Book Description

Alice in Wonderland is a classic of children's literature, and is beloved by listeners of all ages. So, too, is Through the Looking Glass, Lewis Carroll's companion volume to Alice. Join Alice in her adventures from her fall down the rabbit hole to the Mad Hatter's Tea Party, The Queen's croquet match and the trial of the Knave of Hearts. Listen as Tweedledee and Tweedledum resolve to have a battle and Humpty Dumpty explains the Jabberwocky. All of Carroll's famous characters come magically to life in this stellar double production from the BBC. ... Read more

Reviews (169)

A Wonderful Book
Wonderland is a truly fascinating place to read about.
I love the illustrations in the original versions---and HATE the later illustrations that were done as the book was published over and over. In fact, I once tried to read a copy from the 1980's but I couldn't go on with it because the pictures were bothering me. Luckily, there's really only one freaky illustration in the original version, and that's the picture where Alice's neck is very long. It's a bit disturbing.
But the book is well written and a good adventure story, too.
I love the characters. They're very interesting.

"'Well, then,' the Cat went on, 'you see a dog growls when it's angry, and wags its tail when it's pleased. Now I growl when I'm pleased, and wag my tail when I'm angry. Therefore I'm mad.'"
- "The Chesire Cat", Alice In Wonderland, by Lewis Carroll

Come to think of it, the Chesire cat illustration is actually quite creepy as well. But it's not a big deal or anything.
The whole book's just weird fun. Where in the world did Mr. Carroll think of all this? The Mad Hatter? The Queen of Hearts? The Duchess and her pig baby?
Alice herself is a considerably strange character.
All in all, aside from a couple of creepy illustrations, the book is wonderful. Everyone should read it once in their lifetime---it's worth it.

Brilliant fun, a little something for everyone.
Its hard to imagine anyone not enjoying this brilliant book. Whether you're a young child or an experienced reader, you can't help but marvel at the charm that Lewis Carrol creates. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass (The Alice books as they are often collectively referred to as) are two of the most enduring children's stories of all time. However, at the same time, they both are considered to be literary achievements in the adult crowd, due to the many societal critiques hidden withing the text.

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland begins with the classic scene of young Alice falling down the rabbit hole. Soon she finds herself lost in an insane world. Drinking things make her grow into a giant or shrink to the size of a mouse. Best of all, are Alice's conversations with the many eclectic characters that inhabit Wonderland. Unfortunately, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland comes to an end within the one hundred page mark (it is a children's story, after all). Fortunately, this collection holds the book's sequel Alice Through the Looking Glass. In this Alice stumbles through a looking glass and finds herself in Wonderland again. This time around she becomes a pawn in a giant game of chess. The reader follows her adventures as he tries to become a queen by making it to the eighth square. This chessboard element proves a very intersting way of advancing the storyline.

What truly gives this book its lasting charm is its characters. Whether its the Mad Hatter telling Alice about his friend Time, or the disappearing Cheshire Cat, every character is impossible to forget. Many such as the White Rabbit, remain popular icons today, well over a century later. Conversations held with these characters often prove laugh out loud funny, as Alice tries to make sense of and explain herself to these characters. From beginning to end, the reader will have a goofy grin plastered across his or her face.

Behind all these fun adventures, Carroll manages to slip in a large amount of social commentary. Some characters represent types of people, such as the overzealous monarch, to display in an exaggerated sense the foolishness of such extremes. His many poems throughout the book often have larger meanings as well: The Walrus and the Carpenter are clearly a condemnation of modern religion. Even the wild effects of drinking and eating can be interpreted as a moral on temperence. As the Duchess in the Wonderland said "Everything's got a moral, if only you can find it." Likewise, Alice is rife with various morals.

So what makes this book a classic? Reading through other people's comments, its hard to find a single person that didn't give it five stars, much less didn't like it. However, it was hard to find a definite consensus on what made it so good. Some stated its entertainment value, other enjoyed the commentary. Perhaps what makes this book so brilliant is that it has whatever you're looking for. If you want escape and adventure, it has it. If you want to laugh, there's humor. If you want intellectual thought and prose thats there too. What will the reader take away from reading is whatever they are looking for. Definitely a book that deserves its recognition as a classic of English literature.

Beware the Jabberwocky!
I had seen this back in the 80's and was surprised as to the stars involved in the project. It almost plays out as a who's who of stars from the time. I especially liked Natalie Gregory as Alice. She played the role well as the naive little girl who wants to grow up but childhood wants to keep just a little longer. Sit down and enjoy it with your kids some rainy day and you all will enjoy the warm glow of family again

True to the story?
I give this version of Alice in Wonderland 5 stars because to date, it does the best job of following the actual story line (even dialogue) that is presented in the books. The cheesy acting and the casting can be forgiven, after all it was the 80s.

Brilliant film!
Brilliant film. I have Alice in Wonderland taped on video and i have been looking for Alice Through the Looking Glass for a long time. While watching it last week, I discovered that Part 2 is also on it, so I saw that for the first time the other day. What can i say? Brilliant acting from the whole cast, especially Natalie Gregory who plays Alice. i recommend it to anyone. Children and adults would love it. ... Read more

Book Description

This unabridged with music version of the Lewis Carroll lets listeners enjoy every moment of Alice's fantastic adventures down the rabbit hole and through the looking glass into a wonderland filled with nonsense and fun. Actor Christopher Plummer brings all the famous characters to life, including the White Rabbit, the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, and—of course—Alice herself.

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Reviews (3)

Entertaining but over-the-top
This is an entertaining if somewhat over-the-top rendition of the children's classic. Plummer varies his tone a bit too much for my comfort in the car - I keep having to turn the volume up and down. Some characters shout, while Alice speaks in a near-whisper. He also has some strange ways of handling the voices: the Mouse in the Pool sounds like John Cleese's Frenchman from Holy Grail, just to name one, though he nicely handles the Dodo's stammer (as a stand-in for Dodgson himself), and the Cheshire Cat is spot-on. Plummer also overdoes it a bit on the enthusiasm, reading descriptive passages with more relish than is strictly called for. Though he does seem to be enjoying himself, at least.

What I said about Wonderland goes for Looking Glass as well: entertaining but a bit over-the-top. The best example this time around is the tiger lily that sounds like Mae West. Still very enjoyable and includes the "wasp in a wig" segment at the end that was removed from the original and only found a few years ago. (As I recall, Tenniel refused to provide an illustration for such a scene.)

