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More William is the second William collection in the much acclaimed Just William series by Richmal Crompton. It is a sequel to the book Just William. The book was first published in 1922...

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Children, Short stories, Teen/Young adult

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Set in the days of the religious wars of Europe, St. Bartholomew's Eve is the tale of the Huguenot's desperate fight for freedom of worship in France. As the struggle intensifies the plot thickens, culminating in the dreadful Massacre of St. Bartholomew's Eve. Henty, The Boy's Own Storyteller weaves the life and adventures of Philip Fletcher and his cousin, Francois DeLaville, into the historical background with thrilling battles, sieges and escapes along the way (not to mention a fair damsel in distress! ). (Summary by Minkona)...

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Historical Fiction, Children

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The object of this volume is to excite interest in one of the greatest poems of English literature, which for all its greatness is but little read and known--to excite this interest not only in young persons who are not yet able to read The Faerie Queene, with its archaisms of language, its distant ways and habits of life and thought, its exquisite melodies that only a cultivated ear can catch and appreciate, but also in adults, who, not from the lack of ability, but because they shrink from a little effort, suffer the loss of such high and refined literary pleasure as the perusal of Spenser's masterpiece can certainly give. (From the Author's introduction)...

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Children, Myths/Legends, Adventure

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The children of Colonel Beverley, a Cavalier officer killed at the Battle of Naseby are believed to have died in the flames when their house, Arnwood, is burned by Roundhead soldiers. However, they escape and are raised by Joseph Armitage, a gamekeeper in his cottage in the New Forest. The story describes how the children adapt from an aristocratic lifestyle to that of simple cottagers. The children are concealed as the grandchildren of Armitage.Eventually after Armitage's death, Edward Beverley leaves and works as a secretary for the sympathetic Puritan placed in charge of the Royal land in the New Forest. He then joins the army of the future King Charles II and after the Royalist defeat at the Battle of Worcester, he escapes to France and lives in exile until the Restoration.His brother and siblings continue to live in the New Forest and they are reunited on the King's return. (Summary from Wikipedia)...

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Children, Historical Fiction

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The Forsyte Saga' is the story of a wealthy London family stretching from the eighteen-eighties until the nineteen-twenties. In Chancery is the second book in the saga. Five years have passed since Irene left Soames and the death of Bosinney. Old Jolyon meets Irene and is enchanted by her. At his death he leaves her a legacy sufficient for her to live an independent life in Paris. Soames who is desperate for a son, attempts to effect a rapprochement but is rejected by her. Meanwhile Young Jolyon, now a widower,who is Irene’s trustee falls in love with her. Soames suspects Young Jolyon and Irene of adultery and sues for divorce. His action is successful. Young Jolyon and Irene marry. She bears him a son, John. Soames remarries. His wife Annette bears him a daughter, Fleur. (Summary by Andy Minter)...

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Literature, Romance

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Sixteen year old Leslie Crane has come to the New Jersey shore as a companion to ailing Aunt Marcia, whose doctor has sent her there for a some quiet rest and recuperation. While the beach is lovely in October, Leslie quickly finds herself getting lonely with no one her own age to talk to. Little does she realize that she will not only soon make a new friend, but that they will both end up in the midst of a puzzling mystery centered around the closed up bungalow next door. Augusta Huiell Seaman is the author of over 40 historical fiction and mystery novels for older children most of which are currently out of print. The Dragon's Secret was originally published in 1921. (summary by J. M. Smallheer)...

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Mystery, Teen/Young adult, Children

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Buck is living a happy life in California until he is sold to pay a gambling debt. Taken to the Klondike to become a sled dog, Buck must toughen up and learn the harsher rules of survival in the North. One of the first of these is how to deal with being harnessed in the same team as a dog that wants to kill him. Large, strong and smart, Buck toughens to his new life. But even the toughest dog can be worn down by constant work, and after 3,000 miles of pulling sleds, Buck nears the end of his rope. Cast away as no longer useful, Buck is acquired by greenhorns whose inexperience nearly kills him, but after being saved by John Thornton, he at last finds a man he can love. Then on a remote gold-hunting expedition, Buck hears a call emanating from the woods and speaking to the wild heart of his distant ancestors. The lure of it almost balances the great love he bears for Thornton, but events take him away from his old life... and into legend. (summary by Mark F. Smith)...

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Adventure, Animals, Fiction, Nature

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Doctor John Dolittle is the central character of a series of children's books by Hugh Lofting. He is a doctor who shuns human patients in favour of animals, with whom he can speak in their own languages. He later becomes a naturalist, using his abilities to speak with animals to better understand nature and the history of the world.(summary from Wikipedia)...

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Children, Adventure, Animals

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The Lost Stradivarius (1895), by J. Meade Falkner, is a short novel of ghosts and the evil that can be invested in an object, in this case an extremely fine Stradivarius violin. After finding the violin of the title in a hidden compartment in his college rooms, the protagonist, a wealthy young heir, becomes increasingly secretive as well as obsessed by a particular piece of music, which seems to have the power to call up the ghost of its previous owner. Roaming from England to Italy, the story involves family love, lordly depravity, and the tragedy of obsession...

