Reading & Literature

A masterpiece of satire, this classic has entertained and enlightened readers the world over with its sly and ironic portrayal of human life and foibles from the vantage point of Screwtape, a highly placed assistant to "Our Father Below". At once wildly comic, deadly serious, and strikingly original, C.S. Lewis gives us the correspondence of the worldly-wise old devil to his nephew, Wormwood, a novice demon in charge of securing the damnation of an ordinary young man. The "Screwtape Letters" is the most engaging account of temptation - and triumph over it - ever written. 209 pages. Learn More

Sometimes your body needs help getting better from an injury or illness. Medical technology can help find out what is wrong as well as cure what ails us. Today, tiny video cameras can be inserted into the body to see what’s there – and if someone loses a finger, a surgeon can reattach it using microsurgery under a powerful microscope. This fascinating guide to medical technology explores how robots are helping surgeons to perform operations, vaccines prevent deaths from disease, and various gadgets can help us check our diet and fitness levels. Features include funny and interesting illustrations; real-world science examples; side panels to tackle complex subject matter in a fun and relevant way; detailed glossary and more Learn More

The Scarlet Pimpernel By BARONESS ORCZY.

The first and most successful in the Baroness’s series of books that feature Percy Blakeney, who leads a double life as an English fop and a swashbuckling rescuer of aristocrats, The Scarlet Pimpernel was the blueprint for what became known as the masked-avenger genre. As Anne Perry writes in her Introduction, the novel “has almost reached its first centenary, and it is as vivid and appealing as ever because the plotting is perfect. It is a classic example of how to construct, pace, and conclude a plot. . . . To rise on the crest of laughter without capsizing, to survive being written, rewritten, and reinterpreted by each generation, is the mark of a plot that is timeless and universal, even though it happens to be set in England and France of 1792.”

Paperback |  Published by Puffin Books Mar 01, 1997 | 336 Pages | 5-1/16 x 7-3/4 | Middle Grade (10 and up)

Learn More

An "A" for "adultery" marks Hester Prynne as an outcast from the society of colonial Boston. Although forced by the puritanical town fathers to wear a bright red badge of shame, Hester steadfastly resists their efforts to discover the identity of her baby's father. The return of her long-absent spouse brings new pressure on the young mother, as the aggrieved husband undertakes a long-term plot to reveal Hester's partner in adultery and force him to share her disgrace.

Masterful in its symbolism and compelling in its character studies, Nathaniel Hawthorne's tale of punishment and reconciliation examines the concepts of sin, guilt, and pride. The Scarlet Letter was published to immediate acclaim in 1850. Its timeless exploration of moral and spiritual issues, along with its philosophical and psychological insights, keep it ever relevant for students of American literature and lovers of fiction.

A selection of the Common Core State Standards Initiative.

Reprint of the Ticknor, Reed, and Fields, Boston, 1850 edition.

Learn More

"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. "These deceptively simple lines from the title poem of this collection suggest Robert Frost at his most representative: the language is simple, clear and colloquial, yet dense with meaning and wider significance. Drawing upon everyday incidents, common situations and rural imagery, Frost fashioned poetry of great lyrical beauty and potent symbolism. Now a selection of the best of his early works is available in this volume, originally published in 1916 under the title Mountain Interval. Included are many moving and expressive poems: "An Old Man's Winter Night," "In the Home Stretch," "Meeting and Passing," "Putting In the Seed," "A Time to Talk," "The Hill Wife," "The Exposed Nest," "The Sound of Trees" and more. All are reprinted here complete and unabridged. Includes a selection from the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Reprint of Mountain Interval, Henry Holt and Company, New York, 1916. Learn More

ABOUT THE RISE AND FALL OF ATHENS

Nine Greek biographies illustrate the rise and fall of Athens, from the legendary days of Theseus, the city’s founder, through Solon, Themistocles, Aristides, Cimon, Pericles, Nicias, and Alcibiades, to the razing of its walls by Lysander. For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world.

With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.

Learn More

Great title poem plus "Kubla Khan," "Christabel," 20 other sonnets, lyrics, odes: "Sonnet: To a Friend who asked how I felt when the Nurse first presented my Infant to me," "Frost at Midnight," "The Nightingale," "The Pains of Sleep," "To William Wordsworth," "Youth and Age," many more. Alphabetical lists of titles and first lines. All are reprinted from an authoritative edition published by Oxford University Press. Learn More

Marcus Tullius Cicero, a Roman statesman from the first century B.C., was convinced that the upright moral life was the happier life. The Republic became the blueprint of the U.S. government almost 2,000 years after it was written. In The Laws, Cicero defends his understanding of the upright moral life and becomes the foundation for the West’s philosophical discussion on the natural law. Studying such perennial works is a boon to everyone. From the publisher: Cicero’s dialogue The Republic was written just before the civil war that ended the Roman Republic. Drawing on Greek political theory, it embodies the mature reflections of a Roman ex-consul on the nature of political organization, on justice in society, and on the qualities needed in a statesman. Its sequel, The Laws, expounds the influential doctrine of Natural Law, which applies to all mankind, setting out an ideal code for a reformed Roman Republic, already half in the realm of Utopia. This is the finest complete English translation of either work for over sixty years. The Teacher Guide includes the following: answers to questions contained in the Student Guide, quizzes, tests, exams, and the answer key. Learn More

Marcus Tullius Cicero, a Roman statesman from the first century B.C., was convinced that the upright moral life was the happier life. The Republic became the blueprint of the U.S. government almost 2,000 years after it was written. In The Laws, Cicero defends his understanding of the upright moral life and becomes the foundation for the West’s philosophical discussion on the natural law. Studying such perennial works is a boon to everyone.

