An indigenous boy must travel up a mountain to collect obsidian for flint knapping, a trek from which his brothers did not return. There he meets a golden eagle, actually a god named Savik. This is a beautifully told and handsomely illustrated story of the origin of the Iñupiaq messenger feast celebrated by native Alaskans.
Eagle Drums
From fried dumplings to fortune cookies, here are the tales behind your favorite American Chinese foods. Do you know the stories behind delectable dishes—like the fun connection between scallion pancakes and pizza? Or how dumplings cured a village’s frostbitten ears? Or how wonton soup tells about the creation of the world? Separated into courses like a Chinese menu, these tales — based in real history and folklore — are filled with squabbling dragons, magical fruits, and hungry monks. This book will bring you to far-off times and marvelous places, all while making your mouth water.
Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods
A Cheyenne legend of the creation of the Big Dipper. When a Native American girl begins to make clothes beautifully decorated with porcupine quills for seven brothers she has not yet met, her parents believe that unseen powers have spoken to her. The girl knows she must travel to the north country to find the seven brothers. She comforts her mother by saying, “Soon you will see me again with my brothers; everyone will know and love us!”
Her Seven Brothers
Native Americans have a long tradition of storytelling. Introduce young readers to these rich cultures with this collection of powerful tales from 12 tribes, exploring lore about how the mountain Denali formed, why the North Star stays still, and more. Every story ends with a brief historical sketch of the tribe, providing context and offering a glimpse into their way of life and their traditions. The author is a member of the Menominee tribe.
Native American Stories for Kids: 12 Traditional Stories from Indigenous Tribes Across North America
Tricksters? Rabbits? Rougarou? Shapeshifters so frightening you shouldn’t speak their name? That’s just the start of this collection of folklore from the Indigenous people of North America, retold in comic form. The fifth volume of the Cautionary Fables and Fairytales graphic anthology series, with traditional stories from Indigenous Nations including the Taíno, Navajo, Odawa, and more.
The Woman in the Woods and Other North American Stories
An Indigenous legend about how four extraordinary individuals of dual male and female spirit, or Mahu, brought healing arts from Tahiti to Hawaii. In the 15th century, four Mahu sail from Tahiti to Hawaii and share their gifts of science and healing with the people of Waikiki. The islanders return this gift with a monument of four boulders in their honor, which the Mahu imbue with healing powers before disappearing.
Kapaemahu
Dayeon wants to be a haenyeo just like Grandma. The haenyeo dive off the coast of Jeju Island to pluck treasures from the sea — generations of Korean women have done so for centuries. To Dayeon, the haenyeo are as strong and graceful as mermaids. And when Grandma suits up for her next dive, Dayeon grabs her suit, flippers, and goggles. A scary memory of the sea keeps Dayeon clinging to the shore, but with Grandma’s guidance, Dayeon comes to appreciate the ocean’s many gifts.
The Ocean Calls: A Haenyeo Mermaid Story
Part historical fiction, part fable, and 100 percent adventure. While she works in a Sierra Nevada logging camp in 1885, 13-year-old Mei reimagines the myths of Paul Bunyan as starring a Chinese heroine — Po Pan Yin (Auntie Po), an elderly Chinese matriarch. On the surface, this story is the birth of a folktale, but the author explores much deeper topics: grief, family, loyalty, racism, and self-discovery.
The Legend of Auntie Po
The relationship between mischievous three-year-old Nori and her grandmother shines through these pages in rich detail, full of humor, feeling, and a sense of family history and tradition. Beautifully drawn locations in Japan and Hawaii immerse the reader in their world, populated by grinning bats, leaping rabbits, a taste of Mochi — and the wonder and curiosity of childhood. The story weaves in East Asian folklore and Japanese culture, through the legends her grandmother shares.
Nori
One of the most terrifying creatures to be found in traditional Inuit stories is the nanurluk, a massive bear the size of an iceberg that lives under the sea ice. Its monstrous size and ice-covered fur make it an almost impenetrable foe. Jose Angutingunrik, a gifted storyteller and respected elder from Kugaaruk, Nunavut, brings to life a story of the great nanurluk that has been told in the Kugaaruk region for generations.
