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Stories 4 Cool Kids
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £5.94
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 Customer Reviews
Great CD!, 05 Nov 2008
My kids (4 and 7) love it, they won't get out of the car until it's finished!, they simply love it, can't wait for more of your CDs.
Highly recommended, 03 Aug 2008
Imaginative, educational and entertaining. My 8 year old niece and 5 year old nephew adored this audio-book. Fantastic stuff!
WORST AUDIO BOOK EVER, 13 May 2008
Terrible terrible book. Wooden narration, poor stories - significantly better value audio books out there.
Why kids cant write !!!, 05 Sep 2007
STORIES 4 ................'4' SURELY THEY MEAN 'FOR' COOL KIDS ....
NEXT THEY WILL SAY 'U' BUY IT IF 'U' WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE COOL!
PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK ON THE PARENTS - SO THEY HAVE 'COOL' KIDS
SURELY WE WANT THE CHILDREN TO BE LITERATE FIRST COOL SECOND !!!
Stories 4 Cool Kids by Sharri McGarry, 10 Jan 2007
I bought this cd for my granddaughter who is six years old. Her mother tells me that she loves it, and plays it again and again. It has also been enjoyed by her twin brother. It is highly recommended.
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Stories 4 Cool Kids 2
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £5.35
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Customer Reviews
Great CD!, 05 Nov 2008
My kids (4 and 7) love it, they won't get out of the car until it's finished!, they simply love it, can't wait for more of your CDs.
Highly recommended, 03 Aug 2008
Imaginative, educational and entertaining. My 8 year old niece and 5 year old nephew adored this audio-book. Fantastic stuff!
WORST AUDIO BOOK EVER, 13 May 2008
Terrible terrible book. Wooden narration, poor stories - significantly better value audio books out there.
Why kids cant write !!!, 05 Sep 2007
STORIES 4 ................'4' SURELY THEY MEAN 'FOR' COOL KIDS ....
NEXT THEY WILL SAY 'U' BUY IT IF 'U' WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE COOL!
PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK ON THE PARENTS - SO THEY HAVE 'COOL' KIDS
SURELY WE WANT THE CHILDREN TO BE LITERATE FIRST COOL SECOND !!!
Stories 4 Cool Kids by Sharri McGarry, 10 Jan 2007
I bought this cd for my granddaughter who is six years old. Her mother tells me that she loves it, and plays it again and again. It has also been enjoyed by her twin brother. It is highly recommended.
Fantastic, 01 Feb 2008
Kids love it - even better than the first volume. They can't get enough and now waiting for volume 3!
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Story Box
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £5.58
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Customer Reviews
Great CD!, 05 Nov 2008
My kids (4 and 7) love it, they won't get out of the car until it's finished!, they simply love it, can't wait for more of your CDs.
Highly recommended, 03 Aug 2008
Imaginative, educational and entertaining. My 8 year old niece and 5 year old nephew adored this audio-book. Fantastic stuff!
WORST AUDIO BOOK EVER, 13 May 2008
Terrible terrible book. Wooden narration, poor stories - significantly better value audio books out there.
Why kids cant write !!!, 05 Sep 2007
STORIES 4 ................'4' SURELY THEY MEAN 'FOR' COOL KIDS ....
NEXT THEY WILL SAY 'U' BUY IT IF 'U' WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE COOL!
PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK ON THE PARENTS - SO THEY HAVE 'COOL' KIDS
SURELY WE WANT THE CHILDREN TO BE LITERATE FIRST COOL SECOND !!!
Stories 4 Cool Kids by Sharri McGarry, 10 Jan 2007
I bought this cd for my granddaughter who is six years old. Her mother tells me that she loves it, and plays it again and again. It has also been enjoyed by her twin brother. It is highly recommended.
Fantastic, 01 Feb 2008
Kids love it - even better than the first volume. They can't get enough and now waiting for volume 3!
Delightful stories for youngsters, 17 Nov 2006
A charming set of stories, sweet and innocent in nature, and sure to please any young person. All of the kids who have listened to it have found it captivating and enjoyable, and want to hear them over again. Told in a simple style by a wonderful storyteller; plenty of different 'character' voices: a return to good old fashioned story telling. Thoroughly recommended.
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The Secret Garden
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Frances Hodgson Burnett;
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Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
*Best price found from Amazon Marketplace seller
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*Amazon: £4.10
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Customer Reviews
Great CD!, 05 Nov 2008
My kids (4 and 7) love it, they won't get out of the car until it's finished!, they simply love it, can't wait for more of your CDs.
Highly recommended, 03 Aug 2008
Imaginative, educational and entertaining. My 8 year old niece and 5 year old nephew adored this audio-book. Fantastic stuff!
WORST AUDIO BOOK EVER, 13 May 2008
Terrible terrible book. Wooden narration, poor stories - significantly better value audio books out there.
Why kids cant write !!!, 05 Sep 2007
STORIES 4 ................'4' SURELY THEY MEAN 'FOR' COOL KIDS ....
NEXT THEY WILL SAY 'U' BUY IT IF 'U' WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE COOL!
PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK ON THE PARENTS - SO THEY HAVE 'COOL' KIDS
SURELY WE WANT THE CHILDREN TO BE LITERATE FIRST COOL SECOND !!!
Stories 4 Cool Kids by Sharri McGarry, 10 Jan 2007
I bought this cd for my granddaughter who is six years old. Her mother tells me that she loves it, and plays it again and again. It has also been enjoyed by her twin brother. It is highly recommended.
Fantastic, 01 Feb 2008
Kids love it - even better than the first volume. They can't get enough and now waiting for volume 3!
Delightful stories for youngsters, 17 Nov 2006
A charming set of stories, sweet and innocent in nature, and sure to please any young person. All of the kids who have listened to it have found it captivating and enjoyable, and want to hear them over again. Told in a simple style by a wonderful storyteller; plenty of different 'character' voices: a return to good old fashioned story telling. Thoroughly recommended.
Gripping, delightful and humerous stories - highly recommended, 05 Mar 2008
My daughter is an avid and discerning, audio book addict. She will leap around the room whilst supposedly listening to a story. These stories, however, have her gripped. She sits on the sofa almost motionless, grinning and chuckling.
I also enjoy listening. Having listened to endless children's audio books, I would say these are extremely well written stories; they grip your attention and are exciting and amusing. The narrator also has a lovely voice and expression, which compels one's eagerness to listen. I am quite happy to hear them repeatedly (which I cannot say about many of my daughter's audio books).
In summary; excellent stories that your child will thoroughly enjoy, that offer a gentle introduction to hearing the french language without bombarding them with too many unknown sounds and therefore losing their interest.
Of all the products I've bought aimed at introducing children to the french language (of which there have been many), this has been the best.
We would like more Amelie adventures..any on the way?
Very Highly Recommended.
amelie stories, 25 Nov 2007
Great stories and nicely read, we really enjoyed these. The voices and sound effects take you easily into Amelie's world. The Author uses simple French phrases in with the English dialogue - like in a bilingual household - so it's easy to pick up the language. Definitely recommended.
A winner with younger children!, 24 Nov 2007
This CD represents a brilliant addition to the library of English / French learning material. Kim Hoffmeister and company lead one very gently and effortlessly into the French language. Delightful stories beautifully told. This CD is a must for any parent who wants their child to pick up an easy introduction to French. I hope that more products will lead on from 'Amelie Stories'
Amelie's Stories CD, 21 Nov 2007
Fantastic product! At long last a CD that makes learning french an enjoyable and effortless thing to do. The stories have tons of child appeal and are great for bedtime or in the car. Highly recommended!
That naughty, but very sweet Amelie!, 15 Nov 2007
These are really super stories, they appealed to my 10 year old son and my 6 year old daughter, who found them funny and appealing to listen to and made them think about how they would react in such a situation!
Such a simple, but effective beginning to learning French, my daughter immediately picked up on the "funny words" and then attempted to say them!
What a lovely soothing voice Kim Hoffmeister has! Very effective use of different voices and sounds, creating an atmosphere that helps build the scene in your mind.