Alice in Wonderland...
I bought this copy not knowing how fabulous it is. Christopher Plummer is EXCELLENT, having different voices for the characters. Alice in Wonderland was particularly great. Children will love it...as well as adults. It's great on a long trip, which is how I heard it. I recommend it highly!!!

Delightful ear candy for all ages
I was never much of an "Alice in Wonderland" fan. As a child I found the tale's dense interweavings frustrating; as an adult my only exposure to it was vague memories of the Disney version. But my quest for unabridged books on tape led me to Christopher Plummer's marvelous reading of the story and fandom has arrived. My children have delighted in the tapes as much as I have - to the point that we've worn out our first set and need to buy a second! When Plummer reads the stories he pulls you down the rabbit hole with Alice. Every character's voice is distinctive and delightful. My only regret is that this perfomance is not available on CD. ... Read more

Book Description

Unabridged, multi-voiced recording.Monsters, aliens, ghosts, giant frogs, and a tragic angel are just some of the ingredients of this madcap adventure that is quite possibly Bruce Coville's strangest novel yet. Bruce himself appears on this recording as Gaspar Morley, head of a strange family of monsters that draw Anthony (our narrator) and his little sister Sarah into a galaxy-spanning adventure with the very souls of Earth's dead at stake. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

This was the first book my daughter read and loved!
My third grade daughter, although a good reader, had a tendency to jump from book to book when reading by herself. Her school librarian gave her Morley manor and this all changed. She read it faithfully, often recounting parts of the story to me and when she finished it she promptly decided to read it again. ... Read more

Book Description

In this thirteenth installment of the New York Times bestselling Redwall epic, Brian Jacques brings to life a marvelous new tale.

AbridgedTwo cassettes, 3 hours ... Read more

Reviews (84)

Big Badger vs. Blue Vermin and Ambitious Wildcat
What would you say if you were face to face with thousands upon thousands of weasels and stoats dyed blue? What if you were a hare and all you could think about in times of trauma was your stomach? What if you saw a badger tromping over miles and miles of forest and field with a double-hilted sword? Lord Brocktree gives you the full effect of all these situations. A wonderful adventure story, this is one of Brian Jacques's best! If you have read any of the Redwall books(assuming you have, if you searched this book), you will expect comedy from the hares, moles, and other logical yet silly creatures. The hare sense of humor is at its best in Lord Brocktree. This book is about a badger lord seeking out Salamandastron to begin his reign there. On his quest, a chorus of hares, moles, hedgehogs, and otters join Brocktree in his quest for Salamandastron. But before Brocktree makes his home in the mountain, he must conquer the Blue Hordes and the self-proclaimed ruler of the world, Ungatt Trunn.

One of Brian Jacques Best!
Lord Brocktree is yet another masterpiece of author Brian Jacques. This tale depicts an adventure of two companions, Brocktree of Brockhall, and Dotti the haremaid. These two warriors set out to defeat Ungatt Trunn and his Blue Hoarde to bring peace back to the mountain of Salamandastron, once again.
I thought this book was fantastic. Brian Jacques really puts images into the readers' minds. For example, "It was situated in broad, beautiful woodland glade, backed by a steep, rocky hill, with a stream bordering one side, fringed with [junk] willow, guilder rose, and osier." This book was a lot like Martin the Warrior and all the other Redwall books because they all have characters who set out to bring peace to good creatures and to defeat evil. You won't be able to put this book down!

All hail " Lord Jacues"
This is a cross of adventure, chivalry, and friendship that only Jacues would conjure up. From the moment I picked it up, until the moment I put it down, I was entranced in a spellbinding story that took me to a place that was filled with magic and wonder. Only Jacues' next book could be so captivating.

Few surprises
By the time one has read twelve books in the Redwall series, he has a pretty good idea where he's going to be by the end of the thirteenth journey. And, indeed, by the end of Lord Brocktree, our horde of characters were exactly where I expected them to be: standing victorious on the shores of Salamandastron, not really too devastated over any losses, very cheerful about new friends made, and even more cheerful about the dozens of feasts put away.

Lord Brocktree opens with a salvo of extremely slow chapters; in fact, the first part, by itself, almost isn't worth the read. It begins long ago, before Redwall, before Martin the Warrior, even before the famous hare Long Patrol, when Salamandastron, guarded only by the ancient badger Lord Stonepaw and his retinue of equally aged and feeble hares, is placed under siege by the wildcat conqueror Ungatt Trunn the Earth Shaker. The mountain's only hope is the arrival of Stonepaw's son Brocktree, who is journeying from faraway Brockhall to take his place as ruler of Salamandastron.

Joined on his trek by a "fatally beautiful" haremaid, an otter, a mole, a battalion of mountain hares (with that delightful Highland accent), a gang of squirrel mercenaries, and a tribe of hedgehogs, Brocktree manages to get himself to the mountain in one piece just in time to give badger-sized warfare to the cunning Ungatt Trunn.

The story holds few surprises, especially for those who've already lived through Jacques's previous works. It suffers from an overabundance of characters, far too much time spent journeying, and several passionless battle scenes. However, it is redeemed by a typically witty and amusing grouping of hares and one of the best villains in Redwall lore.

Lord Brocktree
Lord Brocktree is one of my favorite books. It beats all the other Redwall books, and I will tell you why in this review.

This book seems ultimate, as in everything is x100. The huge hordes of Ungatt Trunn, The massive Brocktree, and the hopelessness of when Stonepaw was lord. The only part I don't like is that Redwall wasn't around yet, so there aren't the huge feasts like thy are in some other 14 Redwall books.

I strongly recommend you to read this book first, as it is first in the chronological order of Redwall.

Have a good read!!

-A helpful Redwall fan ... Read more

Book Description

E.T.A. Hoffman's magical tale of an enchanted nutcracker, an evil mouse king, and a faithful young girl has been a holiday classic for generations. Combined here with the much-loved music of Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, the narrated story unfolds with a bewitching blend of wonder and drama that is sure to delight time and time again.

The celebrated actress, Claire Bloom, rose to international fame after her appearance in Charles Chaplin's movie masterpiece, Limelight.

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Reviews (1)

My Security Blanket Tape
I have listened to this recording of The Nutcracker since I was about 4 or 5. It has lulled me to sleep, it has gotten me excited for Christmas, and has cemented my love affair with Tchaikovsky's music. Claire Bloom's wondrous and velvety voice does an interesting rendition of The Nutcracker, with some extra bits that aren't in the Ballet, but make everything more titillating. It's set to the Main Bits of the Nutcracker Suite, and....I LOVE IT! You should love it too. ... Read more

Book Description

And only Lirael, newly come into her inheritance as the Abhorsen-in-Waiting, has any chance of stopping it. She and her companions -- Sam, the Disreputable Dog, and Mogget -- have to take that chance. If Orannis's unspeakable powers are unleashed, it will mean the end of all Life. With the help of her companions and a vision from the Clayr to guide her, Lirael must search in both Life and Death for some means to defeat the Destroyer -- before it is too late. . . .

