Joseph Delaney used to be an English teacher, before becoming the best-selling author of the Spook's series, which has been published in 30 countries and sold over 4.5 million copies worldwide. The first book, The Spook's Apprentice, was adapted into a major motion picture starring Jeff Bridges and Julianne Moore.

Joseph Delaney

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Susan Cooper

Two magical adventure stories from the queen of fantasy 
 
Immerse yourself in the magical world of Susan Cooper’s imagination. Drawing upon Celtic and Norse mythology and English folklore, Cooper creates worlds like no other. She is best known for her The Dark Is Rising series, the first of which is included in this magical adventure collection, with two tales adapted for radio and brought to life by a full cast. 
 
In Over Sea, Under Stone siblings Simon, Jane and Barney are holidaying with their great-uncle in Cornwall, and make a curious discovery in a cluttered attic. What they expected to be an ordinary summer in the village of Trewissick turns into something very unordinary - and frightening... Starring Ronald Pickup as Great Uncle Merry and Struan Rodger as Hastings. This is the is the first instalment of Cooper’s classic The Dark Is Rising series and a listening treat. 
 
King of Shadows is a magical adventure story set both in the present day and in Elizabethan England. Chosen to play Puck in a production of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Shakespeare's Globe, young American Nat Field travels to London. Visiting the theatre for the first time, he falls seriously ill. When he awakes, he finds that he has gone back 400 years in time. Will he ever be able to return home… Starring Robert Glenister (Strike, Hustle, Spooks) as Will and Adam Sims (Lost in Space, Band of Brothers) as Nat. 
 
These stunning listens are perfect for fans of His Dark Materials, The Hobbit, CS Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia and Ursula Le Guin’s Earthsea Cycle. These stories are a delight for listeners young and old and not to be missed. 
 
Note: King of Shadows deals with sensitive themes of grief. 
 
 
Cast and credits 
Written by Susan Cooper 
 
Over Sea, Under Stone 
Dramatised by David Calcutt 
Directed by Nigel Bryant 
Music by Martin Allcock 
 
Great Uncle Merry - Ronald Pickup 
Jane - Naomi Kerbel 
Simon - Ben Gutteridge 
Barney - Edward Clarke 
Hastings - Struan Rodger 
 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20th Aug - 10th Sep 1995 
 
King of Shadows 
Written by Susan Cooper 
Dramatised by Beatrice Collin 
Directed by Gaynor MacFarlane 
 
Rachel - Buffy Davis 
Queen Elizabeth - Sally Dexter 
Harry - Tom George 
Will - Robert Glenister 
Doctor - Martin Hyder 
Nat - Adam Sims 
Arby/Richard Burbage - Andrew Woodall 
 
First Broadcast BBC Radio 4, 20th Mar 2003 
 
©2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2026 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Over Sea, Under Stone & King of Shadows

Two Full-Cast BBC Radio Dramatisations

John Meade Falkner

When fifteen-year-old John Trenchard discovers a secret passage into the vault of the powerful Mohune family, his peaceful life in the Dorset village of Moonfleet is at an end. It is said that Captain Mohune, the notorious Blackbeard, haunts the place with wild and bloodcurdling cries, forever seeking his hidden treasure.   As John sets off in a search of that treasure, a fabled diamond, he becomes caught up in the dangerous coastal smuggling runs and is forced to flee the country in the company of Elzevir Block, the man who is to become like a father to him.   From echoing vaults and stormy seas to dank dungeons and deep wells, the suspense of John’s search for hidden treasure is thrillingly evoked in this fully dramatised classic adventure, starring Robert Glenister and James Laurenson.

Moonfleet

C.S. Lewis

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the second adventure in C. S. Lewis' classic Narnia series. 
 
When Lucy comes across the old wardrobe standing alone in the spare room, she thinks she has found a good place for hide and seek. But then she tumbles headlong into a magical world of fauns, dwarves, and giants, of animals that talk and horses that fly – the land of Narnia. 
 
It is so extraordinary that at first her brothers and sister don't believe it can be real. Soon, though, Peter, Edmund and Susan find Narnia too and the adventures really begin. Together they must battle against an evil White Witch to break her cruel grip on Narnia, a land she has cast in perpetual winter, without Christmas. Only one thing can hold fast against such wickedness: the mighty Aslan. 
 
The excitement which C. S. Lewis must have felt in creating this enchanted world is conjured up once again in this thrilling dramatisation of one of the best stories ever told. 
 
Starring Maurice Denham as the Professor, Camilla Power as Lucy, Henry Power as Edmund, Neil Jeffrey as Peter, Abigail Docherty as Susan, Rosemary Martin as Jadis and Stephen Thorne as Aslan. 
 
