECRET
by Florence Parry Heide & Judith Heide Gilliland. Color illustrations by Ted Lewin. Condition: UNREAD 1991 Scholastic softcover, first printing. Beautiful and detailed color illustrations. Content:: A day in the life of a boy from Cairo. Early reading level.
$ 2.75 +$ 2.89 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

THE EMPEROR'S SILENT ARMY: Terracotta Warriors of Ancient China
by Jane O'Connor. Wonderful color photos by various artists. Some era color art work. Maps. Condition: NEW 2002 Viking hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), seventh printing. Content:: When three farmers, digging a well in a field near Xi'an, China, unearthed a pottery head, they were completely unaware of the magnitude of their discovery. As archaeologists began to excavate the site, they found an entire army of life-sized pottery soldiers of every rank, horses, chariots, weapons - an army fit for an emperor. In lively fashion, this handsome book recounts the story of China's first emperor, Qin Shihuang, who ordered the army's construction to ensure that he remain safe and powerful if his quest for unending life was unsuccessful. As the excellent colorful photographs make clear, none of the soldiers look alike. Their costumes reflect their rank, and their faces probably resemble the people with whom the many potters were acquainted. O'Connor also speculates on the contents of the Emperor's tomb, which at present has not been excavated. An excellent into to Chinese history and archaeology for younger readers. Grades 4 - 6, although adults will like the photos as well. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 9.79 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

FABULOUS BEASTS (Myths and Legends Series)
by Claude-Catherine Ragache. (Transl. Abigail Frost) Beautiful color illustrations by Marcel Leverdet. Condition: NEW 1994 Cherry Tree Books (UK) hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first impression. Content: World mythology of "fabulous beasts" for children: Rainbow Serpent (Guyana); Frog Who Laughed (Australia); The Whowie (Australia); Storm-Camel (Central Asia); Blue Lions (Africa); Terrible Tengu (Japan); Boongurunguru (Solomon Islands); The Rokh (Malaysia); Flying Monkey (India); Pegasus and the Chimera (Greece)' Giants of the Sea; Arion and the Dolphin (Greece); Andromeda and the Sea Monster (Greece); Alexander and the Sea Monsters (Macedonia); Mamits and the Magic Cauldron (Central Asia); Golden Ram (Africa); Golden Boar (Scandinavia); Living Legends; The Ro-Beast (France); Lug's Birds (Ireland); Roughpelt (France); Guardians; Animals of Fact and Fiction. A great book for kids. Questions welcome. [1 copy only]
$ 19.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

THE FAITHFUL ELEPHANTS: A True Story of Animals, People and War
translated from the Japanese by Tomoko Tsuchiya Dykes. Color illustrations by Ted Lewin. Condition: UNREAD 1991 Trumpet soft cover, first printing. Content: This book has a true message about war - but is a heart-rending, gut-wrenching story for people who love animals and don't watch them eating each other on Animal Planet. A zookeeper narrates the story of how there came to be graves at the zoo: when Tokyo was showered with bombs during the bleak days of World War II, the authorities feared that if the zoo were destroyed, the animals might accidentally be freed and wreak havoc on the city. So they decided that all the zoo animals would be killed. But the elephants wouldn't eat the poisonous food they were offered, and the needles in the syringes containing poison broke before they could penetrate the elephants' rough skin. So the elephants were starved to death, a slow and painful process watched by the zookeepers who loved them. An upsetting story for children or adults, this powerfully conveys the deadly side effects of war. Lewin's watercolors show the massive gray bodies in their state of decline; it is impossible not to appreciate the heartbreak of the animals' plight. But this is a book that provokes questions about the nature of death and dying (children may read into this that some may be killed for the greater good of all), and so should be chosen with care. All ages. [NOTE: The Japanese version of this book states that to show the people of Japan that in this war, people would have to be ready to sacrifice anything for their country. If it was necessary, the lives of animals or even other people would have to be given up for the good of Japan. The US version does not include this tidbit.} Questions welcome. [1 copy only]
$ 6.49 + $ 3.09 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

GREEK AMERICANS
by Cobblestone: History Magazine for Young People. Color photos and drawings. Condition: UNREAD 1996 magazine. Content: This issue is dedicated entirely to Greek Americans: their history in America, their primary locations, food, games, and people of note.
$ 3.50 + $ 3.09 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

