Deanna Mcfadden: 10 books

A shipwreck. A sole survivor, stranded on a deserted island. What could be more appealing to children than Robinson Crusoe’s amazing adventure? Set in the 17th century, and unfolding over a 30-year period, it offers plenty of suspense and everyday detail about how Crusoe manages to stay alive. Additionally,...

When young Pip accidentally meets a convict out in the marsh one Christmas Eve, he has no idea that his life is about to change--forever. The amazing events following that encounter, and the strange tale of Miss Havisham and her adopted daughter Estella, have made Great Expectations a must-read since...

Mary Shelley’s tragic story of a scientist who created a monster is perhaps even more compelling and meaningful today than when it was written nearly two centuries ago. From the bits and pieces of dead bodies, and the power of electricity, the brilliant Victor Frankenstein fashions a new form of life—only to discover, too late, the irreparable damage he has caused.

Take a thrilling whirlwind trip around the world with Phileas Fogg! When Fogg—a man of habit whose every day is just like the one before—makes a bet that he can circle the globe and be back in his men’s club in just 80 days, the race is on. Jules Verne’s classic tale bubbles with excitement, suspense, and colorful locations.

Eleven-year-old Rebecca Randall is quite a handful—and now she’s leaving her beloved Sunnybrook Farm to live with her well-to-do elderly aunts and get an education. But they were expecting Rebecca’s quiet, hard-working older sister instead. Can the bright-eyed and talkative girl win them over…especially...

Set in a richly rendered 15th century Paris, Victor Hugo’s powerful drama focuses on a beautiful gypsy girl named Esmeralda, the two men (including an obsessed and manipulative priest) who love her, and the pitiful hunchback Quasimodo who tries to save her. With this simplified yet spellbinding version, kids can enjoy all the excitement of Hugo’s masterful story.

Following Sterling's spectacularly successful launch of its children's classic novels (240,000 books in print to date),comes a dazzling new series: Classic Starts. The stories are abridged; the quality is complete. Classic Starts treats the world's beloved tales (and children) with the respect they...

Once upon a time… there were two brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, who gave the world some of the best-loved fairy tales ever written. From “Cinderella” and “Rumpelstiltskin” to “Snow White” and “The Brave Little Tailor,” this charming anthology offers young readers a wonderful introduction to 12 of the Grimms' most popular stories.

This sparkling sequel to the beloved Little Women follows the grown-up and married Jo, mistress of Plumfield, a school for boys (and a few girls, too). The fun begins with a new arrival, Nat Blake; it is through his eyes that we first meet Plumfield’s lively residents and experience the cheerful...

A fascinating adventure story, grounded in American history. As the French and Indian war rages, the two daughters of a British officer prepare to return home. But when, Cora, Alice, and the soldiers who guard them are betrayed by their Native American scout, their safety depends on wily forest tracker Hawkeye and his friends Chingachkook and Uncas—the last of the Mohicans.