Audiobooks by Joan Aiken

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Black Hearts in Battersea & The Story of Is: Three BBC Radio Childre

"BBC Radio full-cast dramatisations of three of the classic novels from Joan Aiken's 'Wolves Chronicles' One of the finest storytellers of her time, Joan Aiken wrote over 100 books for both adults and children. Among her best-known works are the 'Wolves Chronicles', a sequence of novels set in an alternate 19th century England ruled by Stuart kings. Included here are three tales from that magical, wolf-infested world - The Wolves of Willoughby Chase, Black Hearts in Battersea and The Story of Is. The Wolves of Willoughby Chase - Winter, 1832. The great manor of Willoughby Chase lies blanketed by snow, and predators lurk in the darkness. With the opening of the Channel Tunnel, ravenous wolves have overrun the country, and young Bonnie Green can hear their hideous howling. But she and her cousin Sylvia soon find themselves facing an even greater danger, in the shape of their devious governess, Miss Slighcarp. Aided by their friend Simon, can they foil her evil plan? Black Hearts in Battersea - Determined to become a painter, Simon sets off to London - but no sooner has he arrived than he becomes caught up in a fiendish Hanoverian plot to overthrow the King. Kidnapped and sent away to sea, he faces shipwreck, assassination plots, attacks by wolves and a hair-raising hot air balloon escape. With the help of fellow orphan Sophie, and the resourceful Dido Twite, will he save the day? The Story of Is - Sent by King Richard IV to search for his missing son, Dido Twite's sister Isabett takes the Playland Express to the north of a divided England. There, she finds an underground city where children work as slaves in vast coal mines. This is the domain of Gold Kingy, a man who will stop at nothing in his pursuit of power - but he has reckoned without Is and her newfound friends... These spellbinding adventures feature a star cast, including Gosford Park's Emily Watson, Game of Thrones' Joe Dempsie and legendary actor and comedian Rik Mayall. Text copyright © Joan Aiken 1962 (The Wolves of Willoughby Chase), 1964 (Black Hearts in Battersea), 1992 (Is) Production credits Written by Joan Aiken The Wolves of Willoughby Chase Cast: Jane Lapotaire, Emily Watson, Abigail Docherty, John Rowe, John Turner, Gavin Muir, Kristen Milward, Tom Bevan, Jilly Bond, Eva Stuart, David Antrobus, Ian Masters, Derek Waring, George Parsons, Elaine Claxton, Natasha Pyne, Becky Hindley Dramatised by Eric Pringle Directed by Cherry Cookson First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 30 December 1994 Black Hearts in Battersea Cast: Joe Dempsie, Nicola Miles-Wildin, Emerald O'Hanrahan, John Rowe, Sheila Reid, Ben Crowe, Annabelle Dowler, Rhys Jennings, Tessa Nicholson, Sam Pamphilon, Nigel Hastings, Bruce Alexander, Joseph Cohen Cole, Piers Wehner, Kate Layden, John Biggins, Ewan Hooper Dramatised by Lin Coghlan. Directed by Marc Beeby First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 23-24 December 1999 The Story of Is Cast: John Rowe, Alison Pettitt, Rik Mayall, Freddie Jones With John Hartley, Gordon Reid, Rachel Atkins, Alastair Danson, Robert Harper, Gerard McDermott, Anthony Ofoegbu, Leila Campbell, George Maguire, Jenny Lee, Stephen Thorne, Carolyn Jones, Iwan Thomas, Christopher Scott, Richard Pearce, Tom Bevan, Brian Parr and children from the Italia Conti School Dramatised by Eric Pringle. Directed by David Blount. Music by Neil Brand First broadcast BBC Radio 4, 15 March-5 April 1998 © 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd. (P) 2023 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd"

Joan Aiken (Author), Alison Pettitt, Emily Watson, Full Cast, Joe Dempsie, John Rowe, Rik Mayall, Sheila Reid (Narrator)

Audiobook

An Audio Bundle: Arabel's Raven & Arabel and Mortimer

"Young Arabel's life is changed forever when her father, a taxi driver, brings home an injured bird he finds in the street. This wacky raven eats everything in sight, answers the telephone by squawking "Nevermore!" and causes chaos wherever he goes--but Arabel loves her new feathered friend, whom she names Mortimer. Set in a small quaint village outside London more than half a century ago, young listeners will find great pleasure in these high-spirited engaging stories with uniquely hilarious and witty situations. Fans of these classic stories will picture an adorable raven squawking "nevermore" every time they hear a phone ring, and the thought of this crazy bird will forever be a delightful reminder!"

Joan Aiken (Author), Sneha Mathan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Arabel and Mortimer

"Arabel Jones and her pet raven, Mortimer, find adventure wherever they go. In this silly sequel to "Arabel's Raven," when they take a cruise, Mortimer floats out to sea on a grand piano. When they go to the zoo, Mortimer tries to get even with three giraffes that stole his doughnuts. Even at home, there's an excitement when the rambunctious raven flies away with a priceless treasure that was buried at their local park--King Arthur's sword! Arabel tries to keep her peculiar pet under control, but sometimes that's just impossible! One thing is for sure: Life is never dull with Mortimer around!"

Joan Aiken (Author), Sneha Mathan (Narrator)

Audiobook

Arabel's Raven

"Young Arabel's life is changed forever when her father, a taxi driver, brings home an injured bird he finds in the street. This wacky raven eats everything in sight, answers the telephone by squawking "Nevermore!" and causes chaos wherever he goes--but Arabel loves her new feathered friend, whom she names Mortimer. Chaos follows Mortimer, the zany and impulsive raven, wherever he goes and the Jones family is not the same after young Arabel Jones discovers Mortimer in the family's fridge early one morning. The Jones family's affection for this odd pet is silly and outrageous, making for ridiculous adventures and wacky situations between a quirky but loving family and their outrageous black pet raven. Set in a small quaint village outside London more than half a century ago, readers will enjoy the old-fashioned British dialogue and wonderful descriptions of the place Mortimer quickly calls home in Rumbury Borough. A typical English supper at the Jones' house is mince pies, cheese patties, tomatoes, and chips. Arabel's weight is measured in stones. Mrs. Jones considers her nieces and nephews to be "a spoiled lot." Babies are pushed about in prams, and soot from the family's heating system falls into the hearth whenever Mortimer flies up into the chimney. Children (and their adult reading partners) will find great pleasure in these high-spirited engaging stories because the text is rich with wonderfully descriptive phrases as well as uniquely hilarious and witty situations. Fans of this classic story will picture a hairy-beaked raven squawking "nevermore" every time they hear a phone ring, and the thought of this crazy bird will be a delightful reminder of this fabulous story."

Joan Aiken (Author), Sneha Mathan (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Wolves of Willoughby Chase

"Wicked wolves and a grim governess threaten Bonnie and her cousin Sylvia when Bonnie's parents leave Willoughby Chase for a sea voyage. Left in the care of the cruel Miss Slighcarp, the girls can hardly believe what is happening to their once happy home. The servants are dismissed, the furniture is sold, and Bonnie and Sylvia are sent to a prison-like orphan school. It seems as if the endless hours of drudgery will never cease. With the help of Simon the gooseboy and his flock, they escape. But how will they ever get Willoughby Chase free from the clutches of the evil Miss Slighcarp?"

Joan Aiken (Author), Lizza Aiken (Narrator)

Audiobook