The Anglo-Saxon saga retold in excellent English prose, with the heroic qualities emphasized. Relates how Beowulf, the hero of the Anglo-Saxons, journeys to Daneland, and how he overcomes Grendel, the ogre, and his mother, the water witch, then returns to his own land to serve as king. After 50 years of peace, the fire dragon makes war on the Goth folk and Beowulf goes forth in combat against it, vanquishing his foe but in the end losing his life in ridding his people of its frightful enemy. An outstanding introduction to this tale for children ages 8 and up.

Stories of Beowulf Told to the Children (Yesterday's Classics)

Children's Books

H.E. Marshall

Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths

Yesterday's Classics

Stories of Robin Hood in a lively retelling that chronicles the events of the time in which Robin Hood lived. Describes how and why he came to live in the Green Wood, and the adventures he had there with Little John, Maid Marian, and the Sheriff of Nottingham. Selections from the original ballads are woven into the story. A delightful introduction to these stories for children ages 8 and up.

Stories of Robin Hood Told to the Children (Yesterday's Classics)

Ten illustrated stories from the song of Roland, simply but effectively told, relating how Roland follows the bravest knights of Charlemagne into battle, how Roland and Oliver meet their deaths, of Charlemagne's vengeance on Marsil the Saracen and of the punishment of the traitor Ganelon. The treatment is romantic, the style picturesque. An excellent introduction to this legend for children ages 8 and up.

Stories of Roland Told to the Children (Yesterday's Classics)

Nights were long in Iceland winters of long ago. A whole family sat for hours around the fire in the middle of the room. That fire gave the only light. Shadows flitted in the dark corners. Smoke curled along the high beams of the ceiling. The children sat on the dirt floor close by the fire. The grown people were on a long narrow bench that they had pulled up to the light and warmth. Everybody's hands were busy with wool. As the family worked in the red fire-light, the father told of the kings of Norway, of long voyages to strange lands, of good fights. And in farmhouses all through Iceland these old tales were told over and over until everybody knew them and loved them. Men who could sing and play the harp were called "skalds," and they called their songs "sagas." Eventually these stories were written down on sheepskin or vellum so that we can enjoy them today. We follow the fortunes of Harald from the time he is acknowledged by his father as a baby and given his own thrall at the cutting of his first tooth, through his exploits as a viking adventurer, to his crowning as King of Norway. It is when Harald is King of Norway that population pressures at home and eagerness for adventure and booty from other lands combine to drive some of the bolder Vikings to set forth from their native land. Sailing ever westward across the Atlantic, they hop along the chain of islands that loosely connects Norway with America-Orkneys and Shetlands, Faeroes, Iceland, and Greenland. It is from link to link of this chain that the characters in our story sail in search of home and adventure. Discoveries are made by accident. Ships are driven by the wind into unknown ports, resulting in landings and settlements in Iceland, Greenland, and America. The crude courage of these men and strangeness of their adventures appeal strongly to children, while their love of truth, hardy endurance, and faithfulness to the promised word make them characters to emulate. Suitable for children ages 9 and up to read to themselves and for children as young as 6 as a read-aloud.

Viking Tales (Yesterday's Classics)

Hall, Jennie

History

Parables for children inspired by nature. This collection includes all 29 stories from the first, second, third, and fourth series, originally published in separate volumes.

Parables from Nature (Yesterday's Classics)

Mrs. Alfred Gatty

Literature & Fiction

No book is better for introducing children ages 6 to 9 to legendary historical figures than this collection of stories admirably retold by James Baldwin at the beginning of the last century. Selecting the best of our literary heritage, Baldwin cast it into a form that delights children of all ages. Beginning with the stories of heroes from British history, including King Alfred and the Cakes, King Canute on the Seashore, and Bruce and the Spider, the book moves on to tales of other lands. From Ancient Greece come stories of The Brave Three Hundred, Alexander and Bucepahlus, and Diogenes the Wise Man. Introducing the history of Rome are the Story of Cincinnatus, Horatius at the Bridge, and Julius Caesar. The stories of William Tell, Arnold Winkelried, and Robin Hood impart a bit of the flavor of the Middle Ages. Rounding out the collection are a number of timeless tales that show heroes in action: Damon and Pythias, The Sword of Damocles, Picciola, and The King and His Hawk. Children naturally take a deep interest in such stories. The reading of them will not only give pleasure but will help to lay the foundation for broader literary studies since nearly all are the subjects of frequent allusions in poetry and prose. Young children will enjoy having these stories read to them, while older children will delight in reading them to themselves.

Fifty Famous Stories Retold (Yesterday's Classics)

Baldwin PhD, James

Biographies

A companion volume to "Fifty Famous Stories Retold" by James Baldwin, "Fifty Famous People" introduces children to a variety of men who performed their parts in the great drama of the world's history. Included are anecdotes about great American statesmen, such as Lincoln and Franklin, as well as kings of long ago-Cyrus the Great, King Alfred, and Robert Bruce, boys who became famous as poets-Longfellow and Caedmon, and others who excelled in the art of painting-Giotto and Benjamin West. Other stories depict orators, scholars, inventors, slaves, and soldiers. Regardless of their fields of endeavour, all the characters portrayed show qualities that make them worthy of being remembered and looked up to as models of behavior. Young children will enjoy hearing these stories read to them, while older ones will take pleasure in reading them to themselves.

Fifty Famous People (Yesterday's Classics)

This volume was written by the author in answer to the requests of hundreds of children for more stories like the ones they had enjoyed in "Fifty Famous Stories Retold." Since this book is intended for slightly older students (ages 7 to 10), the anecdotes related have a greater spirit of adventure matching the interests of these older students. We hear of the explorers Columbus, Balboa, Drake, and Ponce de Leon and their adventures in the New World. We see scientists at their moment of inspiration: Newton pondering the fall of an apple, Galileo observing the swinging lamps, and Archimedes yelling "Eureka!" We observe the persistence of Gutenberg in improving the printing press and James Watt in harnessing the energy of steam. We thrill to the exploits of the heroes at the fall of Troy and rejoice with Penelope at Odysseus's homecoming. We follow the fortunes of Rome from its founding through its wars with Carthage. We travel eastward with King Richard and Frederick Barbarossa during the Crusades. We applaud when King John signs the Magna Charta at Runnymede. The richer vocabulary and more complicated plot elements in these stories of historical events, scientific discoveries, and legendary heroes, gradually accustom children to following a longer narrative.

Thirty More Famous Stories Retold (Yesterday's Classics)

A child's history of England from earliest legendary times delightfully retold. Beginning with the stories of Albion and Brutus, it relates all the interesting legends and hero tales in which the history of England abounds through the end of the reign of Queen Victoria. Suitable for children ages 9 and up to read to themselves and for children as young as 6 as a read-aloud.

Our Island Story: A History of Britain for Boys and Girls

Stories from the history of the United States beginning with a full account of exploration and settlement and ending with the presidency of Woodrow Wilson. The 99 chapters are grouped under 7 headings: Stories of Explorers and Pioneers, Stories of Virginia, Stories of New England, Stories of the Middle and Southern Colonies, Stories of the French in America, Stories of the Struggle for Liberty, and Stories of the United States under the Constitution. Suitable for ages 10 and up.

This Country of Ours (Yesterday's Classics)

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Books by Yesterday's Classics