Amazon.com

The BBC Radio production of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a delightful two-hour sail on the most fabulous ship in Narnia. Lucy and Edmund, with their dreadful cousin Eustace, get magically pulled into a painting of a ship at sea. That ship is the Dawn Treader, and on board is Caspian, King of Narnia. He and his companions, including Reepicheep, the valiant warrior mouse, are searching for seven lost lords of Narnia, and their voyage will take them to the edge of the world. Their adventures include being captured by slave traders, a much-too-close encounter with a dragon, and visits to many enchanted islands, including the place where dreams come true. The adaptation is faithful to its source, C.S. Lewis's series of Narnia books, which have provided exciting and uplifting tales for generations of children. BBC Radio does wonders with sound effects--the ship creaks in the wind, the sorrowful dragon roars lugubriously--and musical cues and interludes that keep the pacing dynamic. There's also a splendid cast of plummy British voices, making this far more than a book read onto cassette--it's an audio drama, as enjoyable as a trip to the theater. Grownups who buy this tape for their children will want to borrow it for themselves. (Running time: two hours, two cassettes) --Blaise Selby ... Read more

Reviews (62)

questing after the Kingdom
I have put off reviewing "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" for a long time. There is no other book I have so longed to recommend to others, but I have felt (and still feel) totally inadequate when it comes to expressing what a wonderful story this is. I could go on for days about all the wonderful things contained here. That said, I will try and focus on only a few aspects of this book and then plead with you to read it.

First, I must note that I feel this story should be read in the context of the entire Narnian series. It stands on its own nicely enough, but the deep background of the previous tales adds richness and texture to the tale.

Secondly, I must note that this book is highly enjoyable because it works on two levels. The tale as a whole is the story of a journey into unknown lands. With each new place they visit, the whole is broken into wonderful episodes. My favorite episode (with the exception of the ending) is the island where dreams come true...its not what one would expect.

The character of Eustace is my favorite of all the humans in the Narnian books. This story is partly a tale of his transformation. This seems to be a universal human desire; but Eustace, like all who truly seek transformation must, finds impossible to reform himself. This is an especially timely lesson for our "self-help" culture at the beginning of the twenty-first century.

This brings me to what I like best of "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader." Let me preface what I say here by making it clear that no one hates heavy-handed use of allegory as much as I do. However, the allegory that is "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is one of the greatest things of beauty I have ever encountered.

In one form or another we are all questing after an unseen kingdom. Be it the kingdom of God, Materialism, or simply of the Self--we are all, like Caspian and his pals, on a quest. I don't wish to give away any endings, but let me just say that the greatest truth Lewis expresses in his book is that no one can reach the True Kingdom on their own.

I urge you to read this book. If I could only have a handful of books, this one would definitely be among them. I give "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" my highest recommendation.

An "Odyssey" for Children
After reading the very first line, "There was a boy called Eustace Clarence Scrubb, and he almost deserved it," I realized that I had made a huge mistake beginning "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" half an hour before bedtime. More exciting and adventure-packed than the two preceeding books (in the original ordering, of course), "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe" and "Prince Caspian", it is hard to put down.

The main characters that readers will recognize are King Caspian, Edmund, Lucy, and Reepicheep. Sadly, Peter and Susan have since become too old to reenter Narnia; but the story does amazingly well even without them. Here, Eustace, who will reappear in "The Silver Chair", is introduced for the first time. They are an interesting bunch, all providing something essential to the story, especially Reepicheep (whose character and personal history are developed further) and Eustace (who experiences a wonderful kind of redemption).

The Dawn Treader is a ship King Caspian built in order to fulfil an oath made on his coronation day to find the seven lords and friends of his father that his uncle Miraz had sent to explore the Eastern Seas. Every two chapters or so, the Dawn Treader stops at an island, where its crew and passengers have a small adventure-within-the-larger-adventure, discover the fate of each of the seven lords, and learn good moral lessons. For instance, one island, called the Dark Island, is a place where dreams come true. It may sound wonderful, until you realize that the dreams that come true are not the pleasant daydreams, but the nightmares. After the last island, the passengers even reach, or very nearly reach, the End of the World.

Though I compared this book to Homer's "Odyssey" in the title of this review, I must add that it can also be likened to John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress". This voyage is not guided by fate and devoid of reason, but is blessed by Aslan (who symbolizes Jesus) and is full of meaning and purpose. It does not merely represent the passage through life, but the passage through life _as a Christian_. That may be why one reviewer complained that this novel is overly preachy. Yet we readers are human, after all, and in need of being preached to now and then. Another thing that may surprise readers is the chivalry with which Lucy, the only girl on the ship, is treated by the men. Though it not "politically correct," as Eustace himself points out at the beginning, it has a certain rightness to it.

Remembering how the March girls in Louisa May Alcott's "Little Women" played at being good in imitation of the character Christian in "The Pilgrim's Progress", only to realize that their game was really a way of life, I can say that it would be wonderful if children today could apply the allegories in "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" in the same way. Parents, take note: it is easier to ask a child, "What would Edmund tell you about forgiving someone who has done wrong, like Eustace?" than to launch into a weary sermon about forgiveness that they may not remember anyway. There are more archetypes in this book, and in all stories about Narnia, than C.S. Lewis himself must have realized: and children can only benefit from knowing them as they grow up.

I never wanted it to end....
I agree with others here that this was the best out of all the Narnia Chronicles. What a book! I am reading all these books as an adult and I can only imagine how more wonderful these would seem as a child. I do like the Christianity thrown in (Aslan being the Messiah). Some others I have spoken to do not like this in your face message of Adam and Eve and the Aslan's Kingdom. This book clearly states (SPOILER) at the end of the Kingdom (Heaven) being both in Narnia and in our world. It's a great book for an adventurer or someone who would like to explain how beautiful the boundaries of Heaven can be. This is the best book (haven't read the last one yet though) and I already want to read it again...absolutely enchanting.

Among the series' best
The immediate follow-up to "Prince Caspian," "The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" is one of C.S. Lewis' classic Narnia series, and contains all the magic, wonder and adventure of the others in the series. Maybe more.

Like most of the Narnia books, "Voyage" takes little time to get moving. Edmund and Lucy are staying with their mean and arrogant little cousin Eustace (Peter and Susan are excised from the story for being too old), when the three children are pulled into the world of Narnia. Edmund and Lucy are delighted to have arrived, but Eustace is bitter at the situation. He is made even more bitter because of where they appear: In the middle of the ocean, where they are picked up by King Caspian on his ship, the Dawn Treader.

Caspian is in the midst of a grand journey in which he is trying to sail to the end of the world. Tossed into the mix is his quest to find seven companions of his father, who fled Narnia when the bad folks from "Prince Caspian" took over. The entire plot is little more than an excuse to sail to lands unknown and explore the most fantastic sights Narnia has to offer. The story does not fail in that endeavor.

