Once, in a house on Egypt Street, there lived a china rabbit named
Edward Tulane. The rabbit was very pleased with himself, and for good reason:
he was owned by a girl named Abilene, who adored him completely. And then,
one day, he was lost. . . . Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths
of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the bedside of an ailing child
to the bustling streets of Memphis. Along the way, we are shown a miracle
-- that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose,
and to love again.
Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland (Dover Thrift Editions) by Lewis Carroll
Paperback from Dover Publications ISBN: 0486275434 Beloved classic describes a
little girl's adventures in a topsy-turvy land underground and her encounters
with such improbable characters as the White Rabbit, March Hare and Mad
Hatter, the sleepy Dormouse, grinning Cheshire Cat, Mock Turtle, and the
dreadful Queen of Hearts. Includes all 42 of Sir John Tenniel's original
illustrations.Source of legend and lyric, reference and conjecture, Alice's
Adventures in Wonderland is for most children pure pleasure in prose.
While adults try to decipher Lewis Carroll's putative use of complex mathematical
codes in the text, or debate his alleged use of opium, young readers simply
dive with Alice through the rabbit hole, pursuing "The dream-child moving
through a land / Of wonders wild and new." There they encounter the White
Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the Mock Turtle, and the Mad Hatter, among
a multitude of other characters--extinct, fantastical, and commonplace
creatures. Alice journeys through this Wonderland, trying to fathom the
meaning of her strange experiences. But they turn out to be "curiouser
and curiouser," seemingly without moral or sense.
For more than 130 years, children have reveled in the delightfully non-moralistic,
non-educational virtues of this classic. In fact, at every turn,
Alice's new companions scoff at her traditional education. The Mock Turtle,
for example, remarks that he took the "regular course" in school: Reeling,
Writhing, and branches of Arithmetic-Ambition, Distraction, Uglification,
and Derision. Carroll believed John Tenniel's illustrations were as important
as his text. Naturally, Carroll's instincts were good; the masterful drawings
are inextricably tied to the well-loved story. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter
Dracula by Bram Stoker
Hardcover from Bedrick. Blackie ISBN: 0216923255
Little Women is one of the best loved books of all time. Lovely
Meg, talented Jo, frail Beth, spoiled Amy: these are hard lessons of poverty
and of growing up in New England during the Civil War. Through their dreams,
plays, pranks, letters, illnesses, and courtships, women of all ages have
become a part of this remarkable family and have felt the deep sadness
when Meg leaves the circle of sisters to be married at the end of Part
I. Part II, chronicles Meg's joys and mishaps as a young wife and mother,
Jo's struggle to become a writer, Beth's tragedy, and Amy's artistic pursuits
and unexpected romance. Based on Louise May Alcott's childhood, this lively
portrait of nineteenth- century family life possesses a lasting vitality
that has endeared it to generations of readers.
Treasure
Island (Collector's Library) by Robert Louis Stevenson
Hardcover from Collector's Library ISBN: 1904633447 Availability: Usually ships in 2 to 3 daysFirst published in book form
in 1883, Treasure Island remains one of the best-loved children's stories
of all time. It recounts the thrilling adventures of Jim Hawkins, a young
boy who finds a mysterious map in the sea trunk of an old sailor who has
died in his parent's inn. The map is of an island, and marked on it is
the location of a hoard of money, hidden there by the chief of a notorious
band of pirates. The local Doctor and Squire decide to set off to find
the island, taking Jim with them as the cabin-boy, but they soon discover
that the surviving pirates are also keen to locate the treasure. Among
the colorful characters is Long John Silver, who with his missing leg and
his talking parrot, has entered into popular folklore. Although written
for children, this is a wonderful adventure story that can be enjoyed at
any age. The world's greatest works of literature are now avaialble in
these beautiful keepsake volumes. Bound in real cloth, and featuring gilt
edges and ribbon markers, these beautifully produced books are a wonderful
way to build a handsome library of classic literature. These are the essential
novels that belong in every home. They'll transport readers to imaginary
worlds and provide excitement, entertainment, and enlightenment for years
to come. All of these novels feature attractive illustrations and have
an unequalled period feel that will grace the library, the bedside table
or bureau.Climb aboard for the swashbuckling adventure of a lifetime. Treasure
Islandhas enthralled (and caused slight seasickness) for decades. The
names Long John Silver and Jim Hawkins are destined to remain pieces of
folklore for as long as children want to read Robert Louis Stevenson's
most famous book. With it's dastardly plot and motley crew of rogues and
villains, it seems unlikely that children will ever say no to this timeless
classic. --Naomi Gesinger
From the series intended for those reading major classic novels for
the first time, with the text, background to the novel and detailed comments
on the plot, this book concentrates on Austen's novel "Emma" and the heroine's
schemes for her friend Harriet's advancement. There is an introduction,
a section of plates and explanations of the language used and the literary
qualities of the work.
