Showing titles in Classics

"...there is nothing - absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats." So says Rat, as he welcomes the lonely Mole to the community of the River. Whether messing about in boats, touring in Toad's motorcar, or simply relaxing at home, Mole, Rat, Otter, Toad, and Badger demonstrate the honorable human characteristics of kindness, patience, and tolerance toward all that have made this classic tale beloved by generations since it was first published in 1908.

Wishing couldn't keep Anne of Green Gables from growing up. Anne's whole world was changing. Her childhood friends were beginning to get married, and Anne herself was leaving the island for four years of college. Now handsome Gilbert Blythe wants to win Anne's heart, and suddenly Anne must decide if she's ready for love...and for following her dreams if they mean leaving Green Gables behind forever.

A fabulous way to experience twenty of Shakespeare's thirty-seven plays, this retelling of the stories in prose was originally published just for children. Keeping Shakespeare's own words whenever possible, but making the plots and language easily understandable, this very readable collection has entertained and informed generations of adults as well. It is the ideal primer for anyone interested in becoming familiar with the works of the great bard.

In this first book in the series, Doctor Dolittle discovers that he can talk to the animals - Jip the dog, Dab Dab the duck, and Polynesia the parrot.

In 17th century England, a terrible accident forces orphaned Philip Marsham to flee London in fear for his life. Bred to the sea, he signs on with the Rose of Devon, a dark frigate bound for the quiet shores of Newfoundland.Philip's bold spirit and knowledge of the sea soon win him his captain's regard. But when the Rose of Devon is seized in mid-ocean by a devious group of men plucked from a floating wreck, Phlip is forced to accompany these "gentlemen of fortune" on their murderous expeditions. Like it or not, Philip Marsham is now a pirate - with only the hangman awaiting his return to England.With its bloody battles, brutal buccaneers, and bold, spirited hero, this rousing tale will enthrall all listeners in search of seafaring adventure.

Go down the rabbit hole with one of the best loved heroines in children's literature. Alice's remarkable adventures begin when she follows the White Rabbit down his hole into a peculiar world populated with strange and absurd creatures. Meet the Mock Turtle, the Mad-Hatter, the March Hare, the hookah-smoking Caterpillar, and the Queen of Hearts. This story was originally read aloud, and Ralph Cosham's engaging narration brings the magic to life. Adults may be surprised at what they find as they rediscover this beloved classic that the whole family can enjoy.

Who hasn't dreamed of running away to a more exciting life? Toby Tyler is one boy who did just that, spending 10 weeks working for the circus as it toured New England in the 1870s. But was this great adventure everything he dreamed it would be? Toby Tyler or, Ten Weeks with a Circus is a classic story beloved by generation after generation of children. Author James Otis Kaler actually traveled with the Phineas T. Barnum Circus as a young reporter, and he used his firsthand knowledge to acquaint children with the behind-the-scenes details of what the circus is really like, while introducing the unforgettable character of Toby Tyler.

Anne Shirley, the mischievous, carrot-topped waif of Anne of Green Gables, has grown into a lovely young woman who leaves the security of Prince Edward Island to enroll at Redmond College. There, she discovers a professor who believes education is wasted on women, ponders the security offered in marriage proposals, and a host of other questions of young adulthood.

In this charming sequel to Anne of Green Gables, the unpredictable red-headed heroine returns for more wonderful adventures. When Anne Shirley first came to the beautiful Canadian town of Avonlea, she was a mischievous, talkative orphan who captured the hearts of everyone she met. Now, a few years later, Anne is a young woman with new dreams.

Mary, unloved and selfish, finds friendship and happiness helping her neurotic, invalid cousin become strong and healthy. Nature's powerful magic touches both children as they toil to revive their secret garden. The story alludes to some very modern themes including the ability of mental beliefs to create health, the strength of group optimism, and the restorative power of nature.

Ten-year-old Sarah Crue lives life like a princess until tragedy strikes, taking away her fine clothes and privileges. Without her velvet and silk and French maids, she's no longer the envy of all the girls at Miss Minchin's London boarding school, and even has to live in the school's attic, working for the students who were once her friends. Will Sarah's spirit remain unbowed? Follow her through her trials and triumphs in this unforgettable tale beloved by children the world over.

In 1897 Buck, a shepherd dog, is kidnapped and shipped to the Klondike gold fields. Pressed into service as a sled dog, Buck is abused by humans and tormented by the other dogs - until he learns "the law of club and fang." Along with the skills Buck needs to survive - how to keep warm in the frozen land, the ability to scent dangerous weather changes, and how to fight ferociously - he learns the song of the wolves and the powerful attraction it exerts.

Can young Hans Brinker win the silver skates that are the only hope of saving his family from ruin? Hans and his little sister Gretel live in Holland, a colorful and exciting country of windmills and great canals. Unfortunately, the Brinkers are very poor and their father is ill, and Hans wonders whether they'll survive the long, harsh winter. Then he finds out about an ice skating race, and the prize - a pair of shiny silver skates - that might help his family survive.

After the Robinsons - a minister, his wife, and their 4 young sons - are shipwrecked on a desert island, they must adapt to their new environment, which includes exotic birds and animals, but none of the comforts they enjoyed in their native Switzerland. Without modern conveniences or even clocks and calendars, the Robinsons must use common sense to build a home, find food, and tame the island's wild animals.

When Geppetto, a humble cobbler with a loyal heart, carves a little puppet from a piece of talking wood, little does he know what he's getting into! Pinocchio, the puppet come to life, has a mind of his own and a determination to go his own way. Pinocchio's many misadventures and escapades serve to teach him right from wrong - and the particular dangers of telling lies! - and have amused and entertained generations of children.

Lewis Carroll followed up his classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland with the equally wondrous sequel Through the Looking Glass, a timeless tale that imaginatively blends laughter, mischief, and magic. The story begins on a cold, snowy day, when Alice must stay inside. She decides to play a game of make-believe, but the game becomes real when Alice steps through a mirror - and into another world! Desperate to return to her real life, Alice faces a series of bizarre adventures and unforgettable characters.

When Mary Lennox is transplanted from India to England's Misselthwaite Manor, she is utterly miserable. She spends long, lonely hours hiking across the dark Yorkshire moors, or wandering through the gardens of the manor. Then, one afternoon, the wind blows aside a curtain of ivy to reveal the hidden entrance to a previously unknown garden. The secret place takes root in Mary's imagination and the friendless girl becomes determined to find a way into the garden.

The idealized childhood of this fictional hero, based on Mark Twain's own early life along the banks of the Mississippi, is filled with robust good humor and high-spirited adventures. Yet there is also an in-depth experience of the central South of the 1840s—its dialects, superstitions, and social values. While romping through fun-filled fantasy, Tom Sawyer shows how morally complicated real life can be. In his unabridged reading of the American classic, actor Patrick Fraley crafts 36 authentic "voices" to represent the wide range of Twain's delightful characters.

The name "Tom Sawyer" is synonymous with the adventures of boyhood. Bold and clever, Tom gets into and out of trouble with an ease many listeners will envy. A story beloved by children, it also has relevance for adults. Twain's beloved classic of growing up in Midwest America is as popular today as when it was first published in 1876.

Two of the greatest heroes in children's literature, Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn, join forces in this classic tale from master storyteller Mark Twain. Tom and Huck are kidnapped by a mad scientist in a balloon-powered airship who plans to fly around the world then crash in flames - taking the boys with him. But when the madman falls overboard during a storm over the Atlantic Ocean, the youngsters are forced to use all their wits to save themselves from further perils aboard the runaway airship.