Henny Penny and her barnyard friends are on their way to tell the king that the sky is falling when they meet a hungry fox, but Henney Penny's quick thinking saves the day.

The little red hen finds none of her lazy friends willing to help her plant, harvest, or grind wheat into flour, but all are eager to eat the cake she makes from it.

A retelling of the classic story of Chicken Little, who has an acorn fall on his head and runs in a panic to his friends Henny Penny, Lucky Ducky, and Loosey Goosey, to tell them the sky is falling.

A retelling of a traditional West African tale that reveals how the mosquito developed its annoying habit. A mosquito annoyed the iguana, who frightened the python, who scared the rabbit, and now the whole jungle is in an uproar because the sun won't rise. The animals discuss the situation and decide to punish the mosquito. Even today, whenever we hear a mosquito buzz, we smack it hard!

Profiles a variety of animals whose physical characteristics and/or dispositions make them unpopular with humans. Includes the shark, bat, skunk, coyote, rattlesnake, and cockroach, among others.

A lively retelling of the legendary animals' race that led to the twelve signs on the Chinese Zodiac.

Relates how the Jade Emperor chose twelve animals to represent the years in his calendar. Also discusses the Chinese calendar, zodiac, the qualities associated with each animal, and what animal rules the year in which the reader was born.

Fifteen tales that explain why Danny Meadow Mouse has a short tail, the reason Reddy Fox has no friends, and other mysteries about the residents of the Green Meadow.

"Many of these fables are so well known they have given us everyday phrases such as 'sour grapes' and 'dog in the manger.' But even the rarer ones seem familiar, because their simple morals reflect all aspects of human nature. From the tortoise and the hare to the mouse and the lion, the timeless wisdom and wit of Aesop's fables are as entertaining as ever"--