Written by C. S. Lewis 
Dramatised by Brian Sibley 
Produced by Geoffrey Marshall-Taylor 
Music by Elizabeth Parker of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop 
Text ©1950 C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. (P)2005 BBC Audiobooks LTD 
Narnia® and The Chronicles of Narnia® are trademarks of CS Lewis Pte Ltd.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation

Noel Streatfeild

When Sylvia and her old nurse Nana agree to keep house for Gum, they know they will be looking after his fossil collection while his away on his travels. But imagine their surprise when one day he brings them something else - three baby girls whose names all being with 'P'!   Pauline, Petrova and Posy Fossil are not really sisters - even their surname is invented. The girls decide to 'put our name in the history books because it's our very own', and enrol at the Children's Academy of Dancing and Stage Training. Each Fossil uses her individual talents to achieve their joint aim in this captivating story, now a modern children's classic.

Ballet Shoes

BBC Audiobooks Ltd

Teddy-themed stories, songs, rhymes and games, specially selected for younger listeners 
 
Polar bears, brown bears, honey bears and grizzly bears: here are a host of irresistible bears of all sorts and sizes - from Arabella Squeezenik's very unusual teddybear to Goldilocks and the Three Bears and The Bear and the Goblin. Presented by Anne Rosenfeld and Andrew Branch, and with playful music and sound effects, this delightful collection makes ideal listening at bedtime, story time or in the car. 
 
Includes: Round and Round the Garden; Some Bears; One Teddy Two Teddy; Little Bear; My Teddy Bear; Polar Bear; Snow Bears; The Brown Bear; The Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears; Algy; Ten Little Teddy Bears; The Grizzly Bear; Fuzzy Wuzzy; The Story of Arabella Squeezenik's Bear; The Bear Went over the Mountain; Bear Hunt; The Watching Bear; Bruin's Mistake; Bear; There Was an Old Person of Ware; Great Aunt Flora; The Captive; Zoo Bear; The Story of the Bear and the Goblin; My Brother; Bear 1; The Bear in Our House; Bear 2; The Story of Arabella Squeezenik's Birthday; Round and Round the Garden (reprise); The Lost Bear; Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear. 
 
Production credits 
Presented by Anne Rosenfeld and Andrew Branch 
Music by Bernard Graham Shaw 
Cello: Julia Vohralik 
Produced by Colin Smith 
 
Track listing 
1 Round and Round the Garden/Some Bears/One Teddy Two Teddy/Little Bear/My Teddy Bear 
2 Polar Bear/Snow Bears/The Brown Bear 
3 The Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Part 1 
4 The Story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Part 2 
5 Algy/Ten Little Teddy Bears 
6 The Grizzly Bear/Fuzzy Wuzzy 
7 The Story of Arabella Squeezenik's Bear, Part 1 
8 The Story of Arabella Squeezenik's Bear, Part 2 
9 The Story of Arabella Squeezenik's Bear, Part 3 
10 The Bear Went Over the Mountain 
11 Bear Hunt 
12 The Watching Bear/Bruin's Mistake/Bear/There Was an Old Person of Ware 
13 Great Aunt Flora/The Captive/Zoo Bear 
14 The Story of the Bear and the Goblin, Part 1 
15 The Story of the Bear and the Goblin, Part 2 
16 The Story of the Bear and the Goblin, Part 3 
17 The Story of the Bear and the Goblin, Part 4 
18 My Brother 
19 Bear 1/The Bear in Our House/Bear 2 
20 The Story of Arabella Squeezenik's Birthday, Part 1 
21 The Story of Arabella Squeezenik's Birthday, Part 2 
22 The Story of Arabella Squeezenik's Birthday, Part 3 
23 Round and Round the Garden (reprise)/The Lost Bear 
24 Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear 
 
© 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Teddy Tales and Rhymes

And Other Bear Necessities

Lewis Carroll

Kenneth Grahame

E Nesbit

Rudyard Kipling

The Brothers Grimm

Hans Christian Andersen

Louisa May Alcott

Oscar Wilde

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

BBC Classics Children’s Library

A timeless collection of 21 tales for all ages

Richmal Crompton

A stunning collection of Just William stories, selected and read by Martin Jarvis 
 
'There's nothing to touch them' - Independent on Sunday 
 
Richmal Crompton's stories featuring irrepressible schoolboy William Brown have been firm favourites with both young and old for decades. Perpetually scruffy, mud-stained and mischievous, he is a lovable scamp whose pranks usually end in disaster - for his harassed elders at least. 
 
With friends Ginger, Douglas and Henry (the Outlaws) and the angelic thorn-in-his-side, the lisping Violet Elizabeth Bott, William has rightly joined the literary, and radio, immortals. 
 
Martin Jarvis, who has been hailed as 'the wizard of the talking book' (The Daily Telegraph), has made the voice of William his own, and this collection of 54 laugh-out-loud stories will delight long-standing fans and first-time listeners alike. 
 
Also included are two bonus interviews with Richmal Crompton, recorded in 1965 and 1968. 
 
