"Why, anyone can have common sense, provided that they have no imagination."
--From "The Remarkable Rocket"

"The Happy Prince." "The Selfish Giant." Anyone who has ever read these and other stories by Oscar Wilde will never forget the magical spell woven by his beautiful words. Now, Merlin Holland, the author's grandson and a distinguished writer and lecturer himself, presents 5 of Wilde's finest tales in their entirety. After an elegant and intimate discussion of Wilde's life, complete with family reminiscences, Holland introduces each tale with loving care. He helps young readers understand the stories' often profound themes and Wilde's very special use of language. In addition to "Prince" and "Giant", the compilation includes "The Nightingale and the Rose", "The Devoted Friend", and "The Remarkable Rocket." They are the perfect tales for parents and children to share.

Merlin Holland, the only grandson of Oscar Wilde, is an author and journalist living in France. For the last twenty years he has been researching his grandfather's life and works and he now writes, lectures and broadcasts regularly on the subject. His publications include: The Wilde Album (Fourth Estate,1995) which has been translated into seven languages; The Wit of Oscar Wilde (Folio Society, 1997); The Centenary Edition of the Complete Works of Oscar Wilde (HarperCollins,1999); The Oscar Wilde Anthology (HarperCollins, 2000); and The Complete Letters of Oscar Wilde (Fourth Estate, 2000).

Award-winning Louise Brierley studied art at Manchester Polytechnic and the Royal College of Art. She has illustrated numerous books, including Beauty and the Beast & Other Stories (Viking, 1996) and Songs from Shakespeare (Walker Books, 1993) and her paints have shown in many gallery exhibitions.