A timeless collection of 21 tales for all ages

BBC Classics Children’s Library

An irresistible anthology of folklore, fables and perennial favourites, including four novels and 17 short stories 
 
This superlative collection of children's stories brings together a feast of fantastic fiction, read in full by a host of top narrators and with a comprehensive track listing for ease of listening. Comprising everything from fairytales for little ones to thrilling adventures for pre-teens, these unabridged readings are ideal for families to keep, treasure and dip into as their children grow. 
 
Listed by suggested age range and with track numbers provided, the stories are as follows: 
 
Ages 4+ 
1-12 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (read by Carolyn Pickles) 
13 Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter (read by Jonny Holden) 
14 The Elves and the Shoemaker by the Brothers Grimm (read by Sam Dale) 
15 Too Clever By Half by E Nesbit (read by Helen Capp) 
16 Tom Thumb by the Brothers Grimm (read by Shaun Mason) 
 
Ages 7+ 
17-25 The Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame (read by Michael Bertenshaw) 
26 How the Camel Got His Hump by Rudyard Kipling (read by Kenny Blyth) 
27 The Emperor's New Clothes by Hans Christian Andersen (read by Shaun Mason) 
28 The Raspberry Worm by Zacharias Topelius (read by Debbie Korley) 
29 The Tongue Cut Sparrow by Yei Theodora Ozaki (read by Sean Baker) 
30 The Elephant's Child by Rudyard Kipling (read by Tony Turner) 
31 The Magic Bed by Hartwell James (read by Chris Pavlo) 
32 How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin by Rudyard Kipling (read by Tony Turner) 
33 The Tortoise and the Rain by MI Ogumefu (read by Kenny Blyth) 
34 The Baba Yaga by Katharine Pyle (read by Susan Jameson) 
 
Ages 9+ 
35-41 The Call of the Wild by Jack London (read by Joseph Ayre) 
42 Finn and the Scottish Giant by Harold F Hughes (read by Paul Hickey) 
43 The Children's Joke by Louisa May Alcott (read by Catherine Cusack) 
44 The Ants and the Treasure by MI Ogumefu (read by Kenny Blyth) 
45 The Happy Prince by Oscar Wilde (read by Tony Turner) 
46-59 The Railway Children by E Nesbit (read by Sarah Ovens) 
 
Production credits 
First broadcast on BBC Sounds, 21 December 2018-1 November 2019 
 
Produced by Simon Richardson (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, The Tortoise and the Rain, The Elephant's Child, The Ants and the Treasure, How the Rhinoceros Got His Skin, How the Camel Got His Hump, The Elves and the Shoemaker, The Happy Prince), Karen Holden (The Wind in the Willows), Martha Littlehailes (The Call of the Wild), Anne Bunting (The Railway Children), Anne Isger (Too Clever By Half, The Tongue Cut Sparrow, The Emperor's New Clothes, The Children's Joke, Finn and the Scottish Giant) and Mabel Wright (Tom Thumb, The Raspberry Worm, The Magic Bed, The Baba Yaga, Peter Rabbit) 
The Raspberry Worm edited by Andrew Lang 
 
 
© 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (p) 2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

The Robber Bridegroom

'Then she began to run, and she ran over the sharp stones and through the thorns, and the wild animals bounded past her ...' 
 
Four weird, dark and enchanting fairy-tales from the Brothers Grimm. 
 
Introducing Little Black Classics: 80 books for Penguin's 80th birthday. Little Black Classics celebrate the huge range and diversity of Penguin Classics, with books from around the world and across many centuries. They take us from a balloon ride over Victorian London to a garden of blossom in Japan, from Tierra del Fuego to 16th-century California and the Russian steppe. Here are stories lyrical and savage; poems epic and intimate; essays satirical and inspirational; and ideas that have shaped the lives of millions. 
 
Jacob Ludwig Karl (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Karl (1786-1859) are the Brothers Grimm. Their Selected Tales are also available in Penguin Classics.

Jacob Ludwig Carol Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786-1859), universally known as 'the brothers Grimm', were born in the German state of Hesse. Their ambition was to collect traditional tales in order to preserve Germany's heritage. They published two volumes in 1812 and 1814 which include some of the best-known fairy tales of all time, such as 'Tom Thumb' and 'The Elves and the Shoemaker'.

