Mary Pope Osborne concludes the exciting adventures of Odysseus, with two new books, each based on episodes from The Odyssey.
Book Five: Return to ithaca: After years of captivity on Calypso's island, Odysseus finds himself on the shores of yet another strange land. Meanwhile, his wife, Penelope, fears for their son Telemachus. His enemies -- Penelope's unwanted suitors -- plan to ambush and kill him upon his return to find his father. But the family's years of suffering come to an end, as father and son are reunited in a series of startling, strange, and magical events. Odysseus is finally home. And now his revenge beings ...
Book Six: The Final Battle: After struggling against the gods and his fate for more than 20 years, Odysseus has returned to Ithaca at last. But things have changed: his island has been overrun by suitors who clamor for his wife's hand in marriage and plague his son Telemachus. With the help of the grey-eyed goddess Athena, Odysseus and Telemachus must set out to regain control of Ithaca.
A purr-fectly hilarious portrait of life with a baby from a cat's point of view Socks is one happy cat. He lives with a nice young couple called the Brickers who play with him, pet him, feed him treats, and always have a warm lap for him to sit in. Then a new baby joins the family. Suddenly, the Brickers are sharing their laps and love with Charles William, and Socks is getting into all sorts of trouble. He runs from a phantom dog, wrestles with Nana's best wig, and fights Old Taylor the tomcat for territory. But as Charles William grows, Socks discovers that he has a new best friend and a new way to be part of the family. Unabridged on audio, performed by Neil Patrick Harris
The two things that Wilson Williams likes best about 3rd grade are drawing and taking care of the class pet, Squiggles the hamster. What he likes the least are timed multiplication tests. Why think about all those numbers when he could be drawing pictures of Squiggles? With gentle humor, Claudia Mills works through a common childhood problem to a surprising resolution.
Genuinely funny books for children are few and far between. So, when a story like Henry Huggins comes along, it comes to stay. Children everywhere see themselves in this irresistible boy's adventures. During an unforgettable year that begins when Henry discovers a lost, hungry dog he calls Ribsy, listeners will have a grand time. Before the suspenseful conclusion, they'll meet Henry's friends on Klickitat Street, including Beezus and her little sister, Ramona, and enjoy lots of hilarious happenings. No wonder this continuously engaging and heartwarming story is a classic!
The Herdmans plus Halloween have always spelled disaster. Every year, these six kids -- the worst in the history of Woodrow Wilson School and possibly even the world -- wreak havoc on the whole town. They steal candy, spray-paint kids, and take anything that's not nailed down.
Now the mayor has had it. He's decided to cancel Halloween. There won't be any Herdmans to contend with this year, but there won't be any candy, either. And what's Halloween without candy? And without trick-or-treating? The Herdmans manage to turn the worst Halloween ever into the best Halloween ever in this uproarious sequel to The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
Cassie spends her days watching Grandfather and Caleb in the barn, looking out at Papa working the fields, spying on Sarah feeding the goslings. She's an observer, a writer, a storyteller. Everything is as it should be.
But change is inevitable, even on the prairie. Something new is expected, and Sarah says it will be the perfect gift. Cassie isn't so sure. But just as life changes, people change too. And Cassie learns that unexpected surprises can bring great joy.
More Perfect than the Moon invites us back to the Witting family farm, visited in the Newbery Medal-winning Sarah, Plain and Tall; Skylark; and Caleb's Story. With her lyrical prose, Patricia MacLachlan writes about a family's boundless capacity for love.
The cod is a large, ugly fish that spends its life with its big mouth wide open for food. For centuries, so many cod lived in the Atlantic Ocean they couldn't swim without bumping into each other. They were so plentiful that they became the most important fish in many cultures. Best-selling author Mark Kurlansky brings history to life with this entertaining story of how a single fish changed the world.
Newbery Medalist Avi carves an imaginative story full of suspense and surprises. For the animals of Central Park, life turns upside down when Big Daddy Duds and his gang of rats move uptown and take over the park. The mayor of Central Park, a squirrel named Oscar Westerwit, is determined to give the park back to its rightful owners-the squirrels, rabbits, and moles. Mark Nilson's lively narration brings to life the critters of Central Park in 1900. Other Avi books include Crispin (RB# 97084) and The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle.
On this unabridged recording, listeners will hear all the original Raggedy Ann stories, as they follow Raggedy Ann to Marcella's nursery and watch her quickly become the leader of the dolls -- and the world. After learning a lesson from a naughty raid on the pantry, Raggedy Ann strives to be good -- and succeeds. She and her friends rescue Fido, the family dog, from the dogcatcher. One of her most well-known adventures leads her to get her stuffing replaced, and along the way gets her famous I Love You candy heart. First published in 1918, Raggedy Ann has charmed millions of children with her always warm and optimistic outlook and calm approach to difficulties.
Young Abe Lincoln is all dressed up in his best suit and on his way to deliver an important speech. As he walks along, he finds a pig stuck in a mudhole. Abe hates to see any animal suffer. If he helps the pig, his clothes will get muddy. What would people think of a mud-covered speaker? Abe doesn't want to leave the pig stranded, but he has no other nice clothes to wear. So, he continues down the road toward town, feeling guilty. He knows a pig isn't a person, yet it still seems wrong not to help. Stephen Krensky, the popular author of the Lionel books, bases this story on an old folk tale about the former president. It provides a gentle lesson about making sacrifices to help others. Ed Sala's homespun narration carries listeners back to another time.
Charlotte is not very excited about the doll her aunt Edme sends her. It has a prim painted mouth and is dressed in lace and silk. Besides, Charlotte has never really wanted a doll. "We like climbing trees," Charlotte tells the doll. Much to Charlotte's surprise, the new doll doesn't seem to mind her rough way of playing. By the time they are finished, Charlotte's new doll is muddy and torn, but her prim mouth has softened into a warm smile. But what will Aunt Edme think when she comes to visit?
Ragweed the mouse is four months old and anxious to see the world. So he says goodbye to his family and friends in the Woodlands and, following the advice of a friendly vole, makes his way to the big city: Amperville. In Amperville, Ragweed sees things he's never seen before--like cats! In particular, he comes face-to-face with Silversides, founder and president of F.E.A.R. (Felines Enraged About Rodents). Silversides wants to make sure mice know their place in the world. With new friends Clutch, a skateboarding mouse with green hair, and Blinker, a pet mouse longing for freedom, Ragweed takes a stand against F.E.A.R. A prequel to Avi's award-winning Poppy and Poppy and Rye, Ragweed will delight listeners with its exciting adventure and contemporary sensibilities. John McDonough gives hilarious voice to the many wonderful characters in this charming book.
