Jamie O'Rourke and the Big Potato

Maybe it’s a king who spills a drop of honey and refuses to clean it up—until that tiny mess grows into a giant problem. Maybe it’s some sandpipers and whales who start a silly argument that nearly destroys the place they all call home. Or maybe it’s a man who thinks a weapon will make him powerful, or a troop of monkeys who follow their leader into water that’s far too deep.

A group of farm animals dresses up for a fancy party at a neighbor's house. When dinner looks like just plain cornbread, a grumpy Rooster leaves early and misses a delicious surprise hidden inside.

People of all ages love watching tricksters get into trouble—and wriggle right back out again. Today we laugh at characters like Bugs Bunny, the Road Runner and Wile E. Coyote, Ace Ventura, and even Bart Simpson. But tricksters have been around much longer than cartoons and movies. Every culture in the world has its own clever mischief‑maker. In Africa, there’s Anansi the Spider. In the American Southwest, Coyote causes chaos. In the Pacific Northwest, Raven stirs things up. In the American South, Rabbit is always ready with a trick. Ireland has the leprechaun, and South America has the sly Fox. Josepha Sherman gathered forty of these wonderful stories from around the globe.

Even with all the things that can weigh on us—crime, pollution, illness, and everyday worries—people still find ways to make each other laugh. Listen on a street corner, in a café, or around a kitchen table anywhere in America, and you’ll hear someone sharing a joke or a funny story. That kind of hometown humor helps us get through tough times.

Long ago in India, there lived a raja who believed that he was wise and fair. But every year he kept nearly all of the people's rice for himself.

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 funny and rhythmic story teaches kids that a change in perspective can make any home feel perfect. It is an ideal read-aloud book for teaching gratitude and the value of a happy, bustling household.

This collection of supernatural tales stands apart from most ghost-story anthologies: every narrative comes directly from the folk traditions of the American South. While many of the stories were gathered over the past twenty‑five years, their settings stretch from the days of the Revolutionary War to modern times. Most have never appeared in print before, preserved instead through generations of oral storytelling.

When Barbara McBride‑Smith first heard the ancient Greek myths as a young girl, she didn’t quite catch them the way her teacher intended. Instead of imagining the “cradle of Western civilization,” she pictured Western civilization—central Texas, near Waco—where those larger‑than‑life characters seemed right at home.

In Anansí and Turtle Go to Dinner, the clever but selfish spider Anansí tries to trick his friend Turtle to avoid sharing a delicious meal. However, Turtle soon comes up with a smart plan of his own to teach the trickster a funny lesson about being a good host.

The Woman Who Flummoxed the Fairies is a charming Scottish folktale about a clever baker woman who is kidnapped by cake-loving fairies.

This engaging children's book follows the barber’s journey from poverty to prosperity as he turns a scary encounter into a clever solution for his family. Perfect for young readers, the story features vibrant illustrations and a timeless message about the power of resourcefulness.