Grimms' Fairy Tales

A collection of traditional fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. These strange and moving stories will stay with you all your life

Everyone should possess and know Grimm's Fairy Tales - one of the great books of the world

Rediscover stories from a time long before Disney got its hands on Rapunzel, of beautiful orphaned daughters and noble princes, when children still wished upon the moon. The perfect addition to any nursery library

I, for one, devoured fairy tales as a little girl

The Brother's Grimm were responsible for these fairytales that informed my life and made it as interesting, or as confused, or as wondrous as it is

In a utilitarian age, of all other times, it is a matter of grave importance that fairy tales should be respected

Jacob Grimm was born in 1785, followed by his brother Wilhelm in 1786. Their father, Phillipp, a judge, was ambitious and prosperous, while their mother, Dorothea, was a devoted and caring housewife, and they also had three more brothers and a sister. They lived in the town of Steinau in central Germany, in a large comfortable home. All the children went to school, and Jacob and Wilhelm were particularly bright and hard-working. Philipp Grimm died suddenly in 1796 and Dorothea and her children had to live on a much smaller income, though arrangements were made for Jacob and Wilhelm to continue their studies at a prestigious high school. 
Although the brothers were very different – Jacob was serious and strong, while Wilhelm was outgoing, cheerful and asthmatic – they were inseparable and totally devoted to one another.They were both determined to prove themselves to be the best students at their school, studying for more than twelve hours a day. At university, the brothers discovered the study of ancient German literature and folk tales and began to collect these fairy stories, which were eventually published in two large volumes in 1812 and 1815. The brothers worked in business and law before both becoming librarians in the King’s library, and together they wrote many books about German literature, language and folklore, as well as beginning work on the first German dictionary. 
Wilhelm died in 1859, and Jacob became more solitary than ever, though he continued to work on the brothers’ shared projects until his own death in 1863.

‘Once upon a time…’ 
 
Once upon a time there was a book, and inside the book were princes who had been turned into frogs or ferocious beasts, princesses so beautiful they astonished the sun, faithful sweethearts and evil stepmothers, giants taller than mountains and a boy no bigger than your thumb, houses made of bread and cake and birds made of gold - in fact, all manner of mysterious, monstrous and magical things. The book is in your hands. Read it happily ever after. 
 
Includes exclusive material: In the Backstory you can learn to make your own gingerbread! 
 
Vintage Children’s Classics is a twenty-first century classics list aimed at 8-12 year olds and the adults in their lives. Discover timeless favourites from The Jungle Book and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to modern classics such as The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.

Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm

A sumptuous treasury of original fairytales from the brothers Grimm, introduced by award-winning author Cornelia Funke and with full colour illustrations by artists Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs, Axel Scheffler, Oliver Jeffers, Helen Oxenbury and Emma Chichester Clark celebrating the bicentenary of the first volume of Grimms' original fairytales. 
 
From the land of fantastical castles, vast lakes and deep forests, the Brothers Grimm collected a treasury of enchanting folk and fairy stories full of giants and dwarfs, witches and princesses, magical beasts and cunning children. From classics such as 'The Frog Prince' and 'Hansel and Grettel' to the delights of 'Ashputtel' - the original Cinderella - all hold a timeless magic which has enthralled children for generations. 
 
Illustrators Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs, Axel Scheffler, Helen Oxenbury, and Oliver Jeffers have each chosen their personal favourite fairytale to illustrate, and their individual styles make this a unique treasury for all the family to share. 
 
Contains over 50 original fairytales, collected and written by Jacob Ludwig Carol Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Carl Grimm (1786-1859), universally known as 'the brothers Grimm'. Born in the German state of Hesse, their ambition was to collect traditional tales in order to preserve Germany's heritage. They published two volumes in 1812 and 1814 which include some of the best-known fairy tales of all time, such as 'Tom Thumb' and 'The Elves and the Shoemaker'. Grimms' original fairytales - some dark and scary, others light and fun - are the foundation of many favourite picture books today. 
 
This beautiful treasury is published to celebrate the bicentenary of the first volume of Grimms' original fairytales, and includes full page colour plates by today's top children's book illustrators.

From the land of fantastical castles, vast lakes and deep forests, the Brothers Grimm collected a treasury of enchanting folk and fairy stories full of giants and dwarfs, witches and princesses, magical beasts and cunning children. From classics such as 'The Frog Prince' and 'Hansel and Grettel' to the delights of 'Ashputtel' - the original Cinderella - all hold a timeless magic which has enthralled children for generations. 
 
Illustrators Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs, Axel Scheffler, Helen Oxenbury, Oliver Jeffers and Emma Chichester Clark have each chosen their personal favourite fairytale to illustrate, and their individual styles make this a unique treasury for everyone to enjoy.

The Complete Fairy Tales

'In oldentimes, when wishing still helped, there lived a king whose daughters were all beautiful...' 'The Frog King', Complete Fairy Tales

It is hardly too much to say that these tales rank next to the Bible in importance

The stories, and the figures themselves, have immense vitality, partly because no punches are pulled, and also because no emotion is unrepresented

Everyone should possess and know Grimm's Fairy Tales - one of the great books of the world

Clearly the text of choice for any reader...Zipes' edition deserves to become the standard translation

The Brother's Grimm were responsible for these fairytales that informed my life and made it as interesting, or as confused, or as wondrous as it is...they scared the shit out of me when I was a kid and they also gave me some of the most pleasure in life

All demand to be read in translation of the originals and not sanitized retellings. Here, by examining letters, journals, annotations and posthumously unavailable papers, Zipes found some hitherto untranslated "ironic and macabre fables, humorous anecdotes, stories about the crusades, Norwegian legend, one 'feminist' tale among other things

Jacob Grimm (1785-1863) and Wilhelm Grimm (1786-1859) were born in Hanau, Germany. They published the first of their many collections of fairy tales in 1812. The story that they wandered about Germany collecting their tales from the lips of peasants is a fairy tale itself. In fact, they invited educated middle class women into their home to tell them the stories they had heard from their servants. The point of their collection of folklore was to study the German language and they also did important work on the German dictionary. The stories were revised to be more appropriate for children in 1819 and were published under the title Children's and Household Tales. By the beginning of the twentieth century Children's and Household Tales was second only to the Bible in the German bestseller lists.

