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Fantastic Fantasies

Preschool

1. Toot & Puddle by Holly Hobbie. Little Brown & Co, 1997. $12.95. (Hardcover)ISBN: 0316365521
        A warm, wonderful story about two friends, Toot and Puddle. Puddle never wants to leave home and finds fun in his own backyard. Toot takes off around the world to satisfy his need for adventure. They enjoy and celebrate each other for who they are.
2. Little Bear by Else Minarik. Illustrated by Maurice Sendak. HarperTrophy, 1957. $3.95 (Paperback) ISBN: 0064440044
        Mother bear always seems to know just what little bear needs. In this classic group of stories, mother bear helps her little bear explore his world with love and caring.
3. A Fairy Went A Marketing by Rose Fyleman. Illustrated by Jamichael Henterly. Puffin, 1986. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0140547517
        This beautifully illustrated gentle rhyme tells the tale of a fairy who eventually sets free the little animals she buys at market. She reveals her love of nature and the wild animals found there.
4. Julius by Angela Johnson. Illustrated by Dav Pilkey. Orchard Books, 1993. $6.95 (Paperback) ISBN: 0531071022
        Everyone should have a Julius to share life’s fun and lessons with. Dancing to jazz music, eating peanut butter, scaring away scary things, learning to be polite are just a few of the things Maya and Julius shared. Their friendship might have its ups and downs, but it’s for real.
5. Papa, Please Get the Moon for Me by Eric Carle. Little Simon, 1986. $9.99 (Boardbook) ISBN: 0689829590
        How does a papa get the moon for his daughter to play with? Watching how this problem is solved, stretches this sweet story’s pages out and up. But the moon after all belongs up in the sky.
6. Green Wilma by Tedd Arnold. Puffin, 1993. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0140563628
        What would your day be like if you woke up green and had a yearning to eat flies? Wilma has quite a day. Hilarious and brightly illustrated, is this someone’s bad dream?
7. Animals Should Definitely Not Wear Clothing by Judi Barrett. Illustrated by Ron Barrett. Aladdin Paperbacks, 1989. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0689708076
        What would animals look like if they dressed like us? Read this book and find out the funny results.

1. Aliens for Breakfast by Stephanie Spinner and Jonathan Etra. Illustrated by Steve Bjorkman. Random House (Merchandising), 1988. $3.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0394820932
        Aliens are threatening the world and there’s only one way to stop them. So Richard learns when his breakfast cereal starts to talk and out pops Aric, a creature from outer space. Follow this hilarious tale and see if Aric and Richard can stop the aliens before its too late.
2. Aunt Isabel Tells a Good One by Kate Duke. Penguin, 1992. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0140505342
        Penelope wants a bedtime story and her aunt weaves a wonderful fairy tale about a magical kingdom and a heroine who saves the day. With a fast action plot, this strong and clever heroine who saves the prince is named Penelope, of course.
3. Chato’s Kitchen by Gary Soto. Illustrated by Susan Guevara. Paper Star, 1995. $5.95 (Paperback) ISBN: 0698116003
        Thinking he is the smartest cat in all of L.A., Chato invites his new mouse neighbors over for dinner. Looking forward to his tasty treat, Chato and his friend are more than surprised when their main course shows up with a friend from the old neighborhood, Chorizo the dog. Great illustrations and a lively text, make this traditional tale most enjoyable.
4. Fox on Wheels by Edward Marshall. Illustrated by James Marshall. Puffin, 1983. $3.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0140365419
        In this beginning chapter book, Fox finds himself babysitting his little sister Louise. Ignoring her at first, he finds himself in a dilemma when she falls. Suddenly she needs all his attention, that is until her friends show up.
5. The Great Ball Game : A Muskogee Story by Joseph Bruchac. Illustrated by Susan L. Roth. Dial Books for Young Readers, 1994. $15.99 (Hardcover) ISBN: 0803715390
        Why do birds fly south for the summer? And why is a bat not a bird, even though it has wings? Learn from this traditional Muskogee story told with great charm and humor.
6. Miss Nelson Has a Field Day by Harry Allard. Illustrated by James Marshall. Houghton Mifflin Co (Juv), 1985. $5.95 (Paperback) ISBN: 0395486548
        Viola Swamp is back and just in time to shape up the ever losing school football team before the big Thanksgiving game. No one can make the players work harder than Coach Swamp.
7. The Secret Shortcut by Mark Teague. Scholastic Trade, 1996. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0439110912
        Space creatures, pirates, plagues of frogs, Wendell and Floyd run into all kinds of obstacles in getting to school on time. Nobody seems to understand all the trouble they have. Faced with one last chance, they decide to take a shortcut. Getting to school never had so many pitfalls. Great illustrations accompany this imaginative story.

1. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling. Illustrated by Mary Grandpre. Arthur a Levine, 1997. $5.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 059035342X
        In this first book of the Harry Potter series, we find Harry growing up in a most disagreeable family of humans. Harry knows he’s different, but how different he can’t even imagine. Life takes an unexpected turn when Harry receives a letter from Hogwarts, a school for wizards, inviting him to enroll. In a tale full of imagination, fast action, humor and vivid imagery, Harry Potter invites us all into his magical world.
2. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J. K. Rowling. Arthur A. Levine Books, 1998. $17.95 (Hardcover) ISBN: 0439064864
        In this second book of the Harry Potter series, the magic continues, as Harry begins his second year at Hogwart School for Wizards. Ghosts, ghouls, and magicians abound as Harry tries to thwart an evil force threatening the school.
3. The Iron Ring by Lloyd Alexander. Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 1997. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0141303484
        Losing a bet, a young king in India must honor the pledge and depart on a journey. Obstacles and dangers abound, but aided by magical creatures, he overcomes adversities and in the process earns love, self knowledge, and honor.
4. The Battle for the Castle by Elizabeth Winthrop. Bantam Doubleday Dell Books for Young Readers, 1993. $5.50 (Paperback) ISBN: 044040942X
        For fourth grade readers and above, this sequel to Castle in the Attic finds William again journeying into the magic kingdom. He and his friend are greeted as heroes, and in short order they must put their skills to the test as foes again try to overrun the kingdom.
5. Searching for Dragons by Patricia C. Wrede. Scholastic, Inc, 1990. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0590457217
        King Mendanbar might be the ruler of the Enchanted Forest, but when danger presents itself he finds himself quickly needing the help of an very capable princess. They run into a host of characters including dragons, giants, magicians, witches and the ever present evil wizards.=

1. Dragonsinger by Anne McCaffrey. Bantam Books, 1977. $6.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0553258540
        In this richly detailed fantasy, a young girl finds herself being chosen and celebrated for her skill of music, a skill that she formerly had to hide. In this second book in the Harper Hall Trilogy, Menolly not only is brought to Harper Hall for her music, but brings her fire lizards with her. Dragons and their riders may be the protectors of this world, but fire lizards have their own magic.
2. Jackaroo by Cynthia Voigt. Scholastic Inc, 1985. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0590485954
        If the old tales are true, Jackaroo is a protector of the poor and downtrodden. When famine hits and the lords of the manor continue to tax unfairly, perhaps Jackaroo will ride again?
3. A Spell for Chameleon by Piers Anthony. Ballantine Books, 1977. $6.99 ISBN: 0345347536
        Everyone in the world of Xanth possesses some form of magic. In a tale full of spells and magical creatures, a good magician and a bad wizard, Bink must find magic or be expelled. His journey brings him adventure, adversity, honor and love, but will he discover his magic?
4. Sandry’s Book by Tamora Pierce. Scholastic Inc, 1997. $4.99 (Paperback) ISBN: 0590554085
        Four misfits are brought together to learn to use their magic for the good of others. Each youth has been injured in some way by life’s circumstances and must learn to trust themselves and each other. Pierce has woven a very satisfying tale of hope and friendship.
5. The Forgotten Beasts of Eld by Patricia A. McKillip. Harcourt Brace, 1974. $6.00 (Paperback) ISBN: 0152008691
        Sybel lives alone on a mountain top with only the company of the magical creatures she has the ability to call and talk to. Her isolation is broken with the arrival of a baby, her sister’s son. What future does this child bring in this magical fantasy?

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