Of all Jane Austen's heroines, Emma Woodhouse is the most flawed, the
most infuriating, and, in the end, the most endearing. Pride and Prejudice's
Lizzie Bennet has more wit and sparkle; Catherine Morland in Northanger
Abbey more imagination; and Sense and Sensibility's Elinor Dashwood
certainly more sense--but Emma is lovable precisely because she is so imperfect.
Austen only completed six novels in her lifetime, of which five feature
young women whose chances for making a good marriage depend greatly on
financial issues, and whose prospects if they fail are rather grim. Emma
is the exception: "Emma Woodhouse, handsome, clever, and rich, with a comfortable
home and happy disposition seemed to unite some of the best blessings of
existence; and had lived nearly twenty-one years in the world with very
little to distress or vex her." One may be tempted to wonder what Austen
could possibly find to say about so fortunate a character. The answer is,
quite a lot.
For Emma, raised to think well of herself, has such a high opinion
of her own worth that it blinds her to the opinions of others. The story
revolves around a comedy of errors: Emma befriends Harriet Smith, a young
woman of unknown parentage, and attempts to remake her in her own image.
Ignoring the gaping difference in their respective fortunes and stations
in life, Emma convinces herself and her friend that Harriet should look
as high as Emma herself might for a husband--and she zeroes in on an ambitious
vicar as the perfect match. At the same time, she reads too much into a
flirtation with Frank Churchill, the newly arrived son of family friends,
and thoughtlessly starts a rumor about poor but beautiful Jane Fairfax,
the beloved niece of two genteelly impoverished elderly ladies in the village.
As Emma's fantastically misguided schemes threaten to surge out of control,
the voice of reason is provided by Mr. Knightly, the Woodhouse's longtime
friend and neighbor. Though Austen herself described Emma as "a heroine
whom no one but myself will much like," she endowed her creation with enough
charm to see her through her most egregious behavior, and the saving grace
of being able to learn from her mistakes. By the end of the novel Harriet,
Frank, and Jane are all properly accounted for, Emma is wiser (though certainly
not sadder), and the reader has had the satisfaction of enjoying Jane Austen
at the height of her powers. --Alix Wilber
The
Secret Garden (Oxford World's Classics) by Frances Hodgson Burnett
Paperback from Oxford University Press, USA ISBN: 0199549869 Delivery sometimes delayed
Along with Frances Hodgson Burnett's other great work, Little Lord
Fauntleroy, The Secret Garden stands as one of the most successful
children's novels ever written. This is the only annotated edition available
and the first to treat the novel as a serious work of literature.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics
has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the
globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship,
providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features,
including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes
to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much
more.
Mistress Mary is quite contrary until she helps her garden grow. Along
the way, she manages to cure her sickly cousin Colin, who is every bit
as imperious as she. These two are sullen little peas in a pod, closed
up in a gloomy old manor on the Yorkshire moors of England, until a locked-up
garden captures their imaginations and puts the blush of a wild rose in
their cheeks; "It was the sweetest, most mysterious-looking place any one
could imagine. The high walls which shut it in were covered with the leafless
stems of roses which were so thick, that they matted together.... 'No wonder
it is still,' Mary whispered. 'I am the first person who has spoken here
for ten years.'" As new life sprouts from the earth, Mary and Colin's sour
natures begin to sweeten. For anyone who has ever felt afraid to live and
love, The Secret Garden's portrayal of reawakening spirits will
thrill and rejuvenate. Frances Hodgson Burnett creates characters so strong
and distinct, young readers continue to identify with them even 85 years
after they were conceived. (Ages 9 to 12)