Musical Theme: Won't You Be My Ginger? composed and performed by Richard Dworsky (piano) (c) 1995 Inner Vista Music (BMI) 
 
The stories included in this collection are: 
 
The Christmas Truce 
Only Just in Time 
The Midnight Adventure of Miss Montague 
William and the Musician 
William Leads a Better Life 
William and the Twins 
William's Birthday 
William and the Little Girl 
The Outlaws and Cousin Percy 
William and the Princess Goldilocks 
The Sweet Little Girl in White 
A Birthday Treat 
The Outlaws and the Triplets 
A Bit of Blackmail 
William Makes a Night of It 
William and the Lost Tourist 
The Leopard Hunter 
The New Neighbour 
William the Philanthropist 
William and the Prize Cat 
William Holds the Stage 
William and the School Report 
All the News 
Aunt Arabelle in Charge 
William's Goodbye Present 
William the Salvage Collector 
William's Day Off 
Entertainment Provided 
William and the Brains Trust 
William and the Bomb 
William Goes Shopping 
Violet Elizabeth Runs Away 
William and the Real Laurence 
The Outlaws and the Hidden Treasure 
William and the Fairy Daffodil 
The Best Laid Plans 
Mrs Bott's Hat 
William Starts the Holidays 
William Plays Santa Claus 
William and the Snowman 
Revenge is Sweet 
William and the Black Cat 
William and the Russian Prince 
William's Busy Day 
William - The Great Actor 
William and the White Elephants 
Finding a School for William 
William Clears the Slums 
Parrots for Ethel 
William's Truthful Christmas 
Boys will be Boys 
William and the Ebony Hair-Brush 
William and the Old Man in the Fog

Just William: A BBC Radio Collection

Classic readings from the BBC archive

Edith Nesbit

Rosamund E. Nesbit Bland

Martin Jameson

A BBC Radio collection of dramatisations of E. Nesbit's finest children's books with extra magical readings plus an original drama by Martin Jameson 
 
 E Nesbit is widely regarded as the first modern children's writer. Her ground-breaking novels have influenced authors from Oscar Wilde to Jacqueline Wilson, and over 100 years after their first publication, they remain perennially popular. 
 
 This wide-ranging collection comprises some of her very best children's fiction, commencing with her timeless tale The Railway Children. Starring Victoria Carling, Daniel Eyssen and Kate McEnery, Frances Jeater this enchanting dramatisation tells the story of three suburban children forced to move to the countryside after their father is mysteriously taken away. 
 
 Martin Jameson's sequel Roberta, Peter and Phyllis revisits them 13 years later, in 1919, to reveal how their lives have changed. Fiona Clarke, James Alper and Emma Hughes-Jones star as the titular siblings. 
 
 Also included is Nesbit's classic 'Psammead' trilogy. In Five Children and It, Five children are granted a series of wishes by a sand fairy - but inevitably, things do not go to plan... 
 Cast includes Julia McKenzie, Simon Carter, James Richard, Justyn Towler. 
 
 Patricia Hodge reads the second book in the series, The Phoenix and the Carpet, in which the discovery of a mysterious egg in an old carpet heralds the start of a magical adventure. And in The Story of the Amulet, a full-cast dramatisation the children voyage through history on a quest for an ancient lucky charm. Featuring the same cast as Five Children and It 
 
 Penelope Keith stars as E Nesbit in The House of Arden, a time-travelling fantasy tale about the hunt for a lost family treasure; Other cast includes Timothy Spall and Kelly Bright. 
 
 Prunella Scales reads five stories from Nesbit's delightful compendium The Book of Dragons: 'Last of the Dragons', 'Kind Little Edmond', 'The Deliverers of their Country', 'The Book of Beasts' and 'The Dragon Tamers'. Concluding this anthology are two fantastic feline fables from Cat Tales, co-written by Nesbit and her adopted daughter Rosamund E Bland: 'The White Cat', read by Jenny Agutter, and 'Too Clever by Half', read by Helen Clapp. 
 
 Cast and credits 
 Written by E Nesbit 
 Cat Tales written by E Nesbit and Rosamund E Bland 
 Roberta, Peter and Phyllis written by Martin Jameson 
 First published 1901 (The Book of Dragons), 1902 (Five Children and It), 1904 (The Phoenix and the Carpet, Cat Tales), 1906 (The Story of the Amulet, The Railway Children), 1908 (The House of Arden) 
 
 The Railway Children 
 Dramatised by Marcy Kahan. Produced by John Taylor 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 5, 3-24 January 1991 
 
 Roberta, Peter and Phyllis 
 Produced and directed by Gary Brown 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 4 January 2005 
 
 Five Children and It 
 Dramatised by Malcolm McKee. Directed by Rosemary Watts 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 31 August 1998 
 
 The Phoenix and the Carpet 
 Abridged by Penny Leicester. Produced by Marion Nancarrow 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 28 March-1 April 1994 
 
 The Story of the Amulet 
 Dramatised by Malcolm McKee. Directed by Rosemary Watts 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 August 1999 
 
 The House of Arden 
 Dramatised by Chris Curry. Produced by Mary Kalemkarian 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23 April-25 June 1989 
 
 The Book of Dragons 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 5, 7-11 December 1992 
 
