Classic Childrens Literature

Ayla and Jondalar set out on horseback across the windswept grasslands of Ice Age Europe. To the hunter gatherers of their world - who have never seen tame animals - Ayla and Jondalar appear enigmatic and frightening.

"A publisher in New York asked me to write down what I know about the Greek gods, and I was like, 'Can we do this anonymously?' Because I don't need the Olympians mad at me again. But if it helps you to know your Greek gods, and survive an encounter with them if they ever show up in your face, then I guess writing all this down will be my good deed for the week." So begins Percy Jackson's Greek Gods, in which the son of Poseidon adds his own magic - and sarcastic asides - to the classics.

Ayla, one of the most remarkable and beloved heroines in contemporary fiction, continues to explore the world and the people around her with curiosity, insight, and, above all, courage. As the story opens, Ayla, Jondalar, and their infant daughter, Jonayla, are living with the Zelandonii in the Ninth Cave - a shelter of stone. Ayla has been chosen as an acolyte and has embarked on the arduous task of training to become a spiritual leader.

A little magic can take you a long way. After James Henry Trotter's parents are tragically eaten by a rhinoceros, he goes to live with his two horrible aunts, Spiker and Sponge. Life there is no fun, until James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree and strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house. Inside, James meets a bunch of oversized friends - Grasshopper, Centipede, Ladybug, and more. With a snip of the stem, the peach starts rolling away, and the great adventure begins!

In the land of Ingary, where seven league boots and cloaks of invisibility do exist, Sophie Hatter catches the unwelcome attention of the Witch of the Waste and is put under a spell. Deciding she has nothing more to lose, she makes her way to the moving castle that hovers on the hills above Market Chipping. But the castle belongs to the dreaded Wizard Howl, whose appetite, they say, is satisfied only by the souls of young girls....

A poor peasant woman wishes for a child: but when a sorceress gives her a brown bulb, it grows a flower - and inside is tiny, perfect Thumbelina! A magical retelling of Hans Christian Andersen's classic tale, read by Tamsin Greig.

"Le premier soir, je me suis donc endormi sur le sable à mille milles de toute terre habitée. J'étais bien plus isolé qu'un naufragé sur un radeau au milieu de l'océan. Alors, vous imaginez ma surprise, au lever du jour, quand une drôle de petite voix m'a réveillé. Elle disait : "S'il vous plaît... dessine-moi un mouton !" J'ai bien regardé. Et j'ai vu ce petit bonhomme tout à fait extraordinaire qui me considérait gravement..."

This is not a fairy tale. This is about real witches. Grandmamma loves to tell about witches. Real witches are the most dangerous of all living creatures on Earth. There's nothing they hate so much as children, and they work all kinds of terrifying spells to get rid of them. Her grandson listens closely to Grandmamma's stories - but nothing can prepare him for the day he comes face-to-face with The Grand High Witch herself!

Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last! But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, our hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!

Peter Jeffrey reads three of Rudyard Kipling's original classic short stories. Abandoned in the Indian jungle and rescued by a wolf pack, the man-cub Mowgli is educated in the ways of the jungle by Akela the Wolf, Baloo the Bear, Bagheera the Black Panther and Kaa the big Rock Python. They teach him to hunt and protect him from Shere Khan, the ever-present Bengal Tiger. As Mowgli grows up, the powers of pack leader Akela wane and Shere Khan persuades the younger wolves to attack the man-cub.

The complete "box set" of T. H. White's epic fantasy novel of the Arthurian legend. The novel is made up of five parts: "The Sword in the Stone", "The Witch in the Wood", "The Ill-Made Knight", "The Candle in the Wind", and "The Book of Merlyn".

The lines between good and evil are blurred in Revenge of the Sith. Characters once considered good may be revealed to be on the dark side. Others must make difficult decisions about where their allegiance lies. Join Padme Amidala, Anakin Skywalker, and Obi-Wan Kenobi as they fulfill their destinies!

The adventures continue for Laura Ingalls and her family as they leave their little house in the Big Woods of Wisconsin and set out for Kansas. They travel for many days in their covered wagon until they find the best spot to build their little house on the prairie. Soon they are planting and plowing, hunting wild ducks and turkeys, and gathering grass for their cows. Sometimes pioneer life is hard, but Laura and her folks are always busy and happy in their new little house.

Four adventurous siblings—Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie—step through a wardrobe door and into the land of Narnia, a land frozen in eternal winter and enslaved by the power of the White Witch. But when almost all hope is lost, the return of the Great Lion, Aslan, signals a great change...and a great sacrifice.

The Death Star has been destroyed, but the battle is far from over. Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, and the rest of the Rebel Alliance are on the run from the evil Imperial forces. In this next chapter, they must battle giant space slugs, angry snow creatures, and Darth Vader.

While fairy tales were not originally intended for children, they have become a staple of children's literature since the early 19th century. Here is a collection of English fairy tales, including many stories you will remember from childhood.

A beautiful miller's daughter is locked away by the King and told she will never see her family again unless she spins straw into gold. Then an ancient dwarf promises to help - but there is a price to pay....

Buzz Lightyear and Sheriff Woody are jealous when Bonnie brings home a pet hamster. But when the hamster gets loose, Buzz and Woody realize they need to get the fuzzy creature back in its cage before Bonnie gets home!

The two younger Billy Goats Gruff want to be as big and fat as their older brother. They long to munch the tasty grass in the meadow—but first they must cross the stream and face the fierce troll under the bridge. A magical retelling of the classic fairy tale, read by Stephen Mangan.

Treasure Island is one of the most gripping children's stories of all time. It describes the tale of Jim Hawkins and his attempt to find Captain Flint's legendary treasure, while foiling the infamous pirate Long John Silver. When young Jim Hawkins discovers a map in an old sea chest, he joins the crew of the Hispaniola and sets sail for Treasure Island. Little does he know that among the crew is the dastardly Long John Silver, and Silver has a devious plan to keep the gold all to himself.