A worn-out old donkey runs away to set up his own band. He meets up with a broken-down dog, an aging cat, and an old rooster. When the animals surprise a bunch of robbers in the forest, it's a humorous outcome! (Picture book)

In this wonderfully illustrated Grimm’s fairy tale, a young prince leaves his castle to follow Iron Hans, a wild man living in the forest. While guarding a magic spring, the boy’s hair turns to gold, but Iron Hans sends the prince into the world to learn what it's like to be poor. A spirited adventure, striking illustrations steeped in rusty brown and golden light. (Picture book)

A miller's daughter is stuck trying to spin straw into gold. Rumpelstiltskin helps her out, but wants her first born child. Fabulous illustrations in this Grimms' classic, especially the gnomish Rumpelstiltskin. (Picture book)

Fabulous fantasy, by German author Michael Ende. Bastian Balthazar Bux plays hooky from school to curl up with an antique book, but as Bastian reads further and further, he becomes part of the neverending story. And only Bastian and his imagination can save Fantastica. (Chapter book)

In the Middle Ages, Hildegard of Bingen was the most famous woman of her time – she was a composer, a scientist, a writer. From the time she was a little girl, she had divine visions, and these visions flowed into her music and writings. Marvelous illustrations, like a glowing medieval manuscript. (Picture book)

It’s 1095, and Anna’s family lives in a town along the Rhine River. Anna longs to escape her home life, and looks forward to visits in nearby Worms, until the Crusaders arrive. Anna’s story is filled with rich scenes of daily life, an exceptional window into medieval Germany. (Chapter book)

1212, Spiers. Present day Rudolf Hefting time travels to the Middle Ages, arriving in the Children's Crusade, bound for Jerusalem. Rudolf helps lead the children's army, as they forage for food, cope with illness, and cross the Alps. Vividly brings to life the Middle Ages in Germany. (Chapter book)

Johann Sebastian Bach is a totally home-grown German composer. He grew up, wrote his music, had 20 children, lived and died in Germany. (Picture book)

You'll want to listen to his music too. Here's a super story interwoven with the best of Bach:
Mr. Bach Comes to Call

When you visit Germany, go to a concert with music by the incomparable German composer, Ludwig van Beethoven. In the meantime, kids can drift off to sleep listening to the "Emperor Concerto" or "Für Elise." (Audio CD)

And, read about Ludwig as a child: Ludwig van Beethoven

In the aftermath of World War II, a young boy discovers he was rescued from the Nazi death trains and his birth mother has disappeared without a trace. An evocative, sensitive story of postwar Germany and the rebuilding of a country. (Chapter book)

History of the Berlin Wall – when and why was the Wall built, where did the concrete wall go through Berlin, what was the "forbidden zone," the Berlin Wall comes down and the city is reunited. (Chapter book, photographs)

Summer 1961. Heidi is like other teenagers in East Berlin, except everything is about to change completely. Her parents cross safely to West Berlin, but Heidi and her grandmother are still in East Berlin on the day the wall goes up. An exciting novel that brings to life the Berlin Wall crisis. (Chapter book)

Siena Bernstein's dad is German, but spending spring semester in Munich is a new experience for her – trying to speak German, eating bratwurst in the Viktualienmarkt, checking out the Marienplatz, excursions to Neuschwanstein castle, and a cute boy named Stefan. (Chapter book)

"Firsts" from Germany – the first automobile, frankfurters and hamburgers, inventions such as the printing press and alarm clocks, shampoo and cologne, poodles and Dachshunds. (Picture book

The people and places of Germany today, from animals (wild boar), clothing (lederhosen and dirndls), food, famous figures, sports (soccer is the most popular), yearly festivals, to zuckertuete (a gift on the first day of school). (Picture book)