THE HAUGHTY TOAD AND OTHER TALES FROM BALI
selected and re-told by Victor Mason. Wonderful color artwork by the Artists of Pengosekan, Bali. Condition: Gently pre-read 1975 PT Bali Art Print (Bali) huge (14 x 11) hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ), assumed first printing. Content: Primarily Hindu mythology and folklore of the Island of Bali - for children and adults, as well. Questions encouraged. [1 copy available]
$ 56.69 + $ 4.29 media shipping. . [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

HO YI THE ARCHER AND OTHER CLASSIC CHINESE TALES
retold by Shelley Fu. B&W illustrations by Joseph Abboreno. Condition: NEW 2001 Linnet Press hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: This collection of the folktales best known to the Chinese people presents elegant versions of nine classic stories. Included are the famous tales of Pan Gu and Nu Wo, the creators of the world and mankind; Ho Yi the master archer; Shun Wu Koong, the Monkey King who rebelled against authority; Wu Gan, the greedy little boy; Bai Su Tzin, the White Snake, and the Cowherd and Weaving Maid. These stories offer a rare glimpse into the psyche of the Chinese people, and display the richness, beauty, and down-to-earth spirit of their culture. Chinese religion, philosophy, and tradition all permeate the tales, and yet all of the stories deal with human universals: self-sacrifice, wisdom, gentleness, vanity, greed, and love. The author sets each tale in a context and discusses the themes that run through them, and their significances. She also provides a list of characters, a pronunciation guide, and a resources section. This is the only book in English that retells these important stories in depth. Shelley Fu reads, writes, and speaks Mandarin, and as a Chinese-American understands the emotional and psychological landscape of the stories well. Aimed at Young Adults, ages 10 +. [1 copy available]
$ 9.49 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

I, JUAN de PAREJA (Newbery Medal Book)
by Elizabeth Barton de Trevino. Condition: Gently pre-read 1990 Sunburst Trade paperback, 6th printing. Read to page 32 and abandoned. Interior clean & tight with 1 dog earred page. Small edgewear at corners and top spine. A very nice copy. Content: Based on "thin threads" of truth, "I, Juan de Pareja" explores the relationship between famous 17th-century Spanish painter Diego Velazquez and his black slave, Juan de Pareja. Written in first person as if Juan is really telling his story, it is the chronicle of much of Juan's life and and his colorful experiences as apprentice to a master painter. Historical detail also adds great richness to the book. Author de Trevino has captured the mood of 17th century Spain perfectly, and her accounts of Juan's Italian travels fascinate the reader as well. Art facts and descriptions are well-placed, and the reader will find themselves interested in the rich history presented in the book, rather than bored by it. Furthermore, supporting characters are excellent! The portrayal of Diego Velazquez was well-imagined by the author, and the master painter's comments ring with insight and truth. The nobles, the painter's family, the Spanish king, Dutch painter Ruebens...they all come to life in "I, Juan de Pareja." [1 copy available]
$ 3.50 + $ 2.89 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

JOSEPH HYDN (Composer's World Series)
by Wendy Thompson. Color & B&W photos and era drawings illustrate. Condition: NEW 1991 Viking hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (In mylar jacket), first printing. Content: One more handsome volume in the ``Composer's World'' series, with the same format, rather distanced style, excellent period illustrations, and musical excerpts. Haydn's longer, more orderly life -- most of his work was originally done for his wealthy employers, the Esterhzy family (their vast establishment rivaled Versailles), and he actually received a generous pension -- makes a fine backdrop for the lives of his Viennese contemporaries; Thompson enlivens it with details like the youthful Haydn's irrepressibility (the Empress Maria Theresa once had him whipped for climbing on a scaffold after she'd warned him not to) and his later triumphs in England. Glossary; list of works. Grades 7 - 12.
$ 4.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

JUDY OF THE ISLANDS (Historical Fiction)
by Armine von Tempski. Carl Burger B&W illustrations. Cover art by Cecilia Rodriguez. Condition: NEW 1993 reprint by Ox Bow Press, Trade Paperback. Very small shelfwear to bottom page tips last 10 pages. Content: Originally published in 1941. After surviving the explosion of a Pacific liner and being adrift in a lifeboat for four days, Judy is rescued and experiences life among the natives on the atolls. Wonderful adventure story for girls. Grades 4 - 8.
$ 11.49 + $ 2.94 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