Reviews (106)

A Great Read
This book continues the story of Lirael. Before reading this book you might first want to read Lirael the book that comes before this one. In Lirael you find out a lot about Lirael and who she is and where she comes from. Lirael lives in the Old Kingdom, a place filled with magic and mystery. The Old kingdom is ruled by King Touchstone and the Abhorsen Queen, Sabriel. An abhorsen is a person that protects innocents by putting dead spirits, raised by Necromancers, people who bring the dead back to life, back to rest again. In Lirael you find out that Lirael, a daughter of the Clayr, a group of seers, is really Sabriel's half sister. In Lirael there is a Necromancer named Hedge who is digging up something very evil. Lirael is trying to stop him, but is having trouble because of conflicts with other dead creatures. The story ends with a cliffhanger, but starts up again in Abhorsen. Abhorsen starts out with Lirael and her nephew, Sam, trapped in her house, surrounded by thousands of dead hands, dead bodies that have been infused with other dead spirits, controlled by a Necromancer, in this case one of the Greater dead, named Chlorr. This story continues the tale of Lirael and her quest to stop Hedge, from digging up the evil thing, at any cost, with the help from familiar characters such as the Disreputable Dog, Mogget, and a few others.
The author does a very good job at describing events, people, and places in the book. At one point he is describing a dwarf that is paddling in a stream. "His skin was a white as bone, and the hair on his head was whiter still, so white it shone in the darkness, even under the shadow of the trees where they overhung the water." The author also explains the place where Hedge is digging with the help of thousands of dead hands. Nix describes how the ground is covered with mud from being trampled on over and over by the feet of dead creatures, and how the dead bodies' joints creak and crack with every movement and how the flesh hangs off the old bones and smells so putrid. He also describes how there are black clouds overhead, attracted by the evil in the ground, and how lighting strikes at alternating intervals, sometimes burning the dead bodies to ashes.
Nix also does a good job at developing characters and showing their inner thoughts and how they change over the entire story. At one point in the story Lirael is very depressed when she must take up a role she wasn't really ready for, but she faces her doubts and fears about it and becomes determined to overcome these and succeed. Also you see the development of Sam as he faces both mental and physical obstacles that threaten to bring him down.
I enjoyed this book very much. I think Garth Nix did a wonderful job with the descriptions in this story; I could picture each person and place so clearly. I also this Nix did a wonderful job at keeping this story in context with the other two books in this series, Sabriel and Lirael. I also feel that Nix did a great job at developing the plot and characters throughout the whole story, making it engaging and keeping the reader enticed and on their toes through the whole thing.

Met, but did not exceed, expecations
Garth Nix began this delightful series with Sabriel, followed by Lirael, and now finishes with Abhorsen. Finishing the story started in Lirael, Abhorsen highlights the journey of Abhorsen/Necromancer Lirael, Prince Sameth, Lirael's trusty dog, and the mysterious free-magic creature Mogget as they travel to battle the evil necromancer Hedge and his army of undead and prevent them from unleashing an evil the world hasn't seen in billions of years. The story begins slowly, but then shoots off. However, right at an exciting moment in the story, it changes tack and we begin hearing more about a different character. While supposedly a "good hook" to make you keep reading, I found these swift changes irritating, and I was hard pressed not to just skip ahead. Nix went into deep detail with some rather unimportant things, but neglected to explain some key events in enough detail to understand it. The story was rather flawed at points, seeming as if Nix had tired of writing the story and wanted to hurry up and finish it. However, while not as good as it's prequels, I found Lirael a worthy read and would highly recommend it to a fan of the series or of good fantasy.

You had to get this one if you read the previous one
OK, Nix left you on the cliff with the previous book, so you had to get this one. It doesn't matter if you like it or not. You're going to have to read it. The only way to not read it is to not read Lirael.

Now there are some good points here. The character development is improving. You start to have a feel for them all, know where they stand. You get to meet the Gods of this world & a lot of it is very poetic. The names of the Gods are graceful. The land of the dead is captivating as well as suspenseful. The familiar animals, Mogget & the Disreputable Dog, are a nice sort of comic relief.

Unfortunately, the fields of destruction and death are pretty overwhelming. And, once again, the main characters can't turn around or take a breath without coming face to face with a zombie, in true video game like quality. I find this constant attack, attack, attack pretty dismal after a while.

And, of course (though this may be a spoiler) much like Sabriel, the ending is very abrupt. I would have liked to linger longer and savor some of it, but no. It's just over.

Speaking of spoilers, the editorial review reveals the name and identity of the secret bad guy who isn't revealed until near the end of the book. How dare they! A lot of this book is about mystery about who is being fought & what the enemy wants. These guys need about 1000 lashes with a wet noodle.

Only three ... ?
On the whole, I really enjoyed the Abhorsen Trilogy, but I don't feel like it was written to fit into three books. There are still too many loose ends to make the books a coherent set that begins and ends. At the end of this third book, I turned the last page and wondered why there weren't more volumes. For example, there was absolutely no reason for Mogget to slip and almost say that Chlorr was a former Abhorsen ... but only if the trilogy really is a trilogy, with no more volumes. It didn't do anything for the plot: we never saw Chlorr again, and we already knew that Mogget likes dropping hints of his fundamental superiority and his impressive wealth of knowledge. Why include that bit of information if isn't designed to go anywhere?

Again, on the whole, I loved the books--I read the last two in a day and a half, not really wanting them to end. That said, I keep hoping that more books will be added to this finely constructed series.

