Tales of Enchantment — Pleasant DeSpain

"One story always leads to the next," says DeSpain in his preface. And he should know. For nearly a generation and a half, DeSpain has been traversing the country telling stories to teachers, librarians, and especially to children of all ages. Nine of his all-time favorite stories are included here: A Russian soldier inherits a musty old book that changes his life. An orphan girl finds that her beauty can be a curse and begins to feel that life is just one test after another. A stingy old Irishman meets his match in a very little fellow. In Spain, a girl discovers enchanted ways to be helpful around the house and is rewarded beyond her dreams. Stories from the Cherokee people, Japan, Germany, and Holland give this book DeSpain's trademark round-the-world feel. The stories are short enough to read at bedtime and fascinating enough for a third-grader to read independently."