Levels 7 & 8 Read-Aloud Set

Written by Carlo Collodi in 1883, Pinocchio is an adventure-filled fairy tale with an important moral. Will Pinocchio ever learn to do what is right and become a real boy? Collodi's timeless story teaches valuable lessons of goodness, hard work, and diligence.

To everyone who has ever wanted to never grow up: J. M. Barrie welcomes you to Neverland. Here lives Peter Pan, the "boy who wouldn't grow up," and his raucous troupe of Lost Boys. One night, Peter invites Wendy Darling and her brothers to leave their sleepy English home and join him in his world of never-ending wonder. Together they encounter fairies, mermaids, and pirates with childlike joy. Captain Hook and his mischievous crew threaten their adventures, but a little pixie dust and faith in magic keep their fantastical journeys ever jolly.

From the publisher: When their father's business fails, the six Bastable children decide to restore the family fortunes. But although they think of many ingenious ways to do so, their well-meant efforts are either more fun than profitable, or lead to trouble - until one adventure has quite unexpected results.

From the publisher: This acclaimed story of World War II is rich in suspense, characterization, plot and spiritual truth. Every element of occupied Holland is united in a story of courage and hope: a hidden Jewish child, an underdiver, a downed RAF pilot, an imaginative, daring underground hero, and the small things of family life which surprisingly carry on in the midst of oppression. The Verhagen family, who live in the old windmill called the Winged Watchman, are a memorable set of individuals whose lives powerfully demonstrate the resilience of those who suffer but do not lose faith.

From the publisher: "Instinct told them that the way home lay to the west. And so the doughty young Labrador retriever, the roguish bull terrier and the indomitable Siamese set out through the Canadian wilderness. Separately, they would soon have died. But, together, the three house pets faced starvation, exposure, and wild forest animals to make their way home to the family they love. The Incredible Journey is one of the great children's stories of all time--and has been popular ever since its debut in 1961."

From the publisher:  Burnett's conviction that love conquers all is memorably embodied in this tale of an American boy who is transported from the mean streets of 19th-century New York to the splendor of his titled grandfather's English manor. "Compellingly readable." — Horn Book.

From the publisher:

"This is the tale of The Boy, who is not at all surprised to find a Dragon living in the hillside. Natrually, the two soon become fast friends, and when St. George arrives to battle the Dragon, whome he's sure must be a danger to the countryside, the Boy, the Dragon, and the Saint hold a surprising contest...which just might end up satisfying one and all.
Featuring a new introduction from two-time Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall, this story from the author of Wind in the Willows and the illustrator of Winnie the Pooh has been enjoyed by readers since 1938, and feels particularly timely today. Ideal for fans of knights and dragons, as well as readers who like a slightly subversive take on a traditional tale."

Black Beauty Sample

"We call them dumb animals, and so they are, for they cannot tell us how they feel, but they do not suffer less because they have no words."

Rarely does an entertaining children's book also bring about significant societal change, but Black Beauty, a touching story following the tumultuous life of a young colt, forced Victorian England to take notice of the mistreatment of horses and seek to improve their welfare. Anna Sewell's novel was an immediate success and has since sold more than fifty million copies.