Showing results by narrator "George Guidall" in All Categories

The 19th addition of this annual anthology exhibits a collection of short fiction from award-winning Southern authors and rising stars including Edward P. Jones and Silas House. Each story’s derivation is explained in an illuminating note from the author following the rich and entertaining tales.

Henry and his big dog, Mudge, like to play outside. But when a thunderstorm begins, Mudge is unhappy. He wants to go inside. He wants to hide from the loud thunder and sharp lightning. Soon the storm is very windy and noisy, and the lights have gone out. As Mudge hides his head in the sofa, Henry and his parents light candles and play cards. Then, armed with a flashlight, Henry goes on a rescue mission.

In the tradition of the Native American storyteller, Jamake Highwater weaves generations of legends and stories into the haunting legend of a handsome young brave named Anpao. When Anpao falls in love with the beautiful Ko-Ko-mik-e-is, she tells him she belongs to the Sun alone. Before they can marry, Anpao must complete a dangerous journey to the house of the Sun to get permission to wed his beloved. As a sign of the Sun’s approval, the scars will be melted from Anpao’s tawny cheek.

In the classic style of the great epic storytellers, Newbery Honor-winning author Jamake Highwater breathes new life into the ancient literary traditions of India. With nonstop action, powerful superheroes, and evil monsters, Rama is an exciting introduction to the richness of The Ramayana.

Sitting on the porch with his dog, Mudge, Henry watches a man and a collie walk by. As the collie obeys the man's commands to sit, lie down, and stay, Henry looks at Mudge and thinks about the things Mudge knows how to do: drool, sleep, and jump up on company. So Henry decides to enroll Mudge in dog obedience school. On the first day, Mudge dances with the trainer; on the following days, Mudge learns commands. But will he learn enough to pass the final test?

In January, there's a lot of snow on the ground. One day when Henry and his big dog Mudge go outside to play, they see a sign in a store window. It says: SNOWMAN CONTEST, SATURDAY AT THE PARK. Henry runs home to tell his dad. On Saturday, the park is filled with people building all kinds of fancy snowmen. There are many dogs there, too. While Mudge makes friends, Henry and his dad get to work. They will need to make a very unusual snowman to win this contest!

Love them or hate them, the New York Yankees have been an American institution for nearly a century. With their rich history and colorful cast of characters, the Yankees never fail to inspire or provoke. In this exciting compendium, some of today's most acclaimed writers - including Pete Dexter, Colum McCann, Roy Blount, Jr., Dan Barry, Jane Leavy, Charles P. Pierce, J. R. Moehringer, Daniel Okrent, Frank Deford, Bill James, and many more - step up to the plate to take their cuts. The result is a collection of original essays as idiosyncratic and expansive as the team that has inspired them.

Years ago Marshal Asher Thrall had shot mad-dog killer Ben Sharkey. And Sharkey has just repaid the favor in spades. With a bullet still in his chest, Ash knows he's a walking dead man. But he's going to make sure Sharkey is one step ahead of him.

Janeway has agreed to help Laura Marshall, a friend of his bookstore partner, who's accused of murdering her husband. While Janeway tries to gather the facts, he pulls long shifts standing watch over the Marshall home, filled with books signed by their celebrity authors. When a shifty pair of alleged book dealers turns up, and Janeway begins to suspect that Laura's son is hiding critical information, the case becomes a maze of clues and increasing danger.

A native Texan, Edwin “Bud” Shrake has written more than two dozen works and is best known for "The Borderland", which was named one of the 10 best books of 2000 by the "Los Angeles Times". Fort Worth lawyer Ben Carpenter’s 30th birthday party turns into a bizarre trip across the Mexican border. And things get even stranger when he finds himself in a confrontation with a dangerous legal opponent.

Chekhov, noted author, playwright and physician, is one of the most accessible and enjoyable of the Russian writers. He writes about life’s routines in a way that encompasses the heights and depths of human emotion all in the span of a day, or even a meal. This recording includes four of his most acclaimed short stories, including: "The Black Monk", "The House with the Mezzanine", "The Peasants", and "Gooseberries".

Zane Grey, an author synonymous with the daring tales of the Wild West, delivers an exciting tale in this phenomenal best-seller, The U.P. Trail. As the country changes around them, a group of Wyoming residents ban together to fight the coming of the Union Pacific Railroad. But railroad engineer Warren Neale, struggling against the terrain, the climate, the populace and even his girlfriend’s abduction, is determined to see his project to completion.

Georgie Burgess has known only neglect and abuse during his seven and a half years of life. His alcoholic mother does little to prevent the bruises and scars inflicted on Georgie by her brutal boyfriend. With each blow, the little boy withdraws further into his dreams. When he wins a small rose bush in a lottery, it seems as if one of his dreams has finally come true. But after a particularly savage beating, he is taken from his mother and placed in a home for boys.

When Henry and his big dog Mudge see a spy kit for sale, they know right away that it's time to break open the piggy bank. With their spy hat and magnifying glass and secret code card, Henry and Mudge can flirt with danger, steal secrets, and start cracking codes. On their first spy mission, Henry tells Mudge to try not to look suspicious. Mudge rolls in the mud and chews on an old shoe, so no one will ever think he's a spy. But then Henry finds a piece of paper with a real spy code written on it.

Newbery Medal-winner Cynthia Rylant tells a charming story about the joys of sharing and teamwork. Every year, Henry makes a funny lunch for his mom on Mother's Day. This year, he will make a pineapple sofa! Henry and his dad head to the grocery store with Mudge, who gets to come in because everybody loves him. Mudge spends his time sniffing the Fruity Puffs and Cocoa Chews and eating crackers and a lollipop. Then they all head home to make Mom's special meal.

Cynthia Rylant, acclaimed author of the popular Henry and Mudge series, delivers another exciting beginning-reader adventure. After expressing a craving for some farm-fresh produce, Henry's mother prompts a day trip to a country farm. It doesn't take long for Henry and Mudge to make friends with the various farm animals. However, there is one animal on the farm who isn't too friendly.

When Henry's parents choose Mudge, the wriggling puppy has floppy ears and straight, soft fur. Mudge is tiny. But Henry knows he'll grow. Now Mudge is three feet tall, and he's the best friend Henry has ever had. Mudge trots to school with Henry, and he sleeps on Henry's bed. But one day the big dog goes for a walk by himself and gets lost. When Henry comes home from school, he is alone. Where's Mudge?

It’s 1663 in the tiny, hardscrabble Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, now present-day Manhattan. Orphan children are going missing, and among those looking into the mysterious state of affairs are a 22-year-old trader, Blandine von Couvering, herself an orphan, and a British spy named Edward Drummond. Both the search for the killer and Edward and Blandine’s newfound romance are endangered, however, when Blandine is accused of being a witch and Edward is sentenced to hang for espionage.

Loch and his sister are with their father on a scientific expedition when suddenly a hideous water beast explodes out of the water - and a photographer, hoping to get the picture of a lifetime, gets devoured.

A madman is loose in New York, leaving a trail of slain women in his wake. With each new victim, the appetite of the media grows, until a full-fledged feeding frenzy is underway. Even more treacherous, a tragedy from the killer’s past has him bent on revenge against the entire city police force. Enter Detective John Vinda--one cop who doesn’t mind bending the rules a little bit to bring the vicious murderer to justice.