Hear the best stories ever written with Puffin Classics Audiobooks
The unabridged, downloadable audiobook edition of Rudyard Kipling's collection, Just So Stories.
The delightful tales of whales and cats and kangaroos and crabs - everything from how the camel got in a humph (and got his hump!) to how the alphabet was invented. Enchanting and funny, these stories are brought to life by the fantastical narration of Tony Robinson.
Drawn from the enchanting tales told to Kipling as a child in India, Just So Stories reveals the magic of the dawn of the world, when animals could talk and think like people. Cats and dogs, kangaroos and tortoises, hedgehogs and jaguars, whales and leopards, and many others are brought to life in an exotic Eastern landscape of "high and far times ago." Children will discover how the leopard got his spots, the elephant his trunk, and the camel his hump, through clever tales that subtly hint at the pitfalls of arrogance and the importance of creativity. Kipling composed these twelve stories and twelve poems to be read aloud, and their whimsical imagery and rhythmic language are sure to delight both children and adults for another hundred years. Table of Contents 1. "How the Whale Got His Throat" 2. "How the Camel Got His Hump" 3. "How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin" 4. "How the Leopard Got His Spots" 5. "The Elephant's Child" 6. "The Sing Song of Old Man Kangaroo" 7. "The Beginning of the Armadillos" 8. "How the First Letter Was Written" 9. "How the Alphabet Was Made" 10. "The Crab That Played with the Sea" 11. "The Cat That Walked by Himself" 12. "The Butterfly That Stamped"
William Collins Books and Decca Records are proud to present ARGO Classics, a historic catalogue of classic fiction read by some of the world’s most renowned voices. Originally released as vinyl records, these expertly abridged and remastered stories are now available to download for the first time.
Charming and captivating, Rudyard Kipling’s stories tell such tales as how leopards got their spots, camels their hump and rhinos their grumpy tempers. Perfect for bedtime listening, these will win the hearts of listeners young and old.
Sir Michael Hordern was a critically acclaimed actor on stage and screen, and does full justice to the rich variety, drama and humour of this beloved classic.
Kipling’s Just So Stories are among the most enduring classic children’s tales. They follow the traditional genre of stories that explain how unusual natural phenomenon came about, often using fantastic and highly magical explanations. Kipling himself was born and spent his very early life in India, and some of the inspiration for these stories comes from traditional tales he heard from his ayah and the family’s other servants. So Kipling’s armadillo arises from the magical fusion of a hedgehog and a tortoise who practice swimming and curling up, respectively, until their shapes modify. The elephant’s trunk is the result of a tussle with a hungry crocodile, and the kangaroo’s shape and ability to jump came about when he was chased by a dingo for an entire day. The rhinoceros gets his loose skin and bad temper from the itching brought about by having cake crumbs under his hide. And the cat who walked by himself explains the independence of cats, which contrasts with the servility of other domesticated animals.
The World has always yearned for creation stories. We cannot hope to know where we are going if we do not know from where we came.
Rudyard Kipling’s whimsical tales of the origins of, amongst others, the tides, the Elephant’s trunk, the Leopard’s spots and the Cat’s stubborn independance still give as much satisfaction as when he first told them to his young daughter Josephine, using the childish pronunciations and words that she insisted upon being “just so”.
Narrated by Simon Hester. With original music.
Pojken Nils ligger sjuk hemma i den ensliga torpet Eka. I feberdrömmarna hör han Kung Magnus ropa på hans hjälp, fängslad som han är av den grymme Hertigen och nu ställd inför döden. Nils förvandlas till Junker Nils, dröm till verklighet eller något däremellan.
Meet the World's Funniest Kindergartner—Junie B. Jones!
With over 50 million books in print, Barbara Park's New York Times bestselling chapter book series, Junie B. Jones, is a classroom favorite and has been keeping kids laughing—and reading—for over 20 years! In the 8th Junie B. Jones book, Junie B. knows there's no such thing as monsters. Mother and Daddy even said so. But then why is there monster drool on Junie B.'s pillow? Oh, no! What if Paulie Allen Puffer is right—what if she really does have a monster under her bed? If Junie B. goes to sleep, the monster might see her feet hanging down. And he might think her piggy toes are yummy little wiener sausages!
