Books with title The Little Red Bird

The Little White Bird is a novel by J. M. Barrie, published in 1902, ranging in tone from fantasy and whimsy to social comedy with dark, aggressive undertones. The book attained prominence and longevity due to several chapters written in a softer tone than the rest of the book, in which it introduced the character and mythology of Peter Pan. Those chapters were later published separately as Peter Pan in Kensington Gardens as a children's book.The Peter Pan story began as one chapter of a longer work and during the four years that Barrie worked on the book prior to publication, grew to an "elaborate book-within-a-book" of over one hundred pages.

Little Red Hen is a time-tested cautionary tale about how we reap what we sow. When the hen asks a cat, dog, and mouse for help planting some wheat, she gets no takers: "‘Not I!’ said the cat. ‘Not I!’ said the dog. ‘Not I!’ said the mouse." They won’t water, cut, or grind the wheat . . . or help bake a cake with it, either. So guess who eats the cake by herself in the end? The Caldecott Honor artist Paul Galdone’s delightfully detailed ink and wash illustrations—packed with charming details—add plenty of sly humor to the well-loved story that not only offers a sage message but also shows children what it takes to make a cake from the ground up!

Where did Peter Pan come from? There is a very general conception that he stepped from Mr. Barrie's day-dreams straight upon the boards. But those who remember that delicate piece of sentiment, "The Little White Bird, or Adventures in Kensington Gardens" will find him already grown to his eternal youth there. In the story that the lonely old bachelor tells the boy David, Peter Pan is the same lad, whose "age is a week" and who "escaped from being human when he was seven days old; he escaped by the window and flew back to the Kensington Gardens," where, like all children, he had been a bird before he was born; and he lives in Kensington Gardens, which is the Never Never Land of "The Little White Bird."

The story of the industrious Little Red Hen is not a new one, but when this particular hen spies a can of tomato sauce in her cupboard and decides to make a pizza, the familiar tale takes on a fresh new twist. Kids will love following along as the hen, with no help from her friends the duck, the dog, and the cat, goes through the steps of making a pizza-shopping for supplies, making the dough, and adding the toppings. But despite their initial resistance, the hen's friends come through in the end and help out in a refreshing and surprising way.

When I was a child, my Grandma Faith told me stories about a clever little red fox. I loved hearing them, snuggling under the covers all warm and cozy. I have tried to remember and put down on paper some of those tales. However, I must admit that over the years I’ve forgotten many of the details and I’ve had to use my own imagination to fill in the gaps. I’ve told my own children “Little Red Fox” stories and they also love them. Although they are not identical to my grandmother’s version, the characters, the themes, and the settings are as close as I can manage. These stories are an attempt to capture the spirit of her “Little Red Fox” stories. I hope that you enjoy them.