Books in Myths from Around the World series

Secret serpents, devilish demons, mysterious magicians ? the folk tales of Iraq teem with otherworldly creatures, magic and earthy humour. Award-winning novelist Elizabeth Laird has gathered together the very best Iraqi stories during her time in the Middle East ? stories ranging from thieving porcupines who get their come-uppance to the hilarious tale of the chaos caused by a handsome stranger who knocks at a house inside which lurks a marriageable daughter. Meticulously researched and elegantly retold, the stories reveal the true, traditional heart of Iraq, far removed from today's news headlines.

This book is PENpal enabled and you can download the audio file in French and English free from our FreeLINK software at www.mantralingua.com/uk For twelve years, Grendel, a ferocious and bloodthirsty creature, terrorises King Hrothgar's people, killing and devouring their bravest warriors. That is until one day when Beowulf, the strongest and mightiest of the Geat warriors, arrives on the Danish shores determined to defeat Grendel. When Beowulf slaughters the vicious creature, the kingdom rejoices but the celebrations do not last long. In all the excitement, the people of Hrothgar have forgotten about Grendel's keenest ally... This gripping dual language adaptation of the Anglo-Saxon epic makes the legend of Beowulf accessible to readers of all ages and offers a thrilling insight to the Anglo-Saxon history. Brought to life through Alan Down's powerful illustrations, Beowulf's exploits also invite discussion of heroism, myths, and legends.

Why do snakes eat frogs? What makes a man-eating ghoul become a vegetarian? How can a woman make a bored prince smile? And what’s a king to do when a princess refuses to marry him? The answers are found in this engaging compilation of Palestinian folk tales, cleverly retold by Sonia Nimr. The charismatic women, genial tricksters, mischievous animals, and other colorful characters who appear in the stories are imbued with a wry sense of humor, delighting readers young and old alike. Hannah Shaw’s deft illustrations are the perfect complement to Nimr’s upbeat storytelling.

Wherever we live there is always somewhere we call home. We may share it with our family or sometimes with a whole community. This book looks at the homes of children from all around the world. There are photographs from countries in Africa, Asia, South America and Europe. Published in association with Oxfam this series aims to draw parallels between children from many different cultures.