KATE CULHANE: A Ghost Story
written & illustrated by Michael Hague. Beautiful full-page spooky color illustrations. Condition: 2002 Sea Star Books (NY) hardcover (pictorial boards) and DJ (in mylar jacket). Perfect! Content: Certain to bring on a shiver or two, this volume presents a tale from Irish folklore, which Hague embellishes with suitably shadowy, eerie watercolors. The opening image effectively conveys the story's chilly soon-to-be chilling setting: the craggy, cloud-filled coast of Ireland where Kate Culhane lives. Tending to her recently deceased mother's grave one evening, lonely Kate inadvertently steps on a newly dug grave, which holds her fast. Her "bones cold with fear," the girl unwittingly follows a voice's instruction to "Open this grave for me." The bony, ghost-like man who emerges forces her to carry him on her back to the home of a wealthy merchant. There the spectral creature cuts the fingers of the merchant's three sleeping sons with a sharp knife, draws blood and leaves his victims lifeless. Though Hague's pictures do not portray the details of this gruesome act, they are sufficiently lifelike to be a wee bit scary especially the image of the villain trying to pull Kate into the grave with him. But the tale ends happily, as Kate outwits the dead man and finds love and wealth and Hague at last has reason to add smiles and sunshine to his convincing illustrations. Ages 7-10, but adults interested in Irish legends will like it, as well. [2 copies available.]
$ 5.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

KON-TIKI AND I
written & illustrated by Erik Hesselberg. Clever & fun B&W illustrations by the Author. Condition: UNREAD 1993 Harcourt Brace hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first printing. Content: Reviewer: "Kon-Tiki and I is out of print! Agh, that's appalling! It's one of the best books a kid could ever read. Hesselberg was Thor Heyerdahl's navigator on their voyage from Peru to Tahiti on a balsawood raft. Hesselberg is a great storyteller and caricaturist, and his illustrations of the trip are perfectly integrated with the deft, simple narrative. He's much more modest about it all than Heyerdahl--so much so that you may forget how unlikely it seemed to everyone but the crew that this absurd handmade craft would ever survive the voyage. Hesselberg's account is, among other things, very funny--and his illustrations make it even funnier. His sketch of himself dancing a hula in sheepskin pants makes it easy to see why the watching villagers were, as he tells it, reduced to gasping and moaning with laughter. One of the few truly joyous books in the world. Get a copy if you can. If you have any kids, get them a copy at all costs." [1 copy available.]
$ 5.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

KUN-MAN-GUR: The Rainbow Serpent (From Australia)
by James Cowan. Wonderful color illustrations by Bronwyn Bancroft. Condition: Gently pre-read, if at all, 1994 Barefoot Books hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. While the book is in excellent condition, the DJ shows some edgewear. Content: In this retelling of an Aboriginal creation myth, the Rainbow Serpent, Kun-man-gur, finds a home and food for the flying foxes after he punishes a bat for saying that they smelled bad. Includes a foreword explaining the background and importance of the myth. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 5.50 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

MARRIAGE OF THE RAIN GODDESS: A South African Myth
by Margaret Olivia Wolfson. Beautiful color illustrations by Clifford Alexander Parms. Condition: NEW 1997 Barefoot hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), second printing. Content: Lush, dramatic illustrations enhance this picture book for older readers, based on a fragment of a Zulu myth about the rain goddess Mbaba Mwana Waresa, who searches for a mate who would move her heart. Not able to find the perfect partner among the gods, she looks among mortals, and in a simple village, she finds the cattle herder Thandiwe, who reveals much about himself as he sings of his love of land. She then arranges a most unusual test to judge whether Thandiwe is worthy of her affection. Parms' attractive illustrations, which show a mixture of modern styles of traditional dress and beadwork with older designs, are a fitting complement to the love story, which never becomes sentimental. With appealing characters and a strong sense of place, the book is a good choice for reading aloud, and it may prompt older children to investigate Zulu customs and traditions further. Wolfson discusses pronunciation of Zulu terms and sources in an afterword. Karen Morgan. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 6.89 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

