Twelve Tales from Aesop:

From the d.j.: "Aesop, so it is said, was a slave who lived in Greece about 2,500 years ago. Since it is not easy for a slave to speak directly about the things that are on his mind, he invented sly, witty, and indirect but meaningful fables. If you read or listen carefully, you will realize that the animals in his stories are really people in disguise, and that each tale contains a piece of good advice--a sort of hidden message from Aesop. Though they have been changed, retold, and added onto many, many times over the years, these classic fables have never lost their wisdom. Now Eric Carle has chosen twelve of his favorite tales and retold them in a simple manner to make them accessible to the very youngest readers or listeners. His brilliant illustrations, which combine collage with gouache and crayon, are filled with details that will enrich the child's enjoyment of the fables, while adding an element of wry social commentary that Aesop himself would have enjoyed." Uncommon.