Marshall Dodge and Bob Bryan began swapping funny Down East stories when they were students at Yale in the 1950s. Their fascination and appreciation for Maine and its people triggered the production of several “Bert and I” records, from which 14 stories were selected for the first edition of this book. Now, eleven more have been added for this expanded second edition. Dodge and Bryan were groundbreaking in their appreciation of the oral tradition and paved the way for contemporary storytel...

Set in the Netherlands, the beautiful land of windmills, tulips, and wooden shoes, this timeless story relates the adventures of the impoverished but virtuous Brinker family. Young Hans and Gretel work toward two goals: finding the doctor who can restore their father’s memory, and winning the competition for the silver skates. Their good deeds help to bring about good fortune for their whole family.With many interesting details about Dutch family life and the history, this charming...

This unforgettable classic has been captivating children and adults alike for more than a century. Rebecca's widowed mother has a failing farm, meager resources, and seven children to raise. When her spinster sisters offer Rebecca a home and an education, Mrs. Randall bundles her second eldest into a stagecoach with a kiss and an admonition to stay out of mischief. Could she be asking too much of the free-spirited imp with sparkling eyes and insatiable curiosity? Kate Douglas Wiggin wrote ...

Recently orphaned, young Rose Campbell is sent to the "Aunt Hill," where Uncle Alex, her six aunts and seven boy cousins live in noisy confusion. It is nothing like the quiet girls' boarding school that has been Rose's home for the past year. Surrounded by a bewildering array of pets, relatives, and unfamiliar foods, the fragile girl wonders if she will ever get used to this new life. Fortunately, Uncle Alex is her guardian. He keeps the aunts from coddling her too much, and makes sure tha...

The first in the series of the classic fantasy tales – The Chronicles of Narnia. A complete and unabridged edition.Written after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe but designed by C.S.Lewis to be read first, this enchanting prequel – with its story of time travel, sorcery and magic rings – is essential reading for anyone who wants to learn the backstory to the biggest movie release of the year. Hurled back in time to the birth of a new world, two young friends get caught in the e...

Most of us remember The Wizard of Oz as the film starring Judy Garland and Bert Lahr. But the film was based on L. Frank Baum's immensely popular Oz series, which was published in the early twentieth century. In these novels, Oz is the utopian land beyond the rainbow where threats are turned back with valor and ingenuity. The books' success lies in the way they induce children to look for the element of wonder in the world around them.Considered the first truly American fa...

Stephen Fry brings the richness of these magical stories to life in the original British recordings.'There is a plot, Harry Potter. A plot to make most terrible things happen at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry this year.'Treat your ears to a performance so rich and captivating you'll imagine yourself in the halls of Hogwarts. Wherever you listen, the unmistakable voice of Stephen Fry is guaranteed to guide you ever more deeply into this magical story and...

Discover or return to the dystopian series that's captured the hearts of millions of teen and adult readers! This first in Veronica Roth's #1 New York Times bestselling Divergent series of books is the novel the inspired the major motion picture starring Shailene Woodley, Theo James, and Kate Winslet.Perfect for fans of the Hunger Games and Maze Runner series, Divergent and its sequels, Insurgent and ...