Historical Audiobooks

Linnea in Monet's Garden

Linnea is going to France! The little girl will travel with her neighbor, old Mr. Bloom, to visit the house and garden where the great artist Monet lived. She can't wait to see the waterlily pond-the scene of her favorite painting. Join Linnea and Mr. Bloom on a journey full of wonderful sights and adventures. They begin their days in France at a Paris museum, where they see Monet's paintings. Taking the train to Giverny, where the artist lived, they spend hours in the colorful garden. And Linnea finally walks across the Japanese bridge at the pond that shimmers in so many of Monet's works. An international best-seller, Linnea in Monet's Garden is a joyous introduction to Impressionism and the life of one of the most influential artists of this century. Although written for young readers, listeners of all ages will enjoy this delightful audio production, lyrically narrated by Christina Moore.

Christina Björk, Lena Anderson (Author), Christina Moore (Narrator)

Audiobook

Martin Rising: Requiem for a King

With imagination and power, the award-winning Pinkney duo celebrates MLK's nonviolent struggle for civil rights -- as he transforms America through the spirit of love. In a rich embroidery of visions, musical cadence, and deep emotion, Andrea and Brian Pinkney convey the final months of Martin Luther King's life -- and of his assassination -- through metaphor, spirituality, and multilayers of meaning. Andrea's stunning poetic requiem, illustrated with Brian's lyrical and colorful artwork, brings a fresh perspective to Martin Luther King, the Gandhi-like, peace-loving activist whose dream of equality -- and whose courage to make it happen -- changed the course of American history. And even in his death, he continues to transform and inspire all of us who share his dream. Wonderful classroom plays of Martin Rising can be performed by using the "Now Is the Time" history and the 1968 timeline at the back of the book as narration -- and adding selected poems to tell the story!

Andrea Davis Pinkney (Author), Andrea Davis Pinkney (Narrator)

Audiobook

Phoebe the Spy

Someone is planning to kill George Washington, and young Phoebe Fraunces is trying to save his life. Phoebe gets a job as George Washington's housekeeper, but her real job is to work as a spy. She listens and watches very carefully, and she meets her father every day to tell him what she has learned. One day Phoebe's father tells her that Washington is planning to leave town in a few days, and the person plotting against him will act before then. Phoebe is very frightened, but she is determined to figure out who is after Washington before it's too late. . . .

Judith Griffin (Author), Allyson Johnson (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ruth of Boston

James Otis wrote a series of books depicting life in the new colonies, written from a child's point of view. Ruth of Boston is the story of 12 year old Ruth, coming from London to live in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. It gives accounts of what a girl's daily life might have been like during the beginnings of this colony. James Otis Kaler (March 19, 1848 - December 11, 1912) was an American journalist and author of children's literature. He used the pen name James Otis.

James Otis (Author), Laura Caldwell (Narrator)

Audiobook

Richard of Jamestown

Richard of Jamestown by James Otis was written for children with the purpose to show them the daily home life of the Virginia colonists. It is written from the viewpoint of a young boy named Richard Mutton. James Otis Kaler (March 19, 1848 - December 11, 1912) was an American journalist and author of children's literature. He used the pen name James Otis.

James Otis (Author), Laura Caldwell (Narrator)

Audiobook

Flight of the Bluebird

After returning to their home in Dullsville and finding it in absolute shambles, Jaundice and Kale Bland are rescued by high-flying aviatrix Beatrix Airdale. This time, they’re jetting off (literally) to Egypt to uncover the mysteries of a magical scarab. By way of Casablanca, and after foiling multiple attacks along the way (thanks to Jaundice’s nautical knot-tying skills and Kale’s super-sleuth powers of observation), the Bland Sisters are reunited with their parents. But it turns out that Mom and Dad aren’t as bland—or as Bland—as Jaundice and Kale remember. Thanks to their mother’s old archaeology notebook, the Bland Sisters uncover their parents’ real identities and help them achieve victory in one final family-filled adventure.