Well done, it's an excellent product which I would recommend to anyone who's children like to listen to stories; I hope there are more to come - perhaps some supporting books too?
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Customer Reviews
Great CD!, 05 Nov 2008
My kids (4 and 7) love it, they won't get out of the car until it's finished!, they simply love it, can't wait for more of your CDs. Highly recommended, 03 Aug 2008
Imaginative, educational and entertaining. My 8 year old niece and 5 year old nephew adored this audio-book. Fantastic stuff! WORST AUDIO BOOK EVER, 13 May 2008
Terrible terrible book. Wooden narration, poor stories - significantly better value audio books out there. Why kids cant write !!!, 05 Sep 2007
STORIES 4 ................'4' SURELY THEY MEAN 'FOR' COOL KIDS ....
NEXT THEY WILL SAY 'U' BUY IT IF 'U' WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE COOL!
PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK ON THE PARENTS - SO THEY HAVE 'COOL' KIDS
SURELY WE WANT THE CHILDREN TO BE LITERATE FIRST COOL SECOND !!! Stories 4 Cool Kids by Sharri McGarry, 10 Jan 2007
I bought this cd for my granddaughter who is six years old. Her mother tells me that she loves it, and plays it again and again. It has also been enjoyed by her twin brother. It is highly recommended. Fantastic, 01 Feb 2008
Kids love it - even better than the first volume. They can't get enough and now waiting for volume 3! Delightful stories for youngsters, 17 Nov 2006
A charming set of stories, sweet and innocent in nature, and sure to please any young person. All of the kids who have listened to it have found it captivating and enjoyable, and want to hear them over again. Told in a simple style by a wonderful storyteller; plenty of different 'character' voices: a return to good old fashioned story telling. Thoroughly recommended. Gripping, delightful and humerous stories - highly recommended, 05 Mar 2008
My daughter is an avid and discerning, audio book addict. She will leap around the room whilst supposedly listening to a story. These stories, however, have her gripped. She sits on the sofa almost motionless, grinning and chuckling.
I also enjoy listening. Having listened to endless children's audio books, I would say these are extremely well written stories; they grip your attention and are exciting and amusing. The narrator also has a lovely voice and expression, which compels one's eagerness to listen. I am quite happy to hear them repeatedly (which I cannot say about many of my daughter's audio books).
In summary; excellent stories that your child will thoroughly enjoy, that offer a gentle introduction to hearing the french language without bombarding them with too many unknown sounds and therefore losing their interest.
Of all the products I've bought aimed at introducing children to the french language (of which there have been many), this has been the best.
We would like more Amelie adventures..any on the way?
Very Highly Recommended. amelie stories, 25 Nov 2007
Great stories and nicely read, we really enjoyed these. The voices and sound effects take you easily into Amelie's world. The Author uses simple French phrases in with the English dialogue - like in a bilingual household - so it's easy to pick up the language. Definitely recommended. A winner with younger children!, 24 Nov 2007
This CD represents a brilliant addition to the library of English / French learning material. Kim Hoffmeister and company lead one very gently and effortlessly into the French language. Delightful stories beautifully told. This CD is a must for any parent who wants their child to pick up an easy introduction to French. I hope that more products will lead on from 'Amelie Stories' Amelie's Stories CD, 21 Nov 2007
Fantastic product! At long last a CD that makes learning french an enjoyable and effortless thing to do. The stories have tons of child appeal and are great for bedtime or in the car. Highly recommended! That naughty, but very sweet Amelie!, 15 Nov 2007
These are really super stories, they appealed to my 10 year old son and my 6 year old daughter, who found them funny and appealing to listen to and made them think about how they would react in such a situation!
Such a simple, but effective beginning to learning French, my daughter immediately picked up on the "funny words" and then attempted to say them!
What a lovely soothing voice Kim Hoffmeister has! Very effective use of different voices and sounds, creating an atmosphere that helps build the scene in your mind.
Well done, it's an excellent product which I would recommend to anyone who's children like to listen to stories; I hope there are more to come - perhaps some supporting books too? Two lovely stories, beautifully read, 22 Oct 2006
These two unabridged stories, written by J R R Tolkien and read by Derek Jackobi are:
Smith of Wootton Major
Tells of the folk of a traditional old rural village who have some contact with the folk of Faerie. One of the village children is secretly passed a gift which has some magical effects on him and allows him to enter and explore the 'perilous realm'. He travels there at will over the course of his life, has many adventures, meets Faerie royalty and learns wisdom of the fair folk, until (now a venerable old fellow) he has to hand his 'passport' on to the next child. He's reluctant to relinquish his gift but finally does so without making a fuss and receives praise and respect for doing so and is allowed a say in who the next child should be to receive the magical object.
Leaf by Niggle
Is a strange little tale, which tells of a painter who wants only to paint a fabulous tree in peace, but is constantly interrupted by neighbours and other people wanting him to do other things. His precious painting is used by 'the authorities' to patch his neighbour's roof and he is sent away on a journey that he's been dreading. He seems to live in some sort of totalitarian society where people have, by law, to help their neighbours. Niggle is incarcerated in a place that he takes to be a hospital, to mend his selfish ways. There, after a long long time, he eavesdrops on a conversation in which his faults are being discussed by, what seem to be, a couple of bureaucrats of the after-life. They finally decide that he's been sufficiently rehabilitated to progress to the next stage of his 'journey' and he takes a train to a place where his marvellous painting has become a reality.
I read both of these stories many years ago when I was a child. I don't think I properly appreciated them then and I certainly didn't remember them very well. Perhaps it's Derek Jacobi's excellent reading that adds an extra touch of magic to them, but whatever the reason, I enjoyed them more than I remember doing first time round. So I recommend them for children of course, but I especially recommend them to those adults who appreciate a bit of fantasy. And if you haven't ever tried listening to an audiobook before, it's a luxury that you shouldn't deny yourself any longer - this is a good place to start.
Pass on the star, 28 Feb 2006
People who know anything about the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien know that he disliked allegory. That makes "Smith of Wootton Major" a bit of an oddity among his writings, but not an unwelcome one. It's a sweetly fantastical little fable that drips over with Tolkien's love of real, deep fairy tales. It takes place in a little town "not very long ago for those with long memories, not very far away fro those with long legs." The Master Cook of that village takes a vacation, and returns with an apprentice in tow. But something odd happens at the Feast of the Cake -- the cook stirs in a "fay-star" with little trinkets in the cake, and it's accidently swallowed by a boy there. The boy (later called Smith) is changed by the fay-star, which sparkles on his forehead. When he grows up Smith ventures into Faery itself, and even meets the Faery Queen herself. The message she gives him is for her mysterious, missing husband, the King -- who turns out to be the last person anybody in Wootton Major would have expected. "Smith" is a fairy tale in the best sense. Don't expect cackling witches or convenient loopholes in spells here; Tolkien was too skilled for that. Instead we have majestic fey and sparkling magic, woven with a tidy medieval town. (Not to mention the custom of naming people after their jobs -- Smith, a smith, capisce?) Never once does it become precious or cutesy. It's among Tolkien's simpler writings. In fact, it's so simple that it barely has a plot -- the vanishing King is the closest thing it has. But Tolkien's writing sparkles with little details of the fey, with only a minimum of description. His glimpses of Faerieland are too brief, but they're also reminiscent of a few passages from "Lord of the Rings." A sweet, fantastical little story, this is one of Tolkien's lesser-known but still deserving stories. Charmingly symbolic.