Even more than I was expecting...
In this continuation to Lirael, the young woman along with Prince Sameth and their two loyal companions, Mogget and the Disreputable Dog are at the Abhorsen's House. Alas, they must head to Red Lake, where they are trying to stop Hedge and his team of Dead Hands and other faithful servants from joining two silver hemispheres. If the two hemispheres are reunited, Orannis, the Ninth Bright Shiner, will be unleashed and all Life will be destroyed. In their quest to prevent this from happening, the reader is transported from the Abhorsen's House all the way across the Wall to Ancelstierre. The path Lirael and her friends take is filled with many dangers, and this book is filled with action and suspense that will leave you on the edge of your seat and always begging for more. However, the end of the book is a little bit disappointing. Even though Mogget and the Disreputable Dog's identities are finally revealed, I kept hoping Garth Nix would introduce a bit of romance between Nicholas and Lirael, and many of my questions are still left unanswered. I also found that Sabriel and Touchstone were not present enough. Apart from these almost insignificant disappointements though, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It is impossible to put down and makes me hope that there will be some sort of continuation to this story. Abhorsen is a must read! ... Read more

Book Description

Book 3--Lucinda's SecretThings at the Spiderwick estate are getting completely out of hand.If being attacked by a band of marauding goblins and almost eaten by a bridge troll wasn't enough, how Jared is being harassed by Thimbletack, the house boggart, and Simon has a very hungry griffin recuperating in the carriage house.Mallory is convinced that the only way to stop the madness is to chuck the Guide.But that's not an option.With all kinds of creatures after them, the Guide is the only protection the Grace kids have.If they could just figure out why all of Faerie wants the Guide.Only one person can help solve this mystery--their crazy old Aunt Lucinda.Book 4--the Ironwood TreeThe Grace kids, Jared, Simon, and Mallory, are at it again.Be sure to listen in to see what happens! ... Read more

Book Description

Unabridged, multi-voiced recording.When four strange, and strangely talented, youngsters are brought to Winding Circle by master mage Niko they find themselves drawn together in a Circle of Magic—a circle that binds them despite their differences.

Tamora Pierce, America's most popular writer of young adult fantasy novels, weaves her own special magic in the opening volume of her wildly popular Circle of Magic quartet. Tammy herself narrates this recording, supported by a cast of nearly thirty actors, including Bruce Coville appearing as Niko. The rich web of voices bring this intricate story to life in a way that listeners will never forget. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

A great way to pass the time on a long car ride!
Forgive me if I spell names incorrectly. I listened to the unabridged audio version of this story.

The book centers around four young outcasts named Daja (a Trader), Briar (a street thief), Sandry (a noble) & Tris (a commoner). All, for one reason or another, are basically on their own and have experienced far too much pain and disappointment in their young lives. They're unwanted, unloved, and unable to fit in. A mysterious man named "Niko" discovers and delivers each of them to a place called "Winding Circle Temple" where, once again, none of them are quite able to fit in with the other residents. They are eventually separated from the other (bratty and snooty, if you ask me) kids living at Winding Circle and are sent off to "Discipline", a cabin where they're pretty much isolated from the other residents at Winding Circle.

While at "Discipline" each discovers a previously untapped talent for magic. They spend their days learning to develop their own particular talents and becoming an unlikely group of close-knit friends. Eventually their bond and talents are put to the test as they must use their newly developed powers of meditation and concentration to face a natural disaster.

Pierce brings her world alive with vivid imagery and well described settings and the story moves along at brisk clip but I would have enjoyed it more had it been just a mite longer. Though the book is titled "Sandry's Book" it was as much about Briar, Tris and Daja as it was about Sandry. Though all of these characters come to life in this production the focus switches all too often between them (and not always smoothly) and their individual stories are spread a bit too thin for my liking (I was also confused at times as to which child was currently speaking which didn't help matters). Tamora Pierce serves as the narrator for the piece along with a full cast of actors supporting her. Pierce's narration comes across as a bit bland and monotonous when compared with the vivacious children but despite it all I found myself anxious to hear how it all turned out.

The story has humor, the kids are survivors both wise and emotional and I'm anxious to check out the other books in the series to learn more about prickly, guarded Tris, kind-hearted Sandry, plucky Briar and Daja (I can't wait to see where her interesting version of magic leads).

AWESOME AND EXCITING
A magical and exciting book for people who love fantasy. Sandary, Daja, Tris, and Briar find themselves living together at Discipline. Briar doesn't like Discipline because he is the only boy. Sandary, Daja, Tris, and Briar find themselves getting into fights on the streets with other kids. One day they find themselves in a lot more trouble than a fight on the street. Can each of them call upon their special magic to save each other from certain death?

A Number One!
Anyone who has read even one of Tamora Pierce's enthralling books will know the colourful fantasy worlds that you get pulled into. This book, along with all the other books by TP, gets 100%!
Sandry's Book, or The Healing in the Vine as it is commonly called in Sydney, is centred around four children called Sandry, Briar, Tris and Daja. They are brought to the Winding Circle Temple to learn magical arts, only to all be placed in the isolation home, Discipline, for bad behaviour. At first they argue amongst themselves, but eventually they realise each of them possesses powers and join forces.
Many of you may want to read this book because you have read the bestseller, high praised Lioness(Alanna) series. This captivating, wondrous page-turner is another sublime example of Tamora Pierce's talent of writing and imagination. ... Read more

Book Description

Long ago, animals did many of the things that people do:they organized towns, held meetings and dances, and made up games.Every animal had its own place, and each had a special job to do.Rabbit was the messenger; he was swift and sure-footed.But Rabbit was also mischievous, and his cunning ways were always getting him into trouble.In this collection of Cherokee tales, storyteller Gayle Ross and artist Murv Jacob, with a foreword by Chief Wilma Mankiller of the Cherokee Nation, bring together the many sides of Rabbit, the Cherokee Trickster-hero.As with all stories of the oral tradition, the Rabbit stories amuse, entertain, and educate.These stories are published in collaboration with Parobola, The Society for the Study of Myth and Tradition.

... Read more

Reviews (2)

Why I loved the book- Lady Daisy
Lady Daisy was beautifully told by Dick King Smith and only he could write it so well. It is the tale of a boy called Ned who finds a doll called Lady Daisy Chain who can talk to Ned. Basically he wants to hode it from people incase they think he is a girl but the school bully finds out. Meanwhile Lady Daisy is getting stolen by dogs or hidden by theifs but Ned always gets her back somehow. Neds parents think Ned is going crazy when he tells them daisy can talk but in his heart lady daisy still talks to him and she really does until one day the chord between them stops and they cant talk to eachother any more for ned is an adult and has lost beleif in talking porcelan dolls. but until the story starts all over again with neds daugher- victoria.