 Cat Tales 
 The White Cat 
 First broadcast BBC Radio 3, 3 January 2000 
 
 Too Clever by Half 
 First broadcast BBC Sounds, 23 July 2019 
 
 © 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P) 2022 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

E. Nesbit: A BBC Radio Collection

The Railway Children, Five Children and It, The Phoenix and the Carpet & more

Paul Copley and Timothy Bateson star in a BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation of E. Nesbit's enchanting and unforgettable classic. Roberta, Peter and Phyllis lead an ordinary suburban life with Mother and Father, enjoying trips to the zoo and the pantomime. But when Father is mysteriously taken away one night, everything changes. The children must move to the country, to a little white cottage near the railway line, where eventually they find that there are plenty of adventures to be had and friends to be made - including Perks the Porter and the Station Master himself. But the mystery remains - what has happened to Father, and will he come back? The story of Roberta, Peter and Phyllis and their life in the country has never been out of print since it was first published in 1906. Charming, sentimental and unforgettable, the novel retains all its enchantment and enduring appeal in this BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation.

The Railway Children

Johnny Morris

Fourteen enchanting animal tales featuring some of Johnny Morris's favourite creatures.   The stories are: ‘Charley and Gladys, the Warthogs’; ‘Lulu, the Baby Seal’; ‘The Kookaburras’; ‘Bubbles the Hippopotamus’; ‘Chatterbox the Budgerigar’; ‘Hooter the Elephant’; ‘Mark and Cark the Jackdaws’; ‘Mark and Cark’s New Nest’; ‘Big Banghead and Little Bumpnut’; ‘Harum Scarum’s Mistake’; ‘Snowdrop the Polar Bear’; 'Toodle-oo Solves the Problem’; ‘Snapper the Crocodile’ and ‘Tubthump the Gorilla’.   Vintage Beeb: classic albums first available as BBC LPs, now reissued. This recording was previously released on LP in 1972.

Johnny Morris, Bedtime Stories With, (Vintage Beeb)

Philippa Pearce

Peter England, Una Stubbs and Crawford Logan star in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Philippa Pearce’s enchanting time-slip tale. 
 
When his brother catches measles, Tom is sent away to stay with his Aunt Gwen and Uncle Alan, and is thoroughly fed up about it. What a boring summer it’s going to be! But tedium turns to adventure when, lying in bed one night, he hears the old grandfather clock in the hall strike thirteen. What can it mean? As Tom creeps downstairs and opens the door, he finds a beautiful garden, and glimpses a girl in old-fashioned clothing. As he revisits the garden over the next few nights, he watches the seasons change from spring to autumn, and children come and go. But no-one seems to see him – until he meets Hatty, and the two become firm friends. With his new playmate, Tom embarks on the adventure of a lifetime... 
 
This magical drama stars Peter England as Tom, with Una Stubbs as Aunt Gwen and Crawford Logan as Uncle Alan. The wonder and excitement of much-loved children’s classics lives on in BBC Radio’s acclaimed full-cast dramatisations, complete with evocative music and sound effects.

Tom's Midnight Garden

Whether a long-standing fan or a first time listener, this collection of stories is the ultimate Just William audio experience. With over four hours of laugh-out-loud stories, including two stories performed to a live audience, Just William's Greatest Hits! is the perfect entertainment for the whole family. Boring car journeys are a thing of the past! Along with the live stories are Martin Jarvis's personal reflections of recording Just William, giving the listener a true behind- the-scenes insight into how he brings those marvellous characters to life. This is the perfect gift for the Just William fan, whether young or old. The stories included are: 'The Midnight Adventure of Miss Montague'; 'The Outlaws and Cousin Percy'; 'A Bit of Blackmail'; 'William and the Bomb'; 'William and the Snowman'; 'Violet Elizabeth Runs Away'; 'William and the Real Laurence'; 'Finding a School for William'; 'William's Truthful Christmas'; 'The Haunted House'; 'William and the Begging Letter'; 'William and the Badminton Racket'; 'A Question of Exchange'; 'The Weak Spot'; 'William the Rat Lover'; 'The Sweet Little Girl in White' and 'William and the Princess Goldilocks'. 
 
Musical Theme: Won't You Be My Ginger? composed and performed by Richard Dworsky (piano) (c) 1995 Inner Vista Music (BMI)

Just William's Greatest Hits

The Definitive Collection of Just William Stories

Johanna Spyri

Ciara Jansen stars in a BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation of the classic children's story. When Heidi, a lively orphan girl, goes to live with her grandfather in a little hut high in the Alps she soon learns to live in perfect harmony with her surroundings, leading a carefree life with her constant companion, Peter, a young goatherd. But her happiness is short-lived when she is sent to stay with a rich city family as a companion for the sick Clara. Although she becomes fond of the older girl, Heidi is terribly homesick. Will she ever be able to return to the Alps and the happiness she once knew with her friends? Johanna Spyri's touching story of the adventures of a young Swiss girl is one of the most popular children's stories ever written. Heidi's pleasure in the beauty of the Swiss mountains and her rich relationships with her friends and family are perfectly evoked in this warm and lively full-cast radio dramatisation.