Tolkien's farewell to the land of Faery, 16 Jun 2001
Smooth of Wootton Major, written between 1964 and 1966* and published in 1967, is a meditation on the gift of fantasy. It originally was to be a very short story to be included to a preface of George MacDonald's famous faerie story The Golden Key. The story soon began a life of its own, and though altogether brief gives an insightful view into Tolkien's life. The story is about Smith, who is a normal boy of all accounts. In his village are great feasts, and the Feast of Twenty Four is held. A star, little more than thought a Trinket by the Master Cook, is placed within tie cake, and he eats it unknowing. Then beauty comes upon him, and after he grows up begins to wonder in Faery. This is much the life of Tolkien. Born in South Africa in 1892, he was a little British boy that came to live in England. He became immersed in two things: mythology and language. Soon, so in love with language, he began inventing his own. In the end, he wished to have people speak his languages, to have a history behind it: thus arose Middle-earth. Then, as time went on, just as Smith, Tolkien explored the fantastic worlds, and was accustomed to strange lands. In the story it is stated he spoke little of it to anyone OUTSIDE of his family. This is also true of Tolkien. Although his (deeply loved) wife was not real involved in his writing, he shared his stories with his family, and it is not to far to say that had it not been for his four children The Lord of the Rings would never have been written. (To understand this statement, one must first realise who The Hobbit was written for. It was written for his children. This, along with Farmer Giles, the other story in this book, Roverandom (newly published), the Father Christmas Letters, and Mr. Bliss, his children's picture book personally illustarted by him. Unwin, his publisher wanted a sequel to The Hobbit, so he began The Lord of the Rings, a much less serious work in the beginning than at last evolved too. So without these we would not have gotten his adult masterpiece). Then old age approached. Although his mind was not dimmed, his body decided to act like an old body, and not work as well as in his youth. He realised that he was a mortal, and even though he had had a passport to Faery, it did not grant him eternal physical life. Tolkien was sad about this, and wished to finish The Silmarillion. But life is life, and Tolkien knew his life was drawing to an end. Just like his beautiful little people who also knew morality, the hobbits, he died in 1973, 2 September, just shy of dying ten years after his friend C. S. Lewis (who died the same day as Auldous Huxley and JFK). Tolkien, just as Frodo and Biblo, went on the great ships into Paradise, Heaven. He took sick with a gastric ulcer, and developed a chest infection, dying. Tolkien was of melancholy temperament, and they are notorious for being prone to depression. Tolkien was of the great artistic class, and he knew depression well. It was depression that this story was borne of. In the very last letter in LETTERS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN, he tells his daughter as something of a P. S. "It is stuffy, sticky, and rainy at present - but forecasts are more. favourable". As far as my knowledge goes, that is the last thing he wrote, being four days before his death. There is much hope in that statement, even though Tolkien had no way of knowing how much relevance that to that moment in his life. This is the closest thing of autobiography he has written. This, along with his marvelous short story Leaf by Niggle, are essential of you want to read and understand this Godly man's life. Tree and Leaf, a small book containing the short story aforementioned and his classic essay On Faerie Stories, along with this, will enlighten you greatly on his views of Faerie. These three are essential to understand this man. Leaf By Niggle is him venting his frustration, and then him expressing great hope for his work. It also reflects his Catholicism, as Niggle goes thru purgatory. *This is deduced from LETTERS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN. In letter 262, Tolkien accepts the invitation to write a preface to The Golden Key, the short story by MacDonald. It was here, in that abandoned preface, that he began Smith, of what was to be a very short story. It had a life of its own, and grew to present length. In letter 270, dated 20 May 1965, Tolkien is talking to Rayner Unwin, his publisher (and as a child reviewed THE HOBBIT for publication, who received, if my memory serves me correctly, ten shillings for reading and writing a little report over it for his father Stanley.) The typescript of this story had been submitted for publication.
Beautifully written, compact fable, 28 Mar 2000
The summary says it all really - it's a very beautiful, well-crafted and endearing book. It is shorter but just as meticulous and rich in story-telling as other Tolkien prose. Great to have in your bookcase for a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon.
A wonderful tale by an old man still in love with the world., 15 Oct 1998
This is a wonderfully crafted and deeply moving book. Not really one for the kids but for every adult who secretly mourns the passing of their childhood. Be warned though, it could bring a few tears to your eyes.
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Customer Reviews
Great CD!, 05 Nov 2008
My kids (4 and 7) love it, they won't get out of the car until it's finished!, they simply love it, can't wait for more of your CDs. Highly recommended, 03 Aug 2008
Imaginative, educational and entertaining. My 8 year old niece and 5 year old nephew adored this audio-book. Fantastic stuff! WORST AUDIO BOOK EVER, 13 May 2008
Terrible terrible book. Wooden narration, poor stories - significantly better value audio books out there. Why kids cant write !!!, 05 Sep 2007
STORIES 4 ................'4' SURELY THEY MEAN 'FOR' COOL KIDS ....
NEXT THEY WILL SAY 'U' BUY IT IF 'U' WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE COOL!
PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK ON THE PARENTS - SO THEY HAVE 'COOL' KIDS
SURELY WE WANT THE CHILDREN TO BE LITERATE FIRST COOL SECOND !!! Stories 4 Cool Kids by Sharri McGarry, 10 Jan 2007
I bought this cd for my granddaughter who is six years old. Her mother tells me that she loves it, and plays it again and again. It has also been enjoyed by her twin brother. It is highly recommended. Fantastic, 01 Feb 2008
Kids love it - even better than the first volume. They can't get enough and now waiting for volume 3! Delightful stories for youngsters, 17 Nov 2006
A charming set of stories, sweet and innocent in nature, and sure to please any young person. All of the kids who have listened to it have found it captivating and enjoyable, and want to hear them over again. Told in a simple style by a wonderful storyteller; plenty of different 'character' voices: a return to good old fashioned story telling. Thoroughly recommended. Gripping, delightful and humerous stories - highly recommended, 05 Mar 2008
My daughter is an avid and discerning, audio book addict. She will leap around the room whilst supposedly listening to a story. These stories, however, have her gripped. She sits on the sofa almost motionless, grinning and chuckling.
I also enjoy listening. Having listened to endless children's audio books, I would say these are extremely well written stories; they grip your attention and are exciting and amusing. The narrator also has a lovely voice and expression, which compels one's eagerness to listen. I am quite happy to hear them repeatedly (which I cannot say about many of my daughter's audio books).
In summary; excellent stories that your child will thoroughly enjoy, that offer a gentle introduction to hearing the french language without bombarding them with too many unknown sounds and therefore losing their interest.
Of all the products I've bought aimed at introducing children to the french language (of which there have been many), this has been the best.
We would like more Amelie adventures..any on the way?
Very Highly Recommended. amelie stories, 25 Nov 2007
Great stories and nicely read, we really enjoyed these. The voices and sound effects take you easily into Amelie's world. The Author uses simple French phrases in with the English dialogue - like in a bilingual household - so it's easy to pick up the language. Definitely recommended. A winner with younger children!, 24 Nov 2007
This CD represents a brilliant addition to the library of English / French learning material. Kim Hoffmeister and company lead one very gently and effortlessly into the French language. Delightful stories beautifully told. This CD is a must for any parent who wants their child to pick up an easy introduction to French. I hope that more products will lead on from 'Amelie Stories' Amelie's Stories CD, 21 Nov 2007
Fantastic product! At long last a CD that makes learning french an enjoyable and effortless thing to do. The stories have tons of child appeal and are great for bedtime or in the car. Highly recommended! That naughty, but very sweet Amelie!, 15 Nov 2007
These are really super stories, they appealed to my 10 year old son and my 6 year old daughter, who found them funny and appealing to listen to and made them think about how they would react in such a situation!
Such a simple, but effective beginning to learning French, my daughter immediately picked up on the "funny words" and then attempted to say them!
What a lovely soothing voice Kim Hoffmeister has! Very effective use of different voices and sounds, creating an atmosphere that helps build the scene in your mind.
Well done, it's an excellent product which I would recommend to anyone who's children like to listen to stories; I hope there are more to come - perhaps some supporting books too? Two lovely stories, beautifully read, 22 Oct 2006
These two unabridged stories, written by J R R Tolkien and read by Derek Jackobi are:
Smith of Wootton Major
Tells of the folk of a traditional old rural village who have some contact with the folk of Faerie. One of the village children is secretly passed a gift which has some magical effects on him and allows him to enter and explore the 'perilous realm'. He travels there at will over the course of his life, has many adventures, meets Faerie royalty and learns wisdom of the fair folk, until (now a venerable old fellow) he has to hand his 'passport' on to the next child. He's reluctant to relinquish his gift but finally does so without making a fuss and receives praise and respect for doing so and is allowed a say in who the next child should be to receive the magical object.