A MEDIEVAL FEAST
written & illustrated by Aliki. Wonderful, detailed & historically accurate color illustrations. Condition: NEW 1983 HarperCollins hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket), first pritning. Content: The lord and and lady of Camdenton Manor are dismayed when they learn the King and his party are coming to stay with them, they know what a lot of work this will mean for everybody. Throughout the book you see everyone working like mad to get the manor ready in time. Delightful pictures show all the work involved in stocking up with food, hunting, fishing, harvesting, brewing, baking, men, women and children all joining in with the work. The pcitures are full of fascinating details of the lives of medieval people, nobles and commoners alike. Any child interested in history should enjoy this book. This book does NOT include recipes of any ilk. Aliki's illustrations and descriptions tell amazing amounts of information, herbs grown and used in Medieval times, the architecture, and characters wearing historically-accurate fashions. The pictures show tools, cookware, utensils, landscapes of the countryside, a brickoven, a flourmill with a waterwheel, livestock, a vineyard, a well, butterchurns, tapestries, wild animals caught for the feast, honeybeehives, vegetable gardens, and all of the servants and the lord and lady busily preparing for the king and queen's arrival. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 8.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

MEXICO (WorldFocus Series)
by Rob Alcraft & Sean Sprague. Color photos & maps throughout. Condition: NEW 1996 Rigby Educational/Oxfam America hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first edition, first printing. Content: Introduces Mexico through a geographical and historical profile and case studies of individuals and a representative community of La Trinidad. Grades 1 - 3. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 3.95 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

THE MIRACLE CHILD: A Story from Ethiopia
by Elizabeth Laird with Abba Aregawi Wolde Gabriel. Beautiful color illustrations from an 18th century Ethiopian manuscript. Condition: Gently pre-read 1985 Holt Rinehart hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first American edition, first printing. DJ price-clipped. Content: This is an Ethiopian story of a miracle child who fed the hungry and healed the sick during a time of great famine. Based on the life of Saint Tekla Haymanot, a 13th century monk, the story is one of the best-loved tales in Ethiopia's rich and ancient literature. In case you wondered about the co-author of the book, Gabriel is a priest of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in England. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 9.50 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

MOUTON'S IMPOSSIBLE DREAM (Historical Fiction)
by Anik McGrory. Color illustrations. Condition: NEW 1998 Gulliver Books hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. . Content: McGrory bases her spirited debut on the true story of the world's first free-flying balloon flight, masterminded in 1783 by Joseph and Etienne Montgolfier near the palace of Versailles. Each day, Mouton, a sheep living on the Montgolfier farm, gazes longingly on the brothers' drawings of flying machines and declares, "Someday I'm going to fly." Then one day the farmers load their wagon with the drawings and materials to construct a flying balloon. They also pack the rooster, as one brother, in one of McGrory's clever handwritten asides, queries, "C'est mon d?ner?" The sheep and duck surreptitiously follow the wagon to Versailles and, after reaching the palace grounds, the animals hide in a large basket, which turns out to be the base of the flying balloon. The brothers decide to let the three creatures test the balloon ("If the animals can fly, we'll know it's safe!") and Mouton's "impossible dream" comes true. McGrory's watercolors make less of an impact than her text, in part because her palette often seems washed out. She incorporates period details and her animals frequently sport endearing expressions, but her compositions aren't always sufficiently filled in or framed to show off these strengths. On balance, however, the book offers a diverting mix of fact and fancy. (BTW, the sheep lived out it's life in Marie Antoinette's petting zoo) Ages 3-7.
$ 22.59 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

MYTHS AND CIVILIZATION OF THE VIKINGS
by Hazel Mary Martell. Beautiful color illustrations by Francesca D'Ottavi, Ivan Stalio, Alesssandro Cantucci, Andrea Morandi. Maps. Condition: NEW 1998 Peter Bedrick hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued), first edition, first printing. Content: This book offers readers a beautiful blend of history and mythology - providing a new approach to exploring the Vikings. Martell retells a selection of important myths, using dramatic illustrations and supplementing them with historical and cultural information, including realistic maps and diagrams. Excellent for all ages. Reminds one of the great DK history books for kids. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 9.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

