It is late July in 1461 when young Joseph Charnetski and his family arrive in the great city of Krakow, with its glorious church towers and lively marketplace. The Charnetskis have come to Krakow to seek refuge with their relatives. What they find is more danger and adventure than a simple farm boy like Joseph could ever have imagined. First, a menacing stranger tries to take their pumpkin at sword point. Then a beautiful girl and her black-robed uncle befriend Joseph. Soon he and his family are caught up in the plots of alchemists, hypnotists, and a dark messenger of evil. This distinguished contribution to children's literature carries listeners to a medieval Poland shimmering with folklore and fantasy. Rich in language and detail, it is a classic adventure story that begs to be read aloud. With narrator Ron Keith's expressive, resonant voice, the effect is as stirring as the haunting hymn the trumpeter plays from the church tower.
Cats don't really have nine lives, but they can visit nine different lives, anywhere, anytime. This is the secret Jason's cat, Gareth, tells him. When Jason hears this, he begs to go along. Soon cat and boy find themselves in ancient Egypt on the first of nine fantastic adventures. With the wink of an eye, Jason and Gareth are transported to alluring settings in world history. On their travels they meet interesting and famous people, such as St. Patrick, and Leonardo Da Vinci. Whether the destination is Renaissance Italy or revolutionary America, their appearance never fails to cause a stir. And wherever they go, Gareth leaves his inimitable pawprint on history. Filled with fascinating historical information and enchanting cat lore, Time Cat showcases the author's wonderful talent for capturing the imagination as he immerses you in other cultures. Ron Keith's delightful narration conveys all the humor and excitement as you travel through time with Gareth and Jason.
There was once a village off the coast of Cornwall, England where people were so poor that they prayed for shipwrecks. They made their living by salvaging food and clothing from the wreckage. Some of them were evil and lit fires during a storm to lure ships onto the rocks. Then these "wreckers" made sure that no one survived the wrecks, so there would be no witnesses to their crimes. One stormy night in 1799, 14-year-old John Spencer was unfortunate enough to be on his father's ship when the wreckers did their worst. As John hid on the shore, he saw his shipmates murdered by these ruthless scavengers. Trapped in a strange land with no idea of whom to trust, he faced the most terrifying challenge of his life. The spell-binding excitement of a swashbuckling adventure, and the wrenching moral conflict of a Dickens novel delightfully converge in this critically-acclaimed debut novel. Ron Keith's exceptional narration ensures readers nonstop entertainment in the classic tradition. The Wreckers was chosen by Booklist as a Young Editors' Choice and by the New York Public Library as a title for reading and sharing.
The Wind in the Willows is a classic of children's literature by Kenneth Grahame, first published in 1908. Alternately slow moving and fast paced, it focuses on four anthropomorphised animal characters in a pastoral version of England. The novel is notable for its mixture of mysticism, adventure, morality, and camaraderie and celebrated for its evocation of the nature of the Thames valley.
When two British schoolboys decide to test the truth of the ancient Spartan tale of Romulus and Remus, they are soon stuck with the task of recovering a missing baby and making up ever-more elaborate lies to cover their tracks. This highly imaginative madcap farce could only have been crafted by Leon Garfield, the award-winning author of Black Jack.
Steeplejack Joe Clark climbed his first factory chimney when he was four years old. Steeplejacking had been in his family for five generations. Not much frightened him. Certainly not stone. So when Joe is offered the lucrative job of repairing the weathercock and stonework on one of Muncaster Cathedral's spires, he can't believe his good fortune. But from the moment he saw the medieval gargoyle-lichen colored and hollowed-eyed-he felt uneasy, as if he were being watched. But he wasn't going to let a few superstitious fears get in the way of his job. Stone was stone, it was all the same. Then terrible things begin to happen, including the deaths of two innocent boys who fell from the cathedral tower. What terrible evil had them in its grip, and why does the gargoyle seem to be drawing Joe to his doom?
It's been two years since John Spencer and his father were shipwrecked and nearly murdered by unscrupulous scavengers. Now the Spencers have a new ship, the Dragon, and 16-year-old John is elated to be making the new schooner's maiden voyage to London. Not long out to sea, John realizes that the captain and crew of the Dragon are not who they pretended to be. Instead they are smugglers, steering their own course, and prepared to kill anyone who tries to stop them. Leaving a trail of bloodshed and violence, these ruthless pirates have no intention of leaving any witnesses to their crimes. If John is to survive, it will be by his own steady wit and a stroke of good luck. This sequel to The Wreckers stands on its own as a historical tale of piracy and adventure on the high seas. The action is nonstop, and Ron Keith's narration enlivens a sparkling array of memorable characters.
A rousing tale of swashbuckling adventure, The Shining Company sweeps young adults back to Britain in A.D. 600. When King Mynyddog calls for warriors to battle the Saxons, young Prosper travels to the King's fortress to serve as shieldbearer. Deeply rooted in the true events of the Saxon invasion, this powerful historical novel is a great choice for young adults who enjoy courageous adventure.
Writing in England at the turn of the 20th century, G.K. Chesterton was dubbed the "prince of paradox" for addressing serious questions with his light, whimsical style. In this classic allegory, which has captivated generations since it was first published in 1908, Chesterton tackles such profound concepts as honor, truth, and God with insightful humor and colorful enigma. The seven members of the secret Central Anarchist Council are sworn to destroy the world. For security reasons, each member has named himself after a day of the week. But Thursday is not at all whom he appears to be. Instead of a revolutionary young poet, he has been unmasked as a Scotland Yard detective. Now the other six anarchists are in a state of chaos and can't trust anyone.
American-born Paul Theroux had lived in England for 11 years when he realized he'd explored dozens of exotic locations without discovering anything about his adopted home. So, with a knapsack on his back, he set out to explore by walking and by short train trips. The result is a witty, observant and often acerbic look at an ever eccentric assortments of Brits in all shapes and sizes.
The air raid siren that pierces the English night sky comes as no surprise to young Harry Baguely. Ever since Hitler began sending his warplanes to raid London, Harry has become an old hand at running to his family's bomb shelter and waiting for the attacks to end. This time, though, Harry's family doesn't make it to the shelter. A war orphan with no where to go and only a lonely dog for a friend, Harry decides to make a courageous journey up the English coast. He is looking for a place to call home, a safe place far away from the danger and confusion of the city. But when he finds it, will it be worth the struggle? In Harry's encounters with the frightened civilians and weary soldiers of war-torn England, Robert Westall draws a compelling portrait of the devastating effects of war on children. An ALA Best Book for Young Adults and an American Booksellers Pick of the Lists, The Kingdom by the Sea is both a powerful historical record and a moving tale of one boy's adventure.
