The Selfish Giant


Oscar Wilde - 1888
    It was always winter in the garden, for no other season would venture there. Then one morning, a special child brought Spring back, and the giant's heart melted along with the snow.

The Search for Delicious


Natalie Babbitt - 1969
    Gaylan soon discovers that the entire kingdom is on the brink of civil war, and must enlist help to define "delicious" and save the country.

The Foundling and Other Tales of Prydain


Lloyd Alexander - 1973
    Alexander wrote a collection of short tales about the land of Prydain. These stories revisit familiar characters and reveal more about the history of this magical land. Here readers will find Dallben, destined to be an enchanter; Angharad, Princess of the House of Lyr; Kadwyr, the rascal crow; and Medwyn, the mystical protector of all animals. They'll learn the grim history of the sword Dyrnwyn and even find out how Fflewdur Fflam came by his enchanted harp. In The Foundling, Lloyd Alexander's land of fantasy and adventure lives on.

The Magic Pudding


Norman Lindsay - 1918
    The adventures of those splendid fellows Bunyip Bluegum, Bill Barnacle and Sam Sawnoff, the penguin bold, and of course their amazing, everlasting and very cantankerous Puddin'.

The Enormous Egg


Oliver Butterworth - 1956
    After a painstaking wait, Nate is even more surprised when it hatches and out pops a baby triceratops that he names Uncle Beazley! But when Nate decides to keep the dino and raise it on his own, he has no idea what he's getting himself into. As Uncle Beazley grows, Nate and his family realize they are not equipped to take care of a full-sized dinosaur, and so with the help of their scientist friend, Nate and Uncle Beazley set off for the NationalMuseum in Washington, D.C., on the hunt for the perfect home for a modern-day dinosaur---then the real trouble begins!The Enormous Egg was originally published in 1956 and has been a classic in children's literature ever since. This brand new edition features amazing new illustrations from Eisner-award winning graphic novelist Mark Crilley (creator of Akiko and Miki Falls).

David and the Phoenix


Edward Ormondroyd - 1957
    David's legs slipped from the bird's back, and he dangled over the abyss. Thus ends the near-disaster of their first flight together. But don't underestimate the Phoenix! Failure only makes David's new-found friend determinded to get into shape so that David's education for Life can proceed. And get into shape the fabulous bird does just as they conclude their first successful (and very scary) adventure, the Scientist appears. Don't underestimate the Scientist, either. He is just as stubborn as the Phoenix, and is driven by one obsession: to become famous by capturing the mythic bird. And if his traps don't work, he is fully prepared to shoot the Phoenix...

Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm


Kate Douglas Wiggin - 1903
    Written by the American author and educator Kate Douglas Wiggin, it is the story of young and poor Rebecca Rowena Randall, who goes to live with her spinster aunts in the town of Riverboro when she is ten years-old. Rebecca’s father had died three years before and the family farm had become heavily indebted. In order to ease the burden on her widowed mother, Rebecca is sent to live with her lonely aunts at their farm and there she spends the next seven years till she becomes an adult. Rebecca brings her youthful enthusiasm and imagination to their quiet life and often clashes with her stern Aunt Miranda. Yet, Rebecca finds love and acceptance with her Aunt Jane and she grows up to be a proper and intelligent young lady who never loses her sunny outlook and kind heart. “Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm” is a classic coming of age story that has been adapted numerous times for the stage and screen and continues to charm audiences and readers alike with its interesting characters and positive message of finding happiness in life’s simple pleasures.

Half Magic


Edward Eager - 1954
    Mark's wish zaps them to a desert without island, where half-talking cat Carrie gabbles to a camel. Romantic Katherine battles Launcelot. Eldest Jane rejects siblings for another family. Stubborn youngest, Martha, causes a riot downtown.

