"One of the books every boy should have on his bookshelf." -- San Francisco ExaminerNo outlaw could draw as fast as Lightning Larry. But what really terrified those bad men was that peculiar gun of his. It didn't shoot bullets. It shot light. And Larry always aimed for the heart.Can Larry save the town of Brimstone from Evil-Eye McNeevil's outlaw gang? Find out in this rip-roaring original tale of a gunfighter with a huge smile and a hankering for ...

The storyteller stands beside the fire, swaying, dancing, miming, singing, reciting. With one hand he shakes a gourd rattle, with the other he swings a conga -- a flyswatter made with a buffalo tail on a wooden handle. Anklet bells tinkle as he moves. Three young men beat a wooden drum with sticks.Listening to him is a crowd of men, women, and children. They sing along at a song's refrain, they repeat whole lines of the story when he pauses to see if they're paying attention. They ...

Timothy Tolliver and his friend Arnie Rosenberg have a problem -- a gang of older bullies called the Stinks. But besides being a fourth-grader, Timothy is also a world-class inventor. He and Arnie get the bright idea of defending themselves with Timothy's science-project robot.When their first try fails, Timothy finds a way to update the mystical formulas that gave life to the Jewish clay monster, the Golem. The robot comes alive, and it looks like their worries are over -- till th...

Writing books for children is both art and business. If you dream of becoming a children's author -- or even if you're well on your way -- this handbook can help you in writing sellable stories, getting them published, and promoting your books.Topics include common myths about children's writing, children's book categories, elements of successful stories, manuscript format, submission strategies, contract negotiation, the publishing process, career building, and children's writer r...

The lights dim, and a weighty silence falls upon the audience. From all over Europe and America, these fifteen hundred men and women have come to spend many days in this small German town and many hours in this theater. Some are merely curious. Some are there because it's the fashion. But many have come out of devotion to the musical dramas of a composer they revere, almost worship -- a composer who himself designed and built the theater they sit in. To them, this theater is a temple, and ...

"There sure are a lot of weasels."Everywhere Skeeter looks, he sees weasels -- on the street, in his office, in the park. They sneak, and they slink, and they all wear gray trench coats and purple sunglasses. The problem is, no one else sees them!All that changes when Skeeter meets Special Agent Ratilda from Rodential, the rodent mutual aid society. Together, they set off to track down the weasels and put an end to their nefarious doings.Will Skeete...

Taking from the rich and giving to the poor, Robin Hood and loyal followers fight for the oppressed against the evil Sheriff of Nottingham. Written in graphic-novel format.

Traditional tales are retold by a master storyteller in this collection of folktales, myths, and legends from India and Pakistan. The stories are:THE GIFTS OF THE GRASSCUTTERWali Dad, a humble grasscutter, never asked for wealth -- so why can't he give it away?THE PRINCESS AND THE GODThe princess Savitri must use all her wit and will to save her husband from the god of death.THE MILLIONAIRE MISERSushil is so stingy, even a god takes notice.

A young, blind bard counts himself lucky when invited to live with the monks at a prominent Buddhist temple -- and more lucky still when asked to perform his epic verses at the court of a high-ranking lord. But why is his noble audience so violently moved by his tales of long-dead heroes?For ages 10 and up. Not illustrated!/////////////////////////////////////////////////Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of "The Baker's Dozen," "The Sea King's Daughter," "La...

****A "CENTRAL TEXT" IN NEW YORK STATE'S COMMON CORE CURRICULUM****Want to try reader's theater but don't know where to start? Or have you tried it but want to find ways to bring it more to life? Or are you just looking for a fun, easy way to lure young people into reading fluency, cooperative effort, effective communication, and love of literature?"Readers on Stage" is a collection of resources for scripting, directing, and teaching reader's theater, primarily to ages 8 an...

If you think Superman or Spiderman has been around a long time, think about Monkey. He has been China's favorite superhero for at least five centuries. He's amazingly strong, he can fly, and he has a few tricks those other superheroes never heard of. And he's always ready to do battle with demons, dragons -- sometimes even the gods.Monkey stars in The Journey to the West, an epic comic fantasy from the sixteenth century. The part retold here is about Monkey's origin and early caree...

Beauty and intelligence were the princess Savitri's, and eyes that shone like the sun. So splendid was she that people thought her a goddess. When at last she found a man worthy to wed her, no one could sway her from her heart's path -- not even the god of death.This lovely retelling, now in a 30th Anniversary Edition, presents a classic tale of devotion, courage, wit, and will from India's national epic, the Mahabharata. (Original picture book title: "Savitri: A Tale of Ancient In...