While it begins as Another Narnia Adventure, "Voyage" quickly becomes an exploration adventure of the most classic kind, an archetype of a tale in which every action drives the characters towards the next episode and the next land of wonder. Like other timeless tales of this type, the device is remarkably effective in keeping the reader's interest and repeatedly engage one's sense of awe.

Naturally, there are Lessons thrown in for good measure. Lewis can occasionally grate with moralizing, but "Voyage's" moral tales are not grating in the least. Most are tales that have been told time and again throughout mankind's history. Each island has its own little moral message, but they are subtle, fit with the story well, serve the sense of wonder the reader feels, and never intrude on the tale. That's a welcome thing.

In the end, no terrible bad guy is vanquished. No kingdom is won. Nobody turns out to secretly be royalty. None of that. It simply ends when the quest is done. And that end satisfies.

"The Voyage of the Dawn Treader" may be the very best of the Narnia books and a journey for the ages. Here, Lewis crafts a classic tale of a fantastic journey, and he does so with a finely balanced sense of pacing. "Voyage" never fails to be engaging and will surely delight readers both young and old.

A Voyage of the Best Kind
Voyage of the Dawn Treader, by C.S. Lewis is in my opinion, the best out of all seven of the Chronicles of Narnia.
It is like a cruise- in a book- you get a taste of various make-believe cultures. You even meet a Star and experience a vast endless sea adventure with good and evil, right and wrong.

Explore the shallows of the sweet waters where there are fierce yet valiant sea people. Search for the eight lords banished from Narnia by the evil 'king' Miraz. See Aslans country and look for the many biblical parallels hidden within that only make it more exciting with its familiarity yet different adventurous ways of portraying the prophesies.

This book is good for people of all ages, and is a good place to start with the fantasy genre. ... Read more

Book Description

"Take up the pipe, Claudius," a voice growled near Jessie's bound head. "He's worth nothing without his pipe!"

Snatched from the docks of New Orleans, thirteen-year-old Jessie is thrown aboard a slave ship where he must play his fife so that captured slaves will "dance," to keep their muscles strong and their bodies profitable for their owners' use.

Jessie is sickened as he witnesses the horrible practices of the slave trade. But even those horrors can't compare to the one final event awaiting Jessie's witness. Can the cruelty to his fellow human beings be stopped? And will it be too late when it finally does stop?

In a stunning performance by Peter MacNicol, Paula Fox's enduring classic comes magnificently alive, with the seating truth about a period of American history we would otherwise most likely wish to forget.

"Fox has woven a spellbinding tale of suspense and survival that will horrify as well as fascinate..."

-- Library Journal (starred review)

"A story that movingly and realistically presents one of the most gruesome chapters of history, with all the violence, inhuman conditions, and bestial aspects of human nature -- exposed but never exploited in Fox's graphic, documentary prose."

-- Booklist (starred review) ... Read more

Reviews (106)

The Slave Dancer
The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox is about a boy and his extraordinary journey on a slave ship. A young boy named Jessie was abducted from his loving family by crew members to play his fife. He had a hard time adjusting to the fact that he would be playing music for the slaves on slave ship, the Moonlight. The Moonlight sailed to Africa to pick up slaves under the captain's strict orders so that he could gather a profit. Jessie disliked the slaves due to the suffering they endured and to make it worse, the slaves were thrown overboard because of a crew members mistake. Due to a terrible storm, Jessie and his new friend Ras had to swim to land where they were found by an old man. The old man helped Jessie and Ras but then sent Ras up north and Jessie home. In conclusion, The Slave Dancer was an interesting story that would be hard to forget.

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox was a book worthy of the Newbery Honor Award. It did have some weak assets, including the fact that all the crew members weren't described as well as they should have been. The writing was extremely rich and painted many different descriptive pictures in my mind. It will be a quick read for almost anyone. I don't think this would be a good beginning chapter book for ages 7-9. As I read it, I came to the conclusion that it was a book for a more mature type of reader.

The Unsatisfied
I read this book thinking that it would be an epic. I was very wrong. I give it two stars so that it can claim it's dignity, but I will not be as easily swayed in this review. As I read, I felt that it was all playing up to something, something huge! But at the end it was like a bad movie... like the director got tired. If you wish read a multicultural book read Roll of Thunder Hear my Cry, or My Brother Sam is Dead. Do not read this book!

Great Compelling novel
I recently read that when Mrs. Fox had accepted the Newbery award for this powerful novel that a small group of African Americans had protested outside the calling this book rascist. In my personal opinion, it is every author's right to record the way things were even if they do offend someone people, especially when writing a historical novel such as The Slave Dancer or Roll of Thunder, Hear my Cry. And it gives me great pleasure to say that this group has persevered and rose above the tyrant which was called slavery

A Powerful, Compelling Read
I had to read this book as a school assignment as a sort of author study on Paula Fox. I have to say that I really enjoyed it. I didn't enjoy it as much as "Monkey Island" (also by Paula Fox), but I did find it a very satisfying book.

"The Slave Dancer" tells the story of Jessie Bullier, a 13 - year - old boy who lives with his mom and sister in a run - down, moldy shack in New Orleans. Right from the start you can tell that Jessie does not live a very charmed life. One day while at the docks, Jessie is kidnapped and brought aboard a slave ship called "Moonlight". He is introuced to an odd assortment of characters, among them Captain Cawthorne, Nicholas Spark, Ned Grime and Clay Purvis, who befriends Jesse throughout the four months or so he spends on the ship. Jessie is forced to "dance" the slaves with his fife. Towards the end he becomes friends with a slave named Ras. From here on you can probably guess what happens, but the last paragraph of the book makes for one of the eeriest endings in literary history.

I suggest the purchase of this book. It is very good, and proves that Fox has a unique blend of creating intricate storytelling combined with adult - style phrases and language. Perfect.

