Once There Was a Story: Tales from Around the World, Perfect for Sharing

Writing in a warm, welcoming voice peppered with humor, Yolen retells more than 30 myths, fairy tales, and fables. “Long, long ago, in far-off Africa, a great lion dozed in the sun,” begins “The Lion and the Mouse.” “Yes, he was proud, but all lions are proud.... He was strong, but all lions are strong. And he snored.” Fables such as this sit alongside stories from the Brothers Grimm and tales from across the globe, such as “How Anansi Spider Got All His Stories” and “Plip, Plop,” a Tibetan tale about not always believing what one hears. Yolen includes two original stories, and concludes each entry with a rhyming moral. Dyer’s dainty gouache-and-pencil spot illustrations bring additional liveliness to each tale in a collection that’s ideal for bedtime or story time. Ages 4–8. Agent: Elizabeth Harding, Curtis Brown. (Nov.)