Showing results by publisher "Phoenix Books" in Children's Audiobooks

"...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.

This star-studded rendition of Ogden Nash's humorous verses—backed by a full-orchestra performance of Saint-Saëns' Carnival of the Animals—will surely delight adults and children of all ages. A great way to introduce children to classical music, youngsters will enjoy the animal depictions in the sounds of Saint-Saëns' composition.

Treasury of Classic Children's Stories is a delightful collection narrated by beloved entertainment icons. Bedtime and playtime will never be the same again as families gather to listen to classic tales brought to life by award-winning performers. Audrey Hepburn performs story adaptations by Mary Sheldon; John Ritter tells the story of Jack and the Beanstalk; Sharon Stone delivers an off-the-wall rendition of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs—as retold by Richard Hack—and Orson Welles performs the all-time favorite The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde.

Do you believe in Santa Claus? You will after you've experienced this magical Christmas classic that pits cynics against Santa-believers. Miracle on 34th Street begins when a last-minute replacement in the annual Thanksgiving Day Parade claims to be the genuine Santa. Is he the real thing or just a charlatan in a red fuzzy coat? In a classic courtroom climax, the department store's Kris Kringle must convince everyone, including a skeptical little girl named Susan Walker, that Santa Claus really does exist.

In addition to her acclaimed performances on film—including her Academy Award-winning role in Roman Holiday—Audrey Hepburn was also a Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF, an organization dedicated to the lives of children. As one of her final projects for young listeners, Hepburn left the world a treasure of exquisitely told fairy tales. This recording features Mary Sheldon's fresh adaptations of "Sleeping Beauty", "Tom Thumb", "Beauty and the Beast", and "Laidronette, Empress of the Pagodes."

The evil Duke of cold Coffin Castle fancies he has frozen time by stopping all of the clocks. He is fearful that one day a Prince may come and win away the hand of his niece, beautiful Princess Saralinda—the only warm hand in the castle. Several suitors have tried to court the Princess, but the Duke assigns them impossible tasks to thwart that fate. A few days before Saralinda's twenty-first birthday, a mysterious prince arrives to complete a seemingly impossible task and free Saralinda from the clutches of her uncle.

The Wonderful O tells of a man named Black who despised the letter "O." He deleted it from his language and omitted it from his words. Opals, moonstones, owls, and oaks could not possibly be his items of choice. Instead, he preferred emeralds, rubies, sapphires, and maps since they contained not a single "O" among them.

Jataka Tales is a compilation of stories from an ancient collection of famous legends about the former lives of the Buddha on his long road to enlightenment. Suggestive of Aesop, these beloved fables are fragments of epics and hero tales arising from deep in the collective Indian past. They present challenging circumstances for humans and animals alike, events which elicit courage and the capacity to love. Centered in one of the world's oldest cities on the Ganges River, these delightful stories tell of dramatic adventures resolved by nonviolent, compassionate means.

> The Wonderful O tells of a man named Black who despised the letter "O". He deleted it from his language and omitted it from his words. Opals, moonstones, owls and oaks could not possibly be his items of choice. He preferred emeralds, rubies, sapphires and maps. At least they had no "O". Soon he wanted his entire village to omit the letter "O". But the villagers found words they would not do without HOPE, LOVE, VALOR, and the most important one of all.

Children of all ages will delight in listening to these four original stories performed by Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, and Tony-winning celebrities: Beloved actress Betty White starts off this collection reading Mary Sheldon's A Day at the Zoo, the story of Lizzy and her troublesome friend Eric on the day they finally get to visit the zoo.

Sharon Stone performs Dancing in the Park, the story of a dancer named Claudia who is determined to cheer up a sad little boy in the park.

Tales like "How the Leopard Got His Spots" and "How the Camel Got His Hump" answer questions only children would ask and answers them in a way only children would believe. Rudyard Kipling very much intended Just So Stories to be read aloud — and no one does it better than Carl Reiner, who brings each original story to life. A superbly amusing and entertaining experience, Kipling's Just So Stories is a children's literature classic that will delight both young and old alike. Stories in this collection are:

Academy Award-winning actor and author Alan Arkin tells a brilliant tale in this young-adult novel, The Lemming Condition. The story is an allegory on conformity, as Bubber, a lemming, is faced with following his entire race to self-induced extinction. Bubber struggles to decide if he should participate in what appears to be an insane death walk, only to constantly be told by family and friends that this is just the way things are. The story provides a superb lesson on conformity, free thinking and personal accountability.

Abigail (the woodmouse), Russell (the hedgehog), Edgar (the mole), and Michelle (the badger)—known to their teacher as the Furlings—come face-to-face with dangers unintentionally brought to their forest world by the human pursuit of "progress." These woodland friends race against time to and work together as a team to help a friend in need. This exciting audio tale is based on the children's film Once Upon a Forest, produced by Hanna-Barbera studios.

Oscar Wilde was an Irish writer who made up special stories for children filled with sweetness and tenderness, as well as lessons about life. Hans Christian Andersen was a Danish author and poet best remembered for his fairy tales with lessons of virtue and resilience in the face of adversity. In this pairing of classics, Dudley Moore reads "The Happy Prince"— Oscar Wilde's tale of charity and loyalty—and David Dukes reads Hans Christian Andersen's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier," a fable about a toy soldier's love for a paper ballerina.

When Yellow Dog saved a boy from drowning, he became a canine hero. But now dog and boy are in danger again, alone in the wilderness after a boat trip separates them from the boy's father and leaves them stranded in the Canadian wilderness. This time, it's the boy's turn to become a hero, and with a little help from this former stray dog, he uses his best judgment in a brave attempt to get home. In this compelling story of loyalty and adventure—as read by actress Mimi Rogers, who appears in the film version—the boy and Yellow Dog become partners in survival and friends for life.

For anyone who's ever nodded off in history class or gotten lost amidst a commotion of confusing names, dates, and other incidentals— it's Captain History to the rescue! Flanked by his two wise-cracking sidekicks, Elmo and Nero, Captain History makes learning United States history fun and entertaining.

After the loss of her parents, Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great mansion on the Yorkshire Moors. Unsure about her surroundings, Mary struggles to find a place in this new existence. Through the gentle guidance of the maid, Mary gradually becomes interested in a garden at the house, the key to which has vanished. In her quest to find and explore the possibilities the garden holds, Mary befriends a host of loveable characters. Is the garden dead, or can Mary bring it back to life?

Combine a crime, a criminal, a fat man in a fez, and a guy named "Chicken Man," and you get a zany sci-fi adventure that defies gravity. As Wizard of Comedy Daniel M. Pinkwater transports the Snarkout Boys and the Rat through the tunnel under North Aufzoo Street to the warmth of Beanbenders, you'll meet some strange characters and learn much about the versatile avocado.

Lil' Jordan's 9 Holes of Fear is a fun, fictional tale of a courageous kid who, with the support of his father, conquers his fears by challenging a golf course filled with monsters. This story is an exciting and unpredictable adventure that also shares a lesson in the principles of sportsmanship. Lil' Jordan's potential, preparation, and perseverance help him face the nine-hole test.

In this much-anticipated sequel to Tell Me a Scary Story—Carl Reiner's first children's book—odd beams of light come from nowhere, along with oodles of goopy goo, memorable characters, and mysteries for kids to solve. As the story becomes scarier, Reiner pauses to ask if he should proceed, “Or is it too scary?” That's for kids to decide! Here's a fun story with delicious thrills and scary stuff that children will ask for again, and again.