Books in The Lakeside classics series

A little mouse saves the life of a great lion; hungry Grasshopper, too lazy to store food, gets no mercy from the industrious ants; crafty Jackal tricks Klipspringer to escape death - but is himself tricked by the cock and the dog . Here are 16 of Aesop's wise, witty and timeless fables, portrayed for the first time in an African setting. This is an exciting new interpretation of one of the world's great classics.This unique story collection is vividly illustrated by Beverley Naidoo's fellow South African Piet Grobler, an internationally acclaimed illustrator. The two have previously collaborated on The Great Tug of War for Frances Lincoln

Beloved by all little girls, ballet stories enchant and open a world of magic. This collection of eight favorite ballet stories is filled with that magic and promise. The stories included are "Giselle," "The Firebird," "Ondine," "The Nutcracker," "Swan Lake," "Petrushka," "Sleeping Beauty," and "Coppelia." These timeless stories and sparkling illustrations will delight readers for years.

A little mouse saves the life of a great lion; hungry Grasshopper, too lazy to store food, gets no mercy from the industrious ants; crafty Jackal tricks Klipspringer to escape death — but is himself tricked by the cock and the dog. Selected for their wit and morals, here are 16 of Aesop's wise, witty, and timeless fables, portrayed for the first time in an African setting. This is an exciting new interpretation of one of the world's great classics, vividly illustrated by Piet Grobler, the internationally acclaimed South African illustrator of Fussy Freya and The Great Tug of War.

Atalanta, Medusa, Perseus, Pandora, Pegasus — the very names conjure up intriguing stories. These ten amazing and entertaining tales from Greek mythology, filled with wonder, are perfect for reading aloud to younger children. Sally Pomme Clayton’s spellbinding versions of these stories are each illuminated with glowing illustrations by the award-winning Jane Ray. Notes and a map show the places in Greece that are connected with the stories.

Written for young children with all the warmth, wit, and character of the 19th-century originals, this collection, previously published as Elf Hill, offers a rich mix of fairy and toy tales from the master of the form. Naomi Lewis’s translations capture the poetry of Andersen’s simple style, while Emily Chichester Clark’s colorful art finds the vibrancy and whimsy in these stories. From elaborate tableaux to piquant vignettes, the illustrations resonate for both fans and new readers with their images of elves and trolls cavorting in the woods and toys comically assuming human airs in the playroom.

Jude the Obscure takes place in Wessex, England in the Victorian era. Jude Fawley is a poor orphan raised by his great-aunt, but he dreams of studying at the university in Christminster, a nearby town. He is inspired in this dream by his old teacher, Richard Phillotson, who left with similar ambitions when Jude was a child. Jude starts teaching himself classical languages and learning stonemasonry work, but he is distracted from his studies by Arabella Donn, a vain, sensual young woman. Arabella pretends she is pregnant and tricks the honorable Jude into marrying her, but the marriage soon falls apart. Arabella moves to Australia and Jude finally makes his way to Christminster. At first he is enthralled by the place but he soon finds he cannot enter the university without wealth and social stature. While in Christminster Jude meets his intelligent, religiously agnostic cousin Sue Bridehead. He immediately falls in love with her, though he tries to resist his feelings.

Uncle Tom’s Cabin tells the story of Uncle Tom, depicted as a saintly, dignified slave. While being transported by boat to auction in New Orleans, Tom saves the life of Little Eva, whose grateful father then purchases Tom. Eva and Tom soon become great friends. Always frail, Eva’s health begins to decline rapidly, and on her deathbed she asks her father to free all his slaves. He makes plans to do so but is then killed, and the brutal Simon Legree, Tom’s new owner, has Tom whipped to death after he refuses to divulge the whereabouts of certain runaway slaves. Tom maintains a steadfastly Christian attitude toward his own suffering, and Stowe imbues Tom’s death with echoes of Christ’s.

Hank Morgan, a mechanic at a gun factory, is knocked unconscious and awakens in England in the year 528. He is captured and taken to Camelot, where he is put on exhibit before the knights of King Arthur’s Round Table. He is condemned to death, but remembering having read of an eclipse on the day of his execution, he amazes the court by predicting the eclipse. Later he concocts some crude gunpowder and uses it to blow up Merlin’s tower. It is decided that he is a sorcerer like Merlin, and he is made minister to the ineffectual king. In an effort to bring democratic principles and mechanical knowledge to the kingdom, he strings telephone wire, starts schools, trains mechanics, and teaches journalism. He also falls in love and marries. But when Hank tries to better the lot of the peasants, he meets opposition from many quarters, including the knights, the church, Merlin, and the sorceress Morgan le Fay. He and Arthur, in disguise, travel among the miserable common folk, are taken captive and sold as slaves, and only at the last second are rescued by 500 knights on bicycles. Hank and his family briefly retire to the seaside. When they return they find the kingdom engulfed in civil war, Arthur killed, and Hank’s innovations abandoned. Hank is wounded, and Merlin, pretending to nurse him, casts a spell that puts him to sleep until the 19th century.

Gods, heroes, legends and creatures – amazing constellations light up the night sky, and each has a special story. Dr Jacqueline Mitton’s lyrical text blends ancient myths with modern astronomical facts in this spectacular introduction to the wonder of our night sky. Christina Balit’s stunning, graphic images are the perfect accompaniment to these dramatic tales.