Medford McGee was born on January 1, 1900, on his family’s farm tucked high in the mountains of North Carolina. As he grows up, he watches the world change faster than anyone ever imagined. Every week, his Aunt Louise sends the Sunday Nashville Banner, and Medford listens as his father reads it aloud on the front porch. Through those stories, Medford learns about faraway countries, big world problems, and amazing new inventions—like cars that start with the push of a button and airplanes that can fly across whole continents.

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.

Barking At a Fox-fur Coat is a celebrated collection of seventeen vintage family stories and tall tales set in the mountains of North Carolina.

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.

Do you know how the Teddy bear got its name? It all began when President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt went on a bear‑hunting trip in Mississippi. His friends wanted the very best guide for the president, so they chose Holt Collier. Holt had been born into slavery and had grown up to become the most skilled bear hunter in the South. He promised he would find a bear for the president—even if he had to “lasso one and tie it to a tree.”

The hills and small towns of western North Carolina in the 1950s come to life in this collection of stories by master storyteller Donald Davis. He’s shared his tales everywhere—from the World’s Fair to the Smithsonian to the National Storytelling Festival—and now he invites readers into the adventures of his own childhood. His stories follow him from his earliest school days all the way to the moment he begins to understand the big changes happening in the world, including the loss of friends during the Vietnam War.

Tuck-Me-In Tales is a charming collection of five bedtime stories from around the world, perfect for helping young children wind down.

In the vibrant Thai folktale The Girl Who Wore Too Much, a young girl named Aree struggles to choose...

Follow three clever pigs as they try to outsmart a tricky red fox in the beautiful mountains. This award-winning book is perfect for children who love folktales and stories about being brave.

Famous storyteller Donald Davis shares eight funny and touching stories about his mother growing up in North Carolina.

Renowned storyteller Donald Davis shares a humorous collection of nostalgic anecdotes about growing up in rural Appalachia during the holidays.

When a problem arises in the ocean, Harry uses his tusk to help, and everyone learns to celebrate differences and treat others with kindness.

A brief recounting of the career of this jazz musician and composer who, along with his orchestra...

The Christmas Princess is an unforgettable holiday classic tale, told by Mariah Carey herself...

Jump aboard the White Feather Flier, a magical plane that can go wherever you want. The Flier's...

A colorful, rhyming children's book that highlights all of the wonderful adventures, historic sites...

This bright, tactile board book celebrates a first encounter with the hottest season: summer! Bold...