Kara Lareau (Author), Rosalyn Landor (Narrator)

Audiobook

Ludwig Wittgenstein:Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus

Perhaps the most important work of philosophy written in the twentieth century, Tractatus Logico-Philosophicus was the only philosophical work that Ludwig Wittgenstein published during his lifetime. Written in short, carefully numbered paragraphs of extreme brilliance, it captured the imagination of a generation of philosophers. For Wittgenstein, logic was something we use to conquer a reality which is in itself both elusive and unobtainable. He famously summarized the book in the following words: 'What can be said at all can be said clearly; and what we cannot talk about we must pass over in silence.' David Pears and Brian McGuinness received the highest praise for their meticulous translation. The work is prefaced by Bertrand Russell's original introduction to the first English edition. (less)

Ludwig Wittgenstein (Author), Griffin Chase (Narrator)

Audiobook

Lucky 13: Survival in Space

Heroism in outer space is the legacy of the lunar mission Apollo 13. On April 11, 1970, astronauts Jim Lovell, Fred Haise, and Jack Swigert were launched into space as the crew of Apollo 13. Their mission, like the missions of Apollo 11 and Apollo 12, was to explore the lunar surface. But that mission was never completed. As they began the procedure for landing on the Moon, the spacecraft was rocked by a violent explosion. Oxygen began pouring out of the Service Module, and the spacecraft began to lose power. Jim Lovell radioed Mission Control with the now-famous words, "Houston, we have a problem." All over the world, people followed the plight of the astronauts. Richard Hilliard examines the crisis of Apollo 13, one of the great survival stories of the space age, in a lively text and dramatic illustrations.

Richard Hilliard (Author), Brian David, Jodi Dick (Narrator)

Audiobook

Spy Runner

In this noir mystery middle grade from Newbery Honor author Eugene Yelchin, a boy stumbles upon a secret that jeopardizes American national security. It's 1953 and the Cold War is on. Communism threatens all that the United States stands for, and America needs every patriot to do their part. So when a Russian boarder moves into the home of twelve-year-old Jake McCauley, he's on high alert. What does the mysterious Mr. Shubin do with all that photography equipment? And why did he choose to live so close to the Air Force base? Jake's mother says that Mr. Shubin knew Jake's dad, who went missing in action during World War II. But Jake is skeptical; the facts just don't add up. And he's determined to discover the truth-no matter what he risks.

Eugene Yelchin (Author), Jonathan Todd Ross (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Candy Country

In this gem of a story, The Candy Country, little Lily discovers that arriving in a magical country where everything is made of sweets is not the wonderland she had first thought. The story is a poignant example of the strong educational and moral influence that Louisa May Alcott's father had her life and her writing. Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888) was an American novelist. She is best known for the novels Little Women, published in 1868, and Little Men. Due to the family's poverty, she began work at an early age as an occasional teacher, seamstress, governess, domestic helper, and writer - her first book was Flower Fables (1854). As she grew older, she developed as both an abolitionist and a feminist. A lesserknown part of her work are the passionate, fiery novels and stories she wrote, usually under the pseudonym A. M. Barnard, such as A Long Fatal Love Chase (1866). Alcott also produced moralistic and wholesome stories for children, and a semi-autobiographical tale Work (1873). In her later life, Alcott became an advocate of women's suffrage and was part of a group of female authors during the Gilded Age to address women's issues in a modern and candid manner. Despite worsening health, Alcott wrote through the rest of her life. Kathy Garver is best known for her role as 'Cissy' in the CBS prime time hit, 'Family Affair,' one of the most enduring television shows of the 1960s. She has also performed in countless films, including The Ten Commandments, Apollo 13, Parenthood, and Backdraft, and has narrated several audiobooks.

Louisa May Alcott (Author), Kathy Garver (Narrator)

Audiobook

Little Princess

Sara Crewe is one of the most vivid figures in children's fiction. Born in India and sent to school in England, she is, at first, treated like a princess by the teacher, Miss Minchin. But when it is evident that Sara is not the possessor of a princess's fortune, she is despatched to live in the attic and become a servant. It is the remarkable way which Sara copes - imagining things are not as bad as they seem - which has made her a role model for many young girls, who also hope to experience her happy ending.

Frances Hodgson Burnett (Author), Lucy Whybrow, Nicolas Soames (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Prince and the Pauper

Originally written for children in 1881, The Prince and the Pauper relates the hilarious adventures of Tom Canty, a ragged street urchin who bears a striking resemblance to Edward VI, son of Henry VIII. Longing to experience the fun and excitement of the outside world, the young prince persuades Tom to exchange clothes, and in doing so, the two exchange places in society.

Mark Twain (Author), Kenneth Jay, Nicolas Soames (Narrator)

Audiobook