Books published by publisher August House, 2008

Former teachers Richard and Judy Dockrey Young bring their frightening performances alive in this recording with 14 ghost stories from the American Southeast: "There's No Such Thing as Ghosts", "The Bell Witch", "The Brown Mountain Light", "They Dance in the Moon", "The Bowl of Blood", "Blackbeard's Light", "Spin! Spin! Reel Off, Skin!", "The Cascos del Diablo", "Black Dog of the Blue Ridge", "The Ghost of Alice", "The Ghost of Fiddler's Rock", "I Shall but Love Thee Better", "The Secret of the Lilac", and "The White Dress." For Ages 8 and Up

One of America's most beloved storytellers tells of spirits that have nurtured her in these four tales: "The Accidental Angel", "Wilbur Martin: God's Maintenance Man", "The Water Lilies", and "Angels in Disguise". Jackie Torrence, a frequent headliner at the National Storytelling Festival, is known to audiences nationwide as The Story Lady. She has performed at the Kennedy Center, Wolftrap, the International Children's Festival, and Lincoln Center. For Adults and Young Adults

A timeless trickster tale from Africa about silly spider, Anansì.This story provides another classic African folktale about the trickster spider Anansí. First off, it is a custom that whenever a guest arrives at mealtime that the host share his or her food with the guest, whether the visitor is invited or shows up uninvited. In this folktale, Anansí learns that Turtle is coming over and that he must share his dinner with Turtle. Being the trickster that he is, Anansí figures out a way to trick Turtle so that he can keep all of the food for himself. Of course, when Turtle realizes what Anansí has done, he is determined to teach Anansí a lesson. While author, Bobby Norfolk was visiting the town of Kumasi in Ghana in the summer of 1993, a woman told him, "At four-thirty every afternoon, we try to gather together and have Anansi time." Norfolk attended the afternoon break and heard elders tell stories of Anansi, the tireless trickster of Ghanian tradition. Anansi appears in these stories in his most playful and creative guises. The Norfolks' adaptations brim with action, energy, and humor.

From Story Cove's extensive collection, this Australian tale will teach readers the importance of teamwork.Why Koala Has a Stumpy Tail is an Australian folktale about two friends, Tree Kangaroo and Koala. Long ago they were very close, but their friendship soured after the events that transpired during a long drought in Australia. Tree Kangaroo was a hard worker and resourceful while Koala was lazy and selfish. Tree Kangaroo had the idea of digging a hole for water in a dry stream bed. Tree Kangaroo started to dig, but Koala kept making excuses about why he couldn't help dig the hole. Finally, Tree Kangaroo ends up digging the entire hole and when he finally finds water, Koala jumps in a drinks all of it. Emblazoned with anger at Koala's selfish acts, Tree Kangaroo grabs Koala by his long, furry tail and pulls so hard that it breaks off at the base. Now Koala is left with a short, stumpy tail. The Australian folktale is complete with an appendix of fun facts. August House Publishers offers an animated version of Why Koala Has a Stumpy Tail as well as free lesson plans!

A beautifully illustrated tale that encourages gentleness and kindness. Walking along a winding road, a man finds himself swept into a magical world where a contest of strength between the sun and the wind takes place. The sun and the wind compete to see who can remove the man's coat. The howling wind boasts and bullies, but the shivering man tightly clutches his coat. With warmth and light and a bit of gentle persuasion, the sun encourages the man to remove his own coat! This timeless tale from the fables of Aesop offers a poignant portrait of the power of gentleness. With a storyteller's sense of the spoken word, Heather Forest's dynamic retelling captures the essence and cadence of boasts and wagers. Susan Gaber's dramatic illustrations imagine a dream-like universe filled with vivid moments of destruction, unexpected beauty, and transformation. This Aesop fable emphasizes the strength of gentleness and kindness. Readers will learn the importance of resourcefulness, respect, and courage.

"A book that will serve its purpose well, especially if used in conjunction with other spooky story collections." -School Library JournalEverybody loves a scary story and nobody more than kids, but these tales―collected from kids themselves - are particular favorites. These traditional scary stories are the ones that kids ask for the most. Children love to hear how Wylie outwitted the terrible Hairy Man, how Skunnee Wundee and an unexpected friend got the best of the fierce Stone Giant. Shivery stories of vengeful ghosts, spooky stories of witches and spirits, and giggly stories that turn fear into fun are part of this collection. Symbols precede each story to indicate the most appropriate age group. The stories in this multicultural collection come from the Ozark Mountains, the desert Southwest, even Japan and Hawaii, as well Native American tribal stories, Yiddish tales, and even Laotian legends.

Emmy Award-winning storyteller Bobby Norfolk brings his electrifying energy to world folktales (from the African, Eastern European, Appalachian, and Irish traditions) to the delight of all ages. From Anansi, the African trickster, to Jack, the bumbling, lucky, persevering Everyman of traditional stories, Norfolk's characters instruct while they entertain.

Some folk stories endure generation after generation because, although they are not literal, they resound in truths on a human scale. Folktales remind us of wisdom so elemental it is often lost in the rush of everyday life, so that "sometimes common sense makes no sense at all." The six wonder tales on this audiobook are gems of the genre. They have a "long ago and far away" quality. The listener is invited to suspend the logic of ordinary reality and leap into an imaginative world where impossible events can occur. A two-time Parents' Choice Gold Award winner, Heather Forest is known nationally for her minstrel-style storytelling which interweaves prose, poetry, and original vocal and instrumental music. The stories she performs in this audio collection are selected from her book Wonder Tales from Around the World. For Ages Eight to Adult.

In this Middle Eastern folktale, three brothers must come together to save a sick princess. The Magic Apple is a timeless folktale from the Middle East that is wonderfully told by Rob Cleveland. The story tells the story of three brothers who embark on separate journeys to fulfill their father's dying wish for them to find happiness and riches. While on their separate journeys, the brothers travel to distant lands and find curious treasures. After one year, the three brothers return to share their discoveries with one another. After meeting, they find out that a princess needs their help so they set out to rescue her and they use what they found to save the princess's life. This Jewish folktale from the middle east will teach readers the importance caring, courage and fairness.

Did you ever look carefully at a spider's webs? Did you ever wonder what causes thunder and lighting? Why do dogs chase cats? Why does it look like there's a man in the moon? In this delightful recording of tales from around the world, each story explains why an animal, plant, or natural object looks or acts the way it does. Four of these stories are told by Martha Hamilton and Mitch Weiss, authors of the companion book, How and Why Stories: World Tales Kids Can Read and Tell. Because the authors wish to inspire children to tell stories, the remainder are told by eight guest kid tellers. So listen to these stories, retell them, and then make up your own "how" and "why" stories.