From the publisher: Cicero’s dialogue The Republic was written just before the civil war that ended the Roman Republic. Drawing on Greek political theory, it embodies the mature reflections of a Roman ex-consul on the nature of political organization, on justice in society, and on the qualities needed in a statesman.

Its sequel, The Laws, expounds the influential doctrine of Natural Law, which applies to all mankind, setting out an ideal code for a reformed Roman Republic, already half in the realm of Utopia.

This is the finest complete English translation of either work for over sixty years.

The Student Guide provides questions corresponding with the text and also provides an in-depth study that will aid the student in gaining a better understanding of classical studies.

Learn More

Get ready to accompany Roberta, Peter, and Phyllis on their daily adventures in "The Three Chimneys," a house near the railway in Yorkshire. Using this comprehension guide, students will join in the adventures and mysteries of the children’s family with questions for each chapter, engaging activities, and even crafts. This guide is recommended for students in the 2ndgrade. 40 pages See also 8711, or 3702. Learn More

The Railway Children By E. NESBIT Introduction by Jacqueline Wilson.

The Railway Children is the classic children’s story by E. Nesbit. When Father is taken away unexpectedly, Roberta, Peter, Phyllis and their mother have to leave their comfortable life in London to go and live in a small cottage in the country. The children seek solace in the nearby railway station, and make friends with Perks the Porter and the Station Master himself. Each day, Roberta, Peter and Phyllis run down the field to the railway track and wave at the passing London train, sending their love to Father. Little do they know that the kindly old gentleman passenger who waves back holds the key to their father’s disappearance.

One of the best-loved classics of all time, with a wonderful introduction by Jacqueline Wilson. Edith Nesbit was a mischievous child who grew up into an unconventional adult. With her husband, Hubert Bland, she was one of the founder members of the socialist Fabian Society; their household became a centre of the socialist and literary circles of the times. E. Nesbit turned late to children’s writing. Her first children’s book, The Treasure Seekers, was published in 1899 to great acclaim. Other books featuring the Bastable children followed, and a series of magical fantasy books, including Five Children and It also became very popular. The Railway Children was first published monthly in the London Magazine in 1905, and published as a book in 1906, which has been in print ever since. Other children’s books by E Nesbit: The Story of the Treasure Seekers; The Wouldbegoods; The New Treasure Seekers; Complete History of the Bastable Family; Five Children and It; The Phoenix and the Carpet; The Story of the Amulet; The House of Arden; Harding’s Luck; The Railway Children; The Enchanted Castle; The Magic City; The Wonderful Garden; Wet Magic; Five of Us and Madeline

Learn More

A tale of true love and high adventure, pirates, princesses, giants, miracles, fencing, and a frightening assortment of wild beasts--The Princess Bride is a modern storytelling classic. As Florin and Guilder teeter on the verge of war, the reluctant Princess Buttercup is devastated by the loss of her true love, kidnapped by a mercenary and his henchman, rescued by a pirate, forced to marry Prince Humperdinck, and rescued once again by the very crew who absconded with her in the first place. In the course of this dazzling adventure, she'll meet Vizzini--the criminal philosopher who'll do anything for a bag of gold; Fezzik--the gentle giant; Inigo--the Spaniard whose steel thirsts for revenge and Count Rugen--the evil mastermind behind it all. Foiling all their plans and jumping into their stories is Westley, Princess Buttercup's one true love and a very good friend of a very dangerous pirate. Learn More

Princess Irene's discovery of a secret stair to the top turret of the castle leads to a wonderful revelation. At the same time, the miner's son Curdie overhears a fiendish plot by the goblins that live below the mountain. But it will take all their wit and courage, and the help of Irene's magic ring, to make sense of their separate knowledge and foil the goblins' schemes. Ages 8-12. Penguin. Learn More

Princess Irene's great-great-grandmother has a testing task for Curdie. He will not go alone though, she provides him with a companion – the oddest and ugliest creature Curdie has ever seen, but one who turns out to be the most loyal friend he could have hoped for. Ages 10+ Penguin. Learn More

The Prince By NICCOLO MACHIAVELLI

Introduction by Anthony Grafton

Translated by George Bull

Notes by George Bull

Machiavelli’s highly influential treatise on political power

The Prince shocked Europe on publication with its advocacy of ruthless tactics for gaining absolute power and its abandonment of conventional morality. Niccoló Machiavelli drew on his own experience of office under the turbulent Florentine republic, rejecting traditional values of political theory and recognizing the complicated, transient nature of political life. Concerned not with lofty ideal but with a regime that would last, The Prince has become the bible of realpolitik, and it still retains its power to alarm and to instruct. In this edition, Machiavelli’s tough-minded and pragmatic Italian is preserved in George Bull’s clear, unambiguous translation

Paperback | Published by Penguin Classics  | 144 Pages

Learn More

The Phoenix and the Carpet By E. NESBIT.

