Oliver Twist (Great Illustrated Classics) [Library Binding]

Charles Dickens (Author), Marian Leighton (Compiler)

Book Description

Series: Great Illustrated Classics

One of Dickens' most popular and moving novels, OLIVER TWIST deals with a world Dickens himself knew only too well -- a world of debtors, prisons, alms houses and poverty. Oliver is born in a workhouse. Apprenticed to an undertaker, he runs away to London where the "Artful Dodger," Jack Dawkins, takes the starving boy into a den of thieves. Among this motley crew, Oliver meets the sinister Bill Sikes, his pitiful and tragic Nancy and the master criminal, Fagin.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 4-8-Presented by the St. Charles Players, this is an example of radio theatre at its finest. The narration moves the abbreviated story along at a brisk, easy-to-follow pace, while the highly polished troupe of actors offers a colorful array of voices and British dialectsAfrom Cockney low-lives to privileged members of the aristocracy. Sound effects and music add spark to the production. Although this version is only about one-third the length of the original, both the story line and the picture of British social conditions and injustices during Dickens's time come through vividly as young Oliver makes his way from the desolation of a workhouse for orphans to Fagin's den of thieves in London and, finally, to the comfort and security of life with an honorable gentleman. As such, it is bound to whet the appetites of upper elementary and middle school youngsters who will be intrigued into reading the original. It also offers, through drama, an enjoyable way of understanding history and should stimulate lively discussions on the relationship between dire poverty and a life of crime.
Carol Katz, Harrison Public Library, NY
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Audio Cassette edition.

From the Publisher

10 1.5-hour cassettes --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Library Binding: 240 pages
• Publisher: Abdo Pub Co (May 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0866119566
• ISBN-13: 978-0866119566
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.7 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,737,977 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

One of the grand masters of Victorian literature, Charles Dickens was born on February 7, 1812, in Landport, Portsea, England. He died in Kent on June 9, 1870. The second of eight children of a family continually plagued by debt, the young Dickens came to know not only hunger and privation,but also the horror of the infamous debtors' prison and the evils of child labor. A turn of fortune in the shape of a legacy brought release from the nightmare of prison and "slave" factories and afforded Dickens the opportunity of two years' formal schooling at Wellington House Academy. He worked as an attorney's clerk and newspaper reporter until his Sketches by Boz (1836) and The Pickwick Papers (1837) brought him the amazing and instant success that was to be his for the remainder of his life. In later years, the pressure of serial writing, editorial duties, lectures, and social commitments led to his separation from Catherine Hogarth after twenty-three years of marriage. It also hastened his death at the age of fifty-eight, when he was characteristically engaged in a multitude of work.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Oliver Twist, April 26, 2004

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Oliver Twist (Great Illustrated Classics) (Library Binding)

The book I read is Oliver Twist. Oliver Twist is about an orphan boy whose mother died when he was born. When Oliver was growing up he had a very though life. Oliver was very bad he was so bad that he had to live in many different orphan homes because he was so bad. When he was living at his most recent home they were eating dinner when he finished for more and all of the boys looked at Oliver crazy. The consequences for asking for seconds were that Oliver had to go to court. After Oliver's trail he had to move into another orphan house. He had only been in the new house for only about two days he got tired of staying there and ran away from London. On his way there he ran into a couple of boys who were pick pocketing men in the town. When Oliver ran into one of the boys he asked him if he need a place to stay and have food. The boys thought Oliver how to pick pocket some one, when Oliver went on his first mission he got caught and they called the cops. Oliver ran away and met into a family named the Bronlows. Oliver started staying with the Bronlows so the cops wouldn't catch him. A sweet little lady named Nancy saved Oliver's life, he saved Oliver's life she died for Oliver's life.
The character is Oliver. Oliver is a poor little boy who lives with ten other boys in an orphan house. Oliver is a very kind hearted boy. He's really soft spoken. He's shy when he wants something or is asking for something.
The conflict in the story is Oliver's trying not to get killed by Sikes. Sikes will kill Oliver if Oliver tells the Bronlows about how he's in a gang. If Oliver tells the Bronlows he'll get hung and choked to death, and get stabbed.
They solved the conflict by Nancy standing up for Oliver and using her life to save Oliver's life. What Nancy told Sikes was that she told the Bronlows that Oliver was in a gang just for that her life was sacrificed for the sake of Oliver's life to show how much she cared for him.
I would recommend this book to anybody who likes to read. I wouldn't recommend this book if you don't like to read but it's for a fifth grade reading level and up, but anybody can read it. My opinion of this book is pretty book it's really a great book it doesn't take that long to read. I would rate this book a 9 on a scale 1-10. I gave it a nine because the ending wasn't what I had expected it to be.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Oliver Abridged, September 15, 2005

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Oliver Twist (Great Illustrated Classics) (Library Binding)

Never reading the original, I could not really say how much of the whole story this book actually contained. It was printed on cheap paper, has bad illustrations but is a good reader for younger kids. The story is greatly shortened, I think and unless you buy it cheap somewhere, (like Amazon.com!) you won't get worth your while.
Enjoy anyway!

2 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Joyce Kirkman's Amazing Twist., November 12, 2001

A Kid's Review

This review is from: Oliver Twist (Great Illustrated Classics) (Library Binding)

I really like this book because it is really cool.Charles Dickenson was trying to using the fellings;laughter,sadness,and madness.When I started reading it I became like I was the book and the book was me.If I had a choose would read it again,but not this one.