Classic Adaptation

This high interest/low vocabulary retelling of The Iliad introduces young listeners to Homer's thrilling epic tale. Set during the siege of Troy, and complete with duels, battles, larger-than-life characters like Achilles, and the famed Greek gods, The Iliad is truly the ultimate adventure story.

He robbed from the rich and gave to the poor, and had escapades enough to please any adventure-loving child. Now even the youngest listeners can have the chance to enter Sherwood Forest with Robin's band of merry men, and meet such unforgettable characters as Friar Tuck, Little John, Allan-a-Dale, the nasty Sheriff of Nottingham, and wicked King John. Every moment of the story is filled with action and excitement.

A shipwreck; a deserted island; a single family, wondering if they can survive. Rich in suspense and surprises, The Swiss Family Robinson entices young listeners to come along on a wonderful adventure, where each moment brings a new thrill. Featuring amazingly resourceful characters and a wondrous landscape bursting with exotic wildlife and plants, it’s an irresistible tale of ingenuity.

A fascinating adventure story, grounded in American history. As the French and Indian war rages, the two daughters of a British officer prepare to return home. But when Cora, Alice, and the soldiers who guard them are betrayed by their Native American scout, their safety depends on wily forest tracker Hawkeye and his friends Chingachkook and Uncas - the last of the Mohicans.

"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.

Louisa May Alcott's classic novel, set during the Civil War, has always captivated even the most reluctant listeners. Little girls, especially, love following the adventures of the four March sisters - Meg, Beth, Amy, and most of all, the tomboy, Jo - as they experience the joys and disappointments, tragedies and triumphs, of growing up. This simpler version captures all the charm and warmth of the original.

Warbreaker is the story of two sisters, who happen to be princesses, the God King one of them has to marry, the lesser god who doesn’t like his job, and the immortal who’s still trying to undo the mistakes he made hundreds of years ago. Their world is one in which those who die in glory return as gods to live confined to a pantheon in Hallandren’s capital city and where a power known as BioChromatic magic is based on an essence known as breath that can only be collected one unit at a time from individual people.

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.

Sail down the Mississippi with Huck Finn and the runaway slave, Jim. Twain's beloved tale, with its folksy language, creates an indelible image of antebellum America with its sleepy river towns, con men, family feuds, and a variety of colorful characters.

Set in a richly rendered 15th-century Paris, Victor Hugo's powerful drama focuses on a beautiful gypsy girl named Esmeralda, the two men (including an obsessed and manipulative priest) who love her, and the pitiful hunchback Quasimodo who tries to save her. With this simplified yet spellbinding version, kids can enjoy all the excitement of Hugo's masterful story.

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.

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.

Pirates, buried treasure, and action aplenty - that's what's served up in this fine story, mates, and kids will eat it up. After Jim Hawkins finds the map to a mysterious treasure, he sets sail in search of the fortune. Little does he realize, he's boarded a pirate ship, and that surprises and danger await him...including a meeting with the unforgettable Long John Silver.

Classic Starts: The stories are abridged; the quality is complete. The discovery of a neglected garden transforms the life of a sullen and unloved little girl-and everyone around her, too. When the newly orphaned Mary Lennox leaves her native India and arrives at her uncle's mansion in Yorkshire, everything seems strange to her. Then Mary hears of a mysterious garden where no one has set foot in 10 years. With the help of some new friends, she plans to uncover its secrets...and make it blossom once again.

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?

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. No child is too young to appreciate the amazing deductive powers of the world's smartest detective. These easy-to-listen-to Sherlock Holmes stories provide the perfect introduction to the super sleuth and his friend and assistant, Dr. Watson. Among the intriguing tales: "A Scandal in Bohemia", Holmes's first encounter with the mysterious Irene Adler; "The Red-Headed League"; "The Adventure of the Six Napoleons" and others.

Black Beauty is the classic horse story, a beautiful and touching tale told by the title character himself. Set in Victorian London, it follows Beauty's life and changing fortunes as he moves from owner to owner. As the horse encounters new experiences and new friends who reveal their own histories, the story quietly paints a fascinating portrait of how animals were treated during that era.

Across the country and in every nation, people are waking up with magical talents. Untrained and panicked, they summon storms, raise the dead, and set everything they touch ablaze. Army officer Oscar Britton sees the worst of it. A lieutenant attached to the military's Supernatural Operations Corps, his mission is to bring order to a world gone mad. Then he abruptly manifests a rare and prohibited magical power, transforming him overnight from government agent to public enemy number one.

This sparkling sequel to the beloved Little Women follows the grown-up and married Jo, mistress of Plumfield, a school for boys (and a few girls, too). The fun begins with a new arrival, Nat Blake; it is through his eyes that we first meet Plumfield’s lively residents and experience the cheerful confusion that reigns in the welcoming home. Fans of the first book will happily greet these wonderful characters...and renew their acquaintance with such old favorites as Laurie and Meg.