Leaf by Niggle
Is a strange little tale, which tells of a painter who wants only to paint a fabulous tree in peace, but is constantly interrupted by neighbours and other people wanting him to do other things. His precious painting is used by 'the authorities' to patch his neighbour's roof and he is sent away on a journey that he's been dreading. He seems to live in some sort of totalitarian society where people have, by law, to help their neighbours. Niggle is incarcerated in a place that he takes to be a hospital, to mend his selfish ways. There, after a long long time, he eavesdrops on a conversation in which his faults are being discussed by, what seem to be, a couple of bureaucrats of the after-life. They finally decide that he's been sufficiently rehabilitated to progress to the next stage of his 'journey' and he takes a train to a place where his marvellous painting has become a reality.
I read both of these stories many years ago when I was a child. I don't think I properly appreciated them then and I certainly didn't remember them very well. Perhaps it's Derek Jacobi's excellent reading that adds an extra touch of magic to them, but whatever the reason, I enjoyed them more than I remember doing first time round. So I recommend them for children of course, but I especially recommend them to those adults who appreciate a bit of fantasy. And if you haven't ever tried listening to an audiobook before, it's a luxury that you shouldn't deny yourself any longer - this is a good place to start.
Pass on the star, 28 Feb 2006
People who know anything about the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien know that he disliked allegory. That makes "Smith of Wootton Major" a bit of an oddity among his writings, but not an unwelcome one. It's a sweetly fantastical little fable that drips over with Tolkien's love of real, deep fairy tales. It takes place in a little town "not very long ago for those with long memories, not very far away fro those with long legs." The Master Cook of that village takes a vacation, and returns with an apprentice in tow. But something odd happens at the Feast of the Cake -- the cook stirs in a "fay-star" with little trinkets in the cake, and it's accidently swallowed by a boy there. The boy (later called Smith) is changed by the fay-star, which sparkles on his forehead. When he grows up Smith ventures into Faery itself, and even meets the Faery Queen herself. The message she gives him is for her mysterious, missing husband, the King -- who turns out to be the last person anybody in Wootton Major would have expected. "Smith" is a fairy tale in the best sense. Don't expect cackling witches or convenient loopholes in spells here; Tolkien was too skilled for that. Instead we have majestic fey and sparkling magic, woven with a tidy medieval town. (Not to mention the custom of naming people after their jobs -- Smith, a smith, capisce?) Never once does it become precious or cutesy. It's among Tolkien's simpler writings. In fact, it's so simple that it barely has a plot -- the vanishing King is the closest thing it has. But Tolkien's writing sparkles with little details of the fey, with only a minimum of description. His glimpses of Faerieland are too brief, but they're also reminiscent of a few passages from "Lord of the Rings." A sweet, fantastical little story, this is one of Tolkien's lesser-known but still deserving stories. Charmingly symbolic.
Tolkien's farewell to the land of Faery, 16 Jun 2001
Smooth of Wootton Major, written between 1964 and 1966* and published in 1967, is a meditation on the gift of fantasy. It originally was to be a very short story to be included to a preface of George MacDonald's famous faerie story The Golden Key. The story soon began a life of its own, and though altogether brief gives an insightful view into Tolkien's life. The story is about Smith, who is a normal boy of all accounts. In his village are great feasts, and the Feast of Twenty Four is held. A star, little more than thought a Trinket by the Master Cook, is placed within tie cake, and he eats it unknowing. Then beauty comes upon him, and after he grows up begins to wonder in Faery. This is much the life of Tolkien. Born in South Africa in 1892, he was a little British boy that came to live in England. He became immersed in two things: mythology and language. Soon, so in love with language, he began inventing his own. In the end, he wished to have people speak his languages, to have a history behind it: thus arose Middle-earth. Then, as time went on, just as Smith, Tolkien explored the fantastic worlds, and was accustomed to strange lands. In the story it is stated he spoke little of it to anyone OUTSIDE of his family. This is also true of Tolkien. Although his (deeply loved) wife was not real involved in his writing, he shared his stories with his family, and it is not to far to say that had it not been for his four children The Lord of the Rings would never have been written. (To understand this statement, one must first realise who The Hobbit was written for. It was written for his children. This, along with Farmer Giles, the other story in this book, Roverandom (newly published), the Father Christmas Letters, and Mr. Bliss, his children's picture book personally illustarted by him. Unwin, his publisher wanted a sequel to The Hobbit, so he began The Lord of the Rings, a much less serious work in the beginning than at last evolved too. So without these we would not have gotten his adult masterpiece). Then old age approached. Although his mind was not dimmed, his body decided to act like an old body, and not work as well as in his youth. He realised that he was a mortal, and even though he had had a passport to Faery, it did not grant him eternal physical life. Tolkien was sad about this, and wished to finish The Silmarillion. But life is life, and Tolkien knew his life was drawing to an end. Just like his beautiful little people who also knew morality, the hobbits, he died in 1973, 2 September, just shy of dying ten years after his friend C. S. Lewis (who died the same day as Auldous Huxley and JFK). Tolkien, just as Frodo and Biblo, went on the great ships into Paradise, Heaven. He took sick with a gastric ulcer, and developed a chest infection, dying. Tolkien was of melancholy temperament, and they are notorious for being prone to depression. Tolkien was of the great artistic class, and he knew depression well. It was depression that this story was borne of. In the very last letter in LETTERS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN, he tells his daughter as something of a P. S. "It is stuffy, sticky, and rainy at present - but forecasts are more. favourable". As far as my knowledge goes, that is the last thing he wrote, being four days before his death. There is much hope in that statement, even though Tolkien had no way of knowing how much relevance that to that moment in his life. This is the closest thing of autobiography he has written. This, along with his marvelous short story Leaf by Niggle, are essential of you want to read and understand this Godly man's life. Tree and Leaf, a small book containing the short story aforementioned and his classic essay On Faerie Stories, along with this, will enlighten you greatly on his views of Faerie. These three are essential to understand this man. Leaf By Niggle is him venting his frustration, and then him expressing great hope for his work. It also reflects his Catholicism, as Niggle goes thru purgatory. *This is deduced from LETTERS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN. In letter 262, Tolkien accepts the invitation to write a preface to The Golden Key, the short story by MacDonald. It was here, in that abandoned preface, that he began Smith, of what was to be a very short story. It had a life of its own, and grew to present length. In letter 270, dated 20 May 1965, Tolkien is talking to Rayner Unwin, his publisher (and as a child reviewed THE HOBBIT for publication, who received, if my memory serves me correctly, ten shillings for reading and writing a little report over it for his father Stanley.) The typescript of this story had been submitted for publication.
Beautifully written, compact fable, 28 Mar 2000
The summary says it all really - it's a very beautiful, well-crafted and endearing book. It is shorter but just as meticulous and rich in story-telling as other Tolkien prose. Great to have in your bookcase for a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon.
A wonderful tale by an old man still in love with the world., 15 Oct 1998
This is a wonderfully crafted and deeply moving book. Not really one for the kids but for every adult who secretly mourns the passing of their childhood. Be warned though, it could bring a few tears to your eyes.
How could he?, 20 Aug 2008
Let me suppose that you have read no Narnia books at all and are thinking whether to read them yourself or give them to a child - then I'll say that I cannot recommend them more but read them in order and after you have finished the Silver Chair go back and reread your favourites because if you are like me this book will entirely spoil your enjoyment of Narnia. I won't say any more to you because I hate spoilers.
But if you have read this book read on for my opinion on it. (I apologies for any inaccuracies as I have only read it once and refuse to even open it again)
How could he? He creates a wonderful world and makes it feel real and you care about the characters and then he tells you "Oh this is just a shadow world, which is merely a pale imitation of the real one" so why did we bother reading the rest of the books? It wasn't even real.
I understand about the Christian allegory and I think it works well in the other books; you can either ignore it or have fun spotting it but this! it felt like the allegory was the whole point of the thing, he was practically preaching to me and slyly too, I can handle preaching when it is up front and obvious I can even respect it although I do not like it. Why did he not just write a children's bible or something?
