Quality literature and poetry from the
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IN ASSOCIATION
WITH
The Best-Loved Poems of the American People
Hazel Felleman
This wonderful
anthology was compiled in 1936 by Hazel Felleman, who was the editor of the Queries and
Answers page of the New York Times Book Review. Daily over a period of fifteen years, she
received inquiries from people all over America to print the text of favorite poems of
which only a line or two, or perhaps the title, were remembered. During that time she
learned something of the poetry preferences of the American people, which she used in
choosing the selections in this volume rather than her own personal preferences (although
she states most she would have chosen herself). Poems are arranged thematically under the
headings of Love and Friendship, Inspiration, Story Poems, Faith and Reverence, Home and
Mother, Childhood and Youth, Patriotism and War, Humor and Whimsey, Memory and Grief,
Nature, Animals, and Miscellaneous. An index of authors and first lines rounds out this
superb collection. We have discovered glorious poems in this wonderful volume that we have
not found anywhere else, such as To My Unborn Son; Living; How He Saved Saint
Michael’s (what a wonderful poem!); Oh! Why Should the Spirit of Mortal be Proud? and
so many others.
The Complete Brothers Grimm Fairy Tales
Brothers Grimm; James Stern, editor
Here in one volume is a classic of Western literature--the complete fairy tales of the
Brothers Grimm. These magnificent tales, which date back to the dawn of storytelling among
the people of Northern Europe, were first compiled by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm and
published in Germany in 1812 and 1815. Editions have come and gone since that time, but
rarely are all 215 tales offered together in one volume, complete, unabridged, and
unexpurgated. Discover old favorites such as Cinderella, Snow White, Sleeping Beauty,
Rumpelstiltskin, Hansel and Gretel, Rapunzel, and the Frog Prince over again, and make the
acquaintance of The Juniper Tree, Clever Gretel, King Thrushbeard, and the Singing Soaring
Lark and other little-known treasures.
The Crimson Fairy Book
Andrew Lang, editor; H. J. Ford, illustrator
“All the
tales are narrated in the lively, clean prose for which Lang was famous. Not only are
Lang’s collections generally considered to contain the best English version of the
standard fairy tales; they are also the richest and widest in range. His position as one
of England’s foremost folklorists as well as his first-rate literary abilities make
his collections unmatchable in the English language.” -Publisher. I read these over
and over again as a child, as my children have also done. There are twelve color Fairy
Books all together; and all are wonderful: the Blue, Red, Green, Yellow, Grey, Lilac, Orange, Brown, Violet, Pink, and Olive Fairy Book.
Peter Pan
James M. Barrie, illustrated by Scott Gustafson
Normally I link to a
paperback edition of a book if possible, to help homeschool parents save a little money on
their book budget. But this handsome hardcover edition is here because it is unabridged,
something that is hard to find in modern editions of Peter Pan. And you definitely
want to read the unabridged version of this timeless children’s classic -- it is full
of fascinating vocabulary, and Barrie had a quaint way of putting things that is
absolutely charming. Besides all that, Gustafson’s lavishly detailed paintings,
reminiscent of N. C. Wyeth, Jessie Willcox Smith, and Arthur Rackham, send readers right
into the magical world of Neverland. All the unforgettable adventures of Peter Pan and the
three Darling children are captured in more than 50 illustrations, each as captivating as
Barrie’s timeless text.
Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim’s Progress
John Bunyan and Oliver Hunkin
This is a retelling
of the classic allegory of the Christian life written by John Bunyan in 1676 in England.
In the early days of our country, many families owned just two books--the Bible and
Pilgrim’s Progress. This classic retelling retains the poetic flow of the language
while making the story more accessible for all. The full-color illustrations throughout by
Alan Parry are beautiful and help illuminate the story further. For those families that
would also like to tackle the original Pilgrim’s Progress for family read-aloud time,
a complete and unabridged hardcover
and paperback
edition is also available.
The Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett; Tasha Tudor, illustrator
Victorian author
Frances Hodgson Burnett created richly developed characters woven with detailed
descriptions of places and events that easily allow the reader to identify with and
visualize the story. Her prose and vocabulary have the depth characteristic of that
earlier era. In The Secret
Garden, orphaned and sullen Mary comes to live with her disinterested uncle in
Yorkshire England. The housekeeper’s son befriends her and her crippled and equally
sullen cousin. Together they discover the secret garden, locked up for years, which has a
profound impact on all their lives. (Also in hardcover.) The Little
Princess (my favorite) is Sara Crewe, daughter of a wealthy Englishman who comes to
live at a proper English boarding school in London. When her father is killed and she is
left penniless, she is reduced to cruel servitude at the school where she was once the
star pupil. This beautiful story of a young woman who remains unchanging and true in spite
of her changing circumstances is inspirational. (Also in hardcover.)
