Showing results by narrator "Rebecca K. Reynolds" in All Categories

“Go down the crater of the volcano Snaefells. Follow the shadow just before the month of July. You will find your way to the center of the Earth. I did it.” That mysterious message, found in a long-lost letter, propels a young man and his uncle on the adventure of a lifetime: to a prehistoric world below the earth where dinosaurs and other strange creatures still roam. Jules Verne's classic fantasy will enchant a new generation of listeners. Retold from the original by Kathleen Olmstead.

Once upon a time…there were two brothers, Jakob and Wilhelm Grimm, who gave the world some of the best-loved fairy tales ever written. From “Cinderella” and “Rumpelstiltskin” to “Snow White” and “The Brave Little Tailor”, this charming anthology offers young listeners a wonderful introduction to 12 of the Grimms' most popular stories.

When young Pip accidentally meets a convict out in the marsh one Christmas Eve, he has no idea that his life is about to change - forever. The amazing events following that encounter, and the strange tale of Miss Havisham and her adopted daughter, Estella, have made Great Expectations a must since it was first serialized in 1860. Now, young listeners can enjoy Dickens’ engrossing story in this simplified yet thrilling version. 

“To help mother”: that was the goal of each and every one of the five Pepper children. Yet even as “Mamsie” struggles hard to feed and educate her brood, she still manages to fill the house with joy. The adventures of this poor but loving family - Ben, Polly, Joel, Davie, and the adored youngest, Phronsie - have charmed young listeners for more than a century. Overflowing with warmth, suspense, and many delightful surprises, this classic remains as compelling as ever. 

This lovely collection will make little ballerinas dance for joy! Inside, they’ll find eight of the most beautiful ballet stories, including Swan Lake, Coppélia, The Firebird, and of course, that perennial holiday favorite, The Nutcracker. It’s the perfect way to prepare a child for seeing a performance - or to keep the magic going afterward. 

Now every child can celebrate the 100th anniversary of Lucy Maud Montgomery’s ever-popular story! First introduced in Anne of Green Gables as a young orphan, Montgomery’s feisty and imaginative heroine is now 16 years old and embarking on a new adventure: becoming a teacher in her old Avonlea school. It’s an exciting year as Anne struggles to win over all her students, welcomes two new members to her family, and feels the first stirrings of love. 

Here come the animals! From Rudyard Kipling’s most popular Just-So Stories to Jack London’s “Brown Wolf”, this collection features some of the best-loved animal tales of all time. They include Kipling’s “How the Elephant Got His Trunk”; Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Wild Swans”; Mark Twain’s “A Dog’s Tale”; Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “The Squirrels That Live in a House”, and more.

Half wolf, half dog, White Fang fully understands the cruelty of both nature and humans. After nearly starving to death during the frigid Arctic winter, he's taken in first by a man who "trains" him through constant whippings, and then by another who forces him to participate in vicious dogfights. Follow White Fang as he overcomes these obstacles and finally meets someone who offers him kindness and love. Retold from the Jack London original by Kathleen Olmstead.

Doctor Dolittle is a very special vet - because he knows how to talk to the animals! So when he hears that there's a terrible sickness hurting all the monkeys in Africa, the good doctor knows he must go and help them. Soon he's off on an exciting adventure across the seas in this superb retelling of Hugh Lofting's beloved classic. 

H. G. Wells' sobering, thought-provoking novel is one of the greatest works of science fiction ever created - and as powerful today as when it was written. After inventing a machine that moves through time, the Traveler leaves Victorian London and goes far, far into the future. At first, the world he discovers seems peaceful and prosperous. But as he looks below the surface, he realizes that things are not exactly as they first appeared. Retold from the H.G. Wells original by Chris Sasaki. 

A single person - but with two personalities: one that’s noble and kind and another that’s pure, repulsive evil. Robert Louis Stevenson’s engrossing masterpiece about the dual nature of man - and a good doctor whose thirst for knowledge has tragic consequences - serves up all the suspense and satisfying chills one expects from the best horror and science fiction. 

"Once you start looking for the happy things, you don't think about the bad ones as much." That's the joyful way Pollyanna sees the world: No matter what happens, she plays her "Just Be Glad" game and finds the sunny side of any situation. But when she's orphaned and forced to live with her rigid Aunt Polly, will high-spirited Pollyanna succeed in melting her aunt's cold heart? 

Mischievous, lazy, and full of tricks, the puppet Pinocchio causes trouble for his creator, Geppetto, almost as soon as he comes to life. Yet, more than anything, this naughty and playful creature wants to become a real boy. To make his dreams come true, he must prove himself worthy. Come along on Pinocchio's amazing journey as he learns - the hard way - what it means to be honest, kind, and, above all, human. 

When Heidi's Aunt Dete brings the orphaned girl to live with her grandfather, no one can imagine the bitter, solitary old man caring for a child. But, to everyone's surprise, the two grow to love each other - and Heidi blossoms in her new home. Johanna Spyri's charming story - and spirited heroine - have won children's hearts for more than a century. 

Mary Shelley’s tragic story of a scientist who created a monster is perhaps even more compelling and meaningful today than when it was written nearly two centuries ago. From the bits and pieces of dead bodies, and the power of electricity, the brilliant Victor Frankenstein fashions a new form of life—only to discover, too late, the irreparable damage he has caused.

Dracula, that compelling creature of the night, continues his neck-biting ways in a version of the novel that children will devour. Moving from Transylvania to London, the timeless vampire serves up thrills and chills as he imprisons and terrorizes the innocent Jonathan Harker, and then goes after his fiancée, Mina, and her friend, Lucy. From creepy, insect-eating Renfield to Dr. Van Helsing - who valiantly fights Dracula’s evil - the characters and drama are spellbinding.

Take a thrilling whirlwind trip around the world with Phileas Fogg! When Fogg - a man of habit whose every day is just like the one before - makes a bet that he can circle the globe and be back in his men’s club in just 80 days, the race is on. Jules Verne’s classic tale bubbles with excitement, suspense, and colorful locations. 

"Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves", "Aladdin", "Sinbad the Sailor": These are just some of the strange and amazing stories that clever Scheherazade tells to captivate her husband, King Shahryar…and to save her own life. Each one is more fantastic than the last, filled with demons and dervishes, caliphs and genies, men transformed into dogs and monsters with eyes that glow. Like the king, children will find themselves enchanted by every tale.

Classic Starts: The stories are abridged; the quality is complete. Classic Starts treats the world's beloved tales (and children) with the respect they deserve. Here is the ultimate dog story, one filled with emotion, adventure, and excitement. During the Gold Rush, Buck is snatched away from his peaceful home and brought to the harsh and bitter Yukon to become a sled dog. Will he adapt, and learn to trust men?

"Tom Sawyer liked adventures, which means he was always getting in trouble." Searching for treasure, witnessing a murder, getting caught in a bat cave, tricking others into doing his work, running away with Huckleberry Finn - Tom Sawyer's antics and mischief-making are sheer, child-pleasing delight. Every boy and girl should experience the joy and fun of this classic tale.