Once Upon a Time...

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time, there was a young woman who could not bear a child. One day, in despair, she went to see a witch. Thanks to the magic plant she received and the witch's instructions, a little girl appeared and the young woman's dream finally came true. Unfortunately, time went by and the little girl was not growing up. One night, a toad broke into the house and kidnapped the little girl... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time there was a young woman who wished very much to have a child. Desperately, she went to consult a witch. The old lady gave her a seed and told her to plant it and to water it carefully every day. The young woman went home and followed the witch's instructions. After some time, the seed sprouted and grew into a flower. Astonished, the young woman took the flower gently in her hands. Suddenly, it opened and in the centre of the flower appeared a pretty little girl about an inch tall. In the same collection: • The Ugly Duckling • The Brave Little Tailor • The Tin Soldier • The Musicians of Bremen • Hansel and Gretel • Three Little Pigs • Beauty and the Beast • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old  Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time was a mother duck who was admiring her newborns. One of the eggs had not hatched yet and she began to worry. She continued to sit on it and, one fine day, the egg cracked and a strange duckling appeared. Very quickly, the other ducklings started to make fun of him because he was not very pretty and he looked different. They then decided to rename him "the ugly little duckling". The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT One beautiful sunny morning, by the edge of a small pond, mother duck was admiring with joy her little ducklings coming out of their shells. But one egg was very big and it didn't hatch. Another duck who was passing by congratulated the proud mother when he saw the large egg and said, "It's probably a turkey egg." In the same collection: • Thumbelina • The Brave Little Tailor • The Tin Soldier • The Musicians of Bremen • Hansel and Gretel • Three Little Pigs • Beauty and the Beast • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time was a brave little tailor who worked as hard as he could to finish all the orders he received in time. One day, as he was eating bread and jam between two orders, several flies were attracted by the food. The brave little tailor seized a cloth and killed seven of them at once. At that moment, he decided to conquer the world... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time, there was an honest little tailor who worked very hard to honor all the orders he got. One day, he had prepared a thick slice of bread with jam to eat from time to time during his workday. Attracted by the jam, several flies came through the window and sat on the bread. Annoyed, the little tailor finally slammed a piece of cloth on them. Whack! Seven flies went down dead. The little tailor was very proud of his achievement. He pulled out his belt, then embroidered on it with large letters, "Seven with one blow!" He then decided to quit his job and travel the world to tell his own story. In the same collection: • Thumbelina • The Ugly Duckling • The Tin Soldier • The Musicians of Bremen • Hansel and Gretel • Three Little Pigs • Beauty and the Beast • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time there was a little boy who was celebrating his birthday. As a gift, he received a box filled with little soldiers made of tin, a cardboard castle and a ballerina dressed in a pink dress. One of the little tin soldiers only had one leg. Soon, he noticed the ballerina because she was standing on one of her legs only. The little soldier immediately fell in love with her and tried to talk to her. Unfortunately, the wind was about to disturb his plans... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time, there was a little boy who was given a box of toy tin soldiers as a birthday present. They were all identical, except one, who strangely only had one leg. The boy also received a castle made of cardboard and a pretty female ballet dancer dressed in a pink tutu, which had a golden flower on it. She stretched out her arms and stood gracefully on one leg as if she was dancing. The little tin soldier noticed the ballerina very quickly. "Hey, we look alike!" thought the soldier. "It looks like she's only got one leg, just like me. And she is so pretty!" He immediately fell in love. In the same collection : • Thumbelina • The Ugly Duckling • The Brave Little Tailor • The Musicians of Bremen • Hansel and Gretel • Three Little Pigs • Beauty and the Beast • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time, not far from the city of Bremen, lived a mean miller who owned a donkey. As he was getting older, the donkey was finding it more and more difficult to carry heavy bags. The miller started to yell at the donkey and the latter, fed up, decided to leave for the city of Bremen and make his dream come true. On his road, he met interesting companions... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT In a small village near Bremen in Germany lived a miller who had an old donkey. Every day, he had to carry heavy sacks of grain to the mill. But the donkey was growing older all the time and one morning he staggered and fell under the heavy load. The miller was furious and shouted, "Lazy fellow. Spending money on food for you is just a waste." So the old donkey decided to leave the miller and go to the city of Bremen. He was a music lover and dreamt of playing in the Bremen City Band. In the same collection : • Thumbelina • The Ugly Duckling • The Brave Little Tailor • The Tin Soldier • Hansel and Gretel • Three Little Pigs • Beauty and the Beast • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time was a poor lumberjack who had two children, Hansel and Gretel. Unfortunately, he was no longer able to provide for his family and his second wife, who hated the children, said they had to abandon them. After two unsuccessful attempts, the parents finally managed to get rid of the children, who had to survive on their own. They looked for help and found a strange house, very interesting but also very dangerous... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time, a brother and a sister called Hansel and Gretel lived in a tiny cottage in the forest with their father, who was a poor woodcutter, and their stepmother. Their stepmother was very unkind and said they didn't have enough food for the children. One day, she told her husband that he must take Hansel and Gretel deep into the forest and leave them there. "They are old enough now to take care of themselves!" said the mean stepmother. The woodcutter who dearly loved his children was very sad. However, he had no other choice but to follow the wish of his cruel wife. In the same collection: • Thumbelina • The Ugly Duckling • The Brave Little Tailor • The Tin Soldier • The Musicians of Bremen • Three Little Pigs • Beauty and the Beast • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time were 3 little pigs who had decided to leave their parents' house and live on their own. After a few days of wandering in the forest, they followed their mother's advice and started to build each one their own house, but some of them were less careful than others and the big bad wolf decided to seize the opportunity... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time, there were three little pigs. One day, they left their mother and father to see the world. All summer long, they had fun and made lots of friends. The third little pig, unlike his brothers, remembered his mother's advice that they should work hard to have success in life. "We need to build a house to shelter from the cold during winter and also to protect us from the big bad wolf". However, each little pig took the decision to build a house for himself. In the same collection: • Thumbelina • The Ugly Duckling • The Brave Little Tailor • The Tin Soldier • The Musicians of Bremen • Hansel and Gretel • Beauty and the Beast • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time, there was a merchant who had three daughters. One day, he was arrested by a monstruous creature during a business trip. The monster agreed to let the merchant live only if he sent Beauty, one of his daughters, to live with him. The merchant did not know what to do but Beauty decided to honour her father's word and went to the Beast. The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time was a merchant who had three daughters. One day, while preparing to go on his travels, he promised to bring each one of them a gift. Beauty, the youngest and the kindest, asked her father to bring her only a red rose, because she loved roses very much. When the merchant was returning home, he was caught in a sudden storm and got lost in the forest. He saw a huge castle and, as the door was opened, he went inside to shelter. "Anybody home?" said the merchant but no one responded. Nobody was there, but he noticed a huge table laid with delicious food. The merchant had been travelling for a long time and was hungry so he sat and ate a hearty meal. In the same collection: • Thumbelina • The Ugly Duckling • The Brave Little Tailor • The Tin Soldier • The Musicians of Bremen • Hansel and Gretel • Three Little Pigs • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time was a little girl called Goldilocks because of her wonderful blond hair. One day, as she was wandering in the forest, she discovered a beautiful cottage that seemed to be empty. Goldilocks, very curious, decided to come into the house and visit the different rooms. Exhausted, she ended up sleeping in one of the beds. She could not hide her surprise when she woke up and saw three bears looking at her! The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time, there lived a pretty little girl with curly golden hair. Her name was Goldilocks. One day, however, as the curious little girl wandered into the forest, she got lost. She found a little cottage and went to look inside. As no one answered the door and seeing no one inside while peeking through the windows, she decided to enter into the cottage. Inside, Goldilocks saw three bowls of porridge still steaming on the kitchen table. They all had different sizes: a big one, a medium one and a small one! As she was quite hungry from her walk through the forest, she took the small bowl without any hesitation and ate the porridge avidly. In the same collection: • Thumbelina • The Ugly Duckling • The Brave Little Tailor • The Tin Soldier • The Musicians of Bremen • Hansel and Gretel • Three Little Pigs • Beauty and the Beast • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time were a couple of woodcutters so poor that they tried to abandon their seven sons. Despite the attempts of the youngest one, the parents succeeded and the children were left on their own. They started looking for help, far from imagining the problems they would have to face... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time, there lived in the forest a poor logger's family with seven sons. The family had no food to eat so the mother and father decided to abandon the seven sons in the forest to fend for themselves. The youngest son, Little Thumb, who got his name because he was just the size of a thumb at birth, heard his mother and father talking. He decided to fill his pockets with pebbles and dropped them all along the path on their way to the forest. So the seven boys were able to find their way home.

