Most Popular Books by Jane Yolen

The award-winning author How to Fracture a Fairy Tale revamps the Camelot legend with stories of King Arthur’s powerful mentor, the great magician Merlin. There is perhaps no more beloved and enduring myth in the Western canon than the story of King Arthur, his knights, Queen Guinevere, and of course, his mysterious tutor and magical advisor, Merlin. A sorcerer, sage, prophet, and teacher, Merlin’s mysterious life has inspired a vast array of classic works while giving rise to numerous conflicting legends. Here, award-winning author Jane Yolen, one of the most acclaimed fantasy writers of our time, retells Merlin’s tales as never before. Through a series of stories and poems ranging across centuries—from the days of Merlin’s childhood as a feral boy to the possible discovery of his bones in a much later era—Yolen reimagines both the glory and grimness of Camelot, recalling characters and events from Arthurian legend, while ingeniously inventing new myths and dark fables. Merlin’s Booke is a brilliant patchwork, made up of tales that explore the mysteries of King Arthur’s world and the terrible magic that pervaded it. This ebook features a personal history by Jane Yolen including rare images from the author’s personal collection, as well as a note from the author about the making of the book.

A collection of thirty songs about different occupations.

Explains how young dinosaurs should behave during a typical school day.

Sisters Serena and Meteora were proud members of the high court of the Fairy Queen-until they were cast out from court, stripped of their powers, and banished to the brutish mortal realm of Earth-where they discover a long-forgotten dark force that threatens both fairy and human worlds.

Sixteen-year-old harpist prodigy Moira is transported to a strange and mystical wilderness, where she finds herself in the middle of a deadly struggle between a magical fox and a monstrous troll.

In this spine-tingling book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, journey to colonial America and discover the enduring mystery of the missing Roanoke Colony. In 1587 John White was chosen by Sir Walter Raleigh to lead a new colony at Roanoke off the Atlantic coast. After bringing many men, women, and children to the new land, White went back to England to gather supplies for the long winter. But when he finally returned to the fort almost three years later, he found that all of the colonists had vanished. The only signs of life left were the letters CRO carved into a tree and the word CROATOAN carved into one of the fort’s posts. Did the Spanish army capture the colonists? Did the colonists get in a battle with the native people—or join them? Did they try to follow John White to England and get lost at sea? Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

A family saga in a fantasy kingdom run by women. It is centered on the queen''s adopted daughter, the one-armed warrior, Scillia, whose succession to the throne is threatened by her brother, manipulated by evil men.

When Mac first opens his classroom copy of Jane Yolen''s The Devil''s Arithmetic and finds some words blacked out, he thinks it must be a mistake. But then when he and his friends discover what the missing words are, he''s outraged. Someone in his schoo

In this spooky book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, tragedy strikes Salem, Massachusetts, in 1692 as the community is torn apart by accusations of witchcraft. When a group of girls came down with a horrible, mysterious bout of illness, they pointed the finger at people in their community they claimed were witches. Soon, the whole town was convinced they were in danger from supernatural forces. Today, we have details about the accusations, trials, and those who lost their lives, but the question remains: What caused the mass hysteria? Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

Offers morbidly-humorous, pun-filled, illustrated epitaphs for animals that poetically describe how they met their ends.

Young King Arthur, troubled by nightmares, doubts he is the rightful king of England. One rainy night, the wizard Merlin tells Arthur the story of dueling dragons and a fateful clash between good and evil, which reveals the surprising secret of the boy king''s true legacy. Li Ming''s arresting oil paintings breathe fire into this magical offering from Jane Yolen."The legend comes alive on a grand scale, the dramatic narrative and well-wrought dialogue heightening the theatrical effect and inviting a fast-paced read-aloud." -- School Library Journal

A warrior and her dark sister join forces to dismantle and remake their embattled world in this epic fantasy saga from a Nebula Award–winning author. One of fantasy fiction''s preeminent practitioners, Jane Yolen creates a world and mythology that are richly enthralling and vibrantly alive in this acclaimed trilogy. Sister Light, Sister Dark: Three-times orphaned and raised secretly by the acolytes of the goddess Alta, the child Jenna studies the ways of the warrior in preparation for the day that has been prophesied. For she may well be the goddess reborn who, with the aid of Skada—her mirror twin who can reveal herself only in darkness—is fated to bring devastation to the world. White Jenna: Grown to young womanhood, the warrior Jenna offers her allegiance to the rightful king of the Dales—and her heart to his brother, Carum—joining the fight against the malevolent usurper Kalas. But the powerful despot appears unstoppable, dedicated to the destruction of the worshippers of Alta, the society of women in which the orphaned Jenna was lovingly raised. The One-Armed Queen: Having fulfilled an ancient prophecy, the Queen of the Dales must now keep her faltering kingdom safe from a looming terror, and prepare her chosen successor—a one-armed orphan girl she discovered on the battlefield—for the grim responsibilities of rule. A sweeping adventure of destiny, peril, magic, and romance, The Great Alta Saga is a magnificent feat of storytelling that ingeniously blends world-building, myth, poetry, and song.

