In this selection of tales by the master folklorist Andrew Lang, the reader is taken into the romantic world of the gallant Knights of the Round Table and their courageous and chivalrous deeds, fair maidens, castles steeped in history, the quest for the Holy Grail, and the tragic love of King Arthur and Sir Lancelot for Guinevere, and Tristan for Iseult. The Arthurian legends are the most potent of the thrilling and mist-enshrouded tales of adventure to be passed down from pre-recorded history, and they have as much appeal today as they did in the age of the troubadours.
Andrew Lang draws on his classical learning to recount the Homeric legend of the wars between the Greeks and the Trojans. Paris, Helen of Troy, Achilles, Hector, Ulysses, the Amazons and the Wooden Horse all figure in this magical introduction to one of the greatest legends ever told. Also included in this book are the adventures of Theseus and his dramatic battle with the Minotaur with the help of Ariadne, and the quest of Jason for the Golden Fleece with the help of the Princess Medea.
The story opens with the shipwreck on a Pacific Island of the young friends Ralph Rover and Jack Martin and Peterkin Gray. Despite the pleasurable presence of delicious breadfruit, coconuts, and succulent oysters, the intrepid trio are not alone and they soon witness a battle between rival bands of cannibals led by 'Bloody Bill'. Their lives are placed in serious peril from which only courage and determined pluck can save them.
Benny and his friend Mike are in trouble when they are curiousabout a uranium mine.
one boy, penniless and in rags, forced to beg in the street.The other, a king’s son, coddled and given all he could want. Whathappens when the two boys change clothes and places, and each onelearns how the other half lives? Mark Twain’s satirical andsuspenseful novel about the thin line that separates prince andpauper is a perennial favorite.
“Once you start looking for the happy things, you don’t thinkabout the bad ones as much.” That’s the joyful way Pollyanna seesthe world: no matter what happens, she plays her “Just Be Glad”game and finds the sunny side of any situation. But when she’sorphaned and forced to live with her rigid Aunt Polly, willhigh-spirited Pollyanna succeed in melting her Aunt’s coldheart?
The long-ago mysteries of the great opera house in Paris havenever been explained. Why did so many terrible tragedies happenthere? Why did everyone flee from it in fear? This gripping storyabout the “opera ghost” and the beautiful singer he loves launchedone of the most popular musicals in Broadway history—and it servesup enough thrills, chills, and surprises to keep even the mostreluctant reader fascinated.
A shipwreck; a deserted island; a single family, wonderingif they can survive. Rich in suspense and surprises, The SwissFamily Robinson entices young readers to come along on awonderful adventure, where each moment brings a new thrill.Featuring amazingly resourceful characters and a wondrous landscapebursting with exotic wildlife and plants, it’s an irresistible taleof ingenuity.
The Aldens survive a landslide and find a Native Americansecret.
0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%" Half wolf, half dog, WhiteFang fully understands the cruelty of both nature and humans. Afternearly starving to death during the frigid Arctic winter, he’staken in first by a man who “trains” him through constantwhippings, and then by another who forces him to participate invicious dogfights. Follow White Fang as he overcomes theseobstacles and finally meets someone who offers him kindness andlove.
In these delightful tales, Oscar Wilde employs all his grace, artistry and wit. The Happy Prince tells of the statue of a once pleasure-loving Prince which, with the help of a selfless Swallow helps people in distress. As well as The Nightingale and the Rose, The Devoted Friend and The Remarkable Rocket, this collection contains The Selfish Giant, a remarkable story of the redemptive power of love.
0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%" From the sword in the stoneand the founding of Camelot to the famed Round Table and the Lakeof Enchantment, the legend of King Arthur will never lose itsmagic. Though simpler, this version includes all the wonderfulstories—such as King Arthur’s winning of Guenievere and Merlin’stragic downfall at the hands of the evil Vivien.
Carved by Old Gepetto, Pinocchio has an enormous nose which grows even longer whenever he tells a lie. And Pinocchio is such a scamp that he gets into all sorts of mischief. He runs away and joins a circus but eventually the conscience of a talking cricket and Pinocchio's guardian fairy restore him to good behaviour, obedience and care for others.