The Slave Dancer
The Slave Dancer, by Paula Fox is a wonderful book. It is full of excitement and adventure! The story is set in New Orleans. Jessie, the main character, gets kidnapped and is put on a pirate ship to live on for several months. Of course, he gets scared and home-sick, but after a while he gets used to it. As you meet the captian, and the slaves, and the crew, it seems like YOU are on the ship sailing on a endless plain of water. This book has so much excitment to it no wonder it won a Newbery Medal!! ... Read more

Reviews (1)

My six year old daughter and three year old son love it.
I play it in the car for my six year old daughter and three year old son. They both love it. I like it because it is teaching the kids new words and keeping them entertained. ... Read more

Book Description

Reviews (5)

The Marvelous Land Of Oz
 
 Title: The Marvelous Land of Oz
            Author: L. Frank Baum
             Publishing Company: HarperCollinsPublishers and Books of Wonder
 
Have you ever wondered if there were such creatures as a Woogle Bug, a Saw Horse, a talking pumpkin head and a Gump? Well in this book, it's all real. The Marvelous Land of Oz is an exciting fantasy book about a young boy named Tip. Tip is very adventurous and always wanted to run away from his mean guardian, Mombi. Tip then found out that Mombi had a special powder that could turn things to life. He decided to take the powder and make a friend out of some sticks and a pumpkin head. Tip named him Jack. Tip and Jack then went on a journey through the Land of Oz and met some new friends like the Woogle Bug, the Saw Horse, Gump, Glinda the Good Witch, the Tin Woodman, and Scarecrow. They also saw new places like Emerald City.
 
Tip, is the main character. He is very brave and smart. On his journey he takes along from home Jack, who has a pumpkin for his head and a stick body. Jack can't think that straight but is very kind. Another character he met on the beginning of his journey was the Saw Horse, who is small but can run fast and is very friendly. There are other characters in this book that you meet for example, Scarecrow. He is the king of Emerald City and is smart thinking. After you meet the Scarecrow you meet the Tin Woodman whois the Emperor of the Winkies and is very kind to people and other creatures. The most important character in the Land of Oz is Glinda. She is the Good Witch of the Land of Oz and is very powerful with good magic. Later on in the book, Tip meets two other characters known as Gump and the Woogle Bug. Gump is a flying deer head on a plaque that has magical powers to make things fly. Woogle Bug is not a regular bug. Instead he is a giant bug; he scares some people with his size but is very nice. One of the villains in this book is Jinjur, a woman who was tired of getting pushed around by men and has begun to take over Emerald City. Another villain is Mombi, the guardian of Tip who has magic powers and is very mean.
 
This book is a real page turner. When I was reading this book I kept on wanting to read more and more each day because it just got more exciting and funny, from the beginning to the end of each chapter. If I rated this book, I would give it a 10. I gave this rating because this book has a lot of descriptive words for you to imagine the scene and some pictures to show some of the scenes. I would really recommend this book to the fan of Wizard of Oz. This book is also great for all ages!

Great Stuff: Comparable to Twain or Thurber
Baum wrote a dozen or so Oz books in the early 1900s.The movie was made from the first in the series."The [Marvelous] Land of OZ" is the 2nd in the series, and possibly the best.

The short chapter from page 71-81 reaches a level of perfection attained only rarely in the history of literature, and is certainly equal to even the best passages of Mark Twain or James Thurber. I can't read that passage out loud to my kids without going into a fit of laughing myself to tears.I wish I could reprint it here.

You must try if you can to obtain the wonderful hardcover (or sometimes called 'library binding') edition that goes by the ISBN number of 0688054390. It is a stunning, faithful, amazing facsimile of the original 1904 edition complete with its beautiful color-illustrated endpapers and dozens of gorgeous original color plates and black and white illustrations so charmingly integrated with the text.

I snapped up a dozen and gave them away as birthday gifts for kids age 7 and up.I don't know if there are any left in print, and it's a good bet these will go up in value.Fine first edition OZ books command a pretty penny.

A triumph of fantasy and adventure
I am most familiar with the fantasy world of Oz through the classic musical film starring Judy Garland. "The Marvelous Land of Oz," by L. Frank Baum, could be read as a sequel to the film. Three of the film's most important characters -- the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and good witch Glinda -- are important characters in this book (although Dorothy and the Cowardly Lion do not appear).

Baum creates a marvelous cast of new characters to interact with the three familiar ones mentioned above. Central to this story is Tip, a young boy whose unhappy life with a mean witch will probably remind some readers of Harry Potter's less-than-ideal home life with the Dursleys. Tip's escape from the clutches of the witch Mombi is the start of a fantastic adventure that leads him to the fabulous Emerald City, to an encounter with an all-female army led by a bold conqueress, and to relationships with the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and a host of equally fantastic beings.

The new characters are really great, but probably my favorite is Jack Pumpkinhead, an artificially-constructed, pumpkin-headed being brought to life by magic. Jack has a childlike innocence that I found quite endearing. Also memorable is the ornery but courageous Saw-Horse, another magical being.

There is a curious undercurrent of subversive gender politics to the book; although the main party of adventurers are male, the most powerful characters in the book are ultimately its female characters (both heroic and villainous). And one jaw-dropping plot twist (which I will not ruin by revealing!) furthers this theme.

This book is quite simply a wonderfully delightful story, well-told by Baum and superbly complemented by John R. Neill's whimsical illustrations. And despite the fact that it's a fantasy, I felt that the book has some relevant real world themes, most notably the ideas of respecting diversity and valuing "unusual" folks. And the friendship between the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman is especially heartwarming. "The Marvelous Land of Oz" is a great classic for both adults and young people.

The Marvelous Land of Oz
The title of my book is "The Marvelous Land of Oz."It is by
L. Frank Baum, who is well known for writing the Oz books.I think that anyone, who is six years old, or older, would like the book.Even people who are 100 years old would laugh out loud at this hilarious book.

The story takes place in Oz, a magical land that has strange and funny people.This book is a sequel to "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."Many of the characters and parts of the story are very funny.

The Emerald City of Oz is a beautiful place until General Jinjur invades it with her army.The scarecrow, who is the king of Oz, and his friends, try to regain the throne only to find that there is another real heir to the throne!

Tip is the book's main character.While many of the characters are very unusual, Tip looks like a human and is from the country of Gillikins.He gets in bad trouble with Mombi, who is evil and he runs away to the Emerald City.He becomes friends with the Scarecrow and tries to help him return as king.

The genre is adventure.Here is an example:
Tip thought this strange army bore no weapons whatsoever, but in this he was wrong.For each girl had stuck through the knot of her hair two long glittering knitting needles.

I give this book 5 stars because it was so good I could not put it down, and I read all 119 pages in only two days.