The Giants go camping in the second book about the huge-hearted family from the bestselling and beloved team Jane Yolen and Tomie dePaola in this series for Aladdin QUIX, a line of fun-to-read, short chapter books. Dazzle, Grizzle, Grub, Grab, and Dab share the fun and surprises of a camping trip to the mountains.

"A funny space adventure that spoofs Star Wars while providing an easy-to-read story." —Booklist The Star Warts is on a dangerous mission to an intergalactic spy convention, to find Agent 007½. Not only is he Space Fleet''s greatest spy and a master of disguise, but he is also Commander Toad''s cousin, Tip Toad. It''s essential that no other spy see Agent 007½ without his disguise. Will Commander Toad be able to recognize his cousin in time?. Fans of DK Readers: LEGO Star Wars, Tom Angleberger''s Origami Yoda, and silliness will toad-ally love Commander Toad!

How do dinosaurs learn to play?. They romp and stomp the friendly way!.

A powerful celebration of libraries from master storyteller Jane Yolen. Benjamin Franklin introduces his son Billy to the Leather Apron Club, where it''s love at first page. When Billy''s father Benjamin Franklin announces that Billy and his lazy cousin James will soon have a tutor, Billy is initially dismayed. But his tutor awakens him to the power of story and books, and when Billy accompanies his father to the Leather Apron Club (which Franklin started in 1727), he decides to do more with his education and life. Best-selling author Jane Yolen introduces readers to the Leather Apron Club. Not only was the Club the first successful lending library in the United States--it also exists to this day as the Library Company of Philadelphia! Careful readers will notice that the story cleverly incorporates famous sayings from Ben Franklin''s Poor Richard''s Almanack, underscoring the lasting impact of words.

Boisterous toddler board books join the phenomenally best-selling ''How Do Dinosaurs'' series! How do dinosaurs count to ten? Over and over and over again! This brand new board book format brings the gigantic humour of bestselling, award-winning team Jane Yolen and Mark Teague to the youngest readers, helping them learn to count from one to ten with a simple, rhyming text and laugh-out-loud illustrations! A perfect companion book to the How Do Dinosaurs... story books, and a great baby gift as well.

From the bestselling and beloved team Jane Yolen and Tomie dePaola come the adventures of a family of hilarious and huge-hearted Giants in this series for Aladdin QUIX, a line of fun-to-read, short chapter books. Meet Dazzle, Grizzle, Grub, Grab, and Dab, a family of giants who decide a farm would be the best place for them to live. Will this huge-hearted group be able call Fe-Fi-Fo Farm home sweet home?

"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!

When her adopted father is slain by a strange beast, Atalanta is determined to take care of herself.

Dinosaurs describe ways to enjoy cookies.

"A funny space adventure that spoofs Star Wars while providing an easy-to-read story." —Booklist It''s been a long trip, and Commander Toad and the crew of the Star Warts are bored. They''ve played all the games and watched all the movies and read all the books on the ship. Suddenly the alarm goes off--pirates are coming aboard, led by Commander Salamander, Scourge of the Skies and Goon of the Galaxies. Is the crew going to have to play his favorite game--Hop the Plank? Fans of DK Readers: LEGO Star Wars, Tom Angleberger''s Origami Yoda, and silliness will toad-ally love Commander Toad!

Lift-the-flap pages and colorful illustrations of dinosaurs help demonstrate the concept of opposites.

Warning: this book sucks! It bites, slurps, and sticks too. Dare to open these pages and you''ll find ticks, mosquitos, stingrays, elephants, jellyfish, and the particularly sucky lamprey. Sixteen slurpy poems from Jane Yolen and Heidi E.Y. Stemple introduce a suction-filled selection of animals, and spectacularly sticky illustrations from Eugenia Nobati spotlight these stupendous suckers. Ready to find out more? Prepare to get sucked in and read on . . .

Collects 100 tales from around the world, including Africa, Western Europe, Native American cultures, Asia, and the Middle East, that feature a heroine.

Who doesn''t like frogs? So they''re green and well, slimy. Frogs have charisma, charm, and even a few stories to tell. With the help of eight of today''s most fanciful writers, frogs finally have their day. From New York Times best-selling author Brian Jacques''s tale of a menacing frogbeast, to Janet Taylor Lisle''s story of the frog-people of Quicksand Pond, to Jane Yolen''s Pied Piper take on our froggy green friends, these hilarious fables and touching fairy tales are for every reader who has ever rooted for the underfrog. "Release #your# inner frog with this kickin'' collection." (Kirkus Reviews)

"A funny space adventure that spoofs Star Wars while providing an easy-to-read story." —Booklist Commander Toad and his crew on the Star Warts come across a black hole while leapfrogging across the galaxy. Something long, pink, and sticky grabs their spaceship and it isn''t space gum--it''s the tongue of an E. T. T - an Extra Terrestrial Toad! When all else fails, Commander Toad has to resort to a secret weapon from his past to save the ship from toad-al destruction. Fans of DK Readers: LEGO Star Wars, Tom Angleberger''s Origami Yoda, and silliness will toad-ally love Commander Toad!