Heidi

David Attenborough

Sergei Prokofiev

Prokofiev's timeless classic, brought to you by Sir David Attenborough and the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier. 
 
"If a wolf should come out of the forest, then what would you do?" 
 
These are the words of Peter's grandfather from Prokofiev's much loved musical fairy tale, Peter and the Wolf, which here is wonderfully narrated by Sir David Attenborough. This story introduces children to the magic of an orchestra through the tale of a clever young boy who, with the help of some animal friends, outwits a very hungry wolf. 
 
Wolf stories are common in folk and fairy tales. Shepherd boys who cry wolf; children who foolishly trust wolves; wolves in sheep's clothing. Many of the earliest stories about boys and wolves are found in Aesop's fables, and it is likely that this was Prokofiev's source for the story. 
 
Prokofiev was excited to have been asked to compose this piece by Moscow Central Children's Theatre director Natalya Sats, finishing it in just a few short weeks ahead of its Moscow premiere in May 1936. "We must start with something specific, something full of contrasts, something that makes a strong impression," he told her. "The most important thing is to find a common language with the children." 
 
Prokofiev had a lifelong love of fairy stories, myths and folklore and threw himself into the fantasy world of Peter and the Wolf. It has been recorded over 400 times, with a variety of narrators, and has introduced millions of children to the wonders of classical music. 
 
First broadcast December 2000. 
Narrated by Sir David Attenborough. 
Performed by the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. 
Conducted by Yan Pascal Tortelier. 
Composed by Sergei Prokofiev. 
 
©2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Peter and the Wolf

Prokofiev’s modern classic retold by Sir David Attenborough

A second wonderful collection of Just William stories, selected and read by Martin Jarvis 
 
Richmal Crompton's stories featuring irrepressible schoolboy William Brown have been firm favourites with both young and old for decades. Perpetually scruffy, mud-stained and mischievous, he is a lovable scamp whose pranks usually end in disaster - for his harassed elders at least. 
 
With friends Ginger, Douglas and Henry (the Outlaws) and the angelic thorn-in-his-side, the lisping Violet Elizabeth Bott, William has rightly joined the literary, and radio, immortals. 
 
Musical Theme: Won't You Be My Ginger? composed and performed by Richard Dworsky (piano) (c) 1995 Inner Vista Music (BMI) 
 
The stories in this collection include: 
 
That Boy 
The Bishop's Handkerchief 
William and Uncle George 
The Haunted House 
William and St Valentine 
April Fool's Day 
Not Much 
The Cure 
William's Wonderful Plan 
The Outlaws and the Penknife 
William the Reformer 
William's New Year's Day 
Aunt Florence and the Green Woodpecker 
The Plan that Failed 
William and the Begging Letter 
A Question of Exchange 
William and the Temporary History Teacher 
The Outlaws and the Tramp 
A Few Dogs and William 
The Outlaws and the Missionary 
William the Good 
William and the Young Man 
William and the Spy 
William and the Badminton Racket 
William Turns Over a New Leaf 
William and Dear Little Peter 
William and the Waxwork Prince 
William and the White Cat 
William and Photography 
The Great Detective 
The Fete - and Fortune 
The Weak Spot 
The Outlaws Go a-Mumming 
William's Double Life 
William to the Rescue 
William the Film Star 
William the Rat Lover 
William the Showman 
William And the Monster 
William The Persian 
The New Game 
William and the Love Nest 
The Cat And The Mouse 
Waste Paper Wanted 
William The Globe Trotter 
William And The Prize Pig 
A Present From William 
A Night Of Mysteries 
William and the Chinese God 
William and the League of Perfect Love 
Fireworks Strictly Prohibited 
William the Psychiatrist 
William Joins the Waits 
Violet Elizabeth Takes Control 
William - The Dear Little Boysie 
William's Brilliant Plan 
The Outlaws and Aunt Jo 
Violet Elizabeth's Special Party

Just William: A Second BBC Radio Collection

Michael Bond

Four charming tales starring the marmalade-loving bear from darkest Peru.   The stories are: ‘Please Look After This Bear’, ‘A Bear in Hot Water’, ‘A Disappearing Trick’ and ‘Paddington and the Amateur Dramatics.’   ‘Please look after this bear’ said the label around Paddington’s neck, so the Brown family take him home and do just that. Life with Paddington, however, is full of surprises –as you’ll find out in these four great dramatised stories!

Paddington Please Look After This Bear & Other Stories

Here are four of Hans Christian Andersen's best-loved short stories, specially adapted for young children and read by some of Britain's most well-known actors.   In 'The Brave Tin Soldier', read by David Tennant, a one-legged toy soldier falls in love with a paper ballerina.   In 'Thumbelina', read by Anne-Marie Duff, a tiny but beautiful girl grows from a barleycorn which has been enchanted by a witch.   In 'The Nightingale', read by Sir Derek Jacobi, an emperor prefers a sparkling mechanical bird to the song of a real nightingale.   And in 'The Ugly Duckling', read by Penelope Wilton, a little bird is called ugly by others until he matures into a beautiful swan.