A PIECE OF HOME (Russian Immigrants)
by Sonia Levitin. Color illustrations by Juan Wijngaard. Condition: NEW 1996 Dial Books for Young Readers hardcover (pictorial boards) and DJ (in mylar jacket), first edition, first printing. DJ has tiny edgewear bottom corners. Content: When Gregor's family emigrates to the United States from Russia, he is allowed to take one item. The "piece of home" he chooses is his baby blanket-a surprising choice for a school-age boy, and indicative of Gregor's anxiety. But his dicey choice only compounds his trepidation: Will his American cousin Elie think he is a baby for bringing a blanket? Levitin (Nine for California) tells this tale with great empathy, steering clear of sentimentality. Gregor's divided feelings ring true, as do those of his anxious and excited parents. Wijngaard's (Emma Bean) realistic watercolor renderings, perceptive and expressive, virtually tell the story on their own. He captures moments so clearly-Gregor's skeptical inspection of American airplane food, for example-that young readers will feel they are sharing these characters' experience. Ages 4-8.
$ 5.58 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

ROCKABYE CROCODILE: A Folktale from the Philippines
by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. Colorful water color illustrations by authors. Condition: NEW 1993 Mulberry Books soft cover, 7th printing. Content: A captivating retelling of a Philippine fable about two elderly boars -- one kind and cheerful, the other selfish and mean -- who find their actions repaid in very different ways. "The text has a lilt and a gleam of humor...and the illustrations are among this well-know team's most engaging." A nice "morallity" lesson for kids on being nice - just because. Questions welcome. [2 copies available]
$ 6.59 + $ 3.09 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

ROSALEE AND THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON
by Catherine Brighton. Illustrations by the author. Condition: Very Good 1994 Jonathan Cape Ltd (London) oversized hardcover (pictorial boards) first edition, first printing. There is no DJ - I have no idea if one was issued with the book. Warm & appealing color illustrations. Content: Entertaining fantasy about the origin of the great London fire and the magic book, The Secret of the Elements desired by an evil man trying to make gold. Questions welcome.
$ 25.50 + $ 3.29 media shipping [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

RED SCARF GIRL: Memoir of the Cultural Revolution
by Ji Li Jiang (foreword David Henry Hwang). Steve Scott cover art. Condition:Unread 1998 HarperTrophy Trade Paperback, first thus. Small ink stain top edges last 10 pages. Content: Ji-Li has written a compelling memoir which reveals her gradual disillusionment with what she had been taught to believe about the Chinese communist government. A highly successful student, Ji-Li's life begins to unravel during the Cultural Revolution when her family wants her to turn down a chance to be trained by the government as a gymnast. Self-centered at first, the effects that propaganda have upon the lives of people she respects - including her own family - expand her concerns beyond her own. A unique yet universal coming-of-age story. A 1998 Parents' Choice Gold Award. Young Adult reading level.
$ 3.59 + $ 2.94 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

SAY HOLA TO SPANISH, OTRA VEZ (Again!)
by Susan Middleton Elya. Color illustrations by Loretta Lopez. Condition: UNREAD 1999 Scholastic softcover, third printing. Tiny edgewear. Content: Another bright-eyed dose of Spanish vocabulary from Elya (Say Hola to Spanish, 1996). Jaunty, rhyming couplets introduce the words, and Lopez has provided illustrations in saturated, paintbox colors. Glossary included. Grades 1 - 4. Fun way to introduce a new language to kids.
$ 2.49 + $ 2.89 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

A SEASON FOR MANGOES
by Regina Hanson. Color illustrations by Eric Velasquez. Condition: UNREAD 2000 Clarion hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: A girl in modern Jamaica recounts her feelings during the all-night "sit-up"–a kind of wake–to honor her grandmother who has died. Nervous about sharing her memories in front of everyone who has gathered in her family's yard to share food and favorite stories about and for the deceased, Sareen is comforted and encouraged by her twin brother and parents; in the end, she gathers her courage and tells, through her tears, about Nana's love of mangoes and joy in life, which prompt stories of her sometimes-comical efforts to find the sweetest mango for her sick grandmother. Delighted that she's been able to take part in the ceremony, Sareen joins in the culminating sunrise dance. Rich, naturalistic, full-color oil paintings fill the pages. They reflect emotions well, succeeding most often in their close-up, almost portraitlike faces. The art is less effective in stiff, more distant action or group scenes. The people are seen from a variety of perspectives under dark, midnight-blue tropical skies. The stories-within-the-story are framed in orange, helping to clarify time and action. An author's note explains a bit of the country's history, food, and folklore about death. The genuine emotion, details of life, and focus on the value of storytelling make this a useful addition. Grades K - 4. [1 copy available]
$ 5.49 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