Not the perfect sequal.
I have read all 14 of L. Frank Baum's Oz books. This is the first sequal. And not a very good one either. It is really meant to be a continuing story of the Scarecrow and the Tin Woodman. And throughout most of the story the Tin Woodman actually proves that he doesn't really have a heart. And theScarecrow will never be better than Mr. Wogglebug. I love the newcharacters. Jack Pumpkinhead is so nice. Ozma is most definitely therightful ruler of Oz. And Mr. Wogglebug is just as exasperatingly lovableas Mr. Toad of Toad Hall. But everyone in Oz is so unpleasent to him. Heshould only be loved. This book is full of statements (mostly made by theScarecrow) that make this book highly unrecommendable to children. So I'mglad I wasn't read the Oz books as a child. They would have given me theworst thoughts. ... Read more

Book Description

No matter how far away little bunny goes, his lovingly steadfast mother always finds him. This comforting tale becomes an enchanting sing-along story on side two. ... Read more

Reviews (66)

A heartwarming, beautifully written book, a MUST-HAVE !!!
I first heard a few lines from this book on a T.V. show, and I was in tears! I ran straight to my computer and ordered it. This book is a must have for every child (and parent!). I have never read a book expressing the love of a mother for her child so beautifully. The mother bunny becomes whatever it takes for her to "find" her little bunny as he dreams of different things to be to run away from her. The mother bunny doesn't condemn him, but conforms to his thoughts and dreams and "chases" after him as he tells her what he will become and how he'll run away. I loved the way the mother spoke so lovingly to her little bunny, letting him know that no matter where he went, she'd find him. My son loves the brilliantly colorful images on every other page. It is a nice contrast to the black and white writing in between. This has become a favorite in my home and I intend to give this book as a gift to any and every mother (or mother-to-be) that I know!

Runaway Bunny
This book is wonderful. My son is in an accelerated reading program at school, he brought this book home last night to read and we had such a great time with it. When the story starts off with the little bunny telling his mom that he'll run away and she says she'll follow him I just thought . . . that is love. I told my son that he was the little bunny and I was the mommy bunny, so throughout the story we pretended that those characters were us. The look on my son's face was priceless, I could tell that he knew that his mommy loves him dearly (children need reassurance). He was so proud to hear that I would follow him like that. The color illustrations kept us laughing. They were just so sweet and cute. This book is a classic. I would recommend it to any parent. I didn't see it as a way a mother holds a child back from adventuring out, but as a way a mother/father can deal with a little child wanting to runaway. My son has told me a time or two that he was going to runaway (I believe all kids do - I can remember telling my mom) next time he tells me that I'll just remind him of this story and that I am a mommy bunny! Call me crazy, but I'm assuming that God has read this book as well. After all He keeps running after each and every one of us. Children of all ages need to know that.

A heartwarming tale with an equally heartwarming message
Ever thought of running away? Or, have you ever been really angry at your mother? Well, I have just the cure for that, this book. This is timeless tale of a little bunny who can't help but test the extent of his mother's love, but for every idea the little bunny has for running away, his mother counters with a way of making sure they are always together. For instance, when the little bunny says he will escape his mother by turning into a sailboat, his mother says in reply "If you turn into a sailboat, I will become the wind and blow you home." A wonderful story that displays the unconditional love a mother has for her children.

great book
I think this book is a wonderful demonstration in love.The message is no matter what happens i will be there for you. reading some of the other reviews I feel that some people are reading into a sweet story.

Scary? Disturbing?! Squashed spirits?!? Not at all!
The one- and two-star people have the totally wrong impression. What do you think the (equivalent) age of the little runaway bunny is -- 16 to 25? To what age group are we reading a book like this? You have somehow missed the point, and context.

The idea here is that the little bunny is a very young child, far too young to be on his own -- you know this when he actually tells his mother he is running away! Imagine your child of 4 to 7, momentarily angry about something, who tells you he wants to run away from home, pouting and saying things he doesn't mean, wanting attention, testing your love. (Heck, imagine your adolescent of 16 literally running away, though he wouldn't warn you beforehand!) He is far too young to be on his own, and his mother loves him so much that she will always be there for him when he needs her, and will not let harm come to him. He needs her now, though in his current emotional state he doesn't realize it. Would you let your child run away?

This book's audience is toddler through early-reader, the kind of age where their early needs for independence are joined with an intense need to feel the constant love and presence of the parent -- they need to know their parent(s) will always be there for them. Margaret Wise Brown was not talking about an older child figuratively spreading his or her wings, only to be smothered and squashed by Mother's "love." (The only overall metaphor here is that bunnies = humans.) She's literally talking about an immature child impulsively saying he will run away, and what any good, loving parent would say and do to help and comfort him. The book is from 1942, so perhaps that makes it unclear to some, but from the moment I read it I understood the context; it is a beautiful story if you understand the intent. That little bunny has a great imagination -- the color pages are his mental images of the previous text -- and Mama is fostering it with her responses in kind.

There is one place where I would have worded the mother's part differently: where she she becomes the wind, she says "...blow you where I want you to go." I would have said, "...blow you back to me," and I think that's what the author meant. Also, somebody commented in 2000 about the "I will fish for you" part and said the mother catches him on a hook. Look at the picture -- there is no hook on the line, just a carrot tied on for the little bunny to bite, and a net to scoop him up.

I've replaced our worn, torn paperback with the big lap edition boardbook. We also have the "Goodnight Moon" lap edition, and although they are big and heavy, the size is a plus for the illustrations, and they're virtually indestructible. Our first daughter (4.5) caused many small rips in the pages of her books as she turned them with gusto, and our second daughter (20 mos.) likes to finish those rips when she can! ... Read more

Book Description

The first book in the Lyle series, this tells the story of how the Primms found Lyle the crocodile in the bathtub of their new home. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A charming children's classic
I first read Bernard Waber's The House on East 88th Street as a child and was capitivated by Lyle the Crocodile. How I loved this story about a bright green crocodile living in a bathtub in a New York City brownstone.Though frightened at first, the Primm family is won over by their housemate. Lyle is amazing, he takes out the trash, brings in the milk, (this book was first published in 1962!)helps around the house, and loves a nice, hot bath complete with Turkish caviar! (We could all use a Lyle) The story of Lyle does not end here; Waber went on to write seven more titles about this lovable creature. Out of all the Lyle books, this is his best-known. This charming children's classic is suitable for small children between the ages of four and eight.

A great series
When I got pregnant with my son, my mother sent a box of old books she had saved from my childhood. The House in East 88th Street and Lyle and the Birthday Party were in the box. These two books have become favorites of my son as well as my husband and I. I'm glad to see that they are still in print, as I plan to purchase a few more from the series.

The magical world of Lyle
The story of Lyle the crocodile who is discovered in the bathtub when Joshua and his family move into their new home. My mother first read this book to me when I was four years old. I am now 35! It is a truly wonderful childrens book. One of those that lingers in your memory as a world you inhabited as a child. Myself and my sisters adored the Lyle books and we are now buying them for our families. Endearing, amusing, full of the joys and sadnesses of life. Lyle is a childs world through a crocodiles eyes. Try them all. You and your children (of all ages) will love them!.

