Jo's Boys

Good Wives continues the story of the Little Women, the March sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy, as they approach womanhood. Meg longs to begin her new life with John Brook, though they can never be rich; Jo returns to devote herself to literature, and to Beth, whose illness has left her weak but whose serenity shines through the household; and Amy has gone to Aunt March, bribed with the offer of drawing lessons. Laurie remains irrepressible, with his high spirits and sense of fun, though his pursuit of Jo’s affections seems unlikely to succeed....

Jo March, the irrepressible tomboy in Little Women, has grown up and married her professor to become Jo Bhaer. Together the Bhaers have established Plumfield - a warm-hearted, informal school where lessons are taught with a dose of laughter. When Nat, a young orphan joins the happy household at Plumfield, he can’t believe his good fortune. Each day is filled with studying and fun - the boys even enjoy Saturday-night pillow fights. But when Nat gets caught stretching the truth, he discovers there is more to learn in his new home than games and schoolwork.

Little Women is recognized as one of the best-loved classic children's stories, transcending the boundaries of time and age, making it as popular with adults as it is with young listeners. The beloved story of the March girls is a classic American feminist novel, reflecting the tension between cultural obligation and artistic and personal freedom.

But which of the four March sisters to love best? For every listener must have their favorite. Independent, tomboyish Jo; delicate, loving Beth; pretty, kind Meg; or precocious and beautiful Amy, the baby of the family?

The March sisters are among the most beloved characters in children's literature, and Little Men picks up the story of fiery, headstrong Jo where Good Wives left off. Intelligent, funny, perceptive, and genuinely touching, the novel is set at a rather unusual boarding school run by Jo and her husband, where the pupils are encouraged to pillow fight and keep pets. When the penniless but talented orphan Nat Blake shows up on her doorstep, Jo takes him in, and his arrival sets in motion a chain of events that will affect all their lives.

The lovable Jo March, introduced to us in Little Women, is now married with two sons of her own and an adopted family of 12 boys. And she couldn't be happier. Since starting an informal school at Plumfield, Jo and Professor Bhaer provide a haven for poor orphaned boys who thrive on warmth, goodness, and the affectionate interest of the March and Bhaer families.

When wealthy widower Captain Ralph Crewe first enrolls his little daughter Sara in Miss Minchin’s Select Seminary for Young Ladies, she is set to become the school's show pupil. But tragedy soon strikes: Captain Crewe passes away after losing his fortune, and young Sara is quickly forced into servitude by the cruel Miss Minchin. To make it through her long days as a drudge, Sara imagines herself secretly a princess, and along the way learns to treasure true friends and the kindness of mysterious benefactors. 

In this Audible Exclusive performance by Matt Lucas of Great Expectations, Charles Dickens demonstrates that conscience, loyalty and empathy are virtues far more valuable than intellect, wealth and social standing. First published in Dickens’ own periodical, All the Year Round, the novel was divided into nine monthly instalments, from December 1860 to August 1861. Unsurprisingly, it was an instant success and managed to sell over 100,000 copies per week. Though written at a challenging time in Dickens’ life, when the impending breakdown of his marriage loomed over him, Great Expectations proves to be one of his most optimistic, comical and romantic novels.

Pollyanna by Eleanor H. Porter is a children's book focusing on the life of a little orphan girl. The orphan Pollyanna is forced to live with her strict Aunt Polly, who resents having to look after Pollyanna, because both of her parents passed away.

Katy Carr is always dreaming of the time when something will happen to make her famous. But when it does, it's not at all what she wants.

A peaceful holiday in the Welsh mountains should be on the cards for Philip, Dinah, Lucy-Ann and Jack, but they once again manage to land themselves in another dangerous adventure. Wolves, rumbling mountains and mysterious strangers are the order of this holiday....