Children's Fiction
Aces Up
A crack American flying troop has been sent to France, where they await further instructions. They are concerned that their extensive talents will not be put to good use in the war. Major Cowan introduces Lt. McGee as the British instructor for the crew. It turns out the Brit is actually an American, born in the U.S., even though his parents were British. McGee and Larkin are flying partners. Out on a mission, McGee spots a small enemy plane in a searchlight, probably intent on dropping flares to mark targets for bombers. He drives in for the attack successfully, as the enemy plane zooms earthward in flames. During another flight to Epernay, a fellow pilot, Siddons, fades back to a previous stop. McGee and Larkin suspect Siddons of aiding the enemy. Von Herzmann is preparing German pilots to fight Americans. Larkin and McGee defeat the enemy and force a retreat. In another battle, McGee must crash-land, where he passes out due to injuries. He spends weeks recovering in a hospital. When he is discharged, he cannot find his squadron. After diligent searching, he shows up at his old base. At the end, it is revealed that Siddons is not at all what he was suspected of being--in fact, the opposite. (Bill Boerst)
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain is one of the truly great American novels, beloved by children, adults, and literary critics alike. The book tells the story of ?Huck? Finn (first introduced as Tom Sawyer?s sidekick in The Adventures of Tom Sawyer), his friend Jim, and their journey down the Mississippi River on a raft. Both are on the run, Huck from his drunk and abusive father, and Jim as a runaway slave. As Huck and Jim drift down the river, they meet many colorful characters and have many great adventures. The true heart of the story, however, is the friendship between Huck and Jim. A constant theme throughout the book is Huck?s internal struggle between what he has been taught, that helping a runaway slave is a sin, and what he truly believes, that Jim is a good man and it couldn?t possibly be wrong to help him. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn was unique at the time of its publication (1884) because it is narrated by Huck himself and is written in the numerous dialects common in the area and time in which the book is set. Although the book was originally intended as a sequel to the children?s book The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, as Twain wrote Adventures of Huckleberry Finn it progressed into a more serious work. Twain?s views on slavery and other social issues of the time become clear through the words, thoughts, and actions of Huck Finn. The book has always been the subject of great controversy, and according to The American Library Association it was fifth on the list of most frequently challenged books in the 1990s. (Summary by Annie Coleman)
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (version 3)
The book is noted for its colorful description of people and places along the Mississippi River, and its sober and often scathing look at entrenched attitudes, particularly racism. The drifting journey of Huck and his friend Jim, a runaway slave, down the Mississippi River on their raft may be one of the most enduring images of escape and freedom in all of American literature. The book has been popular with young readers since its publication, and taken as a sequel to the comparatively innocuous The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. It has also been the continued object of study by serious literary critics. Although the Southern society it satirized was already a quarter-century in the past by the time of publication, the book immediately became controversial, and has remained so to this day.(Summary from Wikipedia)
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (version 7)
A slightly more complex sequel to Mark Twain's original book, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, this book really shows the true side of racism in quite a different light. A brilliant masterpiece, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn follows its protagonist, Huck Finn, as he travels down the Mississippi River and learns some very important things- and even learns to see his adoptive parent's servant in a different light. ( JayKitty76 )
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 01 (Fables 1-25)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 1 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 02 (Fables 26-50)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 2 of 12. (Summary by ChipDoc)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 03 (Fables 51-75)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 3 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 04 (Fables 76-100)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 4 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 05 (Fables 101-125)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 5 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 06 (Fables 126-150)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 6 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 07 (Fables 151-175)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 7 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 08 (Fables 176-200)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 8 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 09 (Fables 201-225)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 9 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 10 (Fables 226-250)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 10 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 11 (Fables 251-275)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 11 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Aesop’s Fables, Volume 12 (Fables 276-284)
Dating back to the 6th century BC, Aesop's Fables tell universal truths through the use of simple allegories that are easily understood. Though almost nothing is known of Aesop himself, and some scholars question whether he existed at all, these stories stand as timeless classics known in almost every culture in the world. This is volume 12 of 12. (Summary by Chip)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
In this children's classic, a girl named Alice follows falls down a rabbit-hole into a fantasy realm full of talking creatures. She attends a never-ending tea party and plays croquet at the court of the anthropomorphic playing cards. (Summary written by Gesine) "I loved all the voices in this project and probably wouldn?t have put the time into checking into this book without this LibriVox version of it. Great project and well done by all. What people can do really amazes me from time to time. This reminds me of how beautiful the world can be." ? skinned mink
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (abridged, version 2)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world (Wonderland) populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as children. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre, and its narrative course and structure, characters and imagery have been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre. (Summary by Wikipedia) NOTE: This version of Alice?s Adventures in Wonderland is heavily abridged.