The Story of Doctor Dolittle


Hugh Lofting - 1920
    He loves them so much that his home and office overflow with animals of every description. When Polynesia the parrot teaches him the language of the animals, Doctor Dolittle becomes a world-famous doctor, traveling even as far away as Africa to help his friends. This edition of the beloved children's classic contains black-and-white illustrations by Michael Hague and has been edited by award-winning authors Patricia and Fredrick McKissack for modern audiences.

Aesop's Fables


Aesop
    Aesop was reputedly a tongue-tied slave who miraculously received the power of speech; from his legendary storytelling came the collections of prose and verse fables scattered throughout Greek and Roman literature. First published in English by Caxton in 1484, the fables and their morals continue to charm modern readers: who does not know the story of the tortoise and the hare, or the boy who cried wolf?

Five Little Peppers and How They Grew


Margaret Sidney - 1881
    Pepper has to sew all day long just to earn enough to pay the rent and to feed the five growing Peppers. But she faces poverty and trouble with a stout heart, a smiling face, and the help of her jolly brood: blue-eyed Ben, the eldest and the man of the house at the age of 11; pretty Polly, so eager to cook for the family and make everyone happy and comfortable; and the three littlest Peppers, Joel, Davie, and baby Phronsie.A favorite of children, parents, and teachers for generations, this heartwarming classic first appeared in 1880. Since then, it has inspired countless young imaginations with its tender tales of the ways in which courage and good cheer can overcome adversity.

Harriet the Spy


Louise Fitzhugh - 1964
    Every day on her spy route she "observes" and notes down anything of interest to her:I BET THAT LADY WITH THE CROSS-EYE LOOKS IN THE MIRROR AND JUST FEELS TERRIBLE.PINKY WHITEHEAD WILL NEVER CHANGE. DOES HIS MOTHER HATE HIM? IF I HAD HIM I'D HATE HIM.IF MARION HAWTHORNE DOESN'T WATCH OUT SHE'S GOING TO GROW UP INTO A LADY HITLER.But when Harriet's notebook is found by her schoolmates, their anger and retaliation and Harriet's unexpected responses explode in a hilarious way.

The Jolly Postman or Other People's Letters


Janet Ahlberg - 1986
    Tucked into envelopes are actual letters for children to pluck out. Humorous and engaging, this is the perfect read over a spot of tea. Ahhh!

The Cat in the Hat and Other Dr. Seuss Favorites


Dr. SeussBilly Crystal - 2003
    11 complete stories at a great price!Featuring:The Cat in the Hat read by Kelsey GrammerHorton Hears a Who read by Dustin HoffmanHow the Grinch Stole Christmas read by Walter MatthauDid I Ever Tell You How Lucky You Are? read by John CleeseThe Lorax read by Ted DansonYertle the Turtle, Gertrude McFuzz, and The Big Brag read by John LithgowThidwick, the Big-Hearted Moose read by Mercedes McCambridgeHorton Hatches the Egg read by Billy CrystalThe Cat in the Hat Comes Back read by Kelsey Grammer

The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip


George Saunders - 2000
    In the seaside village of Frip live three families: the Romos, the Ronsens, and a little girl named Capable and her father. The economy of Frip is based solely on goat’s milk, and this is a problem because the village is plagued by gappers: bright orange, many-eyed creatures the size of softballs that love to attach themselves to goats. When a gapper gets near a goat, it lets out a high-pitched shriek of joy that puts the goats off giving milk, which means that every few hours the children of Frip have to go outside, brush the gappers off their goats, and toss them into the sea. The gappers have always been everyone’s problem, until one day they get a little smarter, and instead of spreading out, they gang up: on Capable’s goats. Free at last of the tyranny of the gappers, will her neighbors rally to help her? Or will they turn their backs, forcing Capable to bear the misfortune alone? Featuring fifty-two haunting and hilarious illustrations by Lane Smith and a brilliant story by George Saunders that explores universal themes of community and kindness, The Very Persistent Gappers of Frip is a rich and resonant story for those that have all and those that have not.