A charming story for a slow afternoon
I began reading this book in the morning. I finished by theafternoon. Although it's not a page turner, it begs you to readon. The plot of a talking doll is so fantastic, the reader wishes Lady Daisy was there speaking to her. I would recommend this book to anybody who wants to get away from the reality of books. Escape into a world of clean fun and be charmed by Lady Daisy and her friend. ... Read more

Book Description

In a world where most people are plugged into brain-drain entertainment systems epileptic teenager Spaz is a rare human being who can see life for what it really is. When he meets an old man called Ryter, he begins to learn about earth and its past.With Ryter as his companion, Spaz sets offon an unlikely quest to save his dying sister ­ and in the process, perhaps the world. ... Read more

Reviews (60)

Could the future be like this?
I think The Last Book in the Universe by Rodman Philbrick is an extremely adventurous book that I continue to think about. The
book's effect is similar to the effect of Jurassic Park or the Terminator 2. I start to think; could this really happen? The book loses a star because of the cliffhanger ending. This book takes place in the future. It is not a nice future; it is ruled by gangs and the people use probes, a kind of hallucinogen. There is only one escape from the wretched world: a place called Eden which has green grass, blue sky, and genetically improved people called "proovs" There is an orphan boy named Spaz who was disowned by
his family because he is epileptic. His sister, Bean, who is living with the family who disowned him, gets sick, so he comes to see her. In his adventure, a child who can only say "chox" an old book-writing geezer, and a conceited proov accompany him. ... I totally recommend this book, and it doesn't matter if you're an adult because you won't be bored. If Philbrick writes a sequel, buy it.

The Urb
Last Book in the Universe, by Rodman Philbrick, is a very well written book because Philbrick uses original words and easy to understand language. The main character, Spaz, also the narrator, embarks on a dangerous journey, with his friend, Ryter, and a boy named Little Face, who follows them, to save his sister, Bean, from leukemia. They have to travel through different latches, or parts of the city. While in each latch, there is something to do, for example, find the probe runner, who is a person bringing mind probes (needles that mess up people's minds) into the latches. Philbrick ends the book, in a depressing way, but he doesn't end Spaz's story. He writes it as if there is going to be a sequel, and if there is, the very next book I am reading will be that one, so I can read what happens to Spaz.

The Last Book in the Universe
This book is extremely good. The auther does a great job in this book, getting the readers attention and holding it. I could hardly put the book down. This book is a mixture of mystery with adventure. I can honestly say this was the best book that I have ever read, the only regret I gave about this book is that there isn't a sequal.
The book is about a boy named Spaz. Spaz is living on Earth after a big quake destroyed most all of it. Spaz was seperated by his latch family ( he was adopted) and is stuck living three latches away from them. Well one day spaz receives word that his sister Bean is very sick and she wants to see him. So Spaz teams up with an old gummie named Ryter and a little boy nicknamed Little Face, and travels across the three latches to get to his sister. On their journey they are attcked my mobs and latch Bosses, and they even manage to rescue a beautiful proov girl. The only way to save Bean is to take her to Eden (the place where proovs, or genetcally enhanced beings, live). The only thing bad thing about this is that no regular human like Bean is permitted to enter Eden. They sneak Bean in and cure her of a disease know as the blood disease. After they cure her Bean, Spaz, and Ryter are kicked out of Eden and return home.
Other books that I recommend if you liked this book are are Max the Mighty and Freak the Mighty.

An amazing read
An excellent and completely absorbing story, ... and if you like this you should read the book "Feed" by M. T. Anderson, or vice versa.

great book
I thought this was a very good book. It had a great message to readers and an excellent description of characters. It shows images of what Earth could be in the future if we're not careful: a world of violence and a world without books or stories. It makes you really think. It's a nice book to read and have a discussion in a book club or English class. The plot was confusing in some parts but this is still a great book for free time reading. ... Read more

Book Description

All children, except one, grow up...

He is Peter Pan, you know, mother. At first Mrs. Darling did not know, but after thinking back into her childhood she just remembered a Peter Pan who was said to live with the fairies. She had believed in him at the time, but now that she was married and full of sense she quite doubted whether there was any such person. Besides she said to Wendy, he would be grown up by this time. Oh no, he isn't grown up, Wendy assured her... ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Trina Hyman's perfectly illustrated Peter Pan
I first read Barrie's tale of the boy who refuses to grow up when I was 16 (after watching Disney's movie), and I absolutely loved it. It is in every way better than any film ever made which it inspired (although Disney's version is fun to watch and the recent 2003 version is very good and most faithful to the story).

This review, however, is only to comment upon the illustrations. There are various illustrated Peter Pans; but this one is the very best. Trina Hyman's delicate, gorgeous drawings capture the characters to perfect. Peter is particularly good, looking suitably wild and beautiful, and Tinker Bell is a lovely fairy. In so many other illustrated books the characters are either over-dressed or simply grotesque, but Hyman's version of the characters are simply perfect (MUCH better than the Disney version of them!)

If you buy any illustrated Peter Pan, but this one.

Visit Neverland
No disrespect to Disney intended, but the animated version of Peter Pan does not do justice to this story. I didn't read this book until I took a Children's Literature course for adults...woe to me. Peter Pan is so sweet, pure, sad, funny, and magical. It is definitely not just a children's bedtime story. I'm glad I grew up, but I wish I still had a map to Neverland so I could visit every once in a while.

A book with aspects to appeal to both kids and adults
In almost a hundred years 'Peter Pan' has become a universal kiddie literature classic. Mostly basing on his personal experiences and people he knew, J.M. Barrie created a work full of subtle undertones that have been subject of deep controversies.

Rather than the story of a boy who refuses to grow up, a new approach on 'Peter Pan' has been developed. One of the most interesting is the one which is based on the analysis of the three primal female characters: Wendy --and Mrs. Darling, as well--, Tinker Bell and Tiger Lily. According to experts, they represent aspect in women that Barrie found intolerable. It is largely known that Barrie had serious problems with his mother, which may have led him to use such bipolarity on motherhood in the book. While on the one hand Mrs. Darling is a loving and concerned mother, on the other, Peter's --and the lost boy's as well-- mother abandoned him -- leading him to an eternal search of a mother figure, however unconscious it is.

The sexual aspect of the novel is so subtle that for many people it may be unnoticed. However, it is clear that the book deals with several taboos, being incest the most recurrent. Peter and Wendy have both a mother/son relationship, and also there is the wish of being 'lovers' --recurring to Oedipal myth. This is one of the most interesting aspect for the books --at least when it comes to an adult approach on 'Peter Pan'. According to Jacqueline Rose's 'The Case of Peter Pan, or, The Impossibility of Children's Fiction', "The sexuality which matters is both more and less explicit than this. It is sexuality in the form of its repeated disavowal, a relentless return to the question of origins and sexual difference which is focused time and again on the child". This is what makes the novel so intriguing: it is possible to read 'Peter Pan' is more than one way --and all of them are more and more interesting.

When it comes to kids themselves, this book is part a fairy tale, part an adventure and a familiar ode. These aspects make 'Peter Pan' appealing to both boys and girls. The characters while archetypical --this is unnoticeable to children-- are very vivid and it is not hard for young readers become their 'friends'.At the same time, all the 'sexual' aspect of the book is so subtle that parents can't be afraid of allowing their children to read the novel.