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (abridged)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is a work of children's literature by the English mathematician and author, the Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson, written under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells the story of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit-hole into a fantasy realm populated by grotesque figures like talking playing cards and anthropomorphic creatures. The Wonderland described in the tale plays with logic in ways that have made the story of lasting popularity with adults as well as children. It is considered to be one of the most characteristic examples of the genre of literary nonsense. (Wikipedia)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Dramatic Reading)
This classic tale by Lewis Carroll has delighted children for generations. Alice falls down a rabbit hole and encounters a wide variety of strange and wonderful creatures in all manner of bizarre situations. Join Alice as she journeys through Wonderland, trying to make sense of what she finds there. This version is read dramatically, with different readers voicing the different characters. (Summary by Lucy Perry) Cast Narrator: David Goldfarb Alice: Miss Avarice The White Rabbit: BellonaTimes Mouse: cher0520 Lory: Availle Duck: Jessamy Gloor Dodo: Tim Ferreira Eaglet: Dennis D. Old Crab: Joshua Logan Young Crab: Sonja Magpie: Lucy Perry Canary: ElleyKat Pat: Terence Taylor Bill: Aidan Brack Guinea Pig 1: Rat King Guinea Pig 2: Kelseigh Caterpillar: Algy Pug Pigeon: Kelseigh Fish-Footman: Terence Frog-Footman: Peter Yearsley Cook: Ana Baby: Elizabeth Klett Duchess: Heather Phillips Cheshire Cat: Elizabeth Klett March Hare: Denny Sayers Hatter: Arielle Lipshaw Dormouse: Ruth Golding Five: Neeru Iyer Two: Elli Seven: Henry Frigon Soldier 1: Dennis D. Soldier 2: Philbert Soldier 3: Lucy Perry Queen of Hearts: Nadine Eckert-Boulet King of Hearts: Peter Yearsley Gryphon: Algy Pug Mock Turtle: Kara Shallenberg Knave of Hearts: Levi Throckmorton Alice's Sister: Diana Majlinger Audio edited by Elizabeth Klett and Arielle Lipshaw
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (version 3)
"Alice was beginning to get very tired of sitting by her sister on the bank, and of having nothing to do ..." .. and from that moment onward we drift with Alice into another world. When she sees a White Rabbit as it runs through the tall grass (looking worriedly at the watch it takes from its waist-coat pocket), she runs after it and drops into a strange dream. The world is full of chatty animals, from a rather stand-offish hookah-smoking caterpillar to the friendly Cheshire Cat which only sometimes goes to the bother of having a body. And everyone seems to be ordering her about ... or telling her to recite poetry! ... and all those verses that she once knew so well seem strangely distorted. In this book and in "Through the Looking Glass", Lewis Carroll affectionately brought together many of the wonderful stories he told to Alice and her sisters on long summer boating trips. (Summary by Peter Yearsley)
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (version 6)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. It tells of a girl named Alice falling through a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre. Its narrative course, structure, characters, and imagery have been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alice's_Adventures_in_Wonderland )
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Version 8)
In this classic novel, a young girl named Alice chases after a white rabbit down a rabbit hole. She discovers a place that rejects traditional reason, and only follows its own mad logic. Join Alice as she meets iconic characters like The Mad Hatter while she tries to navigate this strange new world. (Summary by Vin Cramer)
Alice’s Adventures Underground
This is the handwritten book that Carroll wrote for private use before being urged to develop it later into Alice in Wonderland. It was generously illustrated by Carrol and meant to entertain his family and friends. When a sick child in a hospital enjoyed it so much, the mother wrote him saying it had distracted her for a bit from her pain and led eventually to Carroll expanding the story. The Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson and the Reverend Robinson Duckworth rowed in a boat, on 4 July 1862, up the Isis with the three young daughters of Henry Liddell, (the Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University and Dean of Christ Church) : Lorina Charlotte Liddell (aged 13, born 1849); Alice Pleasance Liddell (aged 10, born 1852); Edith Mary Liddell (aged 8, born 1853). The journey began at Folly Bridge near Oxford and ended five miles away in the village of Godstow. During the trip the Reverend Dodgson told the girls a story that featured a bored little girl named Alice who goes looking for an adventure. The girls loved it, and Alice Liddell asked Dodgson to write it down for her. He began writing the manuscript of the story the next day, although that earliest version no longer exists. The girls and Dodgson took another boat trip a month later when he elaborated the plot to the story of Alice, and in November he began working on the manuscript in earnest. To add the finishing touches he researched natural history for the animals presented in the book, and then had the book examined by other children?particularly the MacDonald children. He added his own illustrations but approached John Tenniel to illustrate the book for publication, telling him that the story had been well liked by children. On 26 November 1864 he gave Alice the handwritten manuscript of Alice's Adventures Under Ground, with illustrations by Dodgson himself, dedicating it as "A Christmas Gift to a Dear Child in Memory of a Summer's Day". Some, including Martin Gardner, speculate there was an earlier version that was destroyed later by Dodgson when he printed a more elaborate copy by hand. (Summary by Wikipedia and Phil Chenevert)
American Indian Fairy Tales
With no written language, Native Americans living in the Lake Superior region passed their cultural identity down through the generations by way of stories. Far more than mere tales to amuse children, they passed along the collective wisdom of the tribes. In the 1830s, government Indian Agent and ethnologist Henry R Schoolcraft learned the language of these people and went out to collect and preserve their stories before the tribes disappeared under the westward rush of American civilization. Though these stories were recast as children?s fairy tales in the 1920s, they contain much of the old wisdom of a culture which has largely disappeared. (Summary by Chip)