With 13 children of his own clamouring for bedtime stories it isn't surprising that author George MacDonald discovered he had a gift for composing fairy tales. But these were fairy tales with a difference. At the Back of the North Wind, the first to be published, became a Victorian favourite and marked something of a milestone in children's fiction. While owing a debt to Hans Andersen, Dickens ...

Princess Irene finds a staircase and enters a mysterious world. For in the highest tower, is an old lady spinning magic thread beside a fire made of roses. When Curlie the miner boy encounters goblins plotting against the royal household, Irene must trust the lady if they are to save the palace.

Doctor Dolittle likes animals. In fact, he likes them so much he fills his house with every kind of creature imaginable and even learns to talk their language. And when the Doctor hears of a terrible sickness among the monkeys in Africa, soon he and his animal friends are setting off on the most unforgettable adventure.