Watch as the curtains open and the opera begins. The seven operatic stories in this beautiful collection are each proceeded by an introduction about the origins of the story. There are also extensive notes about opera houses, behind-the-scenes terminology, famous opera houses and composers, and more.

The heroes and heroines of myth and folklore always have to overcome extraordinary challenges: and more often than not, these challenges involve a giant, a ghost, or a goblin. Jerry Nelson, the voice behind some of the most famous characters in children's television, including Sesame Street's Count von Count, narrates this action-packed collection. His inventive repertoire of growling giants and squeaky goblins will delight young listeners as the drama of the stories sets their imaginations on fire.

Find out how a monkey gets the better of a crocodile, how an unassuming spider helps her community when all of the stronger animals fail, and how a rabbit is rewarded for making a special sacrifice.

Heave ho, me hearties! This spirited collection will inspire all young pirates to set sail to faraway islands and seek adventures on the high seas. Master storyteller Richard Hope recounts the swashbuckling adventures of pirates from all over the world in a collection that is brimming with the perils and drama of life on the high seas.

Told from four-year-old Laura's point of view, this story begins in 1871 in a little log cabin on the edge of the Big Woods of Wisconsin. Laura lives in the little house with her pa, her ma, her sisters Mary and Carrie, and their trusty dog, Jack. Pioneer life is sometimes hard for the family, since they must grow or catch all their own food as they get ready for the cold winter. But it is also exciting as Laura and her family celebrate Christmas with homemade toys and treats, do the spring planting, bring in the harvest, and make their first trip into town.