Did you know that museums were initially temples built to worship the nine muses? That Janus was the god of doorways and hallways, and after him we have named janitors? Where did these words—and other words, such as chaos, genius, nemesis, panic, and echo, come from? From the ancient stories of the Greeks—stories that rang so true and wise that the names of the characters have survived for centuries as words we use every day. This rich collection of myths is perfect for the classroom or as a gift book.

Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words and Wisdom from Greek and Roman Mythology

Children's Books

Lunge-Larsen, Lise

Action & Adventure

Clarion Books

Ancient names come to rich and fascinating life in this lavishly illustrated gift book for mythology fans and word lovers.Did you know that “museums” were initially temples built to worship the nine muses, the goddesses of the arts? That “Janus” was the god of the doorways and hallways, and we have named our janitors after him? Where did these words — and other words, such as chaos, genius, nemesis, panic, echo, and narcissus — come from? From the ancient stories of the Greeks — stories that rang so true and wise that the names of the characters have survived for centuries as words we use every day. The brief stories here not only impart the subtle wisdom of these ancient tales, but make us understand the words, and our own world, more deeply.

Offers the true story of the Birkebeiners, translated to the "Birchleggers", who battled to restore peace to their country by saving the child prince from his snow-covered mountains of Norway in 1206. By the illustrator of Snowflake Bentley. 20,000 first printing.

The Race of the Birkebeiners

Biographies

Houghton, Mifflin Company

Selkies, fairies, gnomes, hill folk, river sprites—do you believe in them? Perhaps among the flowers, beside a mountain, or near deep waters you’ve caught a glimpse, once or twice, of what you thought might be the silvery shadow of a dwarf, or a hint of a fairy’s wing, or the tail of the water horse. Or was it just the odd light of dusk or dawn playing tricks? As Lise Lunge-Larsen’s magical, timeless stories reveal and Beth Krommes’s enchanting scratchboard illustrations capture, the hidden folk are there, all right: you just have to know where—and how—to look.

The Hidden Folk: Stories of Fairies, Dwarves, Selkies, and Other Secret Beings

Literature & Fiction

HMH Books for Young Readers

We all know the story of Noah building the ark. Who would have guessed, though, that his woolly friends aboard the ark would help him make his most delightful discovery? With one of the world’s oldest tales as its setting, Noah’s Mittens is an inventive and humorous book about the miracles taking place all around us—even with the most ordinary things, like wool and water.

Noah's Mittens

Animals

As tall as trees and as ancient and rugged as the Norwegian landscape from which they come, trolls are some of lore's most fascinating and varied creatures. Some live under bridges, others deep inside caves. They can carry their heads under their arms or hide their hearts inside wells. They can walk across oceans and fly over mountains. Trees and shrubs may grow from their heads, and their noses can be long enough to stir soup. There are troll hags, troll daughters, and elderly, shrunken trolls. Old or young, they are quarrelsome, ugly, and boastful, and they love to trick princesses and children. To defeat them, children must rely on the strengths of their humanity-persistence, kindness, pluck, and willingness to heed good advice

The Troll with No Heart in His Body

Arts, Music & Photography

The lady slipper grows in the northern woods to mark the courage and strength of a small girl who lived there long ago - a girl who saved her people from a terrible disease by listening carefully to the whispering snow, the rumbling ice, and the dancing northern lights. Illustrated with paintings as graceful and delicate as the lady slipper itself, this unforgettable retelling shows how a child's lost slippers became one of nature's most lovely spring flowers.

The Legend of the Lady Slipper (Ojibwe Tale)

Preus, Margi

He is the biggest and mightiest of the gods. If he tightens his belt, he doubles his strength. If he swings his hammer, lightning flashes. When he races his billy goats across the sky, their hooves kick up huge thunderclouds. And when the folks below in Middle Earth hear a boom of thunder, they always smile, for they know their loyal Thor, protector and defender of civilization, has once again brought order to the universe. Told and retold often and with great affection, the Thor stories have been around since the days of the Vikings. Here, illustrated with high drama and written with humor and skill, are ancient stories made accessible and fun.

The Adventures of Thor the Thunder God

*“Engaging . . . Azarian’s finely detailed woodcut illustrations, hand-tinted with watercolors, capture the serene snow-covered landscape. . . . In direct and compelling prose, Lunge-Larsen recounts how the two Birkebeiners most renowned for their skiing ability forge ahead.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review It is the year 1206, and deep in the snow-covered mountains and valleys of Norway, the fiercest warriors in the land struggle to ski a baby to safety . . . This is a story of the Birkebeiners and how they saved the infant Prince Hakon by skiing across the mountains in the dead of winter. It is an untold story of bravery and tenderness.

Trolls! They are huge and ugly and very, very dangerous. But luckily, their brains are no bigger than a walnut, so even small children can trick them. First, though, you need to know their weaknesses—and that’s where these stories come in. It is helpful to know what a little girl can do when she finds out that trolls hate loud noises. Or how two brothers might make an entire family of horrible trolls burst and turn to stone. Or what a clever little gnome boy does when he discovers that trolls are ever so easily distracted. Helpful, but also great fun, and it doesn’t hurt to be reminded of all the tricks children already know when it comes to overcoming trolls—or other fearsome beings and things. 
Patience, kindness, courage, and quick thinking—what works against trolls are the best things about being human. Taken from a wide range of historical and international sources, Seven Ways to Trick a Troll will delight and entertain imaginations of all ages.

Seven Ways to Trick a Troll

Univ. of Minnesota Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Lunge-Larsen, Lise. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Lunge-Larsen, Lise

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Lunge-Larsen, Lise. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words and Wisdom from Greek and Roman Mythology

Gifts from the Gods: Ancient Words and Wisdom from Greek and Roman Mythology

The Race of the Birkebeiners

The Hidden Folk: Stories of Fairies, Dwarves, Selkies, and Other Secret Beings

Noah's Mittens

The Troll with No Heart in His Body

The Legend of the Lady Slipper (Ojibwe Tale)

The Adventures of Thor the Thunder God

The Race of the Birkebeiners

Seven Ways to Trick a Troll