Flower Fables (Dover Children's Classics)

"This is a nice collection of fairy tales that is sure to please young readers and the adults reading to them alike. The writing is very beautiful and the book contains several gorgeous illustrations to accompany the stories and bring them to life through their beautiful artwork." — Of Stacks and CupsThe author of Little Women possessed a special gift for capturing children's imaginations, and she wrote these fairy tales when she was just sixteen years old. Louisa May Alcott created the fanciful stories for the amusement of the daughter of a family friend, Ralph Waldo Emerson. Populated by elves, brownies, and other supernatural creatures, the fables conclude with memorable lessons for young readers about the power of love and kindness and the importance of responsibility. In "The Frost-King," steadfast Violet approaches the fearsome ruler of winter in order to bring warmth and sunshine to the flowers back home. "Lily-Bell and Thistledown" recounts a wayward spirit's attempts to reform; and "Ripple, the Water-Spirit" tells of the sacrifice and rewards involved in keeping a promise. These and six additional stories and poems are accompanied by charmingly evocative illustrations.