Before I finish I just want to say that this is the opinion of a child, the disillusionment of a child, which has fermented in a corner of my brain since then, and also that this one star review is perhaps a higher commendation to the other books than enthusiastic five star reviews would be as it was because of my love for those that I hated this so much.
One thing that I think is inexcusable though is Susan - she gets into makeup etc. and so she gets denied paradise? That does not feel like good Christianity to me.
A fitting end, 20 Jul 2008
I thought that this book was a very fitting end to the chronicles. I wouldn't exactly say it was as much of a kids book as the others. There was a few pages that I had to read twice to make sure I knew what was going on as bits of it are quite jumpy but all in all I like the ending. I think the series was very powerful and a lot of authors fumble endings to single novels and less powerful series's so I think Mr Lewis done not too bad at all. In fact. I can't really think of a better way it could have ended. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is that I felt The Magicians Nephew was a better book so this needed less stars than that. Other wise I'd give it 4 and a half if I could
The Last Battle, 15 Apr 2008
This final book in the Chronicles of Narnia series thankfully returns to the early splendour of "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe". After "The Silver Chair", which seemed a little flat compared to other books in the series, "The Final Battle" restores some of the magic that made the first few novels so enjoyable and successful.
Lewis does well in beginning the novel from the point of view of the Narnians, specifically the last King of Narnia, instead of the from the childrens' perspective. We begin to see a particularly brave story develop from who is essentially a Christian author: A false Aslan has begun corrupting Narnia from within, who eventually comes under the thrall of the vicious realm adjacent to Narnia. Considering the powerful although admittedly insipid themes that Lewis is fond of, it seems a brave move to take his allegory so far. As a child the danger must read very real, and as an adult it is interesting to see the mythology of Lewis' realm with his potentially fully drawn.
Cracking characters and a smooth, compelling storyline make this one of the best of the series, as good as "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" and a fantastic, thrilling and emotional end to the book series.
8.5/10
What a shame, 05 Jan 2008
Having read all of the books except this one, i had very high expectations for it after falling in love with each book in it's own way. I really enjoyed the story till the very end which completely ruined the whole book, he could of ended the series in so many good ways but choose the worst ending possible leaving Susan all alone-HARSH!
Aptly named - listen to the other stories first., 23 Dec 2005
The final in the series of "Narnia" stories, The Last Battle works on the same two levels as the other stories. On the one hand, we have a an adventure story about children in a strange and magical world, and on the other we have a treatise on ethics and religion. Lewis' world of adventure and magic is charming, vividly described and exhilarating. As with the other books in the series, this is fundamentally a human story of drama and pathos, where children are finding adventure and heroism. As a child, I was as enthalled with this story as with any of his others - real favourites. Even so, I found this to be the darkest and in many ways the most challenging of his works. Now, as an adult, I see this very much as a work to be a passionate statement of religious belief, which is skillfully articulated though uncompromising in the position it takes. The work is really in two parts. The longer, first part, has an interesting opening in which a rather selfish and thoughtless creature sets in motion a chain of events that culminates in the destruction of a sacred forest and ultimately in a breakdown of social order. There follows revolt and warfare wrapped up with fragmentation and subversion of the previously unassailable cult of Aslan. The second part involves the transportation of the children and their friends to the land of Aslan and much discussion of their love of Aslan and much discussion of the wonder and beauty of Aslan's kingdom. Clearly, Aslan represents God. The narrative part of the story has much to do with the nature of good and evil, and the difference between doing wrong innocently and doing wrong maliciously. Interestingly, it follows a strong thread through the nature of propaganda, the subversion of a worthy cause, and the uncontrollable chaos of politics. Slightly worrying are the casting of an apparently Middle-Eastern kingdom as devil-worshippers, the general feeling that the British class system is alive and well in Narnia, and the slightly mysogenistic criticism of Susan who as a young woman "has reached the silliest time of her life and wants to stay there for as long as possible". I think we can forgive this slight transgressions of political correctness in view of the time in which the novel were written; the "green" views concerning the cutting down of woodland and (horrors!) the march of civilisation would find, though, some resonance today. The Christian element of the book is very firmly stated, especially in the second part, which is more or less a description of the Second Coming and the End of the World! Heavy stuff for a children's book! However, it works surprisingly well and a child will enjoy the story and probably find the sub-text at least posing some questions for them. Technically the production is excellent, as might be expected from the BBC. It is the right length, seems to be unabridged (though I have not checked) and the voices and sound effects fit together nicely without being overdone. I would recommend this, but not before you have read (or listened to) The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe plus a couple of the other works in the series.
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Customer Reviews
Great CD!, 05 Nov 2008
My kids (4 and 7) love it, they won't get out of the car until it's finished!, they simply love it, can't wait for more of your CDs. Highly recommended, 03 Aug 2008
Imaginative, educational and entertaining. My 8 year old niece and 5 year old nephew adored this audio-book. Fantastic stuff! WORST AUDIO BOOK EVER, 13 May 2008
Terrible terrible book. Wooden narration, poor stories - significantly better value audio books out there. Why kids cant write !!!, 05 Sep 2007
STORIES 4 ................'4' SURELY THEY MEAN 'FOR' COOL KIDS ....
NEXT THEY WILL SAY 'U' BUY IT IF 'U' WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE COOL!
PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK ON THE PARENTS - SO THEY HAVE 'COOL' KIDS
SURELY WE WANT THE CHILDREN TO BE LITERATE FIRST COOL SECOND !!! Stories 4 Cool Kids by Sharri McGarry, 10 Jan 2007
I bought this cd for my granddaughter who is six years old. Her mother tells me that she loves it, and plays it again and again. It has also been enjoyed by her twin brother. It is highly recommended. Fantastic, 01 Feb 2008
Kids love it - even better than the first volume. They can't get enough and now waiting for volume 3! Delightful stories for youngsters, 17 Nov 2006
A charming set of stories, sweet and innocent in nature, and sure to please any young person. All of the kids who have listened to it have found it captivating and enjoyable, and want to hear them over again. Told in a simple style by a wonderful storyteller; plenty of different 'character' voices: a return to good old fashioned story telling. Thoroughly recommended. Gripping, delightful and humerous stories - highly recommended, 05 Mar 2008
My daughter is an avid and discerning, audio book addict. She will leap around the room whilst supposedly listening to a story. These stories, however, have her gripped. She sits on the sofa almost motionless, grinning and chuckling.
I also enjoy listening. Having listened to endless children's audio books, I would say these are extremely well written stories; they grip your attention and are exciting and amusing. The narrator also has a lovely voice and expression, which compels one's eagerness to listen. I am quite happy to hear them repeatedly (which I cannot say about many of my daughter's audio books).
In summary; excellent stories that your child will thoroughly enjoy, that offer a gentle introduction to hearing the french language without bombarding them with too many unknown sounds and therefore losing their interest.
Of all the products I've bought aimed at introducing children to the french language (of which there have been many), this has been the best.
We would like more Amelie adventures..any on the way?
Very Highly Recommended. amelie stories, 25 Nov 2007
Great stories and nicely read, we really enjoyed these. The voices and sound effects take you easily into Amelie's world. The Author uses simple French phrases in with the English dialogue - like in a bilingual household - so it's easy to pick up the language. Definitely recommended. A winner with younger children!, 24 Nov 2007
This CD represents a brilliant addition to the library of English / French learning material. Kim Hoffmeister and company lead one very gently and effortlessly into the French language. Delightful stories beautifully told. This CD is a must for any parent who wants their child to pick up an easy introduction to French. I hope that more products will lead on from 'Amelie Stories' Amelie's Stories CD, 21 Nov 2007
Fantastic product! At long last a CD that makes learning french an enjoyable and effortless thing to do. The stories have tons of child appeal and are great for bedtime or in the car. Highly recommended! That naughty, but very sweet Amelie!, 15 Nov 2007
These are really super stories, they appealed to my 10 year old son and my 6 year old daughter, who found them funny and appealing to listen to and made them think about how they would react in such a situation!
