Mystery & Fantasy Audiobooks

Sunny Bunny

A bunny family of ten children find a new home. A charming little tale, which supports the ideal that stories should make children happy and build character unconsciously, and should contain nothing to cause fright, suggest fear, glorify mischief, excuse malice, or condone cruelty. CONTENTS: Sunny Bunny

Nina Wilcox Putnam (Author), Nancy Lee (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Reluctant Dragon

The Reluctant Dragon is far more interested in writing and reading poetry than in belching fire to frighten and threaten the townspeople. He befriends a young villager and has a wonderful adventure facing St. George, the famous slayer of dragons, in a mock battle of ferocious, but harmless fun. When a dragon is discovered up on the Downs, the Boy is not in the least surprised. He's always known the cave there was a dragon cave, so it seems only right for a dragon to be living in it. The Boy decides to pay a visit to the cave, and he thinks he knows just what to expect. But this particular dragon is not a bit like the ones in fairy tales! AUTHOR Kenneth Grahame (1859-1932) was a children's novelist and bank executive, with a long a successful career at the Bank of England. Grahame was born in Scotland, but after the death of his mother when he was five, went to live with his grandmother in a charming country village in Berkshire, England. Grahame and his siblings had an idyllic childhood, their surroundings inspired the setting for The Wind in the Willows. Grahame's writing career was inspired by the stories he told his beloved only child, who suffered poor health his very short life. COMMENTARY Reviews for Alcazar AudioWorks' production of The Reluctant Dragon The Reluctant Dragon is a wonderful story of a kind hearted dragon that just doesn't fit the dragon stereotype. The dragon makes some unlikely friends: a young boy who loves to write poetry and St. George, the knight and dragon fighter. The trio make a plan to satisfy the townspeople and help the dragon. All is well in the end; it is a delightful, contemporary fairytale. Alcazar Audio Works brings the story to life with the voice talents of Bruce Blau, Bobbie Frohman, Susan McCarthy, Linda Montgomery, David Thorn, and Jim Johanson. Each section or chapter of the book plays on a separate track, so it is easy to pick up the story where you left off. We had a long drive ahead of us, I popped this CD into the player, and off we went to story land to visit the old town and climb the hill to a cave to find the dragon. We cheered and laughed as we listened to the tale. Before I knew it, we had arrived at our destination and the end of the story. My heartfelt thanks goes to Alcazar Audio Works for a wonderfully quick trip with contented children. Reviewed By: Kate O'Mara - EHO Eclectic Homeschool Online Quotes from/about The Reluctant Dragon or Kenneth Grahame ""Warm colors and visual details portray a lively medieval village and complement Grahame's expressive prose. Ages 8-11."" Copyright 1988 Reed Business Information, Inc. -Publishers Weekly ""The richly expressive prose of Kenneth Grahame continues to delight. The illustrations...bring to life the medieval-village scenes, full of warm colors and busy activities.""--""The telling is delightfully tongue-in-cheek...His star attraction is an imaginative animal and he makes this reluctant dragon live."" Unabridged --School Library Journal, starred review ""A wonderful story about peace, war, and using your brain...A medieval fable with implications for the nuclear age.""-Entertainment Weekly "[A] classic tale of loyalty and compassion."-School Library Journal (starred review) "The richly expressive prose of Kenneth Grahame continues to delight...full of warm colors and busy activities."-Language Arts The Reluctant Dragon is a mild-mannered specimen of his breed who, unlike the ""active and earnest"" fellows who used to charge around battling knights, has survived long enough to develop his passion for poetry. He is befriended by an intelligent young shepherd boy, who is placed in an awkward position when the villagers discover the dragon's presence. Although the dragon has harmed no one, the villagers are so aroused that they call on Saint George to battle this ""pestilential scourge."" When Saint George arrives the dragon flatly refuses to fight, and the boy is left to find a solution to the impasse. This is a brilliantly written satirical fantasy, lambasting the traditional knight-and-dragon stories and providing a wonderful protagonist that boys of all ages (and many girls) will want to identify with. The fantastical pleasure of friendship with a dragon is enhanced by encounters with the famous knight, a theatrical battle, and plenty of intelligent wit to amuse both children and adults. The language is advanced, suitable for reading aloud or for confident self-readers. Some of the humor will be above young readers' heads, but there is enough action to make it interesting for younger ages.-Amazon.com "