A childhood favorite
I had a copy of this book when I was a child, and it was one of my favorites. It is a delight in every way, from its whimsical illustrations to its gently humorous treatment of a family who just happen to find a crocodile in the bathtub of their new home. I highly recommend this book to any parent with children, or any adults who wish they had children. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

An On-the-Road Christmas Eve Tradition
Our family has made a tradition of listening to this audiocassette of holiday stories once a year as we travel over the river and through the woods to Grandmother's house on Christmas Eve. "Winter Cherries" is the favorite, but the others are enjoyable as well--and varied. One line from "Winter Cherries" never fails to "get" me--"he flew through his mind back to..." The accents and voices enhance the stories (we don't find them difficult to understand at all--in fact, sometimes one of us will mimic one of the voices suddenly in mid-July, and we all smile). The coordination of the music and voice is impressive. This audiocassette has made the car trip on Christmas Eve a shared experience that we all look forward to. Give it a try! ... Read more

Book Description

If you care for journeys there and back, out of the comfortable world, over the edge of the Wild, and home again, and can take an interest in a humble hero (blessed with a little wisdom and a little courage and considerable good luck), here is the record of such a journey and such a traveler. In following the path of this adventurer you will learn much about trolls, goblins, dwarves, and elves, for Mr. Bilbo Baggins visited various notable persons, conversed with the dragon Smaug the Magnificent, and was present, rather unwittingly, at the Battle of the Five Armies. This is all the more remarkable since he was a hobbit. ... Read more

Reviews (1341)

The best book ever written published in a beautiful format
Tolkien's Hobbit takes the imagination on a wonderful flight of fantasy. I read this book on a yearly basis and each year I am delighted and captivated by the world of Bilbo Baggins. Bilbo is a reluctant member of an adventure that will forever change his life and the lives of those around him. He accompanies 13 dwarves on a mission to reclaim the gold and mountain kingdom of their ancestors from the dragon, Smaug. They have many adventures and mishaps on their journey to the lonely mountain including the climactic battle of five armies. Bilbo finds a magic ring along the way which leads, not only to a rise in his stature, but also to a new adventure for his friends in "The Lord of the Rings." Tolkien is a master storyteller and the depth of his skill is best seen in this tale. In the following trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings" the story is continued, but the sheer delight of "The Hobbit" is never fully recaptured. This collector's edition is beautifully bound. Even more enjoyable are the illustrations and paintings by the author himself.

Read it at least once per year!
Tolkien's Hobbit takes the imagination on a wonderful flight of fantasy. I read this book on a yearly basis and each year I am delighted and captivated by the world of Bilbo Baggins.

Bilbo is a reluctant member of an adventure that will forever change his life and the lives of those around him. He accompanies 13 dwarves on a mission to reclaim the gold and mountain kingdom of their ancestors from the dragon, Smaug. They have many adventures and mishaps on their journey to the lonely mountain including the climactic battle of five armies. Bilbo finds a magic ring along the way which leads, not only to a rise in his stature, but also to a new adventure for his friends in "The Lord of the Rings."

Tolkien is a master storyteller and the depth of his skill is best seen in this tale. In the following trilogy, "The Lord of the Rings" the story is continued, but the sheer delight of "The Hobbit" is never fully recaptured. This collector's edition is beautifully bound. Even more enjoyable are the illustrations and paintings by the author himself.

Very Pleased!
I knew when I ordered the book that it was hard back, but when I opened the box and there was this beautiful green box with a very beautiful green book inside with a picture and the gold writing around the edge I was very pleased. It was much more than I was expecting. There are pictures inside that are illistrated by the author. This book has most definatly lived up to "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" legacy. It is truly a beautiful book!

The Hobbit
This is one of the best books ever written! Prof. Tolkein is one of the most brilliant writers this wold has ever seen! Now a lot more people now about his works!! Thank You Peter Jackson!!!!!

Boys aren't the only ones who like LOTR!!!!! Some girls like it too!!!!

The Hobbit (Leatherette Collector's Edition)
Another masterpiece of Tolkien! A Classic that i would ask my children to read... Nothing compares to what Tolkien has accomplished.. Even in death he speaks to us through the pages of his work... ... Read more

Reviews (1)

A great audiobook for the entire family
This audio version of Odysseus is exciting and detailed enough to be interesting to adult listeners but fully engaged my three sons, ages 9,8 and 7. Now my first grader makes references to "the lotus eaters" and my fourth grader was shocked when I couldn't remember who Polydemus was (he's the Cyclops). A good introduction to a classic tale; perfect for a long car trip. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Cajun Folk Tales
This book is full of tales to please even the hard-nosed, gonna find something wrong with it Cajun's like myself! Nothing annoys me quicker than to buy a 'Cajun' book and find it obviously written by someone who isn't. Ms. Reneaux always does a great job of depicting the truth as we see it, and recording our oral history in a way that even we (Cajuns) can recognize as our own! This book will teach you some about Cajun humor. If you want to learn more about our roots, this is a great place to start! ... Read more

Book Description

Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time--and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961. ... Read more

Reviews (67)

This book was good
The courageous journey of three animals running away from home in search of their family. A young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and a indomitable Siamese cat set out no a journey though the Canadian wilderness in search of the family that loves them dearly. The three house pets must survive without being eaten buy bigger animals, starve to death, and exposure.

This is the best book ever
The Incredible Journey is the best book I have ever read. It is the best suspense book, too. I think Sheila Burnford is the best descriptive writer I've ever read.This book is about two dogs and a cat . They have to go two hundred and thirty miles to find their owner at a river canoeing . The owner left them home and had somebody look after them . The person showed up late and the animals went to find their owner. The animals have to deal with wild animals like bears and porcupines. They also nearly starve while trying to be with their owner at the river. All in all, I think you should read this well-written book. You will find out how much animals love people and it teaches us to work together. There is so much more in this book. So, if you like suspense this is a great book to read!

Super cuddly
This tells the story of the daring escape and heartbreaking trials of three ultimate cyborg assassins: a dog named Bandit, a cat named Tinker, and a rabbit named Pirate, armed with missiles, poison gas, state-of-the-art computer technology, rapid fire chain guns and unbreakable exo-skeletons. Wait, that might actually be We3. The stories are somewhat similar.

A Cat and Two Dogs
I came to the book by way of the Disney movie. The book is better than the movie. Dog and cat lovers will enjoy the book most. There isn't much in the way of action.

Very Boring Book!
This book stinks so bad. I had to read it for school and I would never read it if I had a choice. It was very boring because it had very little action. If I had it my way, I would have stopped reading this book after the first page. It starts out with a guy on his rocker with three animals by a fire. The animals are supposedly not his and they go out searching for their original owners. I would not recommend this book to any human beings alive. This book is very boring. ... Read more

Book Description

After repeatedly disastrous efforts to get himself out of trouble, George becomes the first monkey to go to space. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Curious George Gets A Medal
I recommend this book to a child of the age of 3-5. I think this book is good for both boys and girls. My favorite part of this book was all of it. I think the best part of the book for a child would be the drawings. The least interesting thing in this book for a child would be all the words.

