Across North and South America, Native peoples have shared stories for generations—tales told aloud long before they were written down. In this collection, more than forty myths from thirty different tribes, from the far northern Arctic to the tropical forests of Guiana, invite readers to explore a powerful idea: all living things are connected by the same spirit.

The author's stories take place in places kids know well. There are school hallways where locker doors slam like a noisy song between classes. There are county fairs with bright lights and whirling rides. There are cozy homes where parents send kids to bed with milk and cookies.

People all around the world celebrate special days called holidays. These are moments when ordinary life feels a little brighter, a little more exciting, and full of extra spirit. Sometimes that spirit feels like kindness and love. Other times it feels like starting fresh, or even a tiny bit spooky in a fun way.

This special collection of American folktales travels all across the country—from Alaska’s icy tundra to Virginia’s soft green hills, from Louisiana’s steamy bayous to the wide‑open prairies of South Dakota. The author tells each story in his gentle, welcoming style, making every tale feel like it’s being shared around a cozy campfire.

For a long, long time, Eastern Europe has been a place where many different peoples, languages, and traditions meet. Sometimes there were disagreements, and sometimes there was great cooperation—but through it all, people told stories. These folktales show just how diverse the region is, and each one shares a challenge that can be faced with clever thinking, bravery, and hope.

In his Apologetics class at Monsignor Bonner High School, Ed Stivender had a special reputation—he was the class clown. One day he pushed Father McGinnis just a little too far, and the teacher gave him a surprising punishment: Ed had to take part in a debate about The Existence of God. And even tougher, he had to argue the side against God’s existence.

In many Native American traditions, the spirit world and the natural world are closely connected. What happens to animals, people, or the land can echo in the world of spirits—and the other way around. Choctaw storyteller Tim Tingle shares this idea through tales passed down by the Five Civilized Tribes: the Creek, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, and Seminole nations. In these stories, the spirit world steps into our world in surprising and unforgettable ways.

Have you ever heard the silly story about the woman whose beehive hairdo was sprayed so stiff that tiny creatures decided it would make a perfect home? Everyone seems to know someone who knows someone it happened to—though the details always get a little mixed up. That’s the magic of urban legends. They’re modern folktales, passed along as “totally true,” even though they always happened to a “friend of a friend.”

The author grew up in the mountains of western North Carolina listening to stories that many kids in America had never heard before. He didn’t realize it at the time, but he was learning old tales that had traveled across the ocean with Scots‑Irish families long ago. In the 1950s, people in the Appalachian Mountains were still telling these stories, most of them about a clever, brave, and sometimes very lucky character named Jack. Versions of Jack appear in almost every culture, which makes him feel familiar no matter where you’re from.

A long, twisty highway. Kids squabbling in the back seat. Parents trying every trick they know to keep the peace. It sounds like an ordinary family road trip—but Donald Davis turns it into an adventure no one forgets.

The author—famous for telling some of the spookiest stories around—have gathered a whole collection of chills and thrills in this book. The tales are grouped into fun themes so kids can pick exactly the kind of scare they’re in the mood for. This collection is packed with scares, laughs, and unforgettable moments—just right for kids who love stories that make their hearts race and their imaginations soar.

Jewish folklore is full of stories that have traveled across many lands and cultures. Over hundreds of years, these tales have carried the joys and challenges of being Jewish, showing both the struggles people faced and the strength they found along the way.

African-American Folktales is a lively collection of over 30 traditional stories designed to engage and entertain young readers.

Adventures of High John the Conqueror is a powerful collection of African American folktales featuring the legendary slave trickster who consistently outsmarted his oppressors.

Maybe it’s because his mother was a teacher. Or maybe it’s because he spent so much of his life in classrooms—first as a curious first grader, then as a hopeful college student, later as a seminarian, and now as a visiting writer who travels to schools all over the country. Whatever the reason, school has always been at the heart of Donald Davis’s stories, and this book gathers his very favorite school adventures.

Anyone who has ever watched a great storyteller hold a whole room spellbound—without costumes, sets, or music—has probably wondered how they do it. This collection explains the secret: it all starts with a really good story. And the 40 storytellers in this book know exactly what that means. They’re some of the most beloved tellers in the country, each sharing a tale that’s been tested on even the squirmiest, most hard‑to‑please audiences.

The author grew up with two very different parents. His mom was an Irish Catholic who prayed every day that her only son would become a priest. His dad was a Navy man who liked to joke, “Son, never take a job where you have to wear a dress to work.” So Ed found a path right in the middle.

This book gathers 46 stories from many different places around the world, most of them brought to America by families who immigrated here. Together, the tales create a kind of “world tour” you can take without ever leaving your chair. Even though the stories come from far‑off places, they all share a special Jewish spirit—one that celebrates doing what’s right, using cleverness and kindness to get through tough times, and keeping a good sense of humor along the way.

These Franco‑American tales are filled with brave princesses, clever underdogs, and mischievous tricksters. They come from a community sometimes described as “a quiet presence,” but their stories are anything but quiet. The authors share the lutin’s playful pranks on farmers, the Jack‑like adventures of Ti‑Jean, Pierre’s modern‑day chainsaw heroics, a princess who outsmarts a wicked witch, and family tales passed lovingly from one generation to the next.

This book gathers exciting stories from almost every continent, offering short, fast‑moving tales that grab young readers right away. You’ll find funny adventures, clever trickster tales, tall tales, and stories about families—perfect for both middle‑grade readers and younger kids who love a good yarn.

More Laughter in Appalachia is the authors' fourth collection of funny tales from the Southern mountains, and it might be their silliest and most wide‑ranging book yet. It’s filled with jokes, short stories, poems, riddles, and even songs. You’ll also find some surprising treasures, like a funny old‑time sermon, a playful political speech from long ago, and even a comical arrest warrant that shows just how creative mountain humor can be.

What’s the Monster Stick? It’s Paul’s gigantic fishing pole—nine feet long and packed with miles of super‑strong fishing line and shiny, custom‑made sinkers that slide like magic. From the moment Paul gets the Monster Stick, his adventures grow wilder than anything Paul Bunyan ever dreamed up. At one point, he even manages to hook a DC‑10 airplane flown by sneaky smugglers. How he does that… well, that’s part of the fun.

In many parts of Latin America—with its mix of Indigenous, Spanish, Catholic, and African traditions—magic is part of everyday life. Momentos mágicos, or “magic moments,” can appear in all kinds of ways. For storyteller Olga Loya, the magic happens each time an old tale is passed from one person to another. The sixteen stories in this collection are filled with those special moments.

This collection opens a window into the vibrant world of Mexican‑American traditions. Inside, readers will find lively proverbs, riddles, folktales, and songs; stories about heroes like Pancho Villa and spooky urban legends; and a look at everyday customs—from family shrines and farming rituals to charreadas, the exciting Mexican‑style rodeos. There are also children’s games, home remedies, favorite foods, crafts, clothing, and so much more.