USA TODAY:
"Junie B. is the darling of the young-reader set."
Publisher's Weekly:
"Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B.—and reading—are lots of fun."
Kirkus Reviews:
"Junie's swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world….A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud."
Time Magazine:
"Junie B. Jones is a feisty six-year-old with an endearing penchant for honesty."
Meet the World's Funniest Kindergartner—Junie B. Jones!
Guess who's not invited? With over 50 million books in print, Barbara Park's New York Times bestselling chapter book series, Junie B. Jones, is a classroom favorite and has been keeping kids laughing—and reading—for over 20 years! In the 6th Junie B. Jones book, that meanie Jim has invited everyone in Room Nine to his birthday party on Saturday—except Junie B.! Should she have her own birthday party six months early and not invite Jim? Or should she move to It's a Small World After All in Disneyland?
USA TODAY:
"Junie B. is the darling of the young-reader set."
Publisher's Weekly:
"Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B.—and reading—are lots of fun."
Kirkus Reviews:
"Junie's swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world….A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud."
Time Magazine:
"Junie B. Jones is a feisty six-year-old with an endearing penchant for honesty."
Meet the World's Funniest Kindergartner Junie B. Jones! Junie B. Jones has a pet day problem! With over 50 million books in print, Barbara Park's New York Times bestselling chapter book series, Junie B. Jones, is a classroom favorite and has been keeping kids laughing and reading for over 20 years! In the 12th Junie B. Jones book, there's going to be a pet day at school, only guess what? No dogs allowed! And that's the only kind of pet Junie B. has! If Mother and Daddy won't buy her a new pet, Junie B. will just have to find one on her own. Like maybe a jar of ants. Or a wiggly worm. Or could it be something even better? USA TODAY : 'Junie B. is the darling of the young-reader set.' Publisher's Weekly : 'Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B. and reading are lots of fun.' Kirkus Reviews : 'Junie's swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world….A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud.' Time Magazine : 'Junie B. Jones is a feisty six-year-old with an endearing penchant for honesty.'
Meet the World's Funniest Kindergartner Junie B. Jones! With over 50 million books in print, Barbara Park's New York Times bestselling chapter book series, Junie B. Jones, is a classroom favorite and has been keeping kids laughing and reading for over 20 years! In the 7th Junie B. Jones book, there's a new boy in kindergarten, and guess what? He's the handsomest guy Junie B. has ever seen. She and Lucille and that Grace all want him for a boyfriend. Only, he thinks Junie B. is a nutball. Just 'cause she couldn't stop laughing and rolling. So how is she supposed to get that boy to love her? USA TODAY : 'Junie B. is the darling of the young-reader set.' Publisher's Weekly : 'Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B. and reading are lots of fun.' Kirkus Reviews : 'Junie's swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world….A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud.' Time Magazine : 'Junie B. Jones is a feisty six-year-old with an endearing penchant for honesty.'
Meet the World's Funniest Kindergartner—Junie B. Jones!
With over 50 million books in print, Barbara Park's New York Times bestselling chapter book series, Junie B. Jones, is a classroom favorite and has been keeping kids laughing—and reading—for over 20 years! In the 9th Junie B. Jones book, a terrible thing happened to Junie B. Jones! And it's called—someone took her new black furry mittens! And they kept them! They didn't even put them in the Lost and Found at school. So when Junie B. finds a wonderful pen on the floor, she should be allowed to keep it, too. Right? That's fair. Right? Right?
USA TODAY:
"Junie B. is the darling of the young-reader set."
Publisher's Weekly:
"Park convinces beginning readers that Junie B.—and reading—are lots of fun."
Kirkus Reviews:
"Junie's swarms of young fans will continue to delight in her unique take on the world….A hilarious, first-rate read-aloud."
Time Magazine:
"Junie B. Jones is a feisty six-year-old with an endearing penchant for honesty."