Curious George Gets a Medal
This book is a pretty good book that is full of adventure. It is basically about curious George getting himself into a whole lot of trouble (as always). It all starts when George spills a bottle of ink. He doesn't know what to do and doesn't want to make "the man in the yellow hat" angry, so he tries to clean it up with a whole box of soap. He dumps the soap on and brings the hose through the window, which ends up flooding the room. That is how George's adventure begins. George decides he needs a pump and he knows that the farmers down the street have one. So he goes there and gets it, but in the process he lets the pigs out and makes whole bunch of commotion, so he hides. Then he jumps on a truck and goes to a museum where he knocks down a dinosaur. He gets caught at the museum because he didn't have time to hide. They put him in a cage and start to carry him off, but then 'the man in the yellow hat" comes and saves him by reading him a letter he had received earlier that day. The letter asks George if he will do an experiment and be the first monkey in space! But will he go? You'll have to find out by reading this book by H.A. Rey.
This book is good but it is definitely not one of my favorites. George does a lot of naughty things and never gets punished for them. Otherwise this story was pretty good. It is wild and wacky and great for children, as long as they're not learning bad things from it (like you won't get in trouble for stealing). If your not looking for a book that will teach lessons or you want a book that is just plain funny, this is the one for you. I would recommend children from ages 3-9 read this book. They will most likely enjoy it.

A Classic Curious George Fiasco...
The basic storyline is that Curious George gets himself into a heap of trouble, and the more he tries to fix the situation, the worse it gets.

I did not feel that the story advocated George's tactics (stealing, etc.). All of the things that George does are obviously the wrong way of going about things...he doesn't earn the medal for any of his foibles. In fact, when George is caught it says "he felt so ashamed, he almost wished he were dead."

Of course, as in other George stories, the man with the yellow hat shows up to save the day, and he redirects George to a more appropriate use of his intelligence.

It may not be one of the great moral masterpieces of our civilization, but it's vintage Curious George--a classic from a simpler era when everything wasn't hyper analyzed.

George never takes responsibility
This book doesn't enforce any of the values I'm trying to instill in my child. Not only is George curious, he also steals, runs away to avoid being caught, and when he is finally reprimanded for one of his many wrongdoings, all is forgiven due to his status and usefulness. This book may teach a child about how the world IS, but it certainly does not teach of how it SHOULD BE. No doubt kids enjoy the adventures of this little monkey, but we must ask ourselves what values it teaches our children. ... Read more

Book Description

"Rikk-tikk-tikki-tikki-tchk!"

A classic story from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book, adapted and illustrated by award-winning artist Jerry Pinkney, this is the tale of Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, a fearless young mongoose.

Soon after a flood washes Rikki into the garden of an English family, he comes face-to-face with Nag and Nagaina, two giant cobras. The snakes are willing to attack Rikki, and even the human family who lives there, to claim the garden and house for themselves. But they do not count on the heart and pride of the brave little mongoose.

Reviews (14)

Not the original text!!!
This has been rewritten to dumb it down.The beautiful language originally used by him has been replaced with dumber versions, and entire paragraphs have been removed.As someone who read and loved the original story as a child, I was very disappointed to see this when I began reading it to my 7 year old son.

to help clarify reviewer "Heath Buckmaster" confusion
I also love Rikki-Tikki-Tavi and remember it from when I was a little girl... and I also remember another story that I think you have this one mixed up with. You were wondering why nobody knew what you were talking about when you said you remembered it as "rikki-tikki-tembo-noserembo-charley-barley-ruchi-pip-berry-pembo"... Well that's because it (your version is just slightly off) is from the story Tikki Tikki Tembo as retold to Arlene Mosel & illustrated by Blair Lent. When the oldest son of a Chinese family is born, it was custom to honor them with long names. The oldest son in this story is Tikki-tiki tembo-no sa rembo-chari bari ruchi-pip peri pembo, which meant "the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world!" Well, Rikki tikki tembo and his little brother Chang are playing and Chang falls into the well. Rikki tikki tembo runs and tells his mother who tells him to fetch the old man with the ladder to fish him out. It's a long way to the well & back, over walls and up hills and steps and it's hard work and they are out of breath but they save Chang. A few months later the brothers are again playing when Rikki tikki tembo now falls into the well. Chang must run a long way up and down the mountain and over walls and steps and is out of breath when he finally reaches his mother and can't say his brother's really long name. Chang gasps and coughs and sputters and stutters, all the while his mother is telling him to speak his brother's name with reverence. Chang thinks that surely Rikki tikki tembo must have drowned by now? He finally gets out his brother's full name and his mother sends him to fetch the old man with the ladder. But the old man doesn't want to be disturbed from his dream and besides Chang doesn't think that he can get his brother's long name out again so he tells the old man that his mother's precious pearl has fallen into the well. With that the old man gets up and they finally pull Rikki tikki tembo up from the well. But because Rikki-tikki-tembo was in the well so long, it took him a long time to recover. And from that moment on the Chinese have always thought it wise to give their children little, short names instead of great long names... I am not sure why I was compelled to give that much detail to that story and none to Rikki-tikki-tavi, but there you have it... I hope that cleared up the confusion for the previous reviewer.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
In the story, Rikki-Tikki-Tavi is a mongoose. When a flood washed him away from his home, he is adopted by Teddy and his family. While exploring the garden, he meets Nag and Nagaina, two deadly cobras. Later that night, he overhears the cobras' plot to enter Teddy's house and kill his family. When Nag and Nagaina get inside, Rikki attacks and kills Nag in Teddy's bathroom. The next day, Rikki finds Nagaina's eggs on the ground and begins crushing all of the eggs except for one. When Nagaina threatens to kill Teddy, Rikki distracts her by threatening to destroy her last egg. Then, Rikki chased Nagaina into her hole in the garden and kills her. From then on, Teddy's family hailed Rikki-Tikki-Tavi as a hero for saving them from the two deadly cobras.

A wondeful book by a not so wonderful author
Dear readers,
a few weeks ago I read a book called Rikki Tikki Tavi.It's a kind of weird story about a mongoose who is washed from his home and into an Indian family's garden.This where a small boy named Teddy picked the mongoose, a.k.a. Rikki Tikki, up and kept him as a pet and a guardian.After this Rikki Tikki decides to explore the land outside of the house.This is where he meets Nag and Nagina(both are cobras). This is also where he begins his war aginst the snakes.So as you can see this a very interesting story with a great moral,"Never let your guard down"'.

