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22) Pollyanna
Hot on the heels of the blockbuster film comes a version of H.G. Wells' chilling tale of alien invasion that every child can enjoy. It begins as the sky lights up with bright cylinders from Mars that look like falling stars—and continues as the Martians emerge from their vessels with machines of fire and deadly smoke. Wells's depiction of a city in panic—written in 1898—still remains shockingly contemporary.
Half wolf, half dog, White Fang fully understands the cruelty of both nature and humans. After nearly starving to death during the frigid Arctic winter, he's taken in first by a man who "trains" him through constant whippings, and then by another who forces him to participate in vicious dogfights. Follow White Fang as he overcomes these obstacles and finally meets someone who offers him kindness and love.
33) Peter Pan
When young Pip accidentally meets a convict out in the marsh one Christmas Eve, he has no idea that his life is about to change—forever. The amazing events following that encounter, and the strange tale of Miss Havisham and her adopted daughter Estella, have made Great Expectations a must-read since it was first serialized in 1860. Now, young readers can enjoy Dickens's engrossing story in this simplified yet thrilling version.
...Through the eyes of Lemuel Gulliver, Swift's unforgettable satire takes readers into worlds formerly unimagined. Visit four strange and remarkable lands: Lilliput, where Gulliver seems a giant among a race of tiny people; Brobdingnag, the opposite, where the natives are giants and Gulliver puny; the ruined yet magical country of Laputa; and the home of the Houyhnhnms, gentle horses far superior to the ugly humanoid Yahoos who share their universe.
...When Heidi's Aunt Dete brings the orphaned girl to live with her grandfather, no one can imagine the bitter, solitary old man caring for a child. But, to everyone's surprise, the two grow to love each other—and Heidi blossoms in her new home. Johanna Spyri's charming story—and spirited heroine—have won children's hearts for more than a century.
Call me Ishmael. These three famous words begin one of America's most epic novels, a tale of one obsessed captain, his doomed crew, and an elusive white whale named Moby-Dick. The massive original, however, can be very hard for young readers to navigate. This beautifully abridged and adventure-filled version will thrill children and whet their appetite for the complete work—when they are ready to tackle it.
"Once you start looking for the happy things, you don't think about the bad ones as much." That's the joyful way Pollyanna sees the world: no matter what happens, she plays her "Just Be Glad" game and finds the sunny side of any situation. But when she's orphaned and forced to live with her rigid Aunt Polly, will high-spirited Pollyanna succeed in melting her Aunt's cold heart?
Eleven-year-old Rebecca Randall is quite a handful—and now she's leaving her beloved Sunnybrook Farm to live with her well-to-do elderly aunts and get an education. But they were expecting Rebecca's quiet, hard-working older sister instead. Can the bright-eyed and talkative girl win them over...especially her strict, rule-bound Aunt Miranda? Just as Rebecca's "grand spirit" charms everyone in the story, it will captivate readers, too.
A shipwreck. A sole survivor, stranded on a deserted island. What could be more appealing to children than Robinson Crusoe's amazing adventure? Set in the 17th century, and unfolding over a 30-year period, it offers plenty of suspense and everyday detail about how Crusoe manages to stay alive. Additionally, it paints a fascinating portrait of the age—including references to slavery and Europe's view of the "New World."