The Jungle Book introduces Mowgli, the human foundling adoptedby a family of wolves. It tells of the enmity between him and thetiger Shere Khan, who killed Mowgli's parents, and of thefriendship between the man-cub and Bagheera, the black panther, andBaloo, the sleepy brown bear, who instructs Mowgli in the Laws ofthe Jungle. The Second Jungle Book contains some of the mostthrilling of the Mowgli stories. It includes Red Dog, in whichMowgli forms an unlikely alliance with the python Kaa, How FearCame and Letting in the Jungle as well as The Spring Running, whichbrings Mowgli to manhood and the realisation that he must leaveBagheera, Baloo and his other friends for the world of man.
The beautiful Scheherazade's royal husband threatens to kill her, so each night she diverts him by weaving wonderful tales of fantastic adventure, leaving each story unfinished so that he spares her life to hear the ending the next night. This is the background to the Arabian Nights. In this selection made by that master of folklore and fairy-tale Andrew Lang, the reader meets Aladdin with his wonderful lamp, the Enchanted Horse, the Princess Badoura, Sinbad the Sailor, and the great Caliph of Bagdad, Haroun-al-Raschid.
once upon a time… there were two brothers, Jacob and WilhelmGrimm, who gave the world some of the best-loved fairy tales everwritten. From “Cinderella” and “Rumpelstiltskin” to “Snow White”and “The Brave Little Tailor,” this charming anthology offers youngreaders a wonderful introduction to 12 of the Grimms' most popularstories.
Aesop"s celebrated collection of fables has always been popular with both adults and children. These simple tales embody truths so powerful, the titles of individual fables - the fox and the grapes, the dog in the manger, the woff in sheep"s clothing and many others - have entered the languages and idioms of most European tongues. This edition is beautifully illustrated in black and white by the great Arthur Rackham. and has an introduction by G.K. Chesterton.
All for one and one for all! That’s the rallying cry ofthe Musketeers—guards of the French King—and the call to adventurefor young readers enjoying their first taste of Dumas’ classicswashbuckler. Aramis, Athos, Porthos, and the not-quite-yetMusketeer D’Artagnan use their wits and their swords to battle anevil Cardinal, the traitorous Milady, and other enemies of theFrench court.
Grade 5-8-Twelve-year-old Katy is constantly making and quickly breaking resolutions about how she will change her ways and treat others, especially her five younger brothers and sisters, with more respect and compassion. When Katy meets her Cousin Helen, an invalid, Katy is awed by her kindness, prettiness, and generosity. Katy is determined to become more like Helen, a resolution that lasts only a few hours. Soon, however, Katy gets a chance to become more like cousin Helen than she ever wished as she finds herself confined to her bedroom for four years as a result of an accident. Much of the story is focused on the change Katy undergoes during her illness. Helen visits again to advise Katy to learn from her experience and to try to become the center of the house by making her room and herself more attractive to others. One way Katy decides to take Helen's advice is through assuming the responsibility of running the house, a job that consists of giving the servants instructions and ringing her bell to summo
The highest standards in editing and production have been applied to the Wordsworth Children's Classics, while the low price makes them affordable for everyone. Wordsworth's list covers a range of the best-loved stories for children, from nursery tales, classic fables, and fairy tales to stories that will appeal to older children and adults alike. Many of these volumes have contemporary illustrations, and while they are ideal for shared family reading, their attractive format will also encourage children to read for themselves. Like all Wordsworth Editions, these children's books represent unbeatable value. Rebecca Randall leaves her family at Sunnybrook Farm and goes to live with her two aunts in Riverboro. There she goes to school for the first time, embarks on a madcap scheme to sell soap, nearly runs away, befriends a coach driver and helps repair the family's fortunes.
When Polyanna Whittier goes to live with her sour-tempered aunt after her father's death, things seem bad enough, but then a dreadful accident ensues. However, Pollyanna's sunny nature and good humour prove to have an astonishing effect on all around her, and this wonderful tale of how cheerfulness can conquer adversity has remained one of the world's most popular children's books since its first publication in 1913.
0in 0in 0pt; LINE-HEIGHT: 200%" A searing tale of fear andcourage, set during the Civil War, but more powerful today thanever. A young man enlists in the Union Army, but nervously wondershow he will react to the blood, violence, and death of a realbattle. When that terrible day arrives, he flees the fighting interror. But his cowardly behavior gnaws at his conscience, and hesearches for redemption for what he has done.
Motherless Sara Crewe was sent home from India to school at Miss Minchin's. Her father was immensely rich and she became "show pupil" - a little princess. Then her father dies and his wealth disappears, and Sara has to learn to cope with her changed circumstances. Her strong character enables her to fight successfully against her new-found poverty and the scorn of her fellows.