Three children visiting relatives in Scotland become involved in the plans of a diabolical wizard.

The Giants have an unexpected guest in the third book about the huge-hearted family from the bestselling and beloved team Jane Yolen and Tomie dePaola in this series for Aladdin QUIX, a line of fun-to-read, short chapter books. Dazzle, Grizzle, Grub, Grab, and Dab are in for a giant surprise when their Grandma Draggle comes for a visit!

A lyrical kid-friendly telling of the famous Bible story of baby Moses in his basket being set on the River Nile by big sister Miriam, who continues to watch over him as he becomes the Prince of Egypt

"Aspen (the hostage prince) and Snail (the midwife''s apprentice) must gather an army to face the Unseelie forces that want to destroy Aspen''s home country"--

In this spooky book from the nonfiction An Unsolved Mystery from History picture book series, set off on the high seas to a ghost ship left completely abandoned and adrift on the waves. The Mary Celeste was discovered adrift on the open sea by another ship in 1872—with no sign of captain or crew. What happened? Did the crew mutiny? Were they attacked by pirates? Caught in a storm? No one ever found out. Inside this book are the clues that were left behind and the theories of what people think happened aboard that ship. Become a detective, study the clues, and see if you can help solve this chilling mystery from history!

Collecting together the critically acclaimed The Book of Ballads and Sagas series by the legendary fantasy artist Charles Vess. The award-winning compendium of English, Irish and Scottish fairy tales and folklore returns to print in a sumptuous new collection featuring stories written by multi-award winning author Neil Gaiman (‘Sandman’, ‘Coraline’, and ‘Stardust’), Eisner and Harvey Award-winning cartoonish Jeff Smith (‘Bone’), Aurora award-winning author Charles De Lint, New York Times Bestseller Sharyn McCrumb, Elaine Lee (‘Starstruck’) and acclaimed children’s writer Jane Yolen. This new collection also includes, for the first time since its original publication, back in 1995, Vess’ unfinished epic saga ‘Skade’, and includes an additional 10 pages of artwork that have never been seen before. “Each ballad is a little gem sparkling with restored vitality. It is all here: lust and humor, ghosts and demons, passion and terror, all the things that keep us up at night. What more could the fantasy reader desire?” – SciFi Dimensions “Here Vess reaches the peak of his art, standing proudly with the 19th and early 20th century illustrators who influence him.” – Publishers Weekly “A cloth of rare delight, rich with the perfume of the forest and its graces.” – James Gurney, author of Dinotopia

King Long Shanks is toadally majestic!

Old Testament stories center around men. Leaders, prophets, kings, and priests are all male. But hidden in the background are strong-willed, daring females. Jane Yolen and Barbara Diamond Goldin''s masterful retellings pairs eloquent profiles with stunning art, answering one question: What makes these women heroes? From first woman, Eve, to Deborah the judge, to Queen Esther, savior of her people, females in the Hebrew bible are resourceful and courageous. Each chapter is devoted to a single story with text complemented by sidebars, known in Jewish tradition as "midrashim," that pose questions, provide more information, and include nondenominational interpretations. "A much-needed, thoughtful updating of Bible stories about women" — Kirkus Reviews (STARRED REVIEW) "A solid source of study and reflection for libraries with religious patrons" — School Library Journal "Each chapter features a lovely full-page piece of artwork" — Booklist

A storybook retelling of the life of Moses is illustrated with scenes from the animated film.

When four-year-old Janie''s father goes off to war, the rest of the family moves to the grandparents'' on the Chesapeake Bay, where Janie learns a secret of the world which helps her understand her father''s long absence.

In the heat of midsummer 1942, deep in a forest in the heart of Poland, Briar Rose arrives at a castle that has fallen into the hands of an evil army.Ever since she was a child, Rebecca has been enchanted by her grandmother Gemma''s stories of Briar Rose. Becca would have sworn the stories were made up, but on her deathbed Gemma extracts from Becca a promise to fulfill three impossible requests: find the castle, find the prince, and find the spellmaker. Her vow sends Becca on a remarkable journey to uncover the truth of Gemma''s astonishing claim: I am Briar Rose.Jane Yolen''s graceful retelling of the Germand folktale Briar Rose--known to some as Sleeping Beauty--sets the story amid forests patrolled by the German army during World War II.

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.