Shen's magic paintbrush can paint food for the hungry and clothes for the needy, but all the greedy emperor wants is greater riches for himself. But Shen has made a promise to paint only for the poor and it is a promise that she'll never break. Presented in the style of a traditional Chinese tale. Suggested level: junior, primary.

Steve can hardly believe it. With his new paintbrush, whatever he paints becomes real. Now he, Grandfather, and Uncle Fong can wish for anything they want. Uncle Fong uses the paintbrush to return to China, to the village of his childhood, and Grandfather wants to visit the Lady on the Moon. Steve wonders if the paintbrush can bring his parents back. But they all soon realize the paintbrush might have its own agenda. .

A poor boy who longs to paint is given a magic brush that brings to life whatever he pictures.

A Chinese folk tale about a boy who uses a magic paintbrush to help others.

Scarlet paints perfect pictures with her magic paintbrush until the day the brush is lost, and she fears she'll never be able to paint again. When the brush is found, will Scarlet's own magical creativity emerge?

Incredible stories. Award-winning storytellers. Epic adventure, mystery, and fun? We've got it all in Ghostwriter—the extraordinary new series from the Emmy-award winning hit Apple TV+ show, created by your friends at Sesame Workshop. Three tales of middle-grade magic from around the globe! Discover a paintbrush that brings to life whatever is drawn, a mysterious girl who communicates with animals and controls the weather, and an enchanted statue that grants major-league baseball skills in fun remixes of classic folktales by award-winning authors Henry Lien, Jennifer Torres, and Varsha Bajaj. Featuring an introduction by Newbery and Coretta Scott King Award winning poet and writer Kwame Alexander. The book also includes bonus activities: Games Quizzes Puzzles Vocabulary Reading Comprehension and Crafts!

This magical folktale tells of a boy who awakes from a dream with a paintbrush that brings his drawings to life. He paints tools, cows, and food for his village, and teaches a greedy emperor a lesson.