Kenneth Grahame (Author), A Full Cast, Bobbie Frohman (Narrator)

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The Story of the Amulet

The trilogy of Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet and The Story of the Amulet, all involve the same family and their encounters with the magical being the Psammead. The adventures of the five children proved one of the most popular of Nesbit's creations. The Story of the Amulet centres around the purchase of an ancient Amulet which can grant them their heart's desire - the return of their parents - but which first sets them on a journey through time to ancient Babylon, Egypt, and Atlantis. But it begins in an old shop next to the British Museum...

Edith Nesbit (Author), Anna Bentinck (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Enchanted Castle

Three children - Jerry (bossy), Jimmy (hungry) and Kathleen (sensible) - find themselves standing in front of a bejewelled princess in the garden of an enchanted castle. It is the first day of their summer holidays. Is she really a princess? And if she isn't, what about her ring which makes the wearer invisible? This ring, combined with the children's appetite for exploring, sparks a tale full of vivid adventures and extraordinary characters. With 'ugly-wugglies' on the loose, statues alive in the moonlight and crimes needing to be solved, there is never a dull moment. Imagination is powerful; magic is possible.

Edith Nesbit (Author), Genevieve Helsby, Joanna Page (Narrator)

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The Book Of Dragons

First published in 1900, The Book Of Dragons is one of Edith Nesbit's best loved and most inventive children's books. Her heroes and heroines are children faced unexpectedly with real live dragons, which are fiery, fierce, ravenous, irritating, grumpy, furry and even gifted cooks! They appear from caves, from the pages of a magical book, at the North Pole or from mysterious dungeons where nobody dares enter. Her stories are superbly written and surprise and delight at every turn. Absolutely riveting. * I. The Book of Beasts * II. Uncle James, or The Purple Stranger * III. The Deliverers of Their Country * IV. The Ice Dragon, or Do as You Are Told * V. The Island of the Nine Whirlpools * VI. The Dragon Tamers * VII. The Fiery Dragon, or The Heart of Stone and the Heart of Gold * VIII. Kind Little Edmund, or The Caves and the Cockatrice

Edith Nesbit (Author), Cathy Dobson (Narrator)

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Alice's Adventures in Wonderland

Lewis Carroll's classic Alice in Wonderland, a young girl's adventure down a magical rabbit hole, read by a full cast for Alcazar Audioworks. On a boring afternoon, Alice spots a chance for adventure when a White Rabbit wearing a coat and pocket watch dashes by her, complaining about the time. After chasing the White Rabbit down into his rabbit hole, Alice encounters an entertaining series of eccentric characters including, The Mad Hatter, The Cheshire Cat, Humpty-Dumpty and The Queen of Hearts. Join Alice as she changes sizes quite indiscriminately, has a madcap tea with an outrageous menagerie and plays croquet with truly cranky royalty. Table of Contents: Chapter 1 - Down the Rabbit-Hole Chapter 2 - The Pool of Tears Chapter 3 - A Caucus-Race and a Long Tale Chapter 4 - The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill Chapter 5 - Advice from a Caterpillar Chapter 6 - Pig and Pepper Chapter 7 - A Mad Tea-Party Chapter 8 - The Queen's Croquet-Ground Chapter 9 - The Mock Turtle's Story Chapter 10 - The Lobster Quadrille Chapter 11 - Who Stole the Tarts? Chapter 12 - Alice's Evidence AUTHOR Lewis Carroll Under the pseudonym of Lewis Carroll, Charles Lutwidge Dodson (1832-1898), published Alice's Adventures in Wonderland in 1865. Charles Dodgson was a brilliant and accomplished man. He was a mathematics teacher at Oxford for most of his career. He published several mathematics books as well as novels and poems. Dodgson was also a professional photographer and avid inventor. "

Lewis Carroll (Author), A Full Cast, David Thorn (Narrator)

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The Land Of Oz

In The Land of Oz, L. Frank Baum's sequel to The Wizard of Oz, young Tip runs away from the witch Mombi, taking with him Jack Pumpkinhead and the wooden Saw-Horse, and flees to the Emerald City where he learns the incredible secret of his past.

