Books in Wordsworth Children's Classics series

Robert Louis Stevenson's novel Kidnapped is set around real 18th-century Scottish events, which occurred in the aftermath of the Jacobite rising of 1745, a time of turmoil and political upheaval. It tells the tale of David Balfour, a recently orphaned seventeen-year-old, who is left to seek his own fortune. A letter from his deceased father advises him to head to the house of Shaws in Edinburgh. He travels to Scotland as though it was a foreign country, meeting various adventures and misadventures on the way. Many of the characters in the novel are real people, including Alan Breck Stewart, the unscrupulous but heroic champion of the Jacobite cause. It is with bold skill that the author blends the real with the imaginary. The true events and the period details give colour and richness to the narrative. By using historical events as pegs on which to hang his story Stevenson succeeds in creating an enthralling action adventure. As a reader, he leaves one almost breathless with excitement and admiration. Stevenson was particularly pleased with this novel, saying that he would 'never do a better book.' The exciting sweep and drama of the tale not only engaged the interest of the young, but also more mature readers.

In this novel, symptomatic of Lawrence's later work, Kate Leslie, an Irish widow visiting Mexico, finds herself equally repelled and fascinated by what she sees as the primitive cruelty of the country. As she becomes involved with Don Ramon and General Cipriano, her perceptions change. Caught up in the plans of these two men to revive the old Aztec religion and political order, she submits to the 'blood-consciousness' and phallic power that they represent.

When the Cuthberts send to an orphanage for a boy to help them at Green Gables, their farm in Canada, they are astonished when a talkative little girl steps off the train. Anne, red-headed, pugnacious and incurably romantic, causes chaos at Green Gables and in the village, but her wit and good nature delight the fictional community of Prince Edward Island, Canada, and ensure that Anne of Green Gables continues to be a firm favourite with readers worldwide.Anne of Avonlea continues Anne's story. Now half-past sixteen but as strong-headed and romantic as ever, Anne becomes a teacher at her old school and dreams of its improvement. But her responsible position and mature ambitions do not prevent her entanglement in the scrapes that still seem to beset her in spite of her best intentions.Thoroughly charming and amusing, with a supporting cast of colourful and endearing characters, both books will enchant and entertain readers, guaranteeing that Anne's adventures capture their affections as well as their imaginations.

When Peter Pan flies into the night nursery of Wendy, John and Michael Darling, he takes them on the journey—and the adventure—of a lifetime. Award-winning producer Dirk Maggs directs, Toyah Willcox stars as Peter Pan, with Ron Moody as Captain Hook, Roy Hudd as Smee and June Whitfield as Mrs. Darling, along with stunning sound effects and specially composed music.

The story of Heidi was written over one hundred years ago, however, it is far from a period piece. In the Swiss Alps, where it is set, a hundred years is just the blink of an eye. We see in her the daughter that every mother dreams of having and every little girl dreams of being. Her presence makes us happy, and so her story has endured. This deluxe Children’s Classic edition is produced with high-quality, leatherlike binding with gold stamping, full-color covers, colored endpapers with a book nameplate. Some of the other titles in this series include: Anne of Green Gables, Black Beauty, King Arthur and His Knights, Little Women, and The Secret Garden.

Excitement! Intrigue! Suspense! Horror!Will Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson discover the truth behind the fearsome legend of the beast with blazing eyes and dripping jaws? Oxford Children's Classics present not only the original and unabridged story of The Hound of the Baskervilles, but also include an amazing assortment of recommendations and activities for readers to get even more from the story.

Finnish artist Tove Jansson's Moomin stories have been continually in print for more than half a century, in 35 languages. They are among Europe's best loved and enduring children's classics, and through the current TV animation (BBC2), the warm-hearted, whimsical creatures of Moomin valley have been brought to a new younger British audience. This book introduces the first Sort Of Children's Classic in a new English version by Sophie Hannah. Sort of Books proudly presents the original full colour Moomin picture book with its irresistible cut-out page designs and playful rhyming text in a new version by one of Britain's star poets.

With an Introduction by Tony Briggs. Russia in the 1840s. There is a stranger in town, and he is behaving oddly. The unctuous Pavel Chichikov goes around the local estates buying up dead souls . These are the papers relating to serfs who have died since the last census, but who remain on the record and still attract a tax demand. Chichikov is willing to relieve their owners of the tax burden by buying the titles for a song. What he does not say is that he then proposes to take out a huge mortgage against these fictitious citizens and buy himself a nice estate in Eastern Russia. Will he get away with it? Who will rumble him? Does this narrative contain a deeper message about Russia itself or the spiritual health of humanity? There is much interest and some suspense in considering these issues, but the real pleasure of this story lies elsewhere. It is an enjoyable comic romp through a retarded part of a backward country, a picaresque series of grotesque portraits, situations and conversations described with Gogolian humour based mainly on hyperbole. This is, quite simply, the funniest book in the Russian language before the twentieth century.