Most Popular Books by Eric A Kimmel

When Pecos Bill's daughter gets two pet hamsters, they soon multiply into the hundreds, so Bill decides to take them all to Chicago where lots of boys and girls want pet hamsters.

When Jack's mother tells him how his father died when a giant stole his barbecue recipes, Jack vows to find the giant and retrieve the book. Includes an author's note about Texas barbecue.

A retelling of some classic Greek myths for younger readers.

While trying to play the games at a seemingly harmless Website, Jess and her friend Matt are sucked into a cyberworld filled with characters from familiar fairy tales, all controlled by the evil Granny Goose.

Three inspiring stories illuminate the mitzvot of the High Holy Days: Charity, Repentance, and Prayer, in a strikingly illustrated new edition Award-winning folklorist Eric A. Kimmel tells stories to dramatize the meaning of each pillar of the holiday-a couple who share what they have, only to find that their samovar keeps refilling, a shepherd who loves God so much that he makes up his own prayers to Him, and a beggar and a Rabbi who together experience the power of repentance. Sarah Green's striking fresh illustrations set the tone for these stories which help share the most moving days in the Jewish calendar.

From award-winning author Eric A. Kimmel with gorgeous, brightly patterned illustrations from artist Mara Penny, Hank and Gertie brings a modern twist to the classic Hansel and Gretel folktale combined with the high-adventure landscape of the Oregon Trail. While taking a break from their journey out west, Hank and Gertie lose their way back to their covered wagon and stumble upon the most glorious house made of candy. Little do they know there’s a dangerous witch lurking nearby, and she’s got her eye on the two hungry and vulnerable children.

Enjoy a Hanukkah tale full of wonder and miracles from the author of the classic Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. Before Simon sails to America, he promises his family that he will get a job and send for them. Simon's mother knows he will need a miracle, so she reminds him to celebrate Hanukkah wherever he may be. Little does either of them know that Simon will spend the first night of Hanukkah on an ice floe after his ship sinks. The lone survivor out in the wide ocean, Simon lights the first candle, and it attracts a visitor: a polar bear. Does she eat him? No! She shares his latkes, enjoys his songs, goes fishing for him, and even keeps him warm at night. By the last day of Hanukkah, Simon has nearly given up hope of ever being rescued. But then he recounts all of the miracles that have befallen him so far. Perhaps it is not too much to hope for one more, he thinks, as he lights all of the candles in the menorah. The bright glow signals a passing ship, and Simon makes it to New York after all. This fanciful Hanukkah tale -- like none you've ever read before -- celebrates eight miracles: family, friendship, hope, selflessness, sharing, faith, courage, and love. From the author of the Caldecott Honor-winning classic Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins comes a gorgeously illustrated fantasy Hanukkah tale full of miracles, from sharing latkes with a polar bear to surviving a Titanic-like sinking. The story behind the ancient holiday is included at the end.

A skeptical visitor to the village of Nemirov finds out where its rabbi really goes just before the Jewish New Year, when the villagers claim he goes to heaven to speak to God.

The way of the Warrior The samurai warriors of ancient Japan were taught to fight with their hearts and minds as well as with their swords. But even the best of training doesn't prepare a samurai for every situation... A lone samurai is attacked by two Ronin--can he keep his head and come out of it alive? Can a samurai with a reputation for being unlucky to defeat a ferocious dragon and regain his honor? A brave girl fights tradition to learn swordmanship, but can she master the arts of the samurai?

Harry Weiss—later known as Harry Houdini—is enthralled when the circus comes to his Wisconsin town. He loves all the acts, but his favorites are the tightrope and the amazing trick where a man hangs from a rope by his teeth! Harry and his brother decide to try circus tricks in a nearby barn, and although Harry’s headstrong determination leads him into trouble, it also opens up a whole new world. In this evocative story, Eric A. Kimmel tells how Harry Weiss discovered his love for performing, many years before he became world famous. History Stepping Stones now feature updated content that emphasizes Common Core and today’s renewed interest in nonfiction. Perfect for home, school, and library bookshelves!

How did famous New Orleans jazz trumpet player Louis Armstrong get his first horn? Seven-year-old Louis Armstrong was too poor to buy a real instrument. He didn’t even go to school. To help his mother pay the rent, every day he rode a junk wagon through the streets of New Orleans, playing a tin horn and collecting stuff people didn’t want. Then one day, the junk wagon passed a pawn shop with a gleaming brass trumpet in the window. . . . With messages about hard work, persistence, hope, tolerance, cooperation, trust, and friendship, A Horn for Louis is perfect for aspiring young musicians and nonfiction fans alike! History Stepping Stones now feature updated content that emphasizes Common Core and today’s renewed interest in nonfiction. Perfect for home, school, and library bookshelves!

A hot pepper pie exposes the big bad wolf in this southwestern retelling of Little Red Riding Hood.

When her newly bought pig won't go over the stile, an old woman tries to enlist the aid of some reluctant helpers so that she can get home that night.

AHOY! Come with us aboard the Pequod. We search for Moby Dick, the Great White Whale! Along with Captain Ahab, you'll meet danger face to face, hunting the fiercest creature the seas have ever known! Are you brave enough— and bold enough— for the adventure of your life? The award-winning author and illustrator team of Eric A. Kimmel and Andrew Glass introduce a new generation of readers to a magnificent and memorable retelling of Herman Melville's masterpiece, Moby Dick.

