Classic Nature

On the Origin of Species is one of the most important and influential books of its time and remains one of the most significant contributions to philosophical and scientific thought. The theories Darwin sets out here had an immediate and profound impact on the literature and philosophical thought of his contemporaries and continue to provoke thought and debate today. Written for the general public of the 1850s, On the Origin of Species laid out an evolutionary view of the world which challenged contemporary beliefs about divine providence and the fixity of species.

Against Nature was one of the most shocking French novels of the 19th century. When it was published in 1884, it thrilled the aesthetes, the poets, and the intellectuals of Europe on both sides of the Channel (notably Oscar Wilde) because for all its lofty tone, it had, as its core, an unbridled decadence, and it was this same character that challenged, even horrified, established bourgeois society.

Underneath the steps leading down to Eric's basement is a hidden storage place. It's dusty and old, nothing special at all. But when Eric, Julie, and Neal all huddle inside the gray room together, something unbelievable happens. A glittering light and then a rainbow-colored staircase appear. As the kids take their very first step down into the mysterious land of Droon, they know that only magic and adventure await them!

In The Adventures of Peter Cottontail, Peter Rabbit doesn't like his name and tries to find another that has more prestige. His friends think he is silly and devise a scheme to show Peter the problem with changing his name. Peter learns his mistake and changes his name back.

Little Joe Otter is playful and full of surprises. Peter Rabbit is curious. Peter is curious why he has not seen Little Joe Otter in the Smiling Pool? Wait! Did Peter just see two Little Joe Otters in the Smiling Pool? While Peter is trying to determine if there is indeed more than one Little Joe Otter, he learns some other lessons from the times "when the world was young" from Grandfather Frog and others.

Two classic tales by Beatrix Potter, The Tales of Peter Rabbit and Benjamin Bunny, narrated by Lavender Hart.

A moving musical score helps bring to life this unforgettable story from Rudyard Kipling's The Jungle Book.

Friar Tuck, a big golden Labrador, is young Helen’s inseparable companion. She still remembers the sunny day three years ago when her father dumped the fat, wriggling puppy into her surprised arms and said, “All yours, Helen.” Since then, her dog has grown into a wonderful friend for the lanky, red-haired girl. No one knows exactly when Tuck began to go blind. By the time Helen and her parents notice the symptoms, the dog is knocking over chairs and can no longer chase squirrels.

Emerson wrote most of his important essays as lectures first and then revised them for print. His first two collections of essays, Essays: First Series (1841) and Essays: Second Series (1844), represent the core of his thinking. They include the well-known essays "Self-Reliance" and "The Over-Soul". Together with "Nature", these essays made the decade from the mid-1830s to the mid-1840s Emerson's most fertile period. 

When Black Beauty is just a foal, his mother tells him to be gentle and good, hard-working and obedient to his humans always. Beauty's first job, as carriage horse to Squire Gordon, rewards his good behavior. But when the Gordons fall on hard times, Beauty is sold to an estate whose mistress insists on the bearing rein, a device that forces a horse's head into an uncomfortable but chic position. After scarring his knees in a fall, Beauty is sold once again, to a hard life in a livery stable.

L'histoire, racontée à la première personne, est l'autobiographie d'un cheval nommé Prince Noir qui commence sa vie poulain dans une ferme anglaise. Le roman raconte les mésaventures de ce cheval, vendu par ses premiers propriétaires, jusqu'à devenir cheval de fiacre dans les rues de Londres. Tout au long de l'histoire, Prince Noir est confronté à la cruauté ou la sympathie des hommes, et continue à faire le travail qu'on lui demande avec courage.

A baby bird goes in search of his mother in this hilarious Beginner Book edited by Dr. Seuss. When a mother bird's egg starts to jump, she hurries off to make sure she has something for her little one to eat. But as soon as she's gone, out pops the baby bird. He immediately sets off to find his mother, but not knowing what she looks like makes it a challenge. The little hatchling is determined to find his mother, even after meeting a kitten, a hen, a dog, and a Snort.

Ten-year-old Jerry Pye wants a dog more than anything. He has a puppy picked out, but someone else wants him, too. Jerry and his sister must hurry to earn enough money to buy him. When they get Ginger home, strange things start to happen. A sneaky stranger in a yellow hat starts following them everywhere. When their precious Ginger disappears on Thanksgiving Day, they start looking for the man in the yellow hat. If they find him, they'll probably find their pup.

The Story of Ferdinand has enchanted readers since it was first published in 1936. All the other bulls would run and jump and butt their heads together. But Ferdinand would rather sit and smell the flowers. And he does just that until the day a bumblebee and some men from the Madrid bullfights give gentle Ferdinand a chance to be the most ferocious star of the corrida - and the most unexpected comic hero.

Rudyard Kipling's classic story of Mowgli, a young boy raised by wolves in the Indian jungle, is brought to life in this brand new retelling. Follow Mowgli as he embarks on a series of incredible adventures and meets a cast of unforgettable characters along the way, such as Baloo the bear, Bagheera the panther and Shere Khan the tiger. This classic story has been retold and adapted for ages 6+.

Nature is a book-length essay written by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and published by James Munroe and Company in 1836. In the essay, Emerson put forth the foundation of transcendentalism, a belief system that espouses a non-traditional appreciation of nature. Ralph Waldo Emerson, who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist, and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century.

This audiobook contains two awesome stories. The first story is about a wacky lion cub called Wilburr, and the second story is about a panicky penguin called Pettri.

Paddington Bear had travelled all the way from Darkest Peru when the Brown family first met him on Paddington station. Since then their lives have never been quite the same…for ordinary things become quite extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is around. This fun-filled collection brings together six laugh-out-loud stories.

Published in 1884, Against Nature (À rebours) concerns the attempts of its cultured and neurotic anti-hero, Des Esseintes, to escape contemporary Parisian life. At his rural retreat he is able to indulge his particular artistic tastes as he muses on a range of topics including literature, religion and painting.

Holly Hunter narrates this popular nursery tale, one of the most beloved children's classics of all time. The moral is that hard work has its rewards and becomes evident as the cleverest and wisest pig finally gets even with the big bad wolf. Ages four and up.