Rikki-Tikki-Tavi
I bought this book for my child who was at the time 5 years old.It has become his favorite book and he always chooses it when he's asked to bring in a favorite book.The illustrations are beautiful and it serves the classic story very well.Though it is a bit lengthy for a bedtime story, it is one book that I never mind reading to him.I would recommend this book for any child who has an adventurous side. ... Read more

Book Description

"Bah Humbug!" That's how Ebeneezer Scrooge feels about Christmas--until the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future decide to show the crotchety old miser the error of his ways. Together they travel through time, revisiting all the people who have played an important role in Scrooge's life. And as their journey concludes, Scrooge is reminded of what it means to have love in his heart, and what the true spirit of Christmas is all about. A timeless story the whole family will enjoy!


From the Trade Paperback edition. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

A SPLENDID READING OF A CLASSIC TALE
Since 1843 the timeless story A Christmas Carol has been as much a part of our holiday season as Santa and wreaths on the door. Many of us have heard it dozens of times; others may be hearing it for the first time. For those who have heard it - what's old is new again with this incredible performance by acclaimed actor Jim Dale. For those who have not heard it as yet - let this recording be your introduction.

Mr. Dale is the quintessential Ebenezer Scrooge, the most miserly of misers. Without missing a beat this talented performer becomes the ebullient, hopeful Bob Cratchit, as well as the chillingingly mysterious Christmas Eve visitors - the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future.

Well remembered for the characters he enlivened with the Harry Potter audio books, Mr. Dale has garnered a bevy of awards including a Tony Award, four Drama Desk Awards, a Grammy Award, and an Academy Award nomination. This year there's more frosting on the cake - in the 2003 Royal Birthday Honours List, Queen Elizabeth II bestowed Jim Dale with an MBE, Member of the Order of the British Empire.

Hearing this reading of "A Christmas Carol" is not only a superb listening experience but a heartwarming reminder of the meaning of Christmas.

- Gail Cooke

A Christmas Carol to treasure for Christmases yet to come
A Christmas Carol Audiobook
read by Jim Dale

I once heard it said that to appreciate Dickens best, one should read his stories aloud. I have never had the time to try to do this, but having just listened to a new unabridged reading of A Christmas Carol from Random House, I can see the validity of the statement. Playing the CD's I felt as if the narrator was, in the words of Dickens himself, "standing in the spirit at your elbow."

And what a narrator! The multi-talented Jim Dale reads the story...no, that is not correct...Jim Dale PERFORMS the story. I counted 42 voices in the three-hour recording. Jim Dale is well known for his over 200 voices (and counting) bringing to life all of the characters in the Harry Potter books, which he also records for Random House's Listening Library.

I first saw Jim Dale in the 1977 Disney movie Pete's Dragon where he played the bumbling villain. The next year he played three hilarious characters in another Disney film, Hot Lead and Cold Feet. I was lucky to see him in two musicals on Broadway, in Barnum, and Me and My Girl. Both very memorable performances. I plan to see him next month as he sings and dances Scrooge in Madison Square Garden's Christmas Carol - The Musical. I figure if he is great in the audiobook, he will be even better on stage. An actor has only two tools...his voice and his body. In the audiobooks, of course, only the voice can be used.

And Dale's voice talents are well showcased here. I often found myself laughing out loud, thanks to the combined genius of Dickens and Dale. In a couple of cases, the genius is pure Dale. At one point he adds a bit of a dog's panting that really cracked me up.

I have seen and/or heard other wonderful actors do one-man renditions of A Christmas Carol. A number of years ago a friend played a tape for me of John Gielgud doing an abridged version. I saw Patrick Stewart do his acclaimed one man show on Broadway; from the first row! And I have seen the author's great-great grandson, Gerald Dickens do his skilled and energetic version several times. They are all memorable and it would be impossible to say which was the best. But I can heartily recommend that Jim Dale's version be added to the family library. It is complete, it is accurate and it is a virtuoso performance.

Although I certainly know the story well, I found by listening to the audiobook I was paying closer attention to the lesser known parts...the parts that, to be honest, I usually would skim over when rereading the book. In fact, there were several sections where I felt as if I were hearing them for the first time. Marvelous sections. I couldn't believe I had missed them in the past. Maybe Jim Dale's voice just made them more vibrant than my own inner voice.

I suppose that asking me to review Jim Dale reading A Christmas Carol really isn't fair. One of my favorite performers reading my favorite story by my favorite author! But surely I am not alone. Dickens is universally known as England's greatest novelist. I wouldn't be surprised if Jim Dale was gaining a reputation as one of the world's greatest readers of audiobooks. They are both master storytellers. And to quote the Dickens himself, "If that's not high praise, tell me higher, and I'll use it." ... Read more

Book Description

Illus. in full color. Narrated by Ted Danson. Emmy award-winning actor Ted Danson "speaks for the trees" in Dr. Seuss's cautionary tale of greed and destruction. The cassette, brimming with engaging original music and sound effects, is accompanied by an exclusive paperback edition of the book. Cassette running time: approx. 30 min.
... Read more

Reviews (58)

The Lorax - Still Powerful After 30 Years
Children used to Dr. Seuss' lighthearted, whimsical stories filled with wacky names and places will undoubtedly perceive a vast difference with "The Lorax". It still contains the wacky names, places, and rhymes, so characteristic of Seuss, but with one blatant overtone. This story goes all out to show the devestating consequences of human greed, and what can happen to the environment when humans misuse and take advantage of nature and natural resources.

The story begins when a boy comes to the home of a peculair creature called Once-ler. The boy wants to know about something called the Lorax; "what it was", and "why it was there". After paying the Once-ler a small fee, he narrates the story for the boy. The pictures incorperated into the story are also poignant; for, as we see in the beginning, the small town in which the Once-ler lives is very grey and barren.

However, as the Once-ler begins his story, the pictures become brighter, more cheerful, and colorful, as we see how the town once looked, long, long ago. There were animals, birds, green grass ... and trees!

The Once-ler says, "I came to this glorious place. And I first saw the trees. The Truffula trees". Transfixed by these trees, the Once-ler cuts one down to make a "Thneed". Now, a Thneed is supposed to be a useful thing, which people can find many uses for. Shortly after the first tree is cut down, the Lorax appears. He explains that he talks on behalf of the trees, because the trees cannot talk for themselves. "They have no tongues".

The Lorax is very upset at what the Once-ler has done. But the Once-ler ignores him, and continues to cut down the trees to make Thneeds, until all the trees have been cut down. This action, of cutting down the trees, building a factory to make the thneeds, and releasing waste residue into the water is greatly illustrated in the pictures, showing the cause and effect of polluting the environment.

Eventually the pictures return to the grey, morbid colors we see in the beginning. The Lorax has had to make all the birds, animals and fish leave the town before they die of hunger and starvation, and before they choke to death on all the smog generated by the Once-ler's factory.

