In “How the Cow Jumped Over the Moon,” L. Frank Baum fills out a classic nursery rhyme with a main character named Bobby and a fairly realistic—if very silly—interpretation of how a huge animal could possibly leap the moon! Along with “Master of All Masters” and “The History of the Seven Families of the Lake Pipple-Popple,” Baum’s tale is sure to entertain imaginative readers. An excerpt from a Lewis Carroll book called “A Most Curious Country” rounds out this amusing collection, all made complete with full-color illustrations.

Encouraged by her various animal friends, a cow learns to try something new.

Hey diddle diddle, you all know the riddle, a cow jumps over the moon... But the moon is very high in the sky. How many attempts will it take before Cow makes her famous highflying leap?

The horse seriously doubts that the cow will ever be able to jump over the Moon but offers respect and admiration when the determined bovine accomplishes that feat.

We all know that nursery rhymes are dangerous things - you could get trampled by all the king's horses, have your nose pecked off by blackbirds, or even fall off a bough as you sleep! Luckily, the Storyland ambulance crew are on hand to patch everyone up.

Through an excerpt from Kenneth Grahame’s The Wind in the Willows titled “The Open Road,” readers meet talking animals and consider life on the road. High-spirited dialogue and vivid descriptions transport readers into Grahame’s world of silly Toad, Mole, and Rat. Other funny tales engage readers’ imagination, such as “The Inchcape Rock,” “The Cat and the Mouse” and “Why the Bear Is Stumpy-Tailed,” in addition to demonstrating storytelling consistent with the standards in the Common Core language arts curriculum. Full-color illustrations make each story all the more amusing and fun.

In the world of “The Hare-Brained Crocodiles,” hares and crocodiles not only talk, but play together in the sand! Such an imaginative tale of a clever hare and dull-witted crocodile will delight readers and spark their imagination. Other funny tales, including Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Darning Needle,” “The Farmer and the Money-Lender,” and “Mother Hulda,” demonstrate Common Core language arts skills as they amuse readers. Full-color illustrations complement each tale, providing creative depictions of the silly stories’ fantastical elements.