The Brave Tin Soldier & Other Fairy Tales

Rudyard Kipling's famous tale tells the story of Mowgli, the 'man-cub' rescued from the tiger, Shere Khan, and adopted by a wolf pack. As he grows up, Mowgli learns the ways of the jungle from Baloo the bear, Bagheera the black panther and Kaa the rock python. His life is full of adventure with the jungle creatures, but soon the time comes when he is forced to leave and take his place among his own people.   A kind woman looks after Mowgli but she can't protect him from the superstitious villagers who believe his friendship with wolves is the result of sorcery. Mowgli's only escape is to return to the jungle. But even the jungle has become a dangerous place.   This rich and entertaining dramatisation skilfully blends words with jungle sounds and music, and stars Eartha Kitt as Kaa, Freddie Jones as Baloo, Jonathan Hyde as Bagheera and Nisha Nayar as Mowgli.

The Jungle Book

Stephen Wyatt

Ken Campbell, Windsor Davies, John Bird and John Fortune star in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation. 
 
When Alice leans too close to the Looking Glass, she suddenly finds herself in a land of caustic characters and twisted logic – a back-to-front world where flowers can talk, Queens can run and a crown could depend on a game of chess... In her bid to become Queen of the Chess Board, Alice must escape the fearful Jabberwock and get to the eighth square. En route, she takes advice – and sometimes downright criticism – from such peculiar folk as Humpty Dumpty, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, the Lion and the Unicorn, and very helpful gnat. 
 
Even when she has passed this test, the ordeal awaits of dinner with the Red and White Queens – and Alice learns an important lesson about not eating food you've been introduced to. 
 
This witty adaptation of Lewis Carroll's enduring children's classic boasts the much-loved Jabberwocky poem amongst its sparkling collection of gems.

Alice Through the Looking Glass

L.M. Montgomery

Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert have sent to the orphanage for a boy. So when a skinny, red-haired girl turns up, she is not quite what they had in mind. Anne Shirley soon sets the quiet island community of Avonlea talking of little else. With her incessant chatter and intense imagination, things are never dull with Anne - in fact, they are frequently fiery.   But slowly the islanders realise that beneath the quicksilver tongue and the red-headed temper is a little girl with a heart of gold, who brings a much-needed warmth and vitality to the community.   Since its publication in 1908, the story of Anne Shirley has touched a chord in the hearts of readers all over the world: '... old pioneers in the Australian bush, girls in India, missionaries in China, monks in remote monasteries, premiers of Great Britain, and red-headed people all over the world have written to me, telling me how they loved Anne', wrote L.M. Montgomery about her heroine. The infectious liveliness and charm of the novel emanates delightfully from this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation.

Anne Of Green Gables

Julia McKenzie and Simon Carter star in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of E Nesbit’s much-loved children’s novel. 
 
‘an enchanting adaptation’ Independent on Sunday 
 
On a hot, Edwardian summer’s day, five children are playing in a gravel pit when they dig up something very peculiar: a funny, furry, fat litte creature with the feet of a monkey and bat’s ears! The Psammead is a magical sand fairy who has the power to grant wishes: but the children can only have one wish a day, and the wishes only last until sunset. As the children try to get their hearts’ desires, things go hilariously wrong, and they have a series of amazing adventures that will change their lives. But their last wish gets them into terrible trouble, and it will take all the Psammead’s powers to put things right... 
 
This delightfully whimsical drama, adapted by Malcolm McKee, stars Julia McKenzie as the older Jane and Mother, and Simon Carter as the Psammead. The wonder and excitement of much-loved children’s classics lives on in BBC Radio’s acclaimed full-cast dramatisations, complete with evocative music and sound effects.

Five Children and It

When the Water Rat invites the unassuming Mole to spend his first day ever in a boat on the river, and wise Badger comes along for the ride as well, so begins a marvellous season of adventure for the three friends. Mr Toad (he of Toad Hall) completes a happy foursome, but his tendency to get into hot water leads him into some rather hair-raising scrapes of his own.From an idyllic riverside picnic to a snowy encounter in the Wild Wood, and from poop-pooping in Toad's shiny new motor car to battling the massed ranks of Stoats, Weasels, and Ferrets in a battle for Toad Hall, there's never a dull moment when they are all together! In his own inimitable style, Alan Bennett gives voice to each and every character in Kenneth Grahame's beguiling novel.

The Wind In The Willows

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the third adventure in C. S. Lewis' classic Narnia series. 
 
Life in a small fishing village in the south of Calormen is all that young Shasta knows until, one day, he overhears his father planning to sell him into slavery to a stranger and discovers that he is not a fisherman's son after all. Things become even more surprising when the stranger’s horse starts to have a conversation with him! 
 
