Books with author Heather Forest

A greedy baker learns a lesson about cutting corners.The baker, Van Amsterdam is known in Colonial America for baking his St. Nicholas cookies; however, his greed drives him to become stingy in his business, selling people short of quality cookies. Until one day, when a strange, old woman buys a dozen cookies from him. She expects to receive 13, but the baker withholds the last one. Unbeknownst to the baker, the woman curses the baker, and his business goes downhill. The woman returns for another dozen cookies, but this time he gives her an extra measure. This is the story behind a "baker's dozen," and the custom of offering 13 items instead of the usual 12, spreads throughout the colonies. The baker learns that his customers respect him more for his kindness, not his wealth. This holiday story is the perfect companion to a day of cookie making and Christmas lessons about giving and humbleness. In addition, readers will learn the importance of fairness, trustworthiness and selflessness.

Aesop was a storyteller and slave who lived 2,500 years ago in ancient Greece. Because of his humble position in society, Aesop could not speak his thoughts openly. So he told fables, stories in which animals speak and act like people. Aesop could not speak out, but in his fables the animals could talk and comment on human society without rebuke. To this day, Aesop's fables are retold by storytellers the world over.

Two hungry travelers arrive at a village expecting to find a household that will share a bit of food, as has been the custom along their journey. To their surprise, villager after villager refuses to share, each one closing the door with a bang. As they sit to rest beside a well, one of the travelers observes that if the townspeople have no food to share, they must be in greater need than we are.

"While depicting a strong, resourceful heroine, Forest's graceful retelling perfectly captures the story's fairy-tale flavor." -Publisher's WeeklyAccording to this Scottish folktale, long ago sweet-toothed fairies flew into people's homes and feasted on leftover cake crumbs. But the King of the Fairies was annoyed that crumbs never remained from the very best cakes baked by the talented baker woman so he orders the fairies to capture her and bring her down to the Fairy Kingdom. The resourceful woman requests items from her kitchen at home, where her bewildered husband looks on as utensils and ingredients float out of the window, borne by invisible fairies. Eventually she strikes a clever bargain with the impatient Fairy King to win her freedom and return home in return for sharing her tasty cakes.Award-winning author, Heather Forest teaches young readers about resourcefulness, patience and the importance of family in this whimsical tale, illustrated by Susan Gaber. One reviewer praises, "The story is quite clever and highlights what lengths a parent will go to keep family together, but also be kind to others.