Such a simple, but effective beginning to learning French, my daughter immediately picked up on the "funny words" and then attempted to say them!
What a lovely soothing voice Kim Hoffmeister has! Very effective use of different voices and sounds, creating an atmosphere that helps build the scene in your mind.
Well done, it's an excellent product which I would recommend to anyone who's children like to listen to stories; I hope there are more to come - perhaps some supporting books too? Two lovely stories, beautifully read, 22 Oct 2006
These two unabridged stories, written by J R R Tolkien and read by Derek Jackobi are:
Smith of Wootton Major
Tells of the folk of a traditional old rural village who have some contact with the folk of Faerie. One of the village children is secretly passed a gift which has some magical effects on him and allows him to enter and explore the 'perilous realm'. He travels there at will over the course of his life, has many adventures, meets Faerie royalty and learns wisdom of the fair folk, until (now a venerable old fellow) he has to hand his 'passport' on to the next child. He's reluctant to relinquish his gift but finally does so without making a fuss and receives praise and respect for doing so and is allowed a say in who the next child should be to receive the magical object.
Leaf by Niggle
Is a strange little tale, which tells of a painter who wants only to paint a fabulous tree in peace, but is constantly interrupted by neighbours and other people wanting him to do other things. His precious painting is used by 'the authorities' to patch his neighbour's roof and he is sent away on a journey that he's been dreading. He seems to live in some sort of totalitarian society where people have, by law, to help their neighbours. Niggle is incarcerated in a place that he takes to be a hospital, to mend his selfish ways. There, after a long long time, he eavesdrops on a conversation in which his faults are being discussed by, what seem to be, a couple of bureaucrats of the after-life. They finally decide that he's been sufficiently rehabilitated to progress to the next stage of his 'journey' and he takes a train to a place where his marvellous painting has become a reality.
I read both of these stories many years ago when I was a child. I don't think I properly appreciated them then and I certainly didn't remember them very well. Perhaps it's Derek Jacobi's excellent reading that adds an extra touch of magic to them, but whatever the reason, I enjoyed them more than I remember doing first time round. So I recommend them for children of course, but I especially recommend them to those adults who appreciate a bit of fantasy. And if you haven't ever tried listening to an audiobook before, it's a luxury that you shouldn't deny yourself any longer - this is a good place to start.
Pass on the star, 28 Feb 2006
People who know anything about the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien know that he disliked allegory. That makes "Smith of Wootton Major" a bit of an oddity among his writings, but not an unwelcome one. It's a sweetly fantastical little fable that drips over with Tolkien's love of real, deep fairy tales. It takes place in a little town "not very long ago for those with long memories, not very far away fro those with long legs." The Master Cook of that village takes a vacation, and returns with an apprentice in tow. But something odd happens at the Feast of the Cake -- the cook stirs in a "fay-star" with little trinkets in the cake, and it's accidently swallowed by a boy there. The boy (later called Smith) is changed by the fay-star, which sparkles on his forehead. When he grows up Smith ventures into Faery itself, and even meets the Faery Queen herself. The message she gives him is for her mysterious, missing husband, the King -- who turns out to be the last person anybody in Wootton Major would have expected. "Smith" is a fairy tale in the best sense. Don't expect cackling witches or convenient loopholes in spells here; Tolkien was too skilled for that. Instead we have majestic fey and sparkling magic, woven with a tidy medieval town. (Not to mention the custom of naming people after their jobs -- Smith, a smith, capisce?) Never once does it become precious or cutesy. It's among Tolkien's simpler writings. In fact, it's so simple that it barely has a plot -- the vanishing King is the closest thing it has. But Tolkien's writing sparkles with little details of the fey, with only a minimum of description. His glimpses of Faerieland are too brief, but they're also reminiscent of a few passages from "Lord of the Rings." A sweet, fantastical little story, this is one of Tolkien's lesser-known but still deserving stories. Charmingly symbolic.
Tolkien's farewell to the land of Faery, 16 Jun 2001
Smooth of Wootton Major, written between 1964 and 1966* and published in 1967, is a meditation on the gift of fantasy. It originally was to be a very short story to be included to a preface of George MacDonald's famous faerie story The Golden Key. The story soon began a life of its own, and though altogether brief gives an insightful view into Tolkien's life. The story is about Smith, who is a normal boy of all accounts. In his village are great feasts, and the Feast of Twenty Four is held. A star, little more than thought a Trinket by the Master Cook, is placed within tie cake, and he eats it unknowing. Then beauty comes upon him, and after he grows up begins to wonder in Faery. This is much the life of Tolkien. Born in South Africa in 1892, he was a little British boy that came to live in England. He became immersed in two things: mythology and language. Soon, so in love with language, he began inventing his own. In the end, he wished to have people speak his languages, to have a history behind it: thus arose Middle-earth. Then, as time went on, just as Smith, Tolkien explored the fantastic worlds, and was accustomed to strange lands. In the story it is stated he spoke little of it to anyone OUTSIDE of his family. This is also true of Tolkien. Although his (deeply loved) wife was not real involved in his writing, he shared his stories with his family, and it is not to far to say that had it not been for his four children The Lord of the Rings would never have been written. (To understand this statement, one must first realise who The Hobbit was written for. It was written for his children. This, along with Farmer Giles, the other story in this book, Roverandom (newly published), the Father Christmas Letters, and Mr. Bliss, his children's picture book personally illustarted by him. Unwin, his publisher wanted a sequel to The Hobbit, so he began The Lord of the Rings, a much less serious work in the beginning than at last evolved too. So without these we would not have gotten his adult masterpiece). Then old age approached. Although his mind was not dimmed, his body decided to act like an old body, and not work as well as in his youth. He realised that he was a mortal, and even though he had had a passport to Faery, it did not grant him eternal physical life. Tolkien was sad about this, and wished to finish The Silmarillion. But life is life, and Tolkien knew his life was drawing to an end. Just like his beautiful little people who also knew morality, the hobbits, he died in 1973, 2 September, just shy of dying ten years after his friend C. S. Lewis (who died the same day as Auldous Huxley and JFK). Tolkien, just as Frodo and Biblo, went on the great ships into Paradise, Heaven. He took sick with a gastric ulcer, and developed a chest infection, dying. Tolkien was of melancholy temperament, and they are notorious for being prone to depression. Tolkien was of the great artistic class, and he knew depression well. It was depression that this story was borne of. In the very last letter in LETTERS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN, he tells his daughter as something of a P. S. "It is stuffy, sticky, and rainy at present - but forecasts are more. favourable". As far as my knowledge goes, that is the last thing he wrote, being four days before his death. There is much hope in that statement, even though Tolkien had no way of knowing how much relevance that to that moment in his life. This is the closest thing of autobiography he has written. This, along with his marvelous short story Leaf by Niggle, are essential of you want to read and understand this Godly man's life. Tree and Leaf, a small book containing the short story aforementioned and his classic essay On Faerie Stories, along with this, will enlighten you greatly on his views of Faerie. These three are essential to understand this man. Leaf By Niggle is him venting his frustration, and then him expressing great hope for his work. It also reflects his Catholicism, as Niggle goes thru purgatory. *This is deduced from LETTERS OF J. R. R. TOLKIEN. In letter 262, Tolkien accepts the invitation to write a preface to The Golden Key, the short story by MacDonald. It was here, in that abandoned preface, that he began Smith, of what was to be a very short story. It had a life of its own, and grew to present length. In letter 270, dated 20 May 1965, Tolkien is talking to Rayner Unwin, his publisher (and as a child reviewed THE HOBBIT for publication, who received, if my memory serves me correctly, ten shillings for reading and writing a little report over it for his father Stanley.) The typescript of this story had been submitted for publication.
Beautifully written, compact fable, 28 Mar 2000
The summary says it all really - it's a very beautiful, well-crafted and endearing book. It is shorter but just as meticulous and rich in story-telling as other Tolkien prose. Great to have in your bookcase for a lazy, rainy Sunday afternoon.
