The Tale of Despereaux

Kate DiCamillo takes us on an extraordinary journey, from the depths of the ocean to the net of a fisherman, from the top of a garbage heap to the fireside of a hoboes' camp, from the bedside of an ailing child to the bustling streets of Memphis. And along the way, we are shown a true miracle, that even a heart of the most breakable kind can learn to love, to lose, and to love again.

Every year, the people of the Protectorate leave a baby as an offering to the witch who lives in the forest. But Xan is in fact a good witch who rescues the children. One year, Xan accidentally feeds a baby moonlight instead of starlight, filling the ordinary child with extraordinary magic.

Since its publication over forty years ago, this heartwarming tale of a boy and his dogs has touched millions. A tale of adventure, special friendship and coming-of-age, Where the Red Fern Grows makes for delightful listening. This unabridged production, featuring a moving performance by Anthony Heald, brings this enduring classic to life and makes a powerful story even more unforgettable.

Esperanza Ortega possesses all the treasures a young girl in Aguascalientes, Mexico could want. But a sudden tragedy shatters that dream, forcing Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. There they confront the challenges of hard work, acceptance by their own people, and economic difficulties brought on by the Great Depression. Pam Munoz Ryan eloquently portrays the Mexican workers' plight in this abundant and passionate novel.

Stuart Little is a shy, philosophical little mouse with a big heart and a taste for adventure. In spite of his diminutive stature, barely two inches tall, Stuart sets forth into the world with some mighty big plans: to ride a Fifth Avenue bus, to win a sailboat race in Central Park, and to teach school for a day. But Stuart's greatest adventure begins when he decides to find his best friend, Margalo, a pretty little bird who once lived in a Boston fern in the Littles' house in New York City.

Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative game maker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library. Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route.

In the first book in this series, eight-year-old Drake is snatched up by King Roland's soldier and taken to the castle. He is to be trained as a Dragon Master. At the castle, he is joined by three other young Dragon Masters-in-training: Ana, Rori, and Bo. The Dragon Masters must learn how to connect with and train their dragons - and they must also uncover their dragons' special powers. 

Maya's family refuses to believe that she has an elephant in her backyard. But the elephant is not hers and needs to return home! This sweet, simple story is delightfully narrated by Shernaz Patel. 

Happy face or sad face? The future of Tom’s school trip depends on an emoji! Welcome back to the amazing world of Tom Gates! But right now, it’s not looking quite as amazing as usual. Tom’s trying really hard to stay out of trouble. But he’s got three sad faces on the school achievement chart. Just one more sad face means Mr Fullerman will ban him from the school trip. Moany Marcus is making things worse. And now Tom’s upset his grumpy sister Delia.

When a baby escapes a murderer intent on killing the entire family, who would have thought it would find safety and security in the local graveyard? Brought up by the resident ghosts, ghouls and spectres, Bod has an eccentric childhood learning about life from the dead. But for Bod there is also the danger of the murderer still looking for him - after all, he is the last remaining member of the family.

What defines a family? That is the underlying question in the life of Pony Boy Curtis. When his parents die in a car wreck, he comes to depend on the love, friendship and support of his two older brothers and a gang of friends defined by poverty, bad attitudes and long greasy hair. The gang, called greasers, carry on a long-standing war with a group of rich kids, known as Socs, a fight fueled by ignorance and prejudice.An American coming-of-age classic, a story of friendship and social prejudice among a gang of friends.

The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, a classic Roald Dahl story, brought to life in an audiobook reading by House star Hugh Laurie. Billy dreams of turning a weird old wooden house into a wonderful sweet-shop. But a giraffe, a pelly, and a monkey already live inside! Soon they are friends, and when they meet the richest man in England, Billy's scrumptious-galumptious dream just might come true....

From Phyllis Reynolds Naylor comes this unabridged recording of her Newbery Award-winning tale of adventure, courage and love, the timeless and moving story of a dog in trouble and the young boy who would save him.

James Henry Trotter's parents have been eaten by a rhinoceros, so now he lives with his two repulsive aunts. One hot day something peculiar happens and an enormous peach grows in their garden. Soon James and the Giant Peach are rolling away from his horrible aunts, towards a most marvellous and wonderful place.... 

The radio dramatisation of The Hobbit became a classic when it was first broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 1968 and it continues to delight today. Tolkien's famous saga, the prelude to the Lord of the Rings, has all the ingredients of fantasy and adventure: dwarves, elves, goblins and trolls, a fearsome dragon, a great wizard, a perilous quest, and a dramatic climax.