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time was a poor miller. When he died, his three sons only inherited an old mill, a donkey and a cat. The son who had inherited the cat was very disappointed and thought that his brothers were luckier than him. The young man was far from knowing that this cat was extraordinary... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time, there lived a poor miller with his three sons. After a long illness the miller died. His eldest son received a windmill, the second son got a donkey, and the youngest inherited a cat. "My brothers are luckier than me," said the young man. "What am I going to do with a cat?" Hearing these words, the cat replied, "Do not worry, my good master. Just give me a nice hat, a pair of boots, and a bag. I promise you won't be disappointed." In the same collection: • Thumbelina • The Ugly Duckling • The Brave Little Tailor • The Tin Soldier • The Musicians of Bremen • Hansel and Gretel • Three Little Pigs • Beauty and the Beast • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Little Red Riding Hood • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time was a little girl that people called Little Red Riding Hood because she was always wearing a red hood. One day, upon her mother's request, she came to see her grandmother to bring her food. Just as she was entering the wood, she met a wolf whom she trusted. The latter decided to take advantage of her innocence to trick her... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time, there was a little girl living in the woods. She was called Little Red Riding Hood because she always wore a red, hooded cloak. She was going to visit her sick grandmother. Before she left the house, her mother gave Little Red Riding Hood a basket of cookies to give to her grandmother. She warned her not to loiter, or talk to any strangers on her way. On the way to her grandmother's house, Little Red Riding Hood met a wolf. "Where are you going?" asked the wolf. "To the other side of the woods to see my sick grandmother." In the same collection: • Thumbelina • The Ugly Duckling • The Brave Little Tailor • The Tin Soldier • The Musicians of Bremen • Hansel and Gretel • Three Little Pigs • Beauty and the Beast • Goldilocks and the 3 Bears • The Little Thumb • Puss in Boots • Sleeping Beauty • Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs • Cinderella • Peter Pan

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time, in a faraway land lived a king and a queen who wanted to have children. Thus, they were delighted when the queen gave birth to a little girl. They named her Aurora and threw a big party for her christening, to which they invited the kingdom fairies. Unfortunately, a very old and very mean fairy had not been invited et decided to get her revenge by cursing the little princess... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time, there lived a king and a queen who wished for a child of their own for a long time. So when the queen gave birth to a beautiful princess, they were very happy. They invited important guests and all the fairies of the kingdom to their castle for a celebration in honour of the child's birth. One after the other, as godmother, the fairies looking at the new born princess, gave her gifts of beauty, grace, goodness, and intelligence. But the king and queen had forgotten to invite the wicked fairy...

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade. The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time was a pretty princess called Snow White. Unfortunately, her mother the queen died when she was still a baby and her father remarried a beautiful but evil woman. As she wished to remain the most beautiful woman in the whole kingdom, she kept asking her magic mirror who was the most beautiful woman. The mirror always answered that she was, until one day he pronounced Snow White's name. Red with anger, the queen decided to get her revenge... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales.

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time was a beautiful and kind girl. After her mother died, her father remarried with a mean woman who had two daughters of her own: Drizella and Anastasia. All three of them treated the young girl as their servant et named her Cinderella. The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales. EXCERPT Once upon a time was a beautiful and kind girl called Cinderella who lived with her wicked stepmother and two ugly stepsisters. All three of them treated Cinderella very badly and made her do all the hard housework. Cinderella had to clean the floors, wash the dishes, and do the laundry. At the end of the day, exhausted, she would sit by the fireplace, near the cinders. That is why she was called Cinderella.

Age: 8-9 years old Reading Level: 3rd grade The best illustrated fairytales for children! Once upon a time was a young girl called Wendy. Wendy lived with her parents, her two younger brothers and her dog in a beautiful big house. One night, as the children had just gone to sleep, a little boy entered by the window. Frightened, Wendy's mother managed to confine the boy's shadow in a drawer. But his friend, the fairy Tinker Bell, did not take long to free it. This is how, the next day, Wendy finally met him... The collection "Once Upon a Time" offers a new and richly illustrated version of the most famous fairytales.