Paul O. Zelinsky

A strange little man helps the miller's daughter spin straw into gold for the king on the condition that she will give him her first-born child.

A retelling of a folktale in which a beautiful girl with long golden hair is kept imprisoned in a lonely tower by a sorceress. Includes a note on the origins of the story.

In 1912 New York, Gertie feels left out while Mama and her four older sisters cook Hanukkah dinner, but Papa comes home and asks her help with an important task.

Moose, terribly eager to play his part in the alphabet book his friend Zebra is putting together, then awfully disappointed when his letter passes, behaves rather badly until Zebra finds a spot for him.

On Isaac's street most of the houses are decorated in red and green for Christmas including his friend, Teresa's, while Isaac's house is blue and white for Hanukkah; then someone smashes Isaac's window in the night, and Teresa comes up with a way to show support her friend--and gets the whole community to rally around their Jewish family.

Four English children find a wonderful world of magic through an enchanted wishing ring.

Six stories relate further adventures of three best friends, who happen to be toys, as they encounter a fearsome (possible) shark, enjoy a dance party, and deal with rejection by The Girl, who is growing up.

Rapunzel is a girl with the very long, golden hair; A pair of elves secretly create an amazing pair of shoes for a poor but kindly shoemaker; When a young girl befriends a mysterious elderly woman, magical things begin to happen; Follow the adventures of billy goats named Gruff as they bravely hunt for fresh green grass to eat; Lon Po Po brings lessons about strangers, trust and courage; A king falls in love with a princess after she hides her identity...