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Mystery, Horror/Ghost stories

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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is a short story by Washington Irving contained in his collection The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., written while he was living in Birmingham, England, and first published in 1820. It was based on a German folktale set in the Dutch culture of Post-Revolutionary War in New York State. With Irving's companion piece Rip Van Winkle, it is among the earliest examples of American fiction still read today....

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Mystery, Short stories, Horror/Ghost stories

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I am for England and England only, John Lutchester, the Englishman, asserted. I am for Japan and Japan only, Nikasti, the Jap, insisted. I am for Germany first and America afterwards, Oscar Fischer, the German-American pronounced. I am for America first, America only, America always, Pamela Van Tale, the American girl, declared. They were all right except the German-American. It is during World War I. A chemist, Sandy Graham, has discovered a new powerful explosive, but he let's it slip in a London restaurant that he has made the discovery. Graham is ready to join some friends for luncheon at the restaurant but chooses to clean up before joining them. He never comes out of the restroom. Several spies from different governments set out to find him and the formula. What was particularly interesting to me about this espionage novel is that it was written in 1918, but it could just as easily have been from today. (Summary by Tom Weiss)...

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Adventure, Spy stories, Mystery

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This is a first hand account of the Armenian Genocide written by a Syrian who had been a Turkish official for three and a half years. His accounts tell of the worst of humanity, and also of the noblest. The noble include families who courageously support each other in the face of death, and Turks who refuse to follow orders to kill, knowing that they shall be executed themselves for their defiance. The genocide occurred just before and during World War I, and estimates as to the number of people murdered range from one to one and a half million. (Introduction by Margaret)...

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History, Memoirs

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This recording of Peter Newell’s The Slant Book (1910) kicks off voiced renderings by of public domain books in the International Children's Digital Library (ICDL). The ICDL book can be found at: http://www.childrenslibrary.org/icdl/BookPreview?bookid=newslan_00150052&summary=true&route=alsoby&lang=English&msg= http://www.childrenslibrary.org/ . The Slant Book is literally the shape of a parallelogram, with the spine of the book running down one side. When opened, facing pages form a V shape. All the pictures on the slanted recto pages show a way-too-precocious infant in a carriage [the go-cart of yesteryear] racing downhill who has somehow gotten away from his nanny, gleefully creating havoc all along the way! The facing verso pages contain two stanzas of commentary on the charming --if alarming!-- illustrations. This book pioneered the special format children's literature of today, such as pop-up books or cutout books like Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Newell books from 80 years ago have been reprinted, since Newell has undergone a resurgence in popularity much as Dr. Seuss's books did during the 1980s. This is a boon ...

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Children, Comedy

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Foreword from the author, Edna Ferber - And so, the story writers used to say, they lived happily ever after. Um-m-m—maybe. After the glamour had worn off, and the glass slippers were worn out, did the Prince never find Cinderella's manner redolent of the kitchen hearth; and was it never necessary that he remind her to be more careful of her finger-nails and grammar? After Puss in Boots had won wealth and a wife for his young master did not that gentleman often fume with chagrin because the neighbors, perhaps, refused to call on the lady of the former poor miller's son? It is a great risk to take with one's book-children. These stories make no such promises. They stop just short of the phrase of the old story writers, and end truthfully, thus: And so they lived. E. F.(Summary from the Foreword to Buttered Side Down)...

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Short stories, Humor, Fiction, Romance

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This is a collection of short stories and fairy tales by Frances Hodgson Burnett, the author of The Secret Garden and A little Princess. (Summary by Elli)...

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Children, Fairy tales, Fiction, Short stories, Teen/Young adult

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In this collection of Sherlock Holmes stories, the great detective continues doing what he does best: averting political scandals, tracking down murderers, dragging Dr. Watson into unpleasant situations. As always, it's adventurous fun for the rest of us. This book was published in 1917, after The Return of Sherlock Holmes. (Summary by Laurie Anne Walden)...

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Mystery, Short stories, Adventure

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Short and sweet stories for children from the 19th century. The stories were compiled by two New York City teachers and were thought appropriate for third year children at that time....

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Children, Instruction

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The Adventures of Maya the Bee is an exciting tale for children of all ages. Themes of growth and development of courage and wisdom are found, as well as the extreme joy and satisfaction that Maya experiences in the beauty of creation and all creatures. Her ultimate and innate loyalty to her Nation of Bees is acted out in the final heroic scenes. This story gives us the delightful sense of having seen a small segment of the world through a Bee's eyes. (Summary by Brenda Price)...

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Children, Nature, Animals, Adventure, Fantasy

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Philip and Lucy discover that the city Philip has built using toys, books and household objects, has come alive. This is the account of their incredible adventures in those magical lands, where they meet characters from books and history, mythical beasts, and many other nice (and not so nice) people and creatures. As with all Edith Nesbit's tales, The Magic City has generous helpings of humour, imagination and interesting ideas, as well as the over-arching story of how a boy and girl who have unwillingly become step-brother and sister eventually learn to like each other. A story that works on many levels and will be equally enjoyed by adults and children. (Summary by Ruth Golding)...

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Children, Fantasy

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A collection of some of Hans Christian Andersen's works. He is a Danish author and poet most famous for his fairy tales. (Summary by Kristingj)

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Children, Fairy tales, Fiction, Short stories