"[Yolen is] the Aesop of the twentieth century"—The New York TimesFantasy legend Jane Yolen (The Emerald Circus The Devil's Arithmetic), adored by generations of readers of all ages, delights with these effortlessly wide-ranging fairy tales, myths, and legends. She fractures the classics to reveal their crystalline secrets, holding them to the light and presenting them transformed: a spinner of straw as a falsely-accused moneylender, a philosophical bridge who longs for its troll, and the villainous wolf retiring to a nursing home. Each offering features an intimate author note and poem, allowing readers to discover stories old, new, and refined for the world we live in—or a much better version of it.

From celebrated author Jane Yolen comes this inspiring collection of folktales from around the world, all featuring strong female heroes. These fifteen folktales have one thing in common: brainy, bold, brave women—and not one damsel in distress! There is Bradamante, the fierce medieval knight; Li Chi, the Chinese girl who slays a dreaded serpent and saves her town; Makhta, a female warrior who leads her Sioux tribe into battle; and many more women who use their cunning, wisdom, and strength to succeed. Drawing from diverse cultures around the world, renowned author Jane Yolen celebrates the female heroes of legend and lore in a collection that will empower every reader. This new edition features two brand-new stories from Azerbaijan and Indonesia, and enhanced illustrations.

Award-winning author Jane Yolen transports readers to new realms of dragons, sprites, and rogues in twenty-seven magical stories and poemsThat's what dragons are for, after all, to call forth heroes. Jane Yolen enchants and enthralls with an exquisite collection of short fiction and poetry brimming with sympathetic monsters, unlikely heroes, and all manner of magical amazements. Exploring the depths of human love, pain, and folly in these unforgettable tales, Yolen gives life to a cast of unforgettable characters: a selfless young woman whose sadness brings forth beautiful gifts, a deluded musician whose song spectacularly fails to soothe a savage beast, and an alien salvage crew mining gems from the mind of a dying poet. Here be dragons, outlaws, kings, mermen, and dream weavers, sprung from the unparalleled imagination of one of the world's foremost fantasists. This ebook features a personal history by Jane Yolen including rare images from the author's personal collection, as...

Jane Yolen breathes new life into the timeless Camelot legend with a revamped history of King Arthur's powerful mentor: the great magician MerlinThere 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....

A wicked adventure-or deadly...trollbleFor sixteen-year-old harpist prodigy Moira, the annual Dairy Princess event in Vanderby is just another lame publicity "op." Moira a dairy princess? Get real. Twelve girls have been selected to have their likeness carved in butter and displayed on the Trollholm Bridge. It's a Vanderby State Fair tradition that has been going on for, like, ever.As far as Moira is concerned, the sooner it's over with the butter-er-better. About the same time and not far away, three brothers-members of the sensationally popular teen boy band The Griffsons-are in the middle of a much needed road trip to relax from the pressures of their latest tour. In a flash, however, the kids are suddenly transported to a strange and mystical wilderness where they find themselves in the middle of a deadly tug-of-war struggle between a magical fox named Fossegrim and the monstrous troll Aenmarr of Austraegir. At the heart of the feud is...

A rock 'n' roll band to die for? Callie is about to find out.... Not much happens in fourteen-year-old Callie McCallan's sleepy Massachusetts town. So when the famous rock 'n' roll band, Brass Rat, schedules a concert in the Valley, it's big news. As a reporter for her school paper, Callie scores the scoop of a lifetime—a backstage pass to interview the lead singer of Brass Rat! Her friends are so jealous. But Callie isn't sure what the fuss is all about...until she meets the band. Lead singer Peter Gringras and his band mates are so cool. Especially Peter. When he plays his flute, it's as if he has some kind of hypnotic power. But there is something strange about the band, something Callie can't quite put her finger on. Maybe she's just being weird, but it's as if they're from here—but not from here—at the same time.It's when, on Halloween night, Callie's little brother Nicky disappears—along with all the other children of Northampton—that...

Where is Wendy? Leading a labor strike against the Lost Boys, of course.A Scottish academic unearths ancient evil in a fishing village. Edgar Allan Poe's young bride is beguiled by a most unusual bird. Dorothy, lifted from Kansas, returns as a gymnastic sophisticate. Emily Dickinson dwells in possibility and sails away in a starship made of light. Alice's wicked nemesis has jaws and claws, but really needs a sense of humor. In Jane Yolen's first full collection in over ten years discover new and uncollected tales of beloved characters, literary legends, and much more.Enter the Emerald Circus and be astonished by the transformations within.

In flight from the magic visions that plague him, Merlin falls into the hands of the wodewose—wild folk who, according to legend, live in the company of wolves and devour children. But far from being wild, the wodewose are an enormous family of the unwanted, the abandoned, and the homeless. For once Merlin has found a place where an orphan like himself belongs. The triumphant conclusion to the Young Merlin Trilogy.

A magical, whimsical, and heart-soaring collection of angelic poetry from two award-winning literary masters Acclaimed novelist Nancy Willard and World Fantasy Award and Nebula Award–winning author and editor Jane Yolen collaborate on this magnificent anthology of their original poetry. For years the 2 friends and literary colleagues have shared a mutual fascination with God's winged messengers and exchanged angel poems—some reverent, some witty, some sweet, some biting, and each one a miraculous invention. Now these wondrous flights of angelic fancy are gathered together in a singular collection of breathtaking verse. Rooted in the Christian and Hebrew traditions, these brief, lyrical masterworks celebrate the heavenly beings that have flown through our collective imagination for centuries: Gabriel and the archangel Michael, the fallen Lucifer and the Angel of Death. In rich and sumptuous poetry, the authors muse on angels' flight,...

In these twenty-eight magnificent tales, which include two Nebula Award winners, Jane Yolen puts a provocative spin on familiar storybook worlds and beloved fairy tale charactersOne of the most acclaimed and honored authors in science fiction and fantasy, Jane Yolen has been called the Hans Christian Andersen of America for her brilliant reimagining of classic fairy tales. In her first collection of short stories written for an adult audience (after Tales of Wonder and Dragonfield), Yolen explores themes of freedom and justice, truth and consequence, and brings new life to our most cherished fables and myths. Here are storybook realms rendered more contemporary, and cautionary tales made grimmer than Grimm: Snow White is transported to Appalachia to match wits with a snake-handling evil stepmother and Beauty's meeting with the Beast takes a twisty, O. Henry–esque turn; in Yolen's Nebula Award–winning Lost Girls, a feminist revolt rocks Peter Pan's Neverland and in...

Austar IV isn't the planet it once was, and when Jakkin and Akki finally return to the dragon nursery, their homecoming arouses mixed emotions. Together they've survived the insurmountable, and now they can weather the brutal conditions of Dark After and communicate with the dragons they love. But with this knowledge comes responsibility. What they've learned about survival could transform the planet--or, if entrusted to the wrong hands, bring about its destruction. Akki's insistence that she return to the Rokk to finish her training and begin new experiments drives a chasm between her and Jakkin. Suddenly she finds herself in the midst of a political battle that could claim her life. Only Jakkin can save her. If only he could reach her....