During the French Revolution a young English lawyer goes to the guillotine to save a French aristocrat, husband of the woman he loves. "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times ..." With these famous words, Charles Dickens plunges the reader into the French Revolution. From the storming of the Bastille to the relentless drop of the guillotine, Dickens vividly captures the terror and upheaval of that tumultuous period. At the center is the...

"When Black Beauty was born one sweet spring day, he could not have imagined the life ahead of him. Following his mother's advice to do his work with a good will, he enjoys the adventures of country and city life, makes new friends, and suffers from the cruelty and greed of his human masters. Beauty faces each challenge with bravery and kindness -- and then a chance encounter with an old friend brings him the greatest joy of all. Anna Sewell's classic...

A classic of children's literature, The Wind in the Willows is author Kenneth Grahame's tale of adventure, misadventure, and friendship. Grahame grew up in Cookham in Berkshire, which provided the scenery for Wind in the Willows. When Mole wanders off from his spring cleaning, he discovers a thrilling new world of boat trips, caravan rides, car crashes, and other madcap adventures with his friends Rat, Badger, and the impetuous Toad. This unabridged...

"When orphaned Mary Lennox comes to live at her uncle's great house with nearly one hundred rooms, she finds it full of secrets. Her uncle keeps himself locked up, and at night Mary hears the sound of crying echoing down one of the long corridors. The gardens surrounding the large property are her only escape. Then one day Mary discovers a secret garden, surrounded by walls and a locked gate. With the help of two unexpected companions, Mary discovers...