Author: Fergus I. M. Craik

1Little Lame Prince

By Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

Paralyzed in an accident while a baby, young Prince Dolor is imprisoned in a lonely tower by his usurping uncle. He is visited by his mysterious godmother who provides him with magical gifts, including a travelling cloak that allows him to fly across the land. He uses his gifts to return to his rightful place on the throne. Also included are several short stories by the author also featuring princes. (Chapters 12-15) (Summary by Alys)

Adventures of a Brownie follows the life of a brownie who lives in a family's coal cellar and the adventures he gets into with the members of the household. Written by Ancilla

3John Halifax, Gentleman

By Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

This novel, published in 1856, was one of the popular and beloved novels in the Victorian era. It is told in the first person by Phineas Fletcher, an invalid son of a Quaker tanner who is presented to us in the beginning as a lonely youth. John Halifax, the first friend he ever had, is a poor orphan who is taken in by his father to help in the work which his sickly son can't constantly do. Phineas tells us in an unforgettable way how John succeeded in rising from his humble beginning and become a wealthy and successful man. But with the money come horrible troubles... In an unforgettable manner, we learn to know all the characters of the novel as if they really lived. (Summary by Stav Nisser)<br><br>Coordinated by Stav Nisser & Patti Cunningham

4Olive

By Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

Inspired by Jane Eyre, Dinah Maria Craik's 1850 novel, Olive, was one of the first to feature a disabled central character. 'Slightly deformed' from birth, Olive believes that she will never be able to marry like other women, so she devotes her life to her art, her mother, and above all, her religion. It takes a dark secret from the past and a new, fascinating acquaintance, to make her realize what her life could be. (Summary by Arielle Lipshaw)

5Fairy Book

By Dinah Maria Mulock Craik

The sleeping beauty in the wood -- Hop-O'-My-Thumb -- Cinderella; or, the little glass slipper -- Adventures of John Dietrich -- Beauty and the Beast -- Little One Eye, Little Two Eyes, and Little Three Eyes -- Jack the giant-killer -- Tom Thumb -- Rumpelstilzchen -- Fortunatus -- The Bremen Town Musicians -- Riquet with the tuft -- House Island -- Snow-White and Rose-Red -- Jack and the bean-stalk -- Graciosa and Percinet -- The iron stove -- The invisible prince -- The woodcutter's daughter -- Brother and sister -- Little Red-Riding-Hood -- Puss in Boots -- The wolf and the seven young goslings -- The fair one with golden looks -- The butterfly -- The frog-prince -- The white cat -- Prince Cherry -- Little Snowdrop -- The blue bird -- The yellow dwarf -- The six swans -- The prince with the nose -- The hind of the forest -- The juniper tree -- Clever Alice. All classic stories for children. (Summary by Project Gutenberg and WoollyBee)

The History of English Literature and Language may be recommended to the student as a guide always sure, and as satisfactory as its limits will admit, to the gathered harvest of a thousand years -- from ALFRED the Great to VICTORIA -- now existing in a language radically identical for the whole of that period, the common property of all who are born to its use, a personal endowment not to be limited by local accidents, but the rightful possession of those who "claim SHAKESPEARE's language for their mother tongue." As a writer, the principal characteristics of Mr. CRAIK are good sense and a command of ample information, derived usually from the original sources. He has not aimed a producing a brilliant book. From the number of topics necessary to be glanced at, much of it necessarily assumes the appearance of a brief catalogue; but the critical judgments of the writers, as they come under review, are unpretending and correct. - Summary from The New York Times, April 26, 1864.

LibriVox volunteers bring you 15 recordings of October by Dinah Maria Mulock Craik.<br> This was the Weekly Poetry project for October 6, 2019. <br> ------<br> Dinah Maria Craik was an English novelist and poet. She is best remembered for her novel John Halifax, Gentleman, which presents the ideals of English middle-class life. - Summary by Wikipedia