L. Frank Baum (Author), Anna Fields (Narrator)

Audiobook

Mabel Jones and the Forbidden City

Penguin presents the unabridged, downloadable, audiobook edition of Mabel Jones and the Forbidden City by Will Mabbit, read by Mark Heap. Mabel Jones is ready for her second unlikely adventure - another hilarious story by Will Mabbitt. What would you do if hungry vines emerged from your wardrobe and stole your baby sister? If you're Mabel Jones and afraid of nothing, you'd follow! Between Mabel and her goal is a dangerous jungle, filled with deadly monsters and poisoned jelly babies. Can she defeat the Witch Queen and rescue her sister, or is this the last we'll see of Mabel Jones . . .?

Will Mabbitt (Author), Mark Heap (Narrator)

Audiobook

Klawde: Evil Alien Warlord Cat: Enemies #2

Klawde is not your basic cat. He's an emperor from another planet, exiled to Earth. He's cruel. He's cunning. He's brilliant... and he's also Raj Banerjee's best friend. Klawde and Raj are back! As summer turns to fall, our favorite warlord cat remains in his pitiful exiled existence. But Raj has an even scarier prospect than cosmic exile: starting at a new school. And if things didn't seem complicated enough, both cat and human are confronted with two figures from their past they did not expect to pop up in Elba, Oregon... With a hilarious, biting voice that switches between Raj's and Klawde's perspectives, this is the story of an unlikely friendship that emerges as two fish out of water continue to find their footing in strange new worlds. 'Applaud for KLAWDE. Two paws up!'--Dav Pilkey, creator of the Dog Man series. 'Funny, savage, and brilliant, Klawde is the pet I wish I had.'--Max Brallier, author of the New York Times Best Seller The Last Kids on Earth

Emily Chenoweth, Johnny Marciano (Author), Oliver Wyman, Vikas Adam (Narrator)

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What Manor of Murder

What's that you say? You're off to Bleakley Manor? On Michaelmas eve? But dear child, hasn't anyone told you the legend of Old Bramble Head, who rises once a year to claim another victim from the unfortunate Bleakley household... Which one will it be this time? And could there be foul play? Crime-busting brothers Horatio and Eustace Bleakley feel certain they smell a rat. Or is that Cook's dinner? More importantly, can they solve the mystery before another Bleakley bites the dust? Go ahead and find out... if you dare!

Christopher William Hill (Author), Julian Wadham (Narrator)

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Shade

Safira doesn't believe in ghosts, but the girl in her cabin at camp was not a living person, so what was she? Her friend Trinity is convinced Safira's seen a ghost and sets out to discover who the ghost girl is. Safira is too busy dealing with her family to help solve the mystery. Safira has never gotten along with her sister, Mya, and now that Mya's pending marriage dominates the family there seems to be no hope for friendship between them. But when Trinity discovers the death of a girl named Myra, Safira starts to wonder if the ghost-girl has an important message about her own sister.

K.L. Denman (Author), Arielle Lipshaw (Narrator)

Audiobook

Murder at the Museum

A second mystery for thirteen-year-old Agatha Oddly - a bold, determined heroine, and the star of this stylish new detective series. Agatha Oddlow's set to become the youngest member of the Gatekeepers' Guild, but before that, she's got a mystery to solve! There's been a murder at the British Museum and, although the police are investigating, Agatha suspects that they're missing a wider plot going on below London - a plot involving a disused Tube station, a huge fireworks display, and five thousand tonnes of gold bullion...

Lena Jones (Author), Aspen Reiss (Narrator)

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