The Giant Bear: An Inuit Folktale
Rich in folklore and local culture, this graphic novel aimed at emergent readers offers a window into the world of Arctic First Nations families and legends. The two protagonists have a typical sibling dynamic as younger brother Putuguq tags along and annoys his older sister Kublu. On the way to meet a friend near the ocean, the duo run into their grandfather. He warns them to steer clear of the shoreline, lest they become victims of the Qalupalik, a nightmarish, mermaidlike creature who captures those who wander too close to the water. A map orienting readers to Putuguq and Kublu’s snow-covered village showcases an array of homes on stilts, many with snowmobiles (and sled dogs) outside.
Putuguq and Kublu and the Qalupalik
The prophecy has come true: the black snake has come to terrorize the community. It hurts the source of life, water. This call to action is presented by in word and image by an author and illustrator, Ojibwe and Tlingit/Haida respectively, based on the Dakota Pipeline access protest in Standing Rock reservation. Lush, flowing illustrations and a narration by a young Native girl make a compelling case for protection, encouraging readers to sign a water protector pledge.
We Are Water Protectors
This celebration of winter solstice blends imagery from the long-ago revelries of northern Europeans with modern-day observations and global traditions. As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles and played music, bringing their own light to the darkness. This is a tale of hope, anticipation, love, and joy.
The Shortest Day
Monsters are found around the world, in book and in folktales. They are scary or silly, well-known or unfamiliar. With a red cellophane lens, find hidden critters on the large pages. Meet monsters that come from caves and mountains, to those that come in the night. There are even monster parts and pieces presented that can be used to inspire new creations.
Monsters: A Magic Lens Hunt for Creatures of Myth, Legend, Fairy Tale, and Fiction
Humans all over the world have thought about monsters since time started. Take out the magic lens tucked into a front pocket to explore double-page spreads to meet monsters in fact and fiction. They range from castle monsters to space monsters with lots in between. Monster parts and pieces are appended to facilitate monster creation. This clever book is to engage monster-lovers for hours.
Monsters: A Magic Lens Hunt for Creatures of Myth, Legend, Fairy Tale, and Fiction
Absolute silliness results when a chicken is caught up in a struggle with a Norse god. The result is a superhero chicken. The hybrid clucker (half god, half fowl) is sure to cause readers to chuckle as well as groan with its heroic absurdity.
Thundercluck!
Mark Twain’s partial tale told to his own children has been carefully completed by Philip Stead and is interpreted for modern listeners.
The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine
Meet the dragon slayer, a girl and a mouse, and a boy who talks to ants. Three traditional tales, each revealing a particular truth, are recast here in comic book format. An introduction and the concluding background note provides a glimpse into the cultures from which the tales come.
The Dragon Slayer: Folktales from Latin America
Tales from the Norse are not for the fainthearted or youngest, evident in these straightforward retellings. Readers will meet “[s]ome men and women [who will] become great … [and] the gods and goddesses [who] are even stronger and greater” in these myths. Illustrations are ominous, dark, and perfectly fitting for the tone of these tales.
Norse Myths: Tales of Odin, Thor and Loki
Antonio Barichievich was a giant. He weighed as much as a horse and once dragged four busses filled with people! Most amazingly, he really lived in Montreal (Canada). Antonio’s story comes to life with verve and wit in graphic format with lighthearted illustrations and easier to read text.
The Great Antonio
Four young people come together at the Metropolitan in New York City on the very day that Pearl Harbor is bombed. Their quest involves Arthurian legend, creepy villains, and a bit of magic in this well-paced, riveting narration will be enjoyed by sophisticated listeners.
The Metropolitans
There is just no pleasing all of the ancient Greek gods. When Jason gathers 50 men on a quest to find the Golden Fleece and regain his throne, he does so with the help of Medea … but not without consequences. An accessible retelling in a large format with detailed illustrations makes an exhilarating version of an old myth.
Jason and the Argonauts: The First Great Quest in Greek Mythology
Imagine flying between countries in a hot air balloon. What would you take? What would you leave behind when it becomes too dangerous to hold onto everything? Might you discard even your clothing? Join the English Dr. John Jeffries and his French pilot, Jean-Pierre Blanchard, for just such a trip. Humor and hijinks make their unforgettable trip positively joyful.
A Voyage in the Clouds: The (Mostly) True Story of the First International Flight by Balloon in 1785
The Greek muse, Polyhmnia, invites readers into a story of the gods of Olympus focusing on the flawed hero, Apollo. Dramatic sequential art and rich language are used in this retelling of Apollo’s successes and failures. Back matter completes this attractive and compelling addition to the series.