Books with author August House

Remember the Monster Stick? The greatest and most dangerous fishing-rod ever? What about Buck, who simply "ain't no ordinary dog"? Anyone who has seen the Lepp boys perform or read their book The Monster Stick will never forget them. In this recording, we revisit West Virginia with Bil Lepp as he tells some of the stories that made his brother, Paul, and himself repeat winners of the West Virginia State Liars Contest. In an age when "tall tales" are thought of as an ancient art form, these stories are right up to date. And Bil tells them with such deadpan sincerity that you just can't help but believe in things that aren't physically possible.

In this Choctaw variant of Aesop's fable "The Tortoise and the Hare", storyteller Tim Tingle reveals some unexpected twists and expands the cast to include a wild turkey, a colony of ants, and a cheering squad of Little Bitty Turtles.When Rabbit boastfully challenges Turtle to a race, he gets his comeuppance...and Turtle gets a little assist from his winged friend, Turkey. In the process, we learn why Turtle's shell is cracked and why you never see Rabbit racing Turtle today.Illustrator Stacey Schuett's bold and vibrant illustrations capture not only the grasslands of the High Plains but also the demeanor of its animal inhabitants and the humor of the tale.

In folktales, the trickster can be the wise one or the fool, the one who fools or the one who is fooled. That is why children of all ages enjoy hearing these tales. The psychology of childhood is pretty much the same everywhere, giving these enjoyable stories universal appeal. In these four tales, told in Spanish and English, the trickster takes animal form: a monkey, an opossum, a dog, and a rabbit. Storyteller Olga Loya has selected these stories from her book, Momentos Magicos/Magic Moments, winner of the Aesop Accolade Award and the Americas Commendation. For Ages Seven to Adult

Nationally acclaimed storyteller J.J. Reneaux grew up Cajun for true, surrounded by the stories, music, food, and culture of rural communities in southeastern Texas and southern Louisiana. A traditional storyteller who collects by word-of-mouth, Reneaux has developed her repertoire over years of collecting: on front porches, school playgrounds, and her beloved fishing trips, as well as at nursing homes, airports, and at neighborhood fais-dodos."Like any good raconteur," she says, "I have told the tales as I heard them, but added personal touches, twists, and turns as the stories grew to be a natural part of my own life. For me, these tales are not museum pieces whose time was and is no more. They are alive and vigorous, brimming with joie de vivre, the zest for life that is the essence of Cajun culture.For Ages Five to Adult

Nationally acclaimed storyteller J.J. Reneaux grew up Cajun for true, surrounded by the stories, music, food, and culture of rural communities in southeast Texas and southern Louisiana. A traditional storyteller who collects by word-of-mouth, Reneaux has developed her repertoire over years of collecting on front porches, school playgrounds, and her beloved fishing trips, as well as at nursing homes, airports, and at neighborhood fais-dodos. "Like any good raconteur," she says, "I have told the tales as I heard them, but added personal touches, twists, and turns as the stories grew to be part of my own life. For me, these tales are not museum pieces whose time was and is no more. They are alive and vigorous, brimming with joie de vivre, the zest for life that is the essence of Cajun culture." For Ages Five to Adult.

Recognized as PLA/ALLS Best New Books for New Adult ReadersJim May writes the stories of his youth, growing up in the rural Midwest between the Truman and the JFK eras, where trading stories was as common as trading horses, and frequently required the same skills. Neighboring, as his mother called it, was part of the social fabric. These 18 poignant and humorous stories of life's joys and trials told with the freshness of youth, yet tempered with the wisdom of age evoke a simpler time in our nation's history without romanticizing the inherent hardships. These barnyard stories teach readers the importance of caring, citizenship and resourcefulness.

J.J. Reneaux uses her folksy charm and personal stories as bridges between traditional tales she relates with that spark of Cajun spice. This delightful collection of children's stories and songs of the South features 12 traditional tales and songs drawn from the diverse Southern heritage: Cajun, Creole, African-American, Scots-Irish, and native American. The authentic Southern storytelling is accentuated by a variety of music and instruments. Guitar, mandolin, fiddle, Cajun triangle, and spoon percussion provide that down-home musical feeling. For Ages Seven to Adult

In this story from India, a farmer's three lazy sons don't want to work. They sit around dreaming of making a lot of gold. When their mother tells them of gold buried in a field, they ask her how to bring the gold to the surface. Through clever suggestions, their mother explains how to thed the fields as they discover the true riches offered by hard work. Illustrated by Tom Wrenn.

Scary stories drawn from history and local legends.Scary stories: everybody loves to hear them, and everybody loves to tell them. They are popular for sharing in many settings―campouts, sleepovers, classroom or youth-group gatherings―as well as just plain fun to read. Selected especially for appeal to upper-elementary and middle-school students, each story has been crafted through multiple performances in school and library settings. Stories include traditional folktales, local legends, and original stories; some have historical settings and some are set in current times. All are sure to engage the most reluctant reader.According to authors Richard and Judy Dockrey Young, "Scary stories help children face fear and master it by portraying the elements of conflict in clear, good-versus-evil terms, with good triumphant in the end." This essential spooky collection includes: stories from traditional cultures, jump tales, urban legends, tips for telling the stories, thematic groupings for easy references and profiles for the contributing storytellers.

When you think of Aesop's Fables, you probably think of the Tortoise and the Hare, or the Country Mouse and the City Mouse. In this collection, Rob Cleveland brings you three of Aesop's lesser known, but equally powerful fables. You will learn why bats fly at night, why you should pick your friends carefully, and why even a tiny ant could be your guardian angel. Each Pack contains: 7 copies of Aesop's Bear, Bat and the Dove; differentiated lesson plans for 4 grades, CD with read-along audio tracks, animated version of the story, and downloadable lesson plans.