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.

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.

Traditional stories from the oral tradition, endure generation after generation because although they are not literal they resound in timeless truths on a human scale. These 27 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." Wonder Tales also marks the second installment from award-winning author Heather Forests's trilogy: Tales from Around the World series."

Winner of Parents' Choice Award & Bank Street College: Best Children's Books of the Year 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." With that, the travelers demonstrate their special recipe for a magical soup, using a stone as a starter. All they need is a carrot, which a young girl volunteers. Not to be outdone, another villager contributes a potato, and the soup grows as others bring corn, celery, and other vegetables and seasonings. In this cumulative retelling of an ancient and widely circulated legend, author Heather Forest shows us that when each person makes a small contribution, "the collective impact can be huge." Susan Gaber's paintings portray the optimism and timelessness of a story that celebrates teamwork and generosity. This story about community teaches readers the importance of sharing, generosity and vegetables August House Publishers offer an animated version of Stone Soup as well as free lesson plans

Containing simple truths, common sense, and the promise that people can benefit from past generations' experience, this book is a collection of 50 metaphorical folk tales and parables selected with a global perspective and retold by a professional storyteller. Includes traditional stories reflecting the cumulative wisdom of Sufi, Zen, Taoist, Buddhist, Jewish, Christian, African, and Native American cultures.