Classic English Literature For Teens

In a time of knights and chivalry, a shapeshifter snatches a newborn girl from her mother’s arms and abandons her in a dark forest. Against all odds, a kindly nun hears her cries. Seventeen years later, haunted by a prophecy foretelling the girl's birth, the new King orders his most savage knights to find her. Rhiannon and her faithful dog, Fisher, are forced from their sanctuary. The decisions she makes now will impact both her life and the lives of the entire kingdom.

Horror Classics presents two classic stories of the supernatural. "The Monkey's Paw" tells of an elderly couple who make a wish that they will eternally regret. "The Damned Thing" is the story of a coroner's inquest looking into the mysterious, savage death of Hugh Morgan. These chilling stories are sure to delight even the most discerning horror fan.

Classic Tales of the Undead collects two classic stories of supernatural terror and the curse of the undead. "Dracula's Guest" recounts the events that led to Jonathan Harker's journey to the dreaded castle of Count Dracula, and "The Grave" tells the story of a young man's horrifying descent into despair, madness, and grave robbery.

Exciting excerpts from some of the best classic stories for younger listeners, presented with classical music and, often, sound effects, to bring the characters vividly to life. Here is Mowgli, Anne of Green Gables, Peter Pan, Pinocchio, Odysseus, the monster wolf Fenrir, and Tom Sawyer getting in and out of scrapes. Before each excerpt is an introduction, setting the scene.

Buck, the dog hero of this novel, is sold into service in the Klondike. Abused by men and dogs alike, he becomes a ruthless fighter. A master that he deeply loves and respects saves him. But the actions of both humans and canines eventually force him to follow an instinct that he cannot resist.

In the grotesque bell-ringer Quasimodo, Victor Hugo created one of the most vivid characters in classic fiction. Quasimodo's doomed love for the beautiful gipsy girl Esmeralda is an example of the traditional love theme of beauty and the beast. Yet, set against the massive background of Notre Dame de Paris and interwoven with the sacred and secular life of medieval France, it takes on a larger perspective.

This classic children's story is written from the view point of the horse. Ben Fogle, children's television presenter on animal programmes, gives it an enthusiastic read. Great for all children who love horses.

Far from the Madding Crowd was Hardy's fourth novel, gaining significant popularity and critical attention. It tells of Gabriel, an up-and-coming shepherd, who falls in love with a proud and vain young beauty, Bathsheba, who refuses his offer of marriage as she values her independence too much.

Jack London's classic The Call of the Wild follows the adventures of the loyal dog Buck, who is stolen from his comfortable family home and forced into the harsh life of an Alaskan sled dog. Passed from master to master, Buck embarks on an extraordinary journey that ends with his becoming the legendary leader of a wolf pack.

Life is good for Buck in Santa Clara Valley, where he spends his days eating and sleeping in the golden sunshine. But one day a treacherous act of betrayal leads to his kidnap, and he is forced into a life of toil and danger. Dragged away to be a sledge dog in the harsh and freezing cold Yukon, Buck must fight for his survival. Can he rise above his enemies and become the master of his realm once again?

A new edition of this exciting tale of pirates, skulduggery and buried treasure. Young Jim Hawkins, thanks to a pirate map that has come into his possession, is the only one who can sucessfully get a schooner to a legendary island known for buried treasure. But aboard the ship is a mysterious cook named Long John Silver, whose true motivation on the journey challenges Jim's trust in the entire crew.

The world of Hans Christian Andersen is seen through the eyes of children. There is the every-day wonder of an ugly duckling being transformed into a swan; the puffed-up Emperor being fooled by his own importance; the tender tragedy of a little match girl; the upright honesty of John rewarded by his traveling companion.

Buck is living the good life in the soft South, when he is snatched and transported to the savagery of the Northland. There, the Klondike gold rush has brought out rough basic instincts of survival in men - and dogs. He adjusts to the gruelling regime of a sled dog, which almost kills him, but he survives to find a new and fulfilling way of life. The Call of the Wild is not only a classic tale, but also an enduring masterpiece of the inescapable laws of nature. Now in unabridged form in a new reading by William Roberts

If your best friend is named Huckleberry Finn, and there's a girl in your life named Becky Thatcher, a villain named Injun Joe, and you and your friends get into all kinds of mischief and adventures, then you must be that ever-lovin' charmer from Missouri, Tom Sawyer!

Shakespeare for Kids adapts the timeless works of Shakespeare into plain English for a younger audience. This story is that of the end of King Richard II's reign during the late 1300s. It is a story of plotting and power, and the first of Shakespeare's four plays about the house of Lancaster. This abridged version is targeted for a younger audience, toning down any violent scenes and presenting the narrative structure in plain English.

Guy de Maupassant, French master of the short story, had a simple, efficient style of writing and, like Anton Chekhov, found inspiration for his stories in the daily lives of humans, which often reveal our darker nature. Many of his works also centered on the Franco-Prussian War, in which he served.

The subject of countless adaptations, Oliver Twist is an essential read or listen, and this version is both exciting and accessible for children ages 8 to 13. Roy McMillan uses Dickens’ original words in the main text, simplifying and clarifying them at certain points. Oliver’s journey to London is narrated with ceaseless energy by Jonathan Keeble; his reading is infused with a delicious knack for storytelling.

Henry James' signature theme - the American abroad - centers here on a chatterbox, provincial (not to say ignorant) daughter of a wealthy Schenectady industrialist, as she travels through Europe with her doting, vapid mother and rambunctious young brother. She meets up with one Mr. Winterbourne, another ex-patriate, with whom she flirts before coming to a sad end.

Caje Amis and his father are mountain folk, they live off the land and have few interactions with more sophisticated people. But at the onset of an especially harsh winter, the two take shelter with distant relatives. The adjustment to their new life is an easy one for Caje, but impossible for his father, and the elder Amis ends up abandoning his son and vanishing into the cold!

Witches with magical omens. Murder most foul. The quest for power at all costs. Bloody and spectacular battles. This modern retelling of Macbeth captures all the drama of Shakespeare's classic play. Written by an outstanding scholar, the language is simple yet eloquent, and draws young readers into the story with superb dialogue, vivid description, and careful attention to the flow of events.