Showing results by author "Carl Sommer" in All Categories

While grownups understand the magnitude of guarding sheep, children may lack an ability to see the bigger picture. Nicholas finds tending his family's sheep to be mind-numbingly boring, which is why he ultimately makes the impulsive decision to cry "Wolf!" To his delight, his alert prompts the townspeople to drop everything and rush to his aid, but when the people discover they have been duped they are livid.

While Little Red Hen works to grow her wheat, the dog, the cat, and the duck are full of excuses not to help. With each step, Little Red Hen offers to share the wheat in exchange for assistance, but the fair-weather friends always have more pleasant things to do. Will this affect their chances for a delicious slice of bread?

Everyone enjoys a spirited competition, but when the challenger is a big-headed braggart, it's easy to cheer for the underdog - or in this case - the under-tortoise. The colorful characters in this retelling of Aesop's beloved fable will tickle the fancy of any child. The forest animals are beyond tired of Harry Hare's boasting. So what if he is the fastest animal in the forest?

About to be devoured by the fearsome King of the Forest, Bitsy the Mouse manages to convince Leo the Lion to let her go in exchange for future assistance. While Leo cannot conceive of any way that a tiny mouse could help him, he does admire Bitsy's pluck and releases her. What he later discovers is that big help can indeed come in small packages. Through Bitsy, Leo also realizes the importance of keeping your word.

Trapped high on a mountain by deep snow, hungry townspeople wait desperately for one of the three big trains to bring them food, but they all refuse to go up the mountain. Seeing the desperate situation, The Little Red Train and a family of brave helpers decide to go up the mountain in spite of the ridicule from the big trains. The Little Red Train and it helpers overcome severe obstacles and save the people from starvation.

In a village full of selfish inhabitants, the idea that making stone soup would bring them all together might be hard to swallow...literally! With a few stones as the initial ingredients, three famished soldiers cleverly convince the villagers to contribute all of the items needed for a delicious pot of soup. In this spirited adaptation of the beloved folktale, preparing a simple pot of soup teaches the villagers that sharing brings happiness and celebration.

When Androcles’ enormous effort results in harsh punishment, he finally realizes the impossibility of satisfying his demanding slave master. Even though capture means his delivery to very hungry lions, Androcles escapes. When he comes across a wounded lion, he quickly and kindly offers aid. This results in a budding friendship between the pair until their unfortunate capture. What follows illuminates the significance of an act of kindness and gratitude for life and freedom.

Mama and Papa have always told their chicks never to have anything to do with strangers. But the sly fox disguises himself as a little lamb and tries to trick the chicks into going with him. His early attempts fail because Clucky listens to Papa and Mama. The fox finally succeeds by promising delicious corn to lure some of the chicks. After a horrifying experience, Clucky's sister Wendy escapes and realizes the importance of always listening to her parents and never talking to strangers.

Speckles the spider and Crumbs the cricket think Katy the caterpillar is much too ugly to be their friend. But Annie the ant doesn't agree, and she and Katy become best friends. As Katy the caterpillar begins her strange transformation into a beautiful butterfly, her friend Annie is shocked and amazed. Speckles and Crumbs finally learn the true meaning of beauty and friendship - and caterpillars.

While a little fun is essential for a happy life, wise individuals know that prosperity begins with hard work. Gary and the other grasshoppers want to play all day, and they cannot understand why the ants work so hard and miss all the fun. Alex and the ants know they must work during the spring to have food for the winter. Sure enough, when winter arrives early, the lazy grasshoppers have nothing to eat. Passage of a new law that requires the ants to share their food with the grasshoppers transforms the whole community into a fun-loving crowd.

Believing in a foolish superstition, Chicken Little is convinced that the sky is falling. In her distress, she convinces a number of other animal friends that this is indeed the case. One after another, the animals join Chicken Little, soon forming a frantic pack. Fortunately, Chippy Chipmunk steps in with wise intervention. What follows confirms the importance of critical thinking and the possible dangers of gullibility.

Mom and Dad Fox try to set a healthy example for triplets Freddy, Fay, and Flip. Even though Mom cooks nutritious meals, Freddy prefers to stuff himself with sugary treats, and refuses to participate in healthy family exercise. One bad choice leads to another, and in spite of Dad and Mom's efforts, Freddy finds himself part of a crooked gang of foxes. When the leader recruits Freddy as a decoy to help him outwit a lion and a donkey, the plan backfires. Is Freddy too chubby to get away?

Tombo, el renacuajo, se declara Rey del Estanque. Se jacta de ser el renacuajo más grande, el más rápido y el más fuerte, y molesta y persigue a todos los otros renacuajos. Tombo finalmente descubre que tener amigos es mejor que ser el Rey del Estanque.

Missy, la ratoncita tiene un gran problema: ¡odia la forma en que luce! Como Missy desea convertirse en criaturas más grandes y más fuertes, finalmente descubre que todos tienen problemas y aprende a aceptarse a sí misma por lo que es.

Stephanie es testigo del deterioro de su vecindario y escuela del centro de la ciudad. Hay pandillas y violencia en la calle, y caos en la escuela. Después de mucha oposición, Stephanie y sus dos amigas encienden sus velas y transforman el barrio y la escuela de su ciudad.

Teddy el osezno gruñón perdió su sonrisa, y solo un oso sabe cómo encontrarla. Después de muchas búsquedas, Teddy descubre la alegría que proviene de ayudar a los demás.

Aunque Randy es amado en casa, odia ser pobre. Cuando se le ofrecen dos deseos, rápidamente desea que todo lo que toca se convierta en oro. Mientras sostiene su perro de oro sin vida, se da cuenta de que la felicidad es más que posesiones. Su último deseo lo transforma.

Una historia de fama, fortuna y amor verdadero. Tres galanes pretendientes compiten por la mano de la hermosa princesa, pero sólo uno elige sabiamente. Él persevera y pasa la prueba real.

Ignorando siempre el consejo de todos, el Gallo Orgulloso se mete en todo tipo de problemas. Pero la dura lección final del Gallo Orgulloso lo cambia para siempre. Mientras está acostado en la cama de un hospital, se alegra de saber que no es demasiado tarde para obedecer.

Los osos Stubby y Prissy no parecen estar de acuerdo en nada. Después de jugar un juego de "Si te mueves, pierdes", dos mapaches ladrones les enseñan a los cachorros una lección que nunca olvidarán: la locura de la obstinación y la importancia de la amistad.