A faun carrying an umbrella; a hobbit who lives in a hole; a mysterious name - Lyra; an ill-treated schoolboy with a scar and a secret. Children's fantasy books often begin with resonant images. However, they also begin in an author's reading practices. How do children's authors incorporate myths and legends into their work? And how do myths and legends change as a result? In this richly illustrated collection of essays a team of academic experts trace the magical tales from Norse myth, Arthurian legend and medieval literature which have inspired the finest writers for children, including C.S. Lewis, J.R.R. Tolkien and Alan Garner. Drawing on collections of manuscripts and rare books in the Bodleian Library, additional chapters put the spotlight on spell books, grimoires and books that do magic, as well as exploring stunning examples of pop-up books, harlequinades and concertina panoramas from the Opie Collection of Children's Literature.Other writers under discussion include children's authors of the Victorian era, such as George MacDonald, Rudyard Kipling and E. Nesbit, and twentieth-century writers Susan Cooper, Diana Wynne Jones and Philip Pullman. Through wide-ranging analysis these essays show how literature and tales from the Middle Ages and earlier still have been reinterpreted for each generation and continue to have a profound impact on writers of fantasy books for children today.

In this book the author deals in depth with the tradition of magical story-telling, found in various forms throughout the world.

A wonderful collection of more than a dozen little-known tales of magical fun from all over the globe. A beautifully illustrated edition of a classic compendium of tales from around the world. Escape to a faraway mystical world where anything can happen: where a boy can find a belt that gives him amazing strength, where a frog can be a beautiful princess in disguise, and where princes can fly on magic carpets. Retold in wonderful detail by long-time Quentin Blake collaborator John Yeoman, these stories sparkle with enchantment, adventure, and a beautifully imagined mix of the familiar and unfamiliar. Stories Include: The Blue Belt, Half-Man-Half-Lame-Horse, The Crystal Ship, The Five Strange Brothers, The Magic Handkerchief, The Pumpkin Tree, The Magic Cakes, The Frog Skin, The Three Old Crones, Prince Baki and the White Doe, The Old Man and the Jinni, The Poor Girl and Her Cow.

Neil Gaiman, Eoin Colfer, and many more join this magical brew [that] will enchant young adult readers and their elders as well. (Publishers Weekly) In Wizards, today's master fantasists turn their hands to tales of these magical beings, living in both ancient and modern times, as well as in fantasy realms that never were. Featuring stories by New York Times bestselling authors Neil Gaiman, Eoin Colfer and Garth Nix as well as tales from Kage Baker, Peter S. Beagle, Terry Bisson, Orson Scott Card, Terry Dowling, Andy Duncan, Jeffrey Ford, Elizabeth Hand, Nancy Kress, Tanith Lee, Patricia A. McKillip, Mary Rosenblum, Tad Williams, Gene Wolfe, and Jane Yolen.

In these 14 magical stories from around the world, you can read about the princess who climbs out of a lemon, the king who wants only to touch the moon, and the three golden apples which can bring a princess back to life.