Natalie Portman's Fables

In The Tortoise and the Hare, the slick and confident Hare meets the patient and focused Tortoise. When Hare challenges Tortoise to a race, Hare believes (as do the other animals) that shy Tortoise doesn't stand a chance. But as Hare learns, bragging about one's abilities doesn't make one a winner.

In The Three Little Pigs, the two pigs whose houses are made of disposables — plastic and other junk — don't stand a chance against the Wolf. But the pig whose house is made with greener materials, such as clay and bamboo, survives the Wolf and helps keep the Earth green.

In Country Mouse and City Mouse, two mouse cousins sample one another's lifestyles. While City Mouse lives in a high rise, goes to parties, and knows loads of other mice, Country Mouse lives a quieter life under the stars. City Mouse can't believe a quiet life is satisfying. In the end, both mice realize there is no "right" way to live.

Perfect for reading aloud and beautifully illustrated by debut artist Janna Mattia, these retold fables will reverberate with every reading.