Shasta dicovers that the horse is called Bree, and that he comes from a magical land in the North. Together they decide to flee Calormen and slavery and head for the freedom of that land – Narnia. So begins a hazardous journey, fraught with mystery and danger. They must endure a harsh desert, climb the high mountains of Archenland and overcome many enemies before they reach their destination. 
 
Join Shasta on an adventure beyond his wildest dreams in this third thrilling instalment of The Chronicles of Narnia. 
 
Starring James Graves as Shasta, Martin Jarvis as Bree, Fiona Shaw as Hwin and Stephen Thorne as Aslan. 
 
Written by C. S. Lewis 
Dramatised by Brian Sibley 
Produced by John Taylor 
Music by Elizabeth Parker and Peter Howell of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop 
Text ©1954 C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. (P)2005 BBC Audiobooks LTD 
Narnia® and The Chronicles of Narnia® are trademarks of CS Lewis Pte Ltd.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Horse And His Boy

A BBC Radio 4 Full-Cast Dramatisation

Jack London

A BBC radio full-cast dramatisation of this much-loved classic adventure about a dog named Buck. 
 
In Yukon, Canada during the 1890s Klondike Gold Rush, strong sled dogs were in high demand. Buck is stolen from his comfortable home in California and sold into service as a sled dog in Alaska. He becomes progressively feral in the harsh environment, where he is forced to fight to survive and dominate other dogs. 
 
Sold to a group of inexperienced gold hunters, he is eventually saved by John Thornton, with whom he forms a deep bond. 
 
Exciting and action-packed, The Call of the Wild explores the timeless relationship between man and dog, and the draw of primitive instincts that pull Buck away from humanity towards the wilderness. 
 
Starring Robert Jack, Finn Den Hertog, Robin Lane, Nick Underwood and Melody Grove.

The Call of the Wild

A BBC Radio full-cast dramatisation

Worth his weight in marmalade sandwiches, here’s Paddington in four more favourite adventures. Whether he’s playing in the sand, going to the theatre, picnicking on the river or enjoying Christmas Day, you can be sure life will be full of surprises! The stories are ‘A Day at the Seaside’, ‘Pantomime Time’, ‘A Picnic on the River’ and ‘Paddington’s Christmas.' Introduced by Michael Hordern, who narrated the original BBC TV series Paddington.

Paddington A Day At The Seaside & Other Stories

Frances Hodgson Burnett

A BBC radio dramatisation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's much-loved children's story 
 
 
Brought from India to chilly, fog-bound London, Sara Crewe is enrolled as a pupil at Miss Minchin's Select Seminary for Young Ladies. Her doting father, Captain Crewe, has provided her with fine clothes and luxuries fit for a princess, and she attracts envious attention. But Sara soon wins friends with her kindness, taking the school's misfits under her wing, and telling them wonderful stories to cheer them up. Yet despite her best efforts, her spiteful classmate Lavinia and mean headmistress Miss Minchin remain determined to dislike her. 
 
Then one day, Sara receives some terrible news. Her father has died, and his fortune is lost. Suddenly penniless, Sara is stripped of all her possessions and forced to become a servant. Banished to the attic with only her dreams to sustain her, will her courage, warm heart and imagination see her through? 
 
First published in 1905, Frances Hodgson Burnett's timeless tale has captured the hearts of generations, and is frequently ranked among the best children's novels of all time. This enchanting adaptation stars Ellie Beaven as Sara, with Julia McKenzie as Miss Minchin and Nicky Henson as Captain Crewe. 
 
Production credits 
Written by Frances Hodgson Burnett 
Dramatised by Dave Simpson 
Directed by Martin Jameson 
Executive producer: Diane Whitley 
Music composed by Robert Rigby 
 
Cast 
Miss Minchin - Julia McKenzie 
Captain Crewe - Nicky Henson 
Sara- Ellie Beaven 
Saeed/Ram Dass - Ravin J Gunatra 
Amelia - Fenella Norman 
Monsieur Dufarge/Mr Carmichael - Timothy Morand 
Mr Barrow/Removal man - Anthony Jackson 
Shop assistant - Jilly Bond 
Maid/Baker woman - Ali Hames 
Becky - Emma Copeland 
Ermengarde - Danielle Nelson 
Lavinia - Lucy Kent 
Jessie - Sasha Hannau 
Lottie - Becky Simpson 
Mr Carrisford - Robert Glenister 
Janet - Sara MacDonald 
Beggar girl - Carla Prosser 
Donald - Max Wrottesley 
 
First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 21 December 1996 
 
 
©2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2021 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

A Little Princess

A BBC Radio 4 children’s classic

Antoine De Saint-Exupery

Robert Powell stars as the Aviator with Garrett Moore as the Little Prince and Bernard Cribbins as the King in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s popular fable. This poignant dramatisation of the French classic was translated and dramatised by Bonnie Greer. 
 
