How was the earth formed, and where did animals come from? Why does the hippopotamus live in water, and why do cats chase rats? Imaginative answers to these and other age-old questions can be found among the rich oral traditions of Africa. Generations of listeners have delighted in these fanciful explanations of the natural, moral, and spiritual worlds, which unfold amid a realm of talking animals, magic drums, tricksters, and fairies.
Known as the "Father of Black History," Carter Godwin Woodson was among the first scholars to promote the history and achievements of African-Americans. His...

Johanna Spyri's beloved tale of a delightful Swiss miss has captivated generations of readers. Set in the towering Swiss Alps, this story "for children and those who love children" tells of a cheerful, 5-year-old orphan who is sent to live with her hermit-like grandfather in a small hut high in a mountain pasture.
Bursting with energy and an immense love of nature, Heidi proves to have remarkable, transforming powers over those people closest to her: Clara, a young lady from a wealthy German family, Peter, a goatherd, and Peter's blind grandmother. Even Heidi's pessimistic grandfather, the...