A wonderful tale by an old man still in love with the world., 15 Oct 1998
This is a wonderfully crafted and deeply moving book. Not really one for the kids but for every adult who secretly mourns the passing of their childhood. Be warned though, it could bring a few tears to your eyes.
How could he?, 20 Aug 2008
Let me suppose that you have read no Narnia books at all and are thinking whether to read them yourself or give them to a child - then I'll say that I cannot recommend them more but read them in order and after you have finished the Silver Chair go back and reread your favourites because if you are like me this book will entirely spoil your enjoyment of Narnia. I won't say any more to you because I hate spoilers.
But if you have read this book read on for my opinion on it. (I apologies for any inaccuracies as I have only read it once and refuse to even open it again)
How could he? He creates a wonderful world and makes it feel real and you care about the characters and then he tells you "Oh this is just a shadow world, which is merely a pale imitation of the real one" so why did we bother reading the rest of the books? It wasn't even real.
I understand about the Christian allegory and I think it works well in the other books; you can either ignore it or have fun spotting it but this! it felt like the allegory was the whole point of the thing, he was practically preaching to me and slyly too, I can handle preaching when it is up front and obvious I can even respect it although I do not like it. Why did he not just write a children's bible or something?
Before I finish I just want to say that this is the opinion of a child, the disillusionment of a child, which has fermented in a corner of my brain since then, and also that this one star review is perhaps a higher commendation to the other books than enthusiastic five star reviews would be as it was because of my love for those that I hated this so much.
One thing that I think is inexcusable though is Susan - she gets into makeup etc. and so she gets denied paradise? That does not feel like good Christianity to me.
A fitting end, 20 Jul 2008
I thought that this book was a very fitting end to the chronicles. I wouldn't exactly say it was as much of a kids book as the others. There was a few pages that I had to read twice to make sure I knew what was going on as bits of it are quite jumpy but all in all I like the ending. I think the series was very powerful and a lot of authors fumble endings to single novels and less powerful series's so I think Mr Lewis done not too bad at all. In fact. I can't really think of a better way it could have ended. The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is that I felt The Magicians Nephew was a better book so this needed less stars than that. Other wise I'd give it 4 and a half if I could
The Last Battle, 15 Apr 2008
This final book in the Chronicles of Narnia series thankfully returns to the early splendour of "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe". After "The Silver Chair", which seemed a little flat compared to other books in the series, "The Final Battle" restores some of the magic that made the first few novels so enjoyable and successful.
Lewis does well in beginning the novel from the point of view of the Narnians, specifically the last King of Narnia, instead of the from the childrens' perspective. We begin to see a particularly brave story develop from who is essentially a Christian author: A false Aslan has begun corrupting Narnia from within, who eventually comes under the thrall of the vicious realm adjacent to Narnia. Considering the powerful although admittedly insipid themes that Lewis is fond of, it seems a brave move to take his allegory so far. As a child the danger must read very real, and as an adult it is interesting to see the mythology of Lewis' realm with his potentially fully drawn.
Cracking characters and a smooth, compelling storyline make this one of the best of the series, as good as "The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe" and a fantastic, thrilling and emotional end to the book series.
8.5/10
What a shame, 05 Jan 2008
Having read all of the books except this one, i had very high expectations for it after falling in love with each book in it's own way. I really enjoyed the story till the very end which completely ruined the whole book, he could of ended the series in so many good ways but choose the worst ending possible leaving Susan all alone-HARSH!
Aptly named - listen to the other stories first., 23 Dec 2005
The final in the series of "Narnia" stories, The Last Battle works on the same two levels as the other stories. On the one hand, we have a an adventure story about children in a strange and magical world, and on the other we have a treatise on ethics and religion. Lewis' world of adventure and magic is charming, vividly described and exhilarating. As with the other books in the series, this is fundamentally a human story of drama and pathos, where children are finding adventure and heroism. As a child, I was as enthalled with this story as with any of his others - real favourites. Even so, I found this to be the darkest and in many ways the most challenging of his works. Now, as an adult, I see this very much as a work to be a passionate statement of religious belief, which is skillfully articulated though uncompromising in the position it takes. The work is really in two parts. The longer, first part, has an interesting opening in which a rather selfish and thoughtless creature sets in motion a chain of events that culminates in the destruction of a sacred forest and ultimately in a breakdown of social order. There follows revolt and warfare wrapped up with fragmentation and subversion of the previously unassailable cult of Aslan. The second part involves the transportation of the children and their friends to the land of Aslan and much discussion of their love of Aslan and much discussion of the wonder and beauty of Aslan's kingdom. Clearly, Aslan represents God. The narrative part of the story has much to do with the nature of good and evil, and the difference between doing wrong innocently and doing wrong maliciously. Interestingly, it follows a strong thread through the nature of propaganda, the subversion of a worthy cause, and the uncontrollable chaos of politics. Slightly worrying are the casting of an apparently Middle-Eastern kingdom as devil-worshippers, the general feeling that the British class system is alive and well in Narnia, and the slightly mysogenistic criticism of Susan who as a young woman "has reached the silliest time of her life and wants to stay there for as long as possible". I think we can forgive this slight transgressions of political correctness in view of the time in which the novel were written; the "green" views concerning the cutting down of woodland and (horrors!) the march of civilisation would find, though, some resonance today. The Christian element of the book is very firmly stated, especially in the second part, which is more or less a description of the Second Coming and the End of the World! Heavy stuff for a children's book! However, it works surprisingly well and a child will enjoy the story and probably find the sub-text at least posing some questions for them. Technically the production is excellent, as might be expected from the BBC. It is the right length, seems to be unabridged (though I have not checked) and the voices and sound effects fit together nicely without being overdone. I would recommend this, but not before you have read (or listened to) The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe plus a couple of the other works in the series.
Brilliant!, 21 Oct 2006
Traveling by car with kids can be a real chore especially on our annual trips to France. But we all had great fun following the zany stories and enjoyed alot of the game challenges set inside them. The dragon scared the pants off our youngest! He loved it of course. And we loved the cheaky little imp. I don't know if I've ever come across such a unique CD. Stories, games, wonderful music. I would recommend to any parent that wants some relief from boring journies. Top notch.
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The Princess and Curdie
Usually dispatched within 1-2 business days
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*Amazon: £26.44
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Ghost Stories: Pt. 1
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Kevin Crossley-HollandM.R. JamesShirley J. Bignell;
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In stock soon. Order now to get in line. First come, first served.
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Amazon: £10.06
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Customer Reviews
Great CD!, 05 Nov 2008
My kids (4 and 7) love it, they won't get out of the car until it's finished!, they simply love it, can't wait for more of your CDs. Highly recommended, 03 Aug 2008
Imaginative, educational and entertaining. My 8 year old niece and 5 year old nephew adored this audio-book. Fantastic stuff! WORST AUDIO BOOK EVER, 13 May 2008
Terrible terrible book. Wooden narration, poor stories - significantly better value audio books out there. Why kids cant write !!!, 05 Sep 2007
STORIES 4 ................'4' SURELY THEY MEAN 'FOR' COOL KIDS ....
NEXT THEY WILL SAY 'U' BUY IT IF 'U' WANT YOUR KIDS TO BE COOL!
PSYCHOLOGY AT WORK ON THE PARENTS - SO THEY HAVE 'COOL' KIDS
SURELY WE WANT THE CHILDREN TO BE LITERATE FIRST COOL SECOND !!! Stories 4 Cool Kids by Sharri McGarry, 10 Jan 2007
I bought this cd for my granddaughter who is six years old. Her mother tells me that she loves it, and plays it again and again. It has also been enjoyed by her twin brother. It is highly recommended. Fantastic, 01 Feb 2008
Kids love it - even better than the first volume. They can't get enough and now waiting for volume 3! Delightful stories for youngsters, 17 Nov 2006
A charming set of stories, sweet and innocent in nature, and sure to please any young person. All of the kids who have listened to it have found it captivating and enjoyable, and want to hear them over again. Told in a simple style by a wonderful storyteller; plenty of different 'character' voices: a return to good old fashioned story telling. Thoroughly recommended. Gripping, delightful and humerous stories - highly recommended, 05 Mar 2008
My daughter is an avid and discerning, audio book addict. She will leap around the room whilst supposedly listening to a story. These stories, however, have her gripped. She sits on the sofa almost motionless, grinning and chuckling.