It’s startling enough to have a phoenix hatch in your house, but even more startling when it talks and reveals that you have a magic carpet on the floor. The vain and ancient bird accompanies the children on a series of adventures through time and space which, magic being what it is, rarely turn out as they were meant . . . This sequel to Five Children and It continues the magical adventures of siblings Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother.

Paperback | Published by Puffin Books May 10, 2012 | 304 Pages | Middle Grade (10 and up)

Learn More

The Phantom Tollbooth By NORTON JUSTER Illustrated by JULES FEIFFER.

With almost 4 million copies sold more than 50 years after its original publication, generations of readers have now journeyed with Milo to the Lands Beyond in this beloved classic. Enriched by Jules Feiffer’s splendid illustrations, the wit, wisdom, and wordplay of Norton Juster’s offbeat fantasy are as beguiling as ever.

“Comes up bright and new every time I read it . . . it will continue to charm and delight for a very long time yet. And teach us some wisdom, too.” –Phillip Pullman

For Milo, everything’s a bore. When a tollbooth mysteriously appears in his room, he drives through only because he’s got nothing better to do. But on the other side, things seem different. Milo visits the Island of Conclusions (you get there by jumping), learns about time from a ticking watchdog named Tock, and even embarks on a quest to rescue Rhyme and Reason. Somewhere along the way, Milo realizes something astonishing. Life is far from dull. In fact, it’s exciting beyond his wildest dreams!Learn More

Encourage students to make connections in history concerning social classes and divisions in societies while becoming familiar with this well-known novel. Written to support instruction of The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton(#1877), these appealing and rigorous cross-curricular lessons and activities work in conjunction with the text to teach students how to analyze and comprehend rich, complex literature. This guide is the perfect tool to teach students how to analyze story elements in multiple ways, practice close reading and text-based vocabulary, determine meaning through text-dependent questions,and more. Add rigor to your students' explorations of rich, complex literature with this essential language arts resource. Grades 9-12 Learn More

A heroic story of friendship and belonging. No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he's got things figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop. And he knows that he can count on his friends—true friends who would do anything for him, like Johnny and Two-Bit. And when it comes to the Socs—a vicious gang of rich kids who enjoy beating up on "greasers" like him and his friends—he knows that he can count on them for trouble. But one night someone takes things too far, and Ponyboy's world is turned upside down... Grade 7+ Learn More

The Old Man and the Sea is one of Hemingway's most enduring works. Told in language of great simplicity and power, it is the story of an old Cuban fisherman, down on his luck, and his supreme ordeal - a relentless, agonizing battle with a giant marlin far out in the Gulf Stream. Here Hemingway recasts, in strikingly contemporary style, the classic theme of courage in the face of defeat, of personal triumph won from loss. Written in 1952, this hugely successful novella confirmed his power and presence in the literary world and played a large part in his winning the Nobel Prize for literature.

Learn More

Explore a mythical world and encourage students to analyze various story elements through activities and lessons in this instructional guide for literature. This guide is the perfect tool to aid students in analyzing and comprehending this timeless story. Grades 9-12 Learn More

The Odyssey is literature’s grandest evocation of everyman’s journey through life. In the myths and legends that are retold here, renowned translator Robert Fagles has captured the energy and poetry of Homer’s original in a bold, contemporary idiom and given us an Odyssey to read aloud, to savor, and to treasure for its sheer lyrical mastery. This is an Odyssey to delight both the classicist and the general reader, and to captivate a new generation of Homer’s students. 541 pages. Learn More

Excellent prose translation of the ancient epic poem recounts the adventures of Odysseus on his homeward voyage from the Trojan War. The clever hero circumvents the wrath of Poseidon to overcome an incredible array of obstacles, including a fantastic cast of adversaries — Cyclops, the one-eyed giant; the enchantress Circe; plus cannibals, sirens, and many other monstrous creatures. A selection of the Common Core State Standards Initiative. Unabridged republication of the 1921 George Herbert Palmer translation. Learn More

A young mouse named Ralph looked out Of his mousehole in Room 215 of the Mountain View Inn. The new tenant of the room, a boy, was playing with a little motorcycle just the right size for a mouse. Ralph could hardly wait till the boy left the room. Hurriedly he scrambled up the telephone cord to the bedside table, where the motorcycle was parked. With growing excitement, Ralph mounted the handsome machine and grasped its handgrips. Suddenly the telephone rang, and the motorcycle with its rider rolled off the table into the metal wastebasket. Ralph was sure he was doomed to be thrown out with the trash. Instead, the mouse found an unexpected career as a motorcyclist opening up to him. Beverly Cleary's first excursion into fantasy is a real triumph in the world of children's books. Ages 8+ Learn More