New Releases by JANE YOLEN

"A funny space adventure that spoofs Star Wars while providing an easy-to-read story." —Booklist Brave Commander Toad and the crew of the spaceship Star Warts have a mission: they must go where no spaceship has gone before and bring a little bit of earth out to the alien stars. But when they try to land their sky skimmer on the planet made of water, a terrible sound rises from the waves. Deep Wader is not pleased at being disturbed. "This planet belongs to me," he roars. It looks as though the crew of the Star Warts might become the monster''s lunch. Fans of DK Readers: LEGO Star Wars, Tom Angleberger''s Origami Yoda, and silliness will toad-ally love Commander Toad!

Jakkin, a bond boy who works as a Keeper in a dragon nursery on the planet Austar IV, secretly trains a fighting pit dragon of his own in hopes of winning his freedom.

A richly expanded edition of the classic call-to-arms. Yolen argues perceptively that fantasy, folklore, and the realm of story provide our children with a "star map for our future". Six new essays tender fresh perspectives on the morality of fairy tales, time travel, the definition of story and, of course, why such themes are essential to the development of today''s children.

A mermaid who cannot speak is banished from her undersea home and sent to live on land as a human where she is found by a 12-year-old girl with a hearing impairment.

A prince who has tired of his life at court aspires to lead the simple life, but finds it much harder than he imagined.

Relates how an old man teaches the emperor''s blind daughter to see.