As we can clearly see in "The Lorax", Dr. Seuss is making a very defined political statement about how humans have manipulated and destroyed our natural surroundings for their own personal greed. "The Lorax" was written in 1971, in the hayday of environmental activism, and one year after the first Earth Day.

Still, Dr. Suess does not make this story into a gloomy one. He gives us hope. The Once-ler tosses down a seed to the boy; the one last remaining Truffula seed. With this one seed, Dr. Seuss tells us the possiblities are endless, and hope is not lost.

A Serious Message in Classic Suess Style
I grew up on Dr. Suess books(I even learned to read with one), and I think he is one of the greatest children's authors ever. His hypnotic phrasing and wonderful illustrations are enough to delight children and adults as well (my brothers and I still enjoy looking through our old Suess favorites). In my senior year of high school, I had the opportunity to go with two other classmates to a local elementary school on a weekly basis to teach basic lessons on honesty, friendship, etc. When we taught our lesson on the environment, I brought "The Lorax" to read to the class. To my surprise, when I asked who in the class had read the story, only three out of the 28 students had. Many looked skeptical, thinking it was a little kid's book, but once I started reading, the entire class was mesmerized. After I was finished with the story, we had the most lively question-and-answer session that we had ever had-the story really hit home with the kids and brought our planet'! s ecological crisis into terms that they could understand. Afterward, many of the children asked where they could get a copy of "The Lorax". Thank you to Dr. Suess for a masterpiece of children's literature!

Inspiring for a lifetime
When I was in elementary school in the mid-1970s, probably around the age of 7 or 8, all the students in the school were assembled and shown the film of the Lorax. The film was very similar to the film of The Grinch that was made at about the same time and is now a video classic - - wonderful animation and great word-for-word narrative reading of the text. I had been unaware of the book before that. I remember very clearly being very moved and inspired by the tale, and I can trace part of my development as an environmentalist to it. I now work in environmental outreach/education, and every once in a while I get out the book of The Lorax and get re-inspired, especially by the line "UNLESS someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It's not." I still find the book very relevant to today. It's not extremist in any way. Even its depiction of the Once-ler is not as an evil man, but someone very recognizable. He doesn't mean harm, but "Business is business, and business must grow." Sound familiar? He doesn't recognize the damage he's causing, or understand just how painful and permanent it will be, until too late. This book reminds all of us to not take our beautiful world for granted, but to take responsibility for it.

One of the best Seuss books there is!
This story about being a steward for our world and environment is a job for parents and kids alike. My two year old has is memorized (as I do) but we never tire of reading it.

The Lorax
My children love this book. By the time my son was two, I had read it to him so many times that he had memorized it! He, as well as my daughter, just love this story. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

A WONDERFUL TREAT FOR OZ FANS - Colin Ayres
The Wonderful World of Oz radio plays are a must for any Baum Oz fans, these are truly faithful adaptations of L. Frank Baum's first five Oz books.
Jerry Robbins's and the Colonial players deserve a lot of praise, the quality of the production is excellent.
The actors bring to life our cherished Oz characters with enthusiasm, lots of humour and Dorothy (Amy Strack) is marvellous she plays Dorothy the way Baum wrote her happy , intelligent, earnest and confident! A true all round Amercan girl.
Just sit back and close your eye's and let the music and sound effects whisk you down the yellow brick road to Oz!
For those out there who are upset at there not being many, prospects of sequels to the films at the moment, this is the next best thing.
The efforts in this productiion are those of any great film or television series and I would compare them to any of the great B.B.C. radio productions.
For those who have never known anymore about Oz than the Wizard of Oz M.G.M.film, if you love this then you'll love the books and will never want to look back.
I wait in anticipation of the next instalment it will be money well spent!

An outstanding achievement
"The Wonderful World of Oz" is one of the few completely faithful dramatic adaptations of works by L. Frank Baum, the author of "The Wizard of Oz," ever to be produced. It is an audio adaptation of Baum's first five Oz books -- "Wizard" and the first four of the thirteen sequels he wrote to "Wizard." Like any adaptation it contains a few changes, but they are tiny -- to give Oz fans an idea of their magnitude, the biggest change in the whole set of tapes is that the Woggle-Bug is inexplicably called the "Woogle-Bug" throughout.

There are few or no weak links in the cast. The performers who appear as Dorothy and the Scarecrow deserve special praise, but there were only two or three performers I couldn't warm up to, and others may feel differently. Amy Strack's Dorothy is almost in the same league as those of Judy Garland and Fairuza Balk (in Disney's "Return to Oz"); her interpretation of the role, however, is quite different from theirs. Strack's Dorothy is only seldom tearful and sentimental like Garland's, and never somber and introspective like Balk's. She is cheerful, determined, and courageous in the face of every situation -- a wonderful role model for young girls. Strack even manages to make Dorothy sound older in each successive story (since the five books adapted by this production take place over several years; Dorothy probably ages from about 6 to about 10). "Wonderful World" was recorded over only six months, so this subtle but wonderful effect is due to Strack's skill as an actress. As a fan of the Oz books, I recognize Strack's Dorothy as Baum's own conception of the character at last brought to life.

One of "Wonderful World"'s greatest glories is Jeffrey Gage's memorable musical score. Certainly one of its greatest moments comes when Dorothy and her friends first enter the Emerald City and the music by itself manages to convey the City's beauty and glory. The sound effects and stereo production are also superb -- for the full effect, listen to this set on headphones.

"Wonderful World" **is** wonderful, like the books on which it is based. Buy it for your children, for your library, for anywhere where children with access to a tape recorder will find it. It represents a kind of beauty, hope and love that we need now more than ever before.

Characters of Oz come vividly to life
Superbly performed by Jerry Robins and The Colonial Radio Players, five of L. Frank Baum's stories of the lands and characters of Oz come vividly to life in a true "theater of the mind" experience for listeners of all ages. The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz is a flawlessly produced, ten cassette, audiobook anthology which includes The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz (151 minutes); The Marvelous Land Of Oz (138 minutes); Ozma Of Oz (127 minutes); Dorothy And The Wizard In Oz (133 minutes); and The Road To Oz (134 minutes). A very highly recommended gift for any family with children, The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz comes in a colorful, sturdy, plastic album making it ideal for school and community library collections as well.

simply incredible
First off, I never knew that there was more than one Oz book. This series includes the first five Oz stories from the creative mind of L. Frank Baum. I purchased this for my daughter, and have to admit that it is very well done. The stories, characters, music and sound effects have kept her (and the entire household)entertained for hours (which is so much better than having us vegging out infront of the TV). Congratulations to the people at the Colonial Radio for doing such a fine job, with any luck, they will do all the remaining Oz book