Books published by publisher David R. Godine Publisher 2013

WILHELM HAUFF was a story-teller in the great European mythic tradition. His short stories, peopled with a vivid assortment of dwarves, evil witches, enchanted swans, and devious princes, owe a clear debt to the Brothers Grimm. But rather than rehashing old tales, Hauff created a realm far more exotic than the Grimm's Black Forest, a place where the morals are less than clear-cut and where characters must rely on wits as much as magic spells to solve their predicaments. One collection (probably his best known volume), Little Mook, provides the two tales for our new Pocket Paragon: "The History of Little Mook" and "Longnose the Dwarf." "Little Mook" features a gnomish, innocent orphan whose parents never thought he would amount to much and refused him even the most basic education. Friendless and alone, the naive Little Mook is stripped of his inheritance, cast out into a hostile world. Blessed with an enterprising nature and outfitted with a pair of magic slippers, he still manages to outwit a cabal of treacherous courtiers and make his fortune. "Longnose the Dwarf" stars a clever little boy enslaved by a cruel witch's curse. Freed from servitude but transformed into a hideous dwarf with a huge proboscis, he returns to parents who no longer recognize him. Luckily his culinary skills put him in good standing with the local Duke, and his good nature and generous heart restore him (with a little help from some magic herbs and an enchanted goose) to his family. Both stories are decorated with the glowing, gemlike tempera paintings of Boris Pak, a Russian artist whose ornate, whimsical style perfectly captures the romance and humor of these two extraordinary fables. His paintings, smuggledout of Communist Russia, are the first of his works to be published in the U.S. and they're reproduced here in glorious color.

One of the Ten Best Books of the Year, The New York Times Brewster is excited about starting first grade . . . until Mama announces that he'll be attending Central, a school in the white part of town. Mama says they have art and music and a library bursting with books, but Brewster isn't so sure he'll fit in. Being black at a white school isn't easy, and Brewster winds up spending his first day in detention at the library. But there he meets a very special person: Miss O'Grady. The librarian sees into Brewster's heart and gives him not only the gift of books but also the ability to believe in himself. This powerful story of desegregation in the 1970s introduces readers to the brave young heroes who helped to build a new world.

An alphabet book that celebrates the birth of the United States of America. Wendell Minor’s bright illustrations and expressive prose introduce young readers to the rich history behind the colonies and Revolutionary Era.A is for “Acts,” the British tax that incited unrest amongst American patriots. Z is for “Zane,” the daughter of Patriot Colonel Zane, Elizabeth, who saves the day by delivering more gunpowder for the deprived troops at Fort Henry. In between, Paul Revere, Mohawk Chief Joseph Brant, the Boston Tea Party, and the Liberty Bell, and many more people, places, and events of the young America grace these pages. A chronological timeline at the end puts all the events in order.

Thrashin’ Time takes us back to autumn days in North Dakota in 1912, when farmers worked the land with sturdy draft horses and a new-fangled machine called the steam traction engine. The story opens with young Peter’s first look at the engine― blue boiler and red wheels, puffing smoke and hissing steam, gears spinning and rods stroking back and forth― and old Mr. Torgrimson’s wise prediction: “You know, Peter, you’re witnessing the beginning of real scientific farming.”