However, the unabridged 'Peter Pan' is not advisable to very young readers due to its fanciful language. When it was written in the early XX Century, that was the current language, but, nowadays some words like 'ofttimes' and 'diffidently' are not very common in a 10 year-old lexical. The narrative is told in first person, and the narrator used a lot of 'I''s which only bring the children closer to the story making it easy to feel part of the adventure --it was very smart of Barrie, because with that he makes friend with the child, and the story flows as if they were exchaging confidences.

All in all, J.M. Barrie's 'Peter Pan' will always be a children's fave and it deserves its place in the Fantasy Literature canon and will amuse young --and not-so-young-- readers forever.

If You Believe In Fairies...
Wow!What a great story this is!I picked it up on a whim years ago having enjoyed the Disney cartoon, and when I finally got around to reading it, I couldn't put the darn thing down.This is really exciting stuff!Peter is ten times as irrascible as he is in the toon.One line has always stuck in my head - its where Peter is faced with certain death (I forget exactly what).He thinks to himself that its quite possible he could die, and thinks `That would be the greatest adventure of all!'That line sums of the feel of this book.Imagine being a kid who can never grow up who has the power to fly through a world woven of dreams and fairytales....I learned later that this was probably the sincere wish of the author, James Barrie, who was afflicted with a disease which made it impossible for him to grow.Though an adult in mind, he was the stature and semblance of a child.The warmth of this story has a deep heartfelt resonance in the heart of any boy who has grown up having adventures in his mind.It can't really be described -it has to be read and appreciated.If you love fantasies in the vein of The Never Ending Story and The Wizard of Oz, you will love this book.

My daughter loves this Peter Pan.
My 10 year old daughter found this book in the school library. She read it one weekend and has checked it out several times. The classic story along with the beautiful illustrations by Eric Kincaid have made this one of her favorite books. When I surprised her with her own copy that I had found on Amazon she was thrilled and commented on it's excellent condition. ... Read more

Book Description

The three goat brothers brave the terrible troll in a colorful version of the classic tale. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

My Son Loved This Version
We have checked out a number of versions of The Three Billy Goats Gruff from the Library when my son was 4. This is the version he liked the most. It is very simple (as one reviewer uses as a reason to reject it) but for some ages, that simplicity is what makes it a favorite.

What the....!
I grew up with this story - what happened?! Somewhere in this grossly underproduced version they forgot that even in a kids story you need talented actors. Kids know when someone sounds wooden and unskilled - and you can't pawn something as poorly done as this off on them. They're smarter than that! I could've done a better job in my garage. "Under the bridge lived a troll..." Come on!

Faithful retelling of the fairy tale
My boys love this author's version of the Three Little Pigs, so I bought a few more of his fairy tales for them. They also liked this one, but not as much. That might just be because it's not quite as interesting a tale! But the illustrations are well done---especially the troll, who is truly scary looking! This is a good book for a reader who likes to do voices, as you really have to use dramatic effect to show how the biggest billy goat has a loud and intimidating voice while the little one has a tiny and timid voice!

I am the voice
Can I just put in a credit for myself here. I am the voice(s) on the audio cassette. Let me know what you think. Hope you enjoyed it. ... Read more

Book Description

Poor, misunderstood Matilda fights back against an unappreciative world through a hidden talent: Matilda is the world's greatest practical joker! Little effort is needed to put one over on her obnoxious parents, but can shy little Matilda handle the formidable headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, and win the respect of every kid in school? Yes!

... Read more

Reviews (260)

Review of the novel Matilda of Roald Dahl
The novel Matilda by Roald Dahl is about a little girl, called Matilda, who is a complete genius. She taught herself reading and calculating. Her parents, who think a lot of themselves and who are criminal, neglect her. Miss Honey, Matilda's first teacher, is very nice and smart; also, she had a cruel childhood. Her aunt, Miss Trunchbull treated her all the time. Her aunt Miss Trunchbull is the brutal headmistress of Matilda's school. Miss Trunchbull hates all children and uses them to stay in shape as a hammer thrower. Since Matilda met Miss Trunchbull for the first time, they fight against each other. In the end, Matilda helps Miss Honey to get her property, which Miss Trunchbull stole, back and Matilda's family allows her to stay by Miss Honey.
We think this book contains a good humour and it is written with a lot of fantasy. Because it is also easy to read, younger people, who are not able to understand much English, are able to understand Matilda's adventure, either.
It might be a problem that Matilda does not spend much respect on her parents, what is shown very often, when Matilda punishes her parents for their behaviour. It could be a problem that younger children think that they are also allowed to play such tricks when they do not agree with their parent's decisions.

It's Amazing!
Matilda, is a book written mainly for children and thus much of it is not quite possible. In other words, the book lets your imagination run wild. An example would be the nasty Trunchbull who took hold of a child by his hair, lifted him up into the air and flung him straight out of the window just because he was eating chocolates in class! And it would be a Guinness world record if a child like Matilda could read books like Shakespeare! So in that way this book, mainly for children is just for stretching your imagination like a rubber band.

Roald Dahl has made every single character in this book marvellously exciting but that is probably the only similarity between them. All the characters have their own unique personalities. For example, I will compare Miss Honey with Mrs. Wormwood. Miss Honey is a school teacher who was very startled by Matilda's brilliance on her very first day at school. Mrs. Wormwood, Matilda's mother, on the other hand was absolutely not interested in education or Matilda. Her opinion was that 'A girl should think about making herself look attractive so that she can get a good husband later on. Looks is more important than books," By reading this you can see how totally different each character is.

My favourite character in the book is Matilda who is a genius and a child prodigy. In Roald Dahl's words ' ...extraordinary, and by that I mean sensitive and brilliant. ...Her mind was so nimble and she was so quick to learn that her ability should have been obvious to the most half-witted of parents.' The parts where she takes revenge on her parents for treating her badly are full of suspense.

I would recommend this book to my friends as I have thoroughly enjoyed this book.

