Victorian England is riding high. People are so prosperous and smug they imagine themselves the masters of the universe. Then the unthinkable happens: England is attacked by Martians! Panic erupts as the countryside goes up in flames. Is there no way to stop the ghastly, machinelike creatures and their deadly heat rays?
In traditional play format, TWELFTH NIGHT is presented in revised and simplified language while maintaining the integrity of the original classic.
Something very peculiar is going on at Baskerville Hall. The local people claim that the moor is haunted. But Sir Henry isn't satisfied with that explanation. So he calls on the great detective Sherlock Holmes. For a while, Holmes and his faithful sidekick Dr. Watson are stumped. But only for a while. This book is an abridged version of the Sir Arthur Conan Doyle novel in which detectives Holmes and Watson investigate the tale of a hound that haunts a family living by the lonely moors of Devonshire.
Hester Prynne must be punished. Why won't she name her baby's father? The vengeful Puritans of Boston demand an answer. Can the new doctor in town unlock the mystery of the shameful secret? Hester's gentle pastor seems unable- or unwilling- to give her any help.
Jim and his friends have the treasure map but they're badly outnumbered. Do they have a chance against the bloodthirsty mutineers? Long John Silver says he's on Jim's side. But the one-legged old pirate is clever and wily-- and Jim's very life is at stake!
"The white bar can propel my Time Machine into the future," he explained. "The black bar can send it into the past." As the Time Traveler continues his amazing story, his friends become increasingly suspicious. They can't quite believe his wild story about the evil Morlocks and the beautiful Eloi. Would you believe it?
Searching for a sea monster, a scientist discovers an amazing underwater vessel. At first he's thrilled to be invited aboard the Nautilus. What changes his mind? He discovers that the mad captain plans to stay at sea forever.
The mysterious prisoner is called Marchiali- but is that his true name? And why has an innocent man been imprisoned for so long? The fabled three musketeers suspect a royal conspiracy. But there are deadly dangers in confronting the royal family. The musketeers could be killed- and poor Marchiali could end up wearing an iron mask!
The Civil War battlefields are nothing like Henry Fleming had imagined them to be. Isn't it the duty of every living creature to save its own life? Yet Henry is afraid to return to his regiment. His comrades are sure to sneer at his cowardice.
The young man has only one dream-- join the brave company of the king's musketeers. Will he be clever and daring enough to make his dream come true? He rides into Paris on his old, broken-down horse. A world of adventure is just ahead.
Jane Eyre has had bad luck. In a fit of anger, her cruel aunt sent her off to Lowood, a bleak, charity institution for orphaned girls. There Jane learned to expect little from life. But her new position at a great country estate promises to be far more interesting than she ever dreamed.
Quasimodo, the deformed bell ringer, and Frollo, the archdeacon, are both in love with Esmeralda. But the beautiful gypsy has already married another man to save his life- and her heart belongs to an army captain! Poor Quasimodo doesn't have much of a chance. Then an angry crowd cries out for Esmeralda's blood, and Quasimodo proves that true love is eternal.
On the run from his kidnapper, an orphaned boy acquires an unexpected traveling companion. Is Alan Breck the notorious outlaw that people say he is? Or is he really a patriotic hero?
Two young boys discover that they look just alike. But the lives they lead could hardly be more different. What could it hurt to trade places for a while? When the old king dies, they find out in a hurry. Will poor Tom Canty actually be crowned the new King of England?
Lemuel Gulliver has bad luck at sea. A series of shipwrecks lands him in some unimaginable places. First, there's the land of the little people. Next there's the fantastic flying island and the land of the giants. Last but not least, Gulliver visits a nation ruled by intelligent horses!
Uncas and Chingachgook are the last survivors of the once mighty tribe of Mohicans. Their friend, a white scout named Hawkeye, needs their help in the British fight against the French. The odds they face are overwhelming. Magua, a cunning Huron, is determined to see them fail.
Just one family survives the shipwreck. Now the father, mother, and their four young sons find themselves stranded on a remote island. What will it take to stay alive? The odds are against them. But the clever, hard-working Robinsons have what it takes to face the ultimate test.
A bored school teacher seeks adventure as a whale hunter. He has no idea that the mad captain of the Pequod is interested in pursuing only one whale- the enormous white beast that bit off his leg! Now it's too late to turn back. Will Ahab's insane quest for revenge cost the entire crew their lives?
Life is a constant struggle in the frozen wilderness of Alaska. For a wolf-dog called White Fang, every day is a fight for survival-- until he's taken in by a young American mining engineer. White Fang's world turns upside down when his new owner takes him home to California. How does he react? Is it likely that a wild wolf-dog can adjust to civilization?
Pip is headed for an apprenticeship at the blacksmith's forge. Then an anonymous donor appears, and sends Pip to London to live as a gentleman. Pip is sure he knows the identity of his secret benefactor. He couldn't be more surprised when he finds that he's been mistaken all along.
Henry Jekyll is a respected doctor-- a kindly man much loved by all. Why is he so protective of the vicious criminal, Edward Hyde? Jekyll's friends are stunned when the mystery is finally unraveled. They can scarcely believe that the man they had so admired had been living a double life!
Freedom is everything to Huckleberry Finn. How can he avoid being "civilized" by the good-hearted Widow Douglas? But just now Huck has more important things on his mind-- like helping his friend Jim escape the slave-catchers!
Silly Mrs. Bennet is "husband hunting" for her five daughters. Heaven knows it isn't easy! Darcy would make a great match for Elizabeth- if it weren't for his false pride and her stubborn prejudice. And the other girls aren't cooperating either. Jane is too shy to show affection, and Lydia has run off with an unsuitable army officer! What's a poor mother to do?
Scrooge is downright mean and cold-hearted-- the stingiest man in all of London. Could anything on earth transform him into a kind and caring human being? Probably not. But the spirit of Christmas is very powerful--more powerful by far than anything on earth.
As usual, Tom Sawyer and his pal Huck Finn were only out looking for fun. They never dreamed they'd witness a murder! And that isn't Tom's only problem. There's a new girl, Becky Thatcher, and the fence he's suppose to paint-- not to mention the hunt for Injun Joe's buried treasure!