SOUTH AMERICAN PORTRAITS (Images Across the Ages series)
by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler. Condition: NEW 1993 Raintree Steck-Vaughn (Austin) hardcover (pictorial boards - no DJ issued). Beautiful color portraits by Stephen Marchesi. Content: This series entry dedicates a chapter to each of 12 noteworthy South Americans who came to prominence after the conquistadors arrived in the middle of the 1500s. Chronologically arranged, the selections include famous men and women from the various regions of this vast and fascinating continent. "El Inca"-Garcilaso de la Vega-"the first important Spanish-American writer"; "Rose of Lima," a young girl from Peru who was canonized as the first American saint; and Antonio Francisco Lisboa, the illegitimate son of a Portuguese gentleman and an African slave who overcame the crippling effects of leprosy to become a sculptor, are among the individuals profiled. The Liberators, Simon Bolivar and Jose de San Martin; Gabriela Mistral, Nobel Prize winning Chilean poet; Heitor Villa-Lobos, the Brazilian composer; Evita Peron, Pele, and Gabriel Garcia Marquez round out the presentation. A full-color painting of each person adds to this useful and informative source for reports. Grades 5 - 7.
$14.89 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

STORIES OF WALES (Told for Children)
retold by Elisabeth Sheppard-Jones. B&W illustrations by Paul Hogarth. Condition: UNREAD 1977 John Jones Caradiff Trade Paperback, reprint. Very thin binder's glue down spine. Interior perfect. Content: Celtic and Welsh legends, myths, folk tales, and fairy tales for the young and young at heart. [1 copy available]
$ 7.89 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

SUN-DAY, MOON-DAY: How The Week Was Made
by Cherry Gilchrist & Amanda Hall. Beautiful, detailed color illustrations by Amanda Hall. Condition: NEW 1998 Barefoot Books hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), first printing. Content: Gilchrist devotes a spread to the origins of each day's name and significance, then follows it with a relevant story or myth. Sunday paves the way with the most effective pairing: the author briefly describes reverence for the sun in Aztec, Egyptian, Babylonian, Greek and Roman cultures, and Constantine's designation of "Sun-day" as a Christian day of worship in 321 A.D.; then follows with the myth of Phaethon, son of the Greek sun god, Helios. The etymologies and myths are illuminating, and the book's closing pages brim with intriguing facts: how the 365-day year was created; the Aztec names for the first day of each week in a month (Rabbit, House, Flint and Cane); and a table highlighting the names of the seven days of the week in five languages. Hall customizes her palette and style to the various cultures depicted, yet her compositions possess a familiar storybook feel. The paintings wrap around many of the spreads, lending the informative collection a classical ambience. Ages 8-12. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
$ 10.89 + $ 3.39 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

TALES OF GREAT DRAGONS
by J. K. Anderson. B&W drawings of dragon artwork suitable for coloring. Condition: UNREAD 1998 Bellerophon Books large softcover [11.0 x 8.5 x 0.3 (64 pages)], no edition given. Small edgewear. Interior perfect. Content:: Anderson gives us the great dragon tales of literature and the great era artwork to match the story, i.e., St. George & the Dragon story with 16th century artwork. Beginning with Tiamat and ending with Taniwhas (of New Zealand), this book is a complete foray into dragon lore for kids. The drawings can also be colored by the kids as they learn mythology and art. A great book, IMHO!
4.75 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

