Books like Leave Me Alone!
By Vera Brosgol
For the exhausted grownup in the room as much as the kid on their lap, this is the story of someone who loves her family fiercely and still needs five minutes of quiet. Deadpan, droll, and a little bit wild — folktale logic with a modern shrug.
A father and his four children set off to catch a bear, crossing grass, a river, mud, a forest, and a snowstorm before a narrow cave forces a sudden, breathless retreat.
A spider sets off on a dangerous journey and is rescued in turn by his six sons — then faces a puzzle: which son deserves the glowing reward he found?
A young donkey finds a magic pebble that grants wishes, but a panicked wish during a scary encounter with a lion turns him into a rock — with no way to wish himself back.
A polite bear asks animal after animal whether they've seen his missing hat, and just when he's ready to give up, a deer's simple question jogs his memory.
A boy too poor to buy the princess a birthday gift bakes her a cake instead, then faces trolls, bears, and gypsies while trying to deliver it to the castle in one piece.
When hard times hit the farm, a hired boy is sent off to find his own way — but a runaway Journey Cake leads him on a wild chase that changes everything.
A man and his dog set out on a peaceful camping trip, but a marshmallow-loving bear sends them plunging down a mountain and racing down a river toward a waterfall.
A boy wakes up one morning shrunk to the size of a mouse, and has to handle everyday chores — making his bed, brushing his teeth, watching his baby brother — at a tiny scale, cat included.
A young princess falls ill and declares she'll only get better if she has the moon, sending the king's wisest advisors scrambling until the court jester finds an answer no one else thought to try.
A young girl visits her eccentric grandfather, where nothing is normal — tea comes in flower pots, and cleaning the house means mowing the rug.
A witch grows the biggest pumpkin ever but can't pull it off the vine — and neither can the ghost, the vampire, or the mummy — until the tiniest creature of all comes up with an idea.
A girl who loves pushing elevator buttons feels put out when her little brother wants a turn — until a mysterious old button appears and opens up whole worlds to explore.