Your favourite fantastic Grimm fairy tales and bedtime stories in the only complete edition of this classic collection. 
 
Wolves and grandmothers, ugly sisters, a house made of bread, a goose made of gold...the folk tales collected by the Grimm brothers created an astonishingly influential imaginative world. However, this is also a world where a woman serves her stepson up in a stew, a man marries a snake, a princess sleeps with a frog, and an evil queen dances to death in a pair of burning shoes. Violent, funny, disturbing, wise and sometimes beautiful, these stories have intrigued children, adults, scholars, psychologists and artists for centuries. 
 
The only complete edition available of the most famous collection of fairy tales ever published, this collection features the 279 stories in an acclaimed, modern, unexpurgated translation. Now featuring an introduction from translator Jack Zipes.

Selected Tales

Selected Tales contains some of the most timeless and enchanting folk and fairy tales collected by the Brothers Grimm, translated with an introduction by David Luke in Penguin Classics. 
 
These folktales collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm are among the most memorable stories in European culture - conjuring up a world of spells and bewitchment, outwitted villains and cruel stepmothers, animal bridegrooms and enchanted princesses. Tales such as 'Hansel and Gretel', 'Little Red Cape' and 'The Robber Bridegroom' depict the dangers lurking in dark forests, and others, including 'Briar-Rose' and 'Snow White' show young beauties punished by unforgiving sorceresses. Other tales include 'Thickasathumb', which portrays a childless young couple whose wish for a baby is granted in an unexpected way, while 'The Frog King' tells of a rash promise made by a haughty princess to share her bed with a frog, and a fortune is won in 'The Blue Lamp', when a soldier gains a kingdom with the help of a magic lamp. 
 
David Luke's vibrant translation is accompanied by an introduction discussing the key themes of the tales and the literary background of the Brothers Grimm. This edition also includes new further reading and a chronology, with notes and a glossary. 
 
Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) are nowadays simply known as 'the brothers Grimm'. Both brothers were state-appointed librarians in Kassel, and later members of the Academy of Arts and Sciences in Berlin, where Frederick William IV of Prussia had invited them to settle. Two of Germany's greatest scholars, Jacob is regarded as the founder of the scientific study of the German language, and with his brother Wilhelm initiated the Deutsches Wörterbuch, a dictionary of all words in modern High German since 1450. 
 
If you enjoyed the Selected Tales of the Brothers Grimm, you might like Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales, also available in Penguin Classics.

Jacob (1785-1863) and Wilhelm (1786-1859) are nowadays simply known as &lsquo;the brothers Grimm&rsquo;.

Sixty-five newly translated selections from Kinder- und Hausm&auml;rchen provide a representative sample of the folktale motifs that have fascinated children and adults around the world for centuries.

Rapunzel and Other Tales

Discover the fantastical magic of the Grimms’ celebrated classic fairy tales in this beautiful, collectable new Little Puffin Clothbound Classic. ‘Rapunzel had magnificent long hair, fine as spun gold.’ From the enchanting tale of 'Rapunzel' to the stirring story of 'Hansel and Grettel', this Little Puffin Clothbound Classic brings together the most beloved and timeless fairy tales into a perfectly giftable hardback edition. The Little Puffin Clothbound Classics collect some of the most beloved classic short stories for young readers into stunning, highly collectable small format editions. Bound in high-quality cloth with dazzling new foil-stamped designs, they're little enough to fit in a pocket and lovely enough to keep forever. Gift the best-loved classics to a new generation with Puffin’s gorgeously accessible Little Puffin Clothbound Classics collection.

George Cruikshank

Jacob Grimm

The Brothers Grimm

Rediscover the Puffin Classics collection and bring the best-loved classics to a new generation - including this magical edition of Grimms' Fairy Tales. 
 
From the land of fantastical castles, vast lakes and deep forests, the Brothers Grimm collected a treasury of enchanting folk and fairy stories full of giants and dwarfs, witches and princesses, magical beasts and cunning children. From classics such as 'The Frog-Prince' and 'Hansel and Grettel' to the delights of 'Ashputtel' or 'Old Sultan', all hold a timeless magic which has enthralled children for centuries.

The Brothers Grimm

Books by The Brothers Grimm

Series by The Brothers Grimm

Little Puffin Clothbound Classics

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