A normal book for children
This book Matilda is about a five and a half year old girl who is a genius. Matilda goes to a school where an evil headmistress is. She doesn't likes children and she treats them very hard. Only the class teacher Miss Honey of Matilda is nice and kindly to their children. The parents of Matilda doesn't interests in Matilda and in her especially talents. Often Matilda punish her parents a little bit, because they aren't nice to her. I have one sister and one brother and when they get on my nerves, I play sometimes practical tricks on them. This book is very detailed and I like the characters of the person, because they describe the persons very good. I can imagine how the persons look like.

good book
"Matilda" by Roald Dahl is about a little girl called Matilda who is a genius and has got many problems with her parents because they are not intersted in her. Furthermore Matilda meets her monster-like headmistress, who hates small pupils and a very nice and kind class-teacher Miss Honey, who is the only one who encourages her talents.
I think the children's book "Matilda" is very well written because it is easy to read but I also think that the story is a bit unrealistic.

A book for children
The book Matilda is about a girl, called Matilda, who read books of adults since the age of three. But her parents don't assist her by her talent.
At school Matilda meets her nice class teacher Miss Honey and the headmistress Miss Trunchbull, who don't like children.
The book tells us how Matilda plays tricks to her parents and to Miss Trunchbull.

In my opinion the book is for children, because Roald Dahl wrote the book in a easy english with mostly easy words. The content is sometimes funny, but sometimes unrealistic, too. ... Read more

Book Description

Sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!

When the world's greatest candymaker gave Charlie Bucket his amazing chocolate factory, Charlie's adventures were just beginning. Now he's cruising outer space with Mr. Willy Wonka in a marvelous glass elevator. The whole family is along for the ride -- Mr. and Mrs. Bucket, Grandpa Joe and Grandma Josephine, even Grandpa George and Grandma Georgina. But watch out! There are all sorts of oddities lurking in space -- strange creatures like Gnoolies and Vermicious Knids -- not to mention the President of the United States!

... Read more

Reviews (53)

Visit Willy Wonka¿s Wondrous World Again!
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator
Visit Willy Wonka's Wondrous World Again!
* * * * * (5 Stars)
I chose this book because when I looked at the cover I thought it was cool. The cover shows and elevator flying up in space, so I thought it would be about space and cool inventions. The book wasn't like that at all. It was about Mr. Wonka, a man who owns a chocolate factory, and Charlie, a kid who will be getting the chocolate factory, and Charlie's family. They go into space and help people from dying and as a reward having a party. Since the book was different from the cover, I do like what's in the book better than the cover and the idea of the cover.

Mr. Wonka, Charlie and Charlie's family got into an elevator and ended up in space. They stayed in a Space Hotel for a day and later had to save it from space aliens. This book is for children 8 - 10. I couldn't put this book down. It is a great way of using your imagination. This fantasy is written by Roahld Dauhl.

I liked imagining what aliens looked like, and how they saved the space hotel.

You'll miss out if you don't read this book!

It was okay...
I agree with some reviewers in that mostly all of what the book talks about is the glass elevator and Charlie's grandparents. It does state nothing about what Charlie did after all of this with his new chocolate factory, but I disagree with those who say that book was awful. I enjoyed reading it, despite the above complaints. It was very well written, and interesting to read, althought I would have liked to read about what Charlie did with his inheritance.

The best book ever
Have you ever imagined an elevator that could fly? Charlie, in the book Charlie and the Great Glass elevator, went flying through space and time. Charlie and his family discovered the U.S.A. space hotel where they met three pilots being attacked by knids. A problem arises when the pilots can't get down to earth without burning up into ashes. There are to conflicts in this book: getting away from the knids and save grandma from minus land. The authors message in this book is "if you work hard at something you can get there". I would give this book a 5 star rating for its excitement and suspense. You should read this suspenseful book to find out what happens to Charlie and his family.

A Great Read for Anyone
This book is funny, interesting, and a great book for all ages. I loved this book because it's fresh and funny, and Roald Dahl is a terrific writer. This was the first book I read by Roald Dahl, and you really don't need to ready any other Chocolate Factory books before enjoying this one.

The story goes like this: Charlie Bucket & his family, plus Willy Wonka are riding in a great glass elevator (just as the title implies,) and they somehow crash into outer space and land in this space hotel. While in the the hotel they come across these gruesome creatures. They cleverly escape from them and head back to the Chocolate Factory. While there Charlie's maternal and paternal grandparents take a pill created by Willy Wonka to make them younger (or older). The results are hilarious, but you have to read this book yourself to find out what happens!
P.S.: I loved the poems in the book!

A boring book!
This book is not that good. Because there aren't too many things happeningin the begining. And then it just switches subject and another thing happens instead. Somrtimes it's very funny but when it's not funny, it's a very boring book.
However the characters in the book are guite good. My favorite character is mr. Willy Wonka. He is very funny and he's never scared.
I don't recommend this book to anyone, but if you want to read it it is better to read "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" first. ... Read more

Book Description

Read by Jeremy Davies
4 hours, 24 mins.
3 cassettes

Civilization has been destroyed, except for the forbidden place called Eden. There are no longer books in this world, but one old man named Ryter is writing one—even though he knows the possible terrible result of his actions.

Both chilling and inspiring, the story is ultimately about those who have the courage to become conscious in a world that instead invites us to choose illusion and denial.

... Read more

Book Description

King Caspian has grown old and sad in the ten years since the disappearance of his only son.With time running out, Jill and Eustace embark on a perilous quest to find the Prince and bring back tranquility to the magical land of Narnia.

THE SILVER CHAIR
The Chronicles of Narnia

Journeying to the wild lands of the north, the friends and their companion Puddleglum battle mighty storms and encounter a race of giants who like nothing better than a tasty snack--of human children!Searching deep underground in the grim land of the Earthmen, they encounter the wicked Green Lady who has evil plans to overthrow King Caspian and become Queen of Narnia.

This acclaimed BBC Radio Dramatization perfectly captures the enchanted world where our young heroes must yet again struggle with the forces of darkness.With a stellar cast, authentic sound effects and stirring music, The Silver Chair will warm and engage the hearts of children and adults alike. ... Read more

Reviews (64)

Book 6 - A guide to the unending enchantment of Narnia
"The Silver Chair" was the fourth book published in the Narnia Chronicles, but chronologically is the second last in the series and is published as such by most modern publishers. The story revolves around cousin Eustace (a familiar face from "Prince Caspian") and his classmate Jill Pole. Eustace and Jill narrowly escape school bullies and find themselves in Narnia. In Narnia, Aslan himself commissions them on a quest to find Caspian's missing son and heir, prince Rilian, who has been abducted by an evil witch posing as a beautiful woman and a horrible green snake. They are joined in their quest by Puddleglum, a charming Marsh-wiggle whose extreme pessimism ( "he's always expecting the worst and he's always wrong" p.93) is matched by his bravery. Together they escape the perils of giants, and by rescuing Rilian from his enchantment in the Underworld and restoring him to his father, they prevent the Green Lady from by achieving her evil ambitions in becoming Narnia's queen.

