Stuart Little [Unabridged] [Audio CD]

E.B. White (Author), Julie Harris (Reader)

Book Description

Age Level: 6 and up | Grade Level: 1 and up

For decades, E.B. White's charming, bittersweet tales of friendship and adventure have enchanted audiences young and old alike. Now the magic of this beloved classic comes to life in a delightful and completely unabridged recording, read by award-winning actress Julie Harris.

Stuart Little is a shy, philosophical little mouse with a big heart and a taste for adventure. In spite of his diminutive stature, barely two inches tall,

Stuart sets forth into the world wtih some mighty big plans: to ride a Fifth Avenue bus, to win a sailboat race in Central Park, and to teach school for a day. But Stuart's greatest adventure begins when he decides to find his best friend, Margalo, a pretty little bird who once lived in a Boston fern in the Littles' house in New York City. Climbing into his tiny car, Stuart hits the open road, sure he's heading in the right direction, only to find himself in for a big surprise.

Filled with warmth, wit and wonder, Stuart Little, is a timeless tale that speaks to the heroic spirit in all of us - no matter what our size.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Narrator Julie Harris draws upon her extraordinary acting talents to raise this much-loved tale of a teeny, tiny explorer and his oversized adventures to new heights. "Stuart put on his sailor hat and his sailor suit, took his spy glass down from the shelf and set for a walk full of the joy of life and the fear of dogs." Skipping from one precarious perch to the next, the diminutive wanderer makes new friends, meets old ones, and shares his lust for life with listeners of all ages. Harris's clever, lyrical narration is wonderfully evocative and perfectly captures the charming yet soulful spirit of E.B. White's classic children's tale. (Running time: 2 hours, 2 cassettes) --George Laney --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Booklist

Gr. 4-6. Readers will welcome this Spanish edition of a beloved tale, first published in 1945, about a two-inch-tall mouse with a big heart and a love for adventure. The fluid text resonates with the original wit and whimsy that marked White's clever intermingling of fantasy and real life. Miguez's joyous translation maintains the author's rhyming play on words by using appropriate substitutions--for example, gorrion, dragon, and raton for the English louse, grouse, and souse. A few Peninsular Spanish pronouns and conjugations (vuestras, podeis, sabreis) won't deter Spanish speakers from the Americas from enjoying Stuart Little's wonderful escapades. Isabel Schon
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 6 and up
  
• Audio CD
• Publisher: Listening Library (Audio); Unabridged edition (November 1, 1991)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0553455303
• ISBN-13: 978-0553455304
• Product Dimensions: 5.2 x 0.7 x 5.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (138 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #76,851 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #5 in Books > Books on Cassette > Children's Books > General
  • #12 in Books > Books on CD > Children's Fiction > Animals
  • #20 in Books > Books on CD > Children's Fiction > Classics

More About the Author

E.B. White, the author of twenty books of prose and poetry, was awarded the 1970 Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal for his children's books, Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web. This award is now given every three years "to an author or illustrator whose books, published in the United States, have, over a period of years, make a substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children." The year 1970 also marked the publication of Mr. White's third book for children, The Trumpet of the Swan, honored by The International Board on Books for Young People as an outstanding example of literature with international importance. In 1973, it received the Sequoyah Award (Oklahoma) and the William Allen White Award (Kansas), voted by the school children of those states as their "favorite book" of the year.

Born in Mount Vernon, New York, Mr. White attended public schools there. He was graduated from Cornell University in 1921, worked in New York for a year, then traveled about. After five or six years of trying many sorts of jobs, he joined the staff of The New Yorker magazine, then in its infancy. The connection proved a happy one and resulted in a steady output of satirical sketches, poems, essays, and editorials. His essays have also appeared in Harper's Magazine, and his books include One Man's Meat, The Second Tree from the Corner, Letters of E.B. White, The Essays of E.B. White and Poems and Sketches of E.B. White. In 1938 Mr. White moved to the country. On his farm in Maine he kept animals, and some of these creatures got into his stories and books. Mr. White said he found writing difficult and bad for one's disposition, but he kept at it. He began Stuart Little in the hope of amusing a six-year-old niece of his, but before he finished it, she had grown up.

For his total contribution to American letters, Mr. White was awarded the 1971 National Medal for Literature. In 1963, President John F. Kennedy named Mr. White as one of thirty-one Americans to receive the Presidential Medal for Freedom. Mr. White also received the National Institute of Arts and Letters' Gold Medal for Essays and Criticism, and in 1973 the members of the Institute elected him to the American Academy of Arts and Letters, a society of fifty members. He also received honorary degrees from seven colleges and universities. Mr. White died on October 1, 1985.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

27 of 27 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The best ending... melancholy, October 7, 1999

By 

bridgecross "inNY" (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Stuart Little (Hardcover)

The most common complaint about Sutart Little is the ending, or lack of ending. I disagree. The story is one of growing up, and sadness, and yearning for something just out of reach. The brilliant E.B. White denies us a happy-Disney ending, avoids "closure". The story is just like life; it is a journey, not a package. The loose ends don't need to be cleared up with a sequel. Stuart has grown up and struck off on his own, the end. When I first read this story as a young boy, it gave me my first taste of melancholy. This should be the first "profound" book that a child reads, for it leaves you feeling sad, but hopeful.

27 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Stuart Little, November 29, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Stuart Little (Hardcover)

Stuart Little is about a mouse who was born to a normal human family. Stuart must overcome large obstacles as a small being. One day Margalo, a bird, entered Stuart's life. They became instant friends. One day the family cat, Snowbell, and an alley cat came up with a plan to kill Margalo. Another bird overheard the plan and sent a note to Margalo. Margalo left and almost falls in love, but nothing cound keep Stuart from searching for Margalo. Stuart Little is a wonderful novel that appeals to children because of its curious blend of fantasy and reality. Children can relate to some of the obstacles Stuart encounters because of his size. This story helps children to learn to use determination in order to overcome obstacles they might face in life.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most excellent pieces of children's literature, January 14, 2000

By A Customer

This review is from: Stuart Little (Hardcover)

I fell in love with White's "Stuart Little" in the 4th grade, when my teacher read this gem of a book out loud to us. Even today, as an adult, the clever, jaunty Stuart Little is a favorite of mine. The book is about the adventures of Stuart, a small mouse who was born to human parents. From driving a model car given him by his dentist friend to his run-ins with the family cat, Stuart's innocent hi-jinx and fun-loving nature will keep kids and adults laughing. "Stuart Little" is a lively getaway from our sometimes violent and tumultuous world.