TOMAS DE TORQUEMADA; Architect of Torture During the Spanish Inquisition (A Wicked History)
by Enid A. Goldberg & Norman Itzkowitz. B&W photos illustrate. Condition: NEW 2007 Scholastic soft cover, first printing. Content:: It happened the same way all across Spain. The judges of the Spanish Inquisition arrived on horseback. They searched everywhere for people who broke the laws of the Church. Their spies turned friends against friends, family members against each other. One stern monk was responsible for this merciless attack on the people of Spain. His name was Tomas de Torquemada. Readable and interesting history for Young Adults. Questions welcome. [1 copy available]
10.00 + $ 3.09 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

TRIAL BY ICE: A Photobiography of Sir Ernest Shackleton
by K. M. Kostyal. B&W expedition and family photos illustrate. Condition: NEW 1999 National Geographic Society large hardcover & DJ (in mylar jacket). Lovely turquoise boards with gilt Endurance (ship) front cover. No flaws. Content: Traces the adventurous life of the South Pole explorer whose ship, the Endurance, was frozen in ice and crushed, leaving the captain and crew to fight for survival. Wonderful wildlife photos. Grades 5 - 8.
$5.50 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

WHAT DO YOU FEED YOUR DONKEY ON? Rhymes from a Belfast Childhood
by Colette O'Brien. Color and B&W illustrations by Jenny Rodwell. Condition: Used 1978 Collins (UK) hardcover (pictorial boards) & DJ (in mylar jacket), U.S. Library Edition - but NOT an ex-library book. Problems: small shelfwear to top & bottom book spine and a repaired 2" tear bottom DJ edge. Interior clean. Content: An illustrated collection of traditional rhymes, songs, and street chants from Belfast. While children will lenjoy the color and B&W illustrations by Jenny Rodwell, the poems may be a bit "too English - Irish" for them - some translation of terms may be necessary. Broaden their horizons. Questions welcome Grades 3+.
$ 5.50 + $ 3.29 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

WHY SUN AND MOON LIVE IN THE SKY: An African Legend & Other Folktales
by the Editors of Highlights Magazine. Ted Enik cover art. Condition: NEW 1995 Highlights for Children small softcover (95 pages), second printing. Perfect. Content: Stories in addition to the cover story: Oliver Tom and the Leprechaun; Treasure of Our People; Toki & Toshio; Gift of the Crow (Woodland Indians); Hodja's New Shoes; Rice Cakes (Korean); Why We have Rainbows (Native American); Kweku Ananse & Wisdom Gourd (Ghana); A Wise Choice (Pa. Dutch); Badger and Eagle (Native American); Hatmaker's Nw Year (Japan); Terrible Noise (Ancient India); Geauga Legend ; Snow for the Queen (Legend of the Almond Tree); Fisherman and His Wife; Lazy Nephew (Native American); and Ogre and Monkey King (Ancient India). Many of these tales are retold by the wonderful Josepha Sherman. [1 copy only]
$ 3.00 + $ 2.89 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]

THE WOMAN WHO OUTSHONE THE SUN (English Only)
based on a poem by Alejandro Cruz Martinez. (Story By Rosalma Zubizarreta, Harriet Rohmer, & David Schecter). Wonderful color illustrations by Fernando Olivera. Condition: UNREAD 1993 Scholastic soft cover, first printing. Content: Based on a poem by Alejandro Cruz Martinex which was based on an old legend of the Zapotec Indians of Mexico. Reviewer: "When beautiful Lucia Zenteno arrives in town, no one knows how to treat her. Some people in the village thought that her hair blocked the sun. Mystery surrounded the girl. When she bathed in the river, her hair would soak up all the fish and water until she combed it out. The elders said told the people of the village to honor Lucia. They did not. People began mistreating Lucia. Lucia, however, did not return the unkindness of others. Finally, the people drove Lucia from the village. Before she left, Lucia visited the river once more. As Lucia went to comb her hair, the fish and the water stayed in her hair. She left the village without water. Realizing that they needed the river, the people tried to find Lucia to apologize. Eventually Lucia does return the water to the river but not without teaching the village people that "you must treat everyone with kindness, even those who seem different from you." This book is full of imagery! The illustrations are very beautiful. The author, Martinez, died tragically trying to help the Zapotec Indians with their water rights. This book is a great legend and is great for multi-cultural themes." [1 copy only]
$ 3.89 + $ 3.19 media shipping. [Email for shipping charges on international orders.]