As with all the Narnia Chronicles, on the level of children the story functions as a perfectly comprehensible and exciting fantasy adventure, but on an adult level it imparts powerful spiritual truths about Christianity by means of numerous recognizable Biblical allusions. Lewis intended "The Silver Chair" to portray the ongoing war against the powers of darkness. He emphasizes the truth of Deuteronomy 6 that in this war the signs of God's Word need to be carefully remembered and obeyed: "And whatever strange things may happen to you, let nothing turn your minds from following the signs ... it is so important to know them by heart and pay no attention to appearances. Remember the signs and believe the signs. Nothing else matters." (p.24-26). Failing to follow these signs makes the task more difficult, but not impossible. These failures, however, constitute sin, which is clearly portrayed as the fault of man: "We must just own up" (p.123) and "We've brought the anger of Aslan on us. That's what comes of not attending to the signs." (p.132) The only solution is to drink from Christ the living water, for there is no other source of water apart from him "There is no other stream" (p.20-21). There are also strong allusions to the doctrine of predestination: "You would not have called to me unless I had been calling to you." (p.23) "There *are* no accidents. Our guide is Aslan; and he was there when the giant King caused the letters to be cut, and he knew already all things that would come of them; including *this*." (p.160)

As always, in all the upheavals and conflicts of Narnia, Aslan is the one constant, and it is his vital involvement that enables the children to complete their Narnian quest, just as it is Christ who inspires, comforts, guides, and saves in the real world. Narnia may exist only in Lewis imagination and ours, but these underlying truths about Christ ensure that a journey to Narnia is never without profit for the real world.

Azlan sends two children off to rescue Prince Rilian
"The Silver Chair" is the four and final adaptation of one of The Chronicles of Narnia by C. S. Lewis, although I am surprised that this series was not able to complete the entire set of novels In this story Eustace Scrubb (David Thwaites) is being tormented at school and while looking for a place to hide from the bullies ends up entering the magical world of Narnia from a garden shed, along with another persecuted classmate, Jill Pole (Camilla Power). There Aslan gives them the task of rescuing Prince Rilian, the stolen son of King Caspian. This requires them to travel, along with Puddleglum the Marshwiggle (Tom Baker), north to the Deep Lands of the underworld belonging to the Green Lady (Barbara Kellerman). There they meet the Black Knight, who is under the enchantment of the evil Green Lady, who tortures him in a Silver Chair that sends him into a terrifying rage.

By the time you get to "The Silver Chair" you have either accepted the limited special effects of this production or not. Yes, the animatronics of Aslan are almost unbelievably simplistic, but the kids always talk to him like he was a real lion and ruler of Narnia and that is all that really matters in the end. The costumes and sets are pretty good and above all the story is faithful to the Lewis narrative. One of the things I enjoyed most about the "The Silver Chair" is the way that Lewis elegantly works in Christian elements into the story. Azlan works hard to have Jill learn a series of signs, by which she and Eustace will be able to achieve their goal. However, Jill has problems remembering the signs and Eustace does not really seem up to the challenge. Then again, most great children's literature works on two levels, although clearly "The Silver Chair" and the other chronicles will appeal more to the kids, which is fine, because that is really who they were intended for even though they are arguably too good for the little ones.

A classic story and a spiritual allegory
If you have not read any of CS Lewis classic book series about Narnia, please do so. The stories are wonderfully written and will engage you like few other works. Part spiritual allegory and part fantasy and adventure, these stories are timeless.

My personal favorite of the 7 stories is this one: The Silver Chair. Starting with the unexpected trip into Narnia, the story involves the search for a missing prince and a dangerous and exciting journey to find him. While the plot is quickly engaging and always enjoyable, even after dozens of readings, in this story Lewis uses some of the most powerful of Christian allegories to depict faith, deception, and courage. Choices made along the way are often disastrous and are the result of convenience and comfort over faith. Truly a sound statement into our own journeys, and a spiritual struggle depicted accurately.

I will not spoil the plot, but if you have not enjoyed this series, pick up any of the seven books, or better yet get them all at once. The story starts either with "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" which was the first published, or "The Magician's Nephew" which is chronologically the first. Either way, you won't be disappointed. Next to "The Silver Chair", I also found "The Horse and His Boy" and "Voyage of the Dawn Treader" to be absolute classics.

Buy this series, and enjoy one of the true treasures in literature from a fabulous writer, the world renowned CS Lewis.

Prince Rilian, Lost Forever or Found
The book The Silver Chair, by C. S. Luis is a great adventure story that is part of a seven-book series. The story has two main characters; Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole. Eustace Scrubb is a schoolboy who goes to school at the Experiment House with Jill. He has actually been in Narnia before with his cousins; Lucy and Edmund. Jill Pole gets bullied around a lot at school, and didn't believe Eustace at first when he was trying to tell her about Narnia.
The book starts off at the Experiment House with Jill hiding behind a curtain crying because the bullies won't leave her alone. Eustace finds her and tells her about Narnia and how they might be able to get back there. At first Jill didn't believe him. Then bullies came in the room looking for her, so the made a dash for a door that isn't usually open but they tried it anyway because it was their only way of escape. To their surprise, the door was open, but not leading outside the school, but instead to Narnia.
Before I start telling you about Narnia and what happened there; I must give you some background information. The was a queen of Narnia (she was married to King Caspian the 10th) and she had a son named Prince Rilian. One day the queen and prince were out on a walk with some others. The queen was tired and decided to go asleep on the grass. The prince, not wanting to wake her, went off just a little way (so he could still see her) to play. After a little while they saw a green worm crawl out from the wood and bite her. The prince ran after the worm, but it got away. After a few minutes the queen was dead. After that the prince devoted his life to finding the worm and avenging it. After months of looking one of a lord suggested he stop looking for the worm. Prince Rilian told him for the past couple of weeks he no longer searched for the worm, but visited a lady in secret. The lord came with him one day and to his surprise, the lady was in the same spot where his mom died. She was a beautiful woman dressed all in green. The lord decided not to tell anyone because he thought there was no harm in it. The next day, the prince never returned from his journey.
They stepped into Narnia and found they were on the edge of a cliff. Eustace was afraid of heights and just stood there in shock. When he got away from the edge, Jill walked up even closer to the edge, trying to show off, and found she couldn't move and almost fell of the edge but Eustace saved her, and while doing so fell off the edge himself! The next thing Jill knew she was lying down in the same spot with a huge lion (Aslan, the 'Jesus' of Narnia) next to her blowing at something. Th