When he crashes in the Sahara Desert, the Aviator believes he is all alone – until he meets an unusual space traveller: a boy with golden hair who calls himself The Little Prince. As the Aviator repairs his plane, the Little Prince tells him fantastical tales about his amazing interplanetary journey. On his home planet, asteroid B-612, he fell in love with a beautiful rose, but left her to explore the universe. In the course of his travels, he has met people including a King, a drunkard and a lamplighter, as well as a snake and a wise fox – but now he must return home and be reunited with his rose... 
 
A classic story about love, friendship and loss, The Little Prince is one of the most read books in the world. The wonder and excitement of much-loved children’s classics lives on in BBC Radio’s acclaimed full-cast dramatisations, complete with evocative music and sound effects.

The Little Prince

Dodie Smith

Patricia Hodge stars as Cruella de Vil in this full-cast dramatisation of the much-loved story. Pongo lives happily with his human pets Mr. and Mrs. Dearly in a large house in Regent's Park. When his wife Missis produces a litter of 15 beautiful pups, life seems wonderfully complete. But the mysterious disappearance of the puppies suddenly throws everything into turmoil. Pongo, one of the keenest brains in Dogdom, quickly realises that he and Missis are the only hope for their youngsters' survival. And so the fearless pair set out on a bleak winter's journey into great dangers, helped along the way by the gallant Colonel, a sheepdog of the Old School. Dodie Smith's canine classic brought pleasure to millions as a Disney film. All its original charm and warmth are fully evident here in this full-cast dramatisation which stars Patricia Hodge as Cruella de Vil, along with Joan Sims, Brenda Blethyn, Nicky Henson and Polly James.

The Hundred And One Dalmatians

A BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of the first adventure in C. S. Lewis' classic Narnia series. 
 
Polly Plummer and her next-door neighbour, Digory, are exploring one wet afternoon when the accidental discovery of some magic rings sends them off on the most exciting and dangerous journey of their lives. They fall through magic pools to the ruined city of Charn where Digory awakens the terrifying figure of Jadis, the last Queen. But with true evil comes true goodness, as the children discover when they come face-to-face with the mighty lion Aslan. 
 
Soon the children’s Uncle Andrew, along with an unwitting cabbie and footman, has joined them – and together they witness the lion Aslan’s creation of a wondrous new world… 
 
So begins the universally loved and acclaimed series of stories in which good and evil do battle in the spellbinding, magical land of Narnia. 
 
Starring Maurice Denham as the Professor, Rowena Snaith as Polly, Simeon Pearl as Diggory, Robert Eddison as Uncle Andrew, Rosemary Martin as Jadis and Stephen Thorne as Aslan. 
 
Written by C. S. Lewis 
Dramatised by Brian Sibley 
Produced by Geoffrey Marshall-Taylor 
Music by Elizabeth Parker of the BBC Radiophonic Workshop 
Text ©1955 C.S. Lewis Pte. Ltd. (P)2005 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd 
Narnia® and The Chronicles of Narnia® are trademarks of CS Lewis Pte Ltd.

The Chronicles Of Narnia: The Magician's Nephew

A. A. Milne

Alan Bennett reads A.A. Milne's much-loved stories about a small bear and his friends - from Winnie the Pooh, The House at Pooh Corner and A Party for Pooh. 
 
'If you were looking for the distilled essence of pure English cosy nostalgia, this audiobook may well be it... Every child should listen to it.' - The Telegraph 
 
What is the connection between a bear of very little brain and a honey pot? Usually it's the very sticky paw of Winnie the Pooh, as he takes a break between adventures for a little something. In these stories, Pooh goes visiting and gets into a tight place, Eeyore loses a tail, Piglet meets a Heffalump, Eeyore has a birthday and gets two presents, and an expedition is mounted to the North Pole! As usual they are accompanied by Kanga, Roo, Rabbit and Owl - to say nothing of Pooh's very clever young human friend, Christopher Robin. 
 
With a musical introduction, Alan Bennett gives A.A. Milne's characters the voices you felt they were always meant to have. 
 
The stories included here are:<ul><li>Winnie-the-Pooh Goes Visiting and Gets into a Tight Place</li><li>Pooh and Piglet Nearly Catch a Woozle and Eeyore Loses a Tail</li><li>Piglet Meets a Heffalump</li><li>Eeyore has a birthday and Gets Two Presents</li><li>Christopher Robin Leads an Exposition to the North Pole</li><li>A House is Built at Pooh Corner for Eeyore</li><li>Tigger Comes to the Forest and has Breakfast</li><li>A Search is Organdized and Piglet Nearly Meets the Heffalump Again</li><li>Pooh Invents a New Game and Eeyore Joins In</li><li>Piglet Does a Very Grand Thing and Owl Moves House</li><li>Kanga and Baby Roo Come to the Forest</li><li>Piglet is Entirely Surrounded by Water</li><li>Christoper Robin Gives Pooh a Party</li><li>Tiggers Don't Climb Trees</li><li>Rabbit has a Busy Day</li><li>Tigger is Unbounced</li></ul> 
©2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2017 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Winnie-The-Pooh

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