I also enjoy listening. Having listened to endless children's audio books, I would say these are extremely well written stories; they grip your attention and are exciting and amusing. The narrator also has a lovely voice and expression, which compels one's eagerness to listen. I am quite happy to hear them repeatedly (which I cannot say about many of my daughter's audio books).
In summary; excellent stories that your child will thoroughly enjoy, that offer a gentle introduction to hearing the french language without bombarding them with too many unknown sounds and therefore losing their interest.
Of all the products I've bought aimed at introducing children to the french language (of which there have been many), this has been the best.
We would like more Amelie adventures..any on the way?
Very Highly Recommended. amelie stories, 25 Nov 2007
Great stories and nicely read, we really enjoyed these. The voices and sound effects take you easily into Amelie's world. The Author uses simple French phrases in with the English dialogue - like in a bilingual household - so it's easy to pick up the language. Definitely recommended. A winner with younger children!, 24 Nov 2007
This CD represents a brilliant addition to the library of English / French learning material. Kim Hoffmeister and company lead one very gently and effortlessly into the French language. Delightful stories beautifully told. This CD is a must for any parent who wants their child to pick up an easy introduction to French. I hope that more products will lead on from 'Amelie Stories' Amelie's Stories CD, 21 Nov 2007
Fantastic product! At long last a CD that makes learning french an enjoyable and effortless thing to do. The stories have tons of child appeal and are great for bedtime or in the car. Highly recommended! That naughty, but very sweet Amelie!, 15 Nov 2007
These are really super stories, they appealed to my 10 year old son and my 6 year old daughter, who found them funny and appealing to listen to and made them think about how they would react in such a situation!
Such a simple, but effective beginning to learning French, my daughter immediately picked up on the "funny words" and then attempted to say them!
What a lovely soothing voice Kim Hoffmeister has! Very effective use of different voices and sounds, creating an atmosphere that helps build the scene in your mind.
Well done, it's an excellent product which I would recommend to anyone who's children like to listen to stories; I hope there are more to come - perhaps some supporting books too? Two lovely stories, beautifully read, 22 Oct 2006
These two unabridged stories, written by J R R Tolkien and read by Derek Jackobi are:
Smith of Wootton Major
Tells of the folk of a traditional old rural village who have some contact with the folk of Faerie. One of the village children is secretly passed a gift which has some magical effects on him and allows him to enter and explore the 'perilous realm'. He travels there at will over the course of his life, has many adventures, meets Faerie royalty and learns wisdom of the fair folk, until (now a venerable old fellow) he has to hand his 'passport' on to the next child. He's reluctant to relinquish his gift but finally does so without making a fuss and receives praise and respect for doing so and is allowed a say in who the next child should be to receive the magical object.
Leaf by Niggle
Is a strange little tale, which tells of a painter who wants only to paint a fabulous tree in peace, but is constantly interrupted by neighbours and other people wanting him to do other things. His precious painting is used by 'the authorities' to patch his neighbour's roof and he is sent away on a journey that he's been dreading. He seems to live in some sort of totalitarian society where people have, by law, to help their neighbours. Niggle is incarcerated in a place that he takes to be a hospital, to mend his selfish ways. There, after a long long time, he eavesdrops on a conversation in which his faults are being discussed by, what seem to be, a couple of bureaucrats of the after-life. They finally decide that he's been sufficiently rehabilitated to progress to the next stage of his 'journey' and he takes a train to a place where his marvellous painting has become a reality.
I read both of these stories many years ago when I was a child. I don't think I properly appreciated them then and I certainly didn't remember them very well. Perhaps it's Derek Jacobi's excellent reading that adds an extra touch of magic to them, but whatever the reason, I enjoyed them more than I remember doing first time round. So I recommend them for children of course, but I especially recommend them to those adults who appreciate a bit of fantasy. And if you haven't ever tried listening to an audiobook before, it's a luxury that you shouldn't deny yourself any longer - this is a good place to start.
Pass on the star, 28 Feb 2006
People who know anything about the mind of J.R.R. Tolkien know that he disliked allegory. That makes "Smith of Wootton Major" a bit of an oddity among his writings, but not an unwelcome one. It's a sweetly fantastical little fable that drips over with Tolkien's love of real, deep fairy tales. It takes place in a little town "not very long ago for those with long memories, not very far away fro those with long legs." The Master Cook of that village takes a vacation, and returns with an apprentice in tow. But something odd happens at the Feast of the Cake -- the cook stirs in a "fay-star" with little trinkets in the cake, and it's accidently swallowed by a boy there. The boy (later called Smith) is changed by the fay-star, which sparkles on his forehead. When he grows up Smith ventures into Faery itself, and even meets the Faery Queen herself. The message she gives him is for her mysterious, missing husband, the King -- who turns out to be the last person anybody in Wootton Major would have expected. "Smith" is a fairy tale in the best sense. Don't expect cackling witches or convenient loopholes in spells here; Tolkien was too skilled for that. Instead we have majestic fey and sparkling magic, woven with a tidy medieval town. (Not to mention the custom of naming people after their jobs -- Smith, a smith, capisce?) Never once does it become precious or cutesy. It's among Tolkien's simpler writings. In fact, it's so simple that it barely has a plot -- the vanishing King is the closest thing it has. But Tolkien's writing sparkles with little details of the fey, with only a minimum of description. His glimpses of Faerieland are too brief, but they're also reminiscent of a few passages from "Lord of the Rings." A sweet, fantastical little story, this is one of Tolkien's lesser-known but still deserving stories. Charmingly symbolic.
Tolkien's farewell to the land of Faery, 16 Jun 2001
Smooth of Wootton Major, written between 1964 and 1966* and published in 1967, is a meditation on the gift of fantasy. It originally was to be a very short story to be included to a preface of George MacDonald's famous faerie story The Golden Key. The story soon began a life of its own, and though altogether brief gives an insightful view into Tolkien's life. The story is about Smith, who is a normal boy of all accounts. In his village are great feasts, and the Feast of Twenty Four is held. A star, little more than thought a Trinket by the Master Cook, is placed within tie cake, and he eats it unknowing. Then beauty comes upon him, and after he grows up begins to wonder in Faery. This is much the life of Tolkien. Born in South Africa in 1892, he was a little British boy that came to live in England. He became immersed in two things: mythology and language. Soon, so in love with language, he began inventing his own. In the end, he wished to have people speak his languages, to have a history behind it: thus arose Middle-earth. Then, as time went on, just as Smith, Tolkien explored the fantastic worlds, and was accustomed to strange lands. In the story it is stated he spoke little of it to anyone OUTSIDE of his family. This is also true of Tolkien. Although his (deeply loved) wife was not real involved in his writing, he shared his stories with his family, and it is not to far to say that had it not been for his four children The Lord of the Rings would never have been written. (To understand this statement, one must first realise who The Hobbit was written for. It was written for his children. This, along with Farmer Giles, the other story in this book, Roverandom (newly published), the Father Christmas Letters, and Mr. Bliss, his children's picture book personally illustarted by him. Unwin, his publisher wanted a sequel to The Hobbit, so he began The Lord of the Rings, a much less serious work in the beginning than at last evolved too. So without these we would not have gotten his adult masterpiece). Then old age approached. Although his mind was not dimmed, his body decided to act like an old body, and not work as well as in his youth. He realised that he was a mortal, and even though he had had a passport to Faery, it did not grant him eternal physical life. Tolkien was sad about this, and wished to finish The Silmarillion. But life is life, and Tolkien knew his life was drawing to an end. Just like his beautiful little people who also knew morality, the hobbits, he died in 1973, 2 September, just shy of dying ten years after his friend C. S. Lewis (who died the same day as Auldous Huxley and JFK). Tolkien, just as Frodo and Biblo, went on the great ships into Paradise, Heaven. He took sick with a gastric ulcer, | | |