Ten tall tales about a legendary Ukrainian trickster who can outwit anyone—from the team behind the award-winning Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins. Quick-thinking, funny, and always clever, the Jewish folk hero Hershel—based on an historical figure who lived in Ostropol, Ukraine—is one of folklore's greatest tricksters. In this classic volume by the creators of the award-winning and much-beloved Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, a Caldecott Honor Book and Sydney Taylor Award Honor Recipient, Hershel down faces a stingy innkeeper, fierce bandits, and more, armed with nothing more than his own quick thinking. Based on tales passed down through oral histories, Yiddish anthologies, and other collections of Jewish folklore, The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol offers a glimpse into the shtetl village community of nineteenth-century Ukraine, and is a perfect introduction to a little-known but much-beloved folk hero. A perfect gift for any occasion, including Bar and Bat Mitzvahs, Hanukkah, or graduations, The Adventures of Hershel of Ostropol will delight all readers who love a clever twist.

Rosalia is in debt to the strange little snake man Rattlestiltskin after he teaches her how to make tortillas so light they float in the air! Can she outsmart the trickster and keep her freedom? From renowned children's book author Eric A. Kimmel comes this delightful reimagining of the classic RUMPELSTILTSKIN with a Southwestern setting and Spanish vocabulary.

Rip Van Winkle is an idler who would rather starve for a penny than work for a pound, and his wife is constantly nagging him. In search of peace, Rip heads off to the woods one day with his faithful dog, Wolf. High up in the Catskill Mountains, Rip meets an unusual group of little men. He drinks their strong beverage and falls into a deep sleep. When he awakens, he finds that twenty years have passed – the world has changed and so has he. With vibrant paintings by Leonard Everett Fisher, Eric A. Kimmel’s adaptation of Washington Irving’s classic “Rip Van Winkle” introduces a Rip who reforms as a result of his experience. Rip Van Winkle's Return is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.

The foolish people of Chelm are tricked by a peddler into buying and decorating a Chanukkah tree on Christmas Eve, but after becoming disillusioned they rediscover its worth and beauty.

The King of Spain's fondness for a louse that bit him leads to good fortune for a clever peasant.

A retelling of a Russian fairy tale in which an archer assigned many dangerous quests by the greedy, cruel czar wins a crown and the woman of his dreams.

Two evil spirits wreak havoc on the town of Brisk's Hanukkah celebration, until the town's wise rabbi puts a stop to their mischief.

The work of Creation is finished. Now is the time for the trees to select a ruler. The oak brings strength. The pine brings presence. The maple brings magnificent color. The fig and date trees provide food. What can the poor olive tree offer? She is not strong or tall or colorful. Olives, though tasty, are not as sweet and filling as dates and figs. Yet the olive tree can offer something that none of the others can. What is it? And will it be enough to qualify her to rule the trees?

Includes a Spanish-English glossary and pronunciation guide.

With the aid of a perfect peach, a silver fife, and his own resources, Petit Jean outwits a dishonest king and wins the hand of a princess.

A self-proclaimed knight Señor Quexada has read so many books about knights in shining armor that he thinks he is one. He gives himself a name more fitting for a knight -- Don Quixote -- and sets off one evening with his squire. At dawn they come across what Don Quixote recognizes as an army of monstrous giants. "Master!" cries Sancho Panza. "They are only windmills!" But Don Quixote knows what he has to do . . . Don Quixote is the creation of the Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra. Eric A. Kimmel skillfully and cleverly crystallizes the character, and with his powerful line and vibrant color Leonard Everett Fisher completes the funny, loving portrait.

On his way to get an egg for his mother the night before Hanukkah, a young boy encounters a group of mischievous fairies who take him on an adventure to Jerusalem.

In this version of the Gingerbread Man, a little tortilla jumps off the griddle and runs into the Texas desert.

An unforgettable story -- for the Jewish New Year, or any time of year -- about facing our own monsters and beginning anew. Gershon sometimes made mistakes. But unlike most people, he never regretted them or asked anyone¿s forgiveness. Why should he? He merely swept them up and tossed them into the cellar. Then, every year on Rosh Hashanah, he would put them into a sack and cast them out to sea. Little did he know that his thoughtless behavior would come back to haunt him. Was there a still a chance for him to change? Kimmel¿s skillfully crafted text and Muth¿s sensitive, expressive watercolors capture all the drama and wonder of this traditional Hasidic legend. An Assoc. of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Winner. Reinforced binding.

Four stories about a clever man who lived by his wits as his pockets were always empty.

A traditional Russian tale about a sturdy, charming hero, an intriguing frog/sea-monster goblin who's more debonair than appalling, and an oddly vulnerable-looking witch.

Relates how Hershel outwits the goblins that haunt the old synagogue and prevent the village people from celebrating Hanukkah.

A clever rooster retrieves his diamond button from a thieving sultan.

A young girl brings her pets to the library--with predictably disastrous results.

A Ukrainian boy in 1623 joins the Cossacks with the hope of freeing his people from Polish rule.

In this tale, retold by Eric Kimmel & colorfully illustrated by Katya Arnold, there lived a merchant who had 3 sons. Like their father, the 2 oldest were good merchants. They bartered by land & by sea. The youngest, Getzel, was too kind-hearted to make a good tradesman. Much to his sorrow, his father kept him at home. One day Getzel asked his father to give him some goods of little value. He hoped to trade them for a profit. If he was unsuccessful, his father would lose hardly anything. His father agreed & gave him a sack of onions. Getzel sailed away with his onions, but as he traveled from port to port, nobody wanted to buy them. Then one day, Getzel became shipwrecked & his fortune changed forever. Reinforced binding.

Examples of Eric Kimmel's work illustrate some of the steps an author goes through before publication, including draft revision and working with editors.