The setting in Little Lord
Fauntleroy is just the opposite: Cedric is a poor New York City street boy who turns
out to be the only living heir of the meanest (and wealthiest) Earl in all of England.
Suddenly rich in England, he discovers that money has certainly made his grandfather
neither happy nor compassionate for others. Another powerful story of a young man who
remains true in spite of his circumstances, who changes the lives of others in the
process. (Also in hardcover.)
St. Bartholomew’s Eve: A Tale of the Huguenot Wars
G. A. Henty
“George
Alfred Henty’s stories revolve around a fictional boy hero during fascinating periods
of history. His heroes are diligent, courageous, intelligent and dedicated to their
country and cause in the face, at times, of great peril. His histories, particularly
battle accounts, have been recognized by historians for their accuracy. In fact, the only
criticism Henty faced by the liberals of his day was that his heroes were ‘too
Christian.’” --Publisher. Henty wrote over 140 stories for boys during the
Victorian era, many drawn from his own courageous and adventurous life at the Crimean War,
during Garibaldi’s fight for Italy’s independence, at the Franco-Prussian War,
in Spain with the Carlists, at the opening of the Suez Canal, touring India with the
Prince of Wales, and in the California gold fields. “...boys, when they reach the
Henty stage, discriminate to the extent of rejecting almost every other author.”
--Librarian, 1900. Although Henty is absolutely essential for boys, my girls have also
loved these stories. The godly characteristics of the Henty heroes have helped all my
children grow in character and develop high standards in their choice of acquaintances.
Children should continue to read Henty for the rest of the grammar stage, not just in 4th
grade only. St. Bartholomew’s Eve takes place in France during the Huguenot
Wars of 1580, when the French government and the Roman church attempted to exterminate the
French Protestants (Huguenots). A paperback
edition is also available.
Other Renaissance & Reformation era
Henty stories include:
By Pike and
Dyke: A Tale of the Rise of the Dutch Republic (1579) paperback
edition
By
England’s Aid: Or the Freeing of the Netherlands (1588)
Under
Drake’s Flag: A Tale of the Spanish Main (1580’s) paperback
edition
The Lion of
the North: A Tale of the Times of Gustavus Adolphus (1630) paperback
edition
Won by the
Sword: A Story of the Thirty Years’ War (1640) paperback
edition
Ancient & Classical era Henty stories
include:
The Cat of
Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt (antiquity) paperback
edition
The Young
Carthaginian: A Story of the Times of Hannibal (220 B.C.) paperback
edition
Beric the
Briton: A Story of the Roman Invasion (61 A.D.) paperback
edition
For the
Temple: A Tale of the Fall of Jerusalem (70 A.D.) paperback
edition
Dark and Medieval era Henty stories include:
The Dragon
and the Raven: or the Days of King Alfred (870) paperback
edition
Wulf the
Saxon: A Story of the Norman Conquest (1066) paperback
edition
Winning His
Spurs: A Tale of the Crusades (1190) paperback
edition
In
Freedom’s Cause: A Story of Wallace and Bruce (1314) paperback
edition
The Lion of
Saint Mark: A Tale of Venice (1300’s) paperback
edition
St. George
for England: A Tale of Cressy & Poitiers (1346) paperback
edition
A Knight of
the White Cross: A Tale of the Siege of Rhodes (1480) paperback
edition
American era Henty stories include:
By Right of
Conquest: or With Cortez in Mexico (1595) paperback
edition
With Wulf in
Canada: Or the Winning of a Continent (1763) paperback
edition
With Lee in
Virginia: A Story of the American Civil War (1860’s) paperback
edition
In the Heart
of the Rockies: A Story of Adventure in Colorado (1860)
A Tale of the
Western Plains (1880’s)
Modern era Henty stories include:
Bonnie Prince
Charlie: A Tale of Fontenoy & Culloden (1746) paperback
edition
In the Reign
of Terror: The Adventures of a Westminster Boy (1793) paperback
edition
The Dash for
Khartoum: A Tale of the Nile Expedition (1885) paperback
edition
The Jungle Book
Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling was a
master of English prose and poetry, and was the first English recipient of the Nobel Prize
for Literature in 1907. The Nobel committee chose him because of their “consideration
of [his] power of observation, originality of imagination, virility of ideas and
remarkable talent for narration which characterize [his] creations...” The Jungle
Book tells the story “of Mowgli, an Indian boy who is raised by wolves from
infancy and who learns self-sufficiency and wisdom from the jungle animals. The book
describes the social life of the wolf pack and, more fancifully, the justice and natural
order of life in the jungle. Among the animals whose tales are related in the work are
Akela the wolf; Baloo the brown bear; Shere Khan, the boastful Bengal tiger who is
Mowgli's enemy; Kaa the python; Bagheera the panther; and Rikki-tikki-tavi the
mongoose.” --Merriam- Webster Encyclopedia of Literature. Also in hardcover.
