On seeing her portrait, a servant girl modelling for an artist in 17th century Holland realizes she is ugly. But the portrait opens her eyes to the world of art, she becomes a painter and is transformed by her work so that when a prince charming appears she is no longer ugly.

Follows Hansel and Gretel as they walk out of their own story and into eight more tales, encountering such wicked creatures as witches, along with kindly strangers and other helpful folk. Based in part on the Grimms' fairy tales Faithful Johannes, Hansel and Gretel, The seven ravens, Brother and sister, The robber bridegroom, and The devil and his three golden hairs.

A boy and a talking horse share an adventurous and dangerous journey to Narnia to warn of invading barbarians.

Planning a school or amateur Shakespeare production? The best way to experience the plays is to perform them, but getting started can be a challenge: The complete plays are too long and complex, while scene selections or simplified language are too limited. "The 30-Minute Shakespeare" is a new series of abridgements that tell the "story" of each play from start to finish while keeping the beauty of Shakespeare's language intact. Specific stage directions...

A collection of variations on the familiar story of a boastful miller and the daughter he claims can spin straw into gold.

Presents the familiar nursery rhyme in its original form followed by a 43-word prose version. Includes advice to adults about reading the book with children.

When evil comes to Narnia, Jill and Eustace help fight the great last battle and Asian leads his people to a glorious new paradise.

The curse is finally broken, but Prince Rhen of Emberfall faces darker troubles still. Rumors circulate that he is not the true heir and that forbidden magic has been unleashed in Emberfall. Loyalties are tested and new love blooms in a kingdom on the brink of war.

Drought, plague, and war have left the isle of the Mighty battered, and its beloved liege Arthur gravely wounded--until a remarkable relic, the Holy Grail, miraculously heals the ailing King. But when evil in the guise of a beautiful maiden steals the sacred Grail, Arthur faces the greatest challenge of his sovereignty: a quest of recovery that leads him through realms of magic and the undead toward a grim confrontation with his most foul nemesis....

A little girl enlists the help of a robber and a reindeer to save her best friend from an evil Snow Queen who steals little boys and freezes them.