Showing results by publisher "Naxos AudioBooks" in Classics

Some people do not know that The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was actually the first of a 13-story series. The Marvelous Land of Oz, the second story, brings the Scarecrow and the Tin Man into new adventures in the Land of Oz. In this story, which is as equally entertaining as The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, the Tin Man and Scarecrow are persuaded to help out a young boy who finds himself in difficulty. There is also flying furniture among the oddities.

Black Beauty, the friendly, patient stallion with a white blaze upon his forehead, is one of the most familiar figures in children's literature. After the first lively carefree years in the fields, Black Beauty learns to accept the saddle and bridle and the rule of her masters. But a succession of misfortunes shows that the life of a horse can be harsh and painful. This touching portrait, full of drama and sadness, is as moving now as when it was first written in 1877.

This delightful selection of stories by one of the classic masters of the genre includes some well-known and lesser-known tales, presented in lively Naxos AudioBooks style with music and sound effects.

It is England in the time of Henry VII. Two boys meet. They were born on the same day; they look identical but they are not from the same family. Tom Canty is a pauper living in a hovel in the back streets of London, surviving as a beggar. Edward is Prince of Wales and about to become Edward VI. By a sudden twist of fate, they find themselves in each other's circumstances, the pauper raised to royalty and the prince - to the state of a pauper.

Lemuel Gulliver sets out on a series of travels, but each time he finds himself shipwrecked in new and unfamiliar lands. And how unfamiliar! In Lilliput, everyone is tiny, and it takes thousands of them to capture him; in Brobdingnag, they’re huge and treat him as a sort of living toy; in Laputa, they live on a floating island inventing impossibly mad projects; and the Houyhnhnms are horses! But through all his adventures, Gulliver learns to see humans in a different way, too.

Now Anne is sixteen and a half and is about to start teaching at the very same school she hefself attended. Those of you who know Anne will realise that she has always been delighfully, accident prone, falling into scrapes because of her plans and adventures.

Meet Katy Carr. She's Impulsive, gangly, adventurous, awkward, and brave; she loves clambering over fences, sitting on roofs, making up games, or going for picnics with her five brothers and sisters (much to the horror of her Aunt Izzie). But when she falls from a swing, she suddenly has to cope with being stuck indoors - maybe forever.

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.

Our Island Story by H. E. Marshall is an Edwardian history book for younger listeners (age six to 12) that tells the story of England, concluding with the reign of Queen Victoria. Having released it unabridged in three volumes, Naxos AudioBooks now offers an attractive collection of the main stories and personalities. This skilful abridgement nevertheless maintains the narrative of British history, from the arrival of Julius Caesar to the height of the British Empire and the long reign of Queen Victoria.

As Jim Hawkins tells his extraordinary tale, and later that of his companion Dr. Livesey, we are plunged into a world of pirates, buried treasure, mutiny, and deceit.

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.

Bellerophon and the winged horse Pegasus launch into the blue sky in search of the dreaded three-headed Chimera, but will success go to the hero's head? Orpheus, devastated by the death of his wife, Eurydice, dares the dangers of the kingdom of the dead in an attempt to bring her back to life. Echo loves Narcissus but he only loves himself: a story that can only end in sadness.

Since it first appeared in 1913, Pollyanna has become an enduring favorite with children. The tale of an orphan who maintains a strongly positive view of the world despite adversity has a strong affect on listeners of all ages, even in the 21st century - and especially when read with such warmth by Laura Lefkow.

The evergreen tale of the Swiss orphan girl Heidi has charmed and intrigued readers since its original publication in 1880. Heidi comes to live with her grandfather in the Swiss Alps where she befriends the animals and children, in particular the goatherd Peter. She is later taken away to the stern and confining home of the invalid Clara where she enriches the lives of those around her but longs to return home. After many adventures she returns to her grandfather's cabin in her beloved Alps.

Eight more plays introduced for younger audiences, including Much Ado About Nothing, Antony and Cleopatra, The Winter's Tale, Measure for Measure, and All's Well That Ends Well.

The first volume of David Timson's series retelling of the stories from Shakespeare's plays was widely praised by newspaper and educators alike. Here is volume 2, with more key plays. Including Julius Caesar, The Merchant of Venice, and Henry IV, all texts which regularly appear on the exam syllabus. As before, the stories are illustrated by numerous examples from the plays themselves. They are read by two leading Shakespearean actors, Juliet Stevenson and Alex Jennings.

This is a story from the Grimm's Fairy Tales collection.

Our eponymous hero finds himself shipwrecked on an African desert island after a tumultuous storm, and following the realization he is the only survivor, is faced with the prospect of years of isolation. However, he throws his energy into familiarizing himself with his new habitat: he hunts, learns how to make pottery and even adopts a parrot. And after encountering a group of cannibals, Robinson Crusoe finally finds a companion.