The Story of Doctor Dolittle
Hugh Lofting
Doctor
Dolittle was a people doctor who did not get along well in his people practice, due to the
abundance of unusual pets he kept about the place. On the advice of his parrot, Polynesia,
he turned to animal medicine, and that is how he came to learn the language of the
animals. He and his menagerie are called on to cure an outbreak threatening a tribe of
monkeys in Africa, and from then on they are embroiled in one adventure after another.
Hugh Lofting’s style is rich and witty, the characterizations remarkable, the
situations hilarious. The subsequent Doctor Dolittle books, written with the same
delightful wit and humor, are (in order): The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, Doctor
Dolittle’s Post Office, Doctor Dolittle’s Circus, Doctor Dolittle’s Zoo,
Doctor Dolittle’s Garden, Doctor Dolittle’s Caravan, Doctor Dolittle in the
Moon, and Doctor Dolittle’s Return. The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle won the 1923
Newbery Award, and is the only book still in print besides The Story of Doctor Dolittle;
however, I was unable to find an unabridged, unrevised, unedited edition that I could
recommend. Try the used book searches ... (sigh).
The Light Princess
George MacDonald, illustrated by Maurice Sendak
C. S. Lewis was
deeply influenced by George MacDonald and considered his works essential reading. Like
Lewis’ fantasies for children, MacDonald’s stories contain messages that make
you think and are not just for children. In The Light Princess, the princess loses
her gravity through an evil curse. Not only is she rendered weightless, she has no inner
gravity as well--she has never cried. Because she has not experienced sorrow, her joy and
laughter are meaningless and empty. She becomes whole and “weighted” once more
through the self-sacrificing love of the prince. The story carries the eternal message of
the self-sacrificing Prince of Peace upon Whom our wholeness depends, told with strength,
humor, and grace. Maurice Sendak’s whimsically wonderful illustrations are the
perfect complement. A hardcover
edition is also available. Other not- to-be-missed MacDonald fantasies and stories
include: At
the Back of the North Wind, The Golden Key,
The Lost
Princess, The
Princess and the Goblin, The Princess and
Curdie, Gifts
of the Christ Child and Other Stories and Fairy Tales, and The Complete Fairy Tales in
both paperback
and hardcover
(the ‘complete’ editions contain twelve of the shorter fairy stories).
Tales From Shakespeare
Charles and Mary Lamb, illustrated by Arthur Rackham
No better
introduction to William Shakespeare’s dramatic masterpieces exists than the
delightful prose adaptations of Charles and Mary Lamb, first published in 1807. The two
selected twenty of Shakespeare’s best-known plays and set out both to make them
accessible to children and to pay enthusiastic homage to the original works. Together the
Lambs distilled the powerful themes and unforgettable characterizations of
Shakespeare’s plays into elegant narratives--classic tales in their own right.
Charles took responsibility for the powerful tragedies, while Mary worked on the
light-hearted comedies. As the authors point out in their introduction, their versions of
the tragedies tend to rely on the language of the original plays, while the comedies are
more freely adapted. But all of the Lambs’ stories--with their clear, supple, and
rhythmic prose--reward any reader, whether encountering Shakespeare for the first time or
revisiting his work. This edition of Tales From Shakespeare is reproduced from one
first published in 1909 and features twelve full-color paintings and many drawings by the
renowned illustrator Arthur Rackham. The twenty plays adapted are: Tempest, Midsummer
Night’s Dream, Winter’s Tale, Much Ado About Nothing, As You Like It, Two
Gentlemen of Verona, Merchant of Venice, Cymbeline, King Lear, Macbeth, All’s Well
That Ends Well, Taming of the Shrew, Comedy of Errors, Measure for Measure, Twelfth Night,
Timon of Athens, Romeo and Juliet, Hamlet, Othello, and Pericles, Prince of Tyre.
Heidi
Johanna Spyri
After Heidi is orphaned she goes to live with her crusty old
grandfather high in the Swiss Alps. Her sweetness and innocence softens him, and they
learn to love, respect, and depend on each other while she leads a carefree life with him
and her new friend, Peter the goatherd. Her life changes dramatically however when she
must go live with her wealthy aunt in the city as a companion for her crippled cousin. How
Heidi sacrifices and struggles with the loss of her second family and learns to live
compassionately through adversities makes a wonderful, compelling story. A
beautifully-illustrated hardcover
edition is also available.
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