An abridged and illustrated chapter book retelling of Oliver Twist, part of the bestselling Classic Starts® series that has sold more than 8 million copies! Dickens's timeless novel transports young readers to a colorful Victorian England filled with mistreated orphans, grim workhouses, and gangs of thieving children. The hero finds himself in dire circumstances after he dares to ask for more food in the orphanage. Determined to make his way in the world, he escapes to London, where he becomes involved with criminals . . . and finally finds a real home. The Classic Starts® series has sold more than 8 million copies since it launched in 2004. These abridged, kid-friendly editions are the perfect way to introduce beloved stories to the next generation. Each book includes discussion questions by early childhood educator Arthur Pober, EdD.

The story of Oliver Twist - orphaned, and set upon by evil and adversity from his first breath - shocked readers when it was published. After running away from the workhouse and pompous beadle Mr Bumble, Oliver finds himself lured into a den of thieves peopled by vivid and memorable characters - the Artful Dodger, vicious burglar Bill Sikes, his dog Bull's Eye, and prostitute Nancy, all watched over by cunning master-thief Fagin. Combining elements of Gothic Romance, the Newgate Novel and popular melodrama, Dickens created an entirely new kind of fiction, scathing in its indictment of a cruel society, and pervaded by an unforgettable sense of threat and mystery.

No library's complete without the classics! This new edition collects the greatest works of Charles Dickens, one of the most popular novelists of all time. Oliver Twist. Pip. The ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. The characters of Charles Dickens live on in our imaginations long after we've read his renowned works of social commentary and vivid storytelling. And though these novels were written more than one hundred years ago, no home library today would be complete without them. This Canterbury Classics edition of Charles Dickens collects some of his most famous and beloved works--The Adventures of Oliver Twist, A Christmas Carol, A Tale of Two Cities, and Great Expectations--into a single volume. For those who've never read Dickens, it's the perfect opportunity to experience his unique and compelling writing. And for those who are already Dickens devotees, an introduction by a renowned scholar will provide additional context and food for thought.

An abridged version of the story that relates the fortunes of a shipwrecked family as they imaginatively adapt to life on an island with abundant animal and plant life.

An adaptation of the Charles Dickens story in which Oliver, an orphan, escapes the workhouse and flees to London where he falls in with a gang of thieves.

An abridged and illustrated chapter book retelling of A Little Princess, part of the Classic Starts® series that has sold more than 8 million copies! Poor Sara Crewe. Once upon a time her beloved father pampered and adored her. But ever since he died, leaving her alone and penniless, she's been caught in the cruel clutches of Miss Minchin, the headmistress at the Select Seminary for Young Ladies, where Sara once studied. But no matter how terrible things get, Sara always has her imagination and goodness of heart to carry her through. This timeless tale of a poor orphan has won children's hearts for a century--and continues to be a favorite.