Showing results by publisher "Dreamscape Media, LLC" in Classics

Kipling wrote only two science fiction stories, the first of which was "With the Night Mail"; both are set in his Aerial Board of Control universe and in the 21st century. The Aerial Board of Control is a fictional supranational organization created to manage air traffic for the whole world. The organisation was able to limit the influence of national states and create a de facto world government.

"A Kidnapped Santa Claus" is a short story by L. Frank Baum, author of the Oz stories. In it, The Daemons of the caves, resentful of Santa Claus, who rebuffs their attempts to subvert him by temptation, capture him in his sleigh on Christmas Eve and imprison him in their caves. Santa's helpers: a fairy, pixie, knook, and ryl, finish his deliveries with a few comical mishaps. Assembling a magical army of good beings, the queen of the fairies leads an attempt to rescue Santa Claus from the clutches of the evil Daemons.

In "Beyond the Door", a man buys a cuckoo clock for his wife who has always wanted one. When he catches her cheating on him, the man throws his wife out of the house with her lover. Though he never really cared for the clock, he keeps winding it because he dislikes the silence. But the cuckoo clock, who preferred the wife's company, begins to plot against its owner.

In "The Gun", a group of space explorers are shot down above a deserted planet. While some of the crew work on repairing the ship, the remainder set out to investigate the planet. Otherwise unpopulated, they discover the huge gun that shot them down sitting atop a trove of cultural artifacts from a bygone civilization. What harm could come of dismantling the gun and taking a few of the artifacts home with them?

In "Kate's Choice", a young English girl inherits a financial windfall when she is suddenly orphaned. Per her father's wish, she is sent to America to live with the families of each of her four uncles in order to choose where she will live. Each family is full of wonderful, prosperous, interesting people, all of them anxious that Kate should choose their family to stay with. But at Christmastime, Kate surprises them all by announcing whom she shall stay with.

"A Merry Christmas" is the famous Christmas scene (Chapter Two) from the immortal Louisa May Alcott novel, Little Women. The four March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy, and their mother, celebrate Christmas without their father who has gone to war. Newly impoverished, after father's financial loss, the sisters work outside the home for money to support the family, and rediscover the true meaning of Christmas in the process.

In "Gwen's Adventures in the Snow", Gwen and her siblings set out on a winter evening's sleigh ride only to encounter bad weather. Taking shelter in their country house to wait out the snowstorm, the group builds a fire, makes a picnic from the house's reserves, and shares stories to allay each other's fears.

In "A Christmas Turkey", a poor family works hard to figure out how they can celebrate Christmas. When the father is unable to provide a turkey, the children venture out into the world, working to earn enough money to pool their resources and purchase one for the Christmas table.

"A New Way to Spend Christmas" describes a Christmas visit to Randall's Island in the East River, where orphaned and sick children are looked after. A charitable woman brings gifts and spreads "sunshine in that shady place" to the unfortunate children who live there.

In "A Christmas Dream, and How It Came True", 10-year-old Effie lives a comfortable life and experiences Christmases filled with delicious treats and wonderful toys. One night she has a dream that forever changes the meaning of Christmas for her. Encountering a group of underprivileged children, she is inspired to give them a Christmas they will never forget.

In "A Country Christmas", Louisa May Alcott tells the story of Sophie, a debutante from the city who travels to rural Vermont to spend Christmas with her cousins Saul and Ruth. Though apprehensive at first, Sophie learns that the charms of celebrating Christmas in the country are many.

In "The Quiet Little Woman" a lonely orphan girl named Patty desires only for a family to love her. When a family finally does come for Patty, she learns it is because they need a servant. But it happens that there is one person who cares about Patty, whose life will soon change forever.

In this Christmas story, a poor girl named Tilly finds an injured bird in the snow and takes it home to care for it, believing in the lessons her mother has taught her concerning the golden rule and Christ's commandment to love our neighbors. Although her friends think she shouldn't take care of the bird, her kindness is rewarded unexpectedly on Christmas Eve. This version of "Tilly's Christmas" was recorded as part of Dreamscape's The Christmas Stories of Louisa May Alcott.

In "Rosa's Tale", Louisa May Alcott spins a heartwarming fable about a horse who magically speaks to a lonely girl at midnight on Christmas Eve.

In "Bertie's Box", a family sits around the table putting the finishing touches on their Christmas present wrapping. A letter arrives from a poor widow asking for assistance in providing a Christmas present for her two children. Overhearing this, young Bertie sets about packing up some of his toys to send to the unfortunate mother.

In "A Hospital Christmas" a Civil War-era hospital is the setting for a Christmas story about caring for others, thinking positively, and how sharing can make Christmas meaningful for those who have little.

"Tessa's Surprises" is a story about an underprivileged little girl who strives to earn a few coins so she can buy her younger siblings Christmas presents. A heartwarming Christmas tale from Louisa May Alcott.

In "Mrs. Podger's Teapot", an old woman and her boarder take in an orphan on a cold winter's night. The child's natural spirit of generosity moves Mrs. Podger, and helps her find true happiness at Christmas.

In "Becky's Christmas Dream", a poor working girl is left alone at Christmas time. Wishing for companionship and love, she is spoken to by an old gray cat, who reveals to her a simple truth about being loved.

In What Love Can Do, two poor sisters share their modest Christmas wishes with each other, namely: a little money with which to buy gifts for their family members. Overhearing this, the kindly residents of a boarding house come together to make a lovely Christmas surprise for the two girls.