The tales chosen for this book share the Vietnamese five great virtues: Nhan (Compassion), Le (Rituals), Nghia (Righteousness), Tri (Wisdom), and Tin (Trust). The author notes that her parents used traditional stories to teach children values and morals. Now the author, who is a story teller, uses the same tales to help Vietnamese children learn their traditional culture and values.

The wares of the poor little match girl illuminate her cold world, bringing some beauty to her brief, tragic life.

Mina is worried about starting a new kindergarten in her new country. The classroom is full of laughter, friendly faces and fun things to do, but the only word Mina can understand is her name. As she listens to stories and songs, chatter and instructions, Mina's understanding steadily grows. She tries out sounds that roar in her throat and tickle her tongue until the new words feel like her own. Then one day, Mina realizes that this language now belongs...

Though their friendship is often tested, George and Martha survive with a sense of humor.

Two curious animals have a remarkable adventure with a strange object that changes with the landscape then flies back into the sky-they don't know what it was, but what a day they had!

Because Mrs. Marsh is always in her classroom before the students arrive and always stays after they leave, Mollie becomes convinced that her teacher has no home other than the school.

This library book is very special. It's been hugged, lost, torn, chewed by a dog and soaked in the rain. It's been read in apartments and in tents, by children wearing costumes and pajamas, reading alone and with family. Each time it returns to the library it's a little more worn, but a lot more loved. For every rip, scribble or stain there's a child who has found adventure or escape, comfort or excitement in its pages. That's the magic of a library...

Even though they have no money, Ernest and Celestine use their ingenuity to make a Christmas party for their friends, knowing that it is love and friendship and not money that really matters.

"Today I am going to paint a portrait. It is a portrait of someone very important. That someone is ME (it is a self-portrait). All famous artists paint pictures of themselves, and I am a famous artist. Or at least I will be when I've finished my portrait." Pippin is painting his self-portrait, but his friends think he's got a lot to learn about painting. They take him to see Angelique's portrait, which takes inspiration from Cubism, Kwame's portrait,...

Marjorie is a happy snail. She loves her family and friends, but sometimes she just needs a bit of alone time. At these moments, Marjorie wanders off to try to find a quiet space, but her friends and family just follow her trail of slime and find her. 'How can I find some space for myself?' wonders Marjorie, and as she wonders, she wanders, here and there, back and forth, this way and that until she is entirely and marvelously lost. But the joys of...