Kids still love to read (and listen to) classic adventure tales of sailing ships and faraway places. Pokeweed Press has just made it a bit easier and a bit more fun. While Frank B. Edwards has condensed these stories to about 3,500 words, John Bianchi has given them a canine twist -- by portraying all the characters as dogs.

The books in this series are aimed at children who are ready to move up to chapter books (ie. simple novels) but hate to leave their picture books behind. Written for 9 -11 year olds (although younger children with advanced reading skills will be able to handle them too), the books feature a full page color illustration for every page of text (approximately 250 words).

These books are excellent introductions to the original novels as they rely on the same elements and tone that made the stories great. John Bianchi's cartoon illustrations provide a wonderful counterpoint to the abridged stories, adding an entertaining dimension without intruding into the hearts of these great classics.

These books are also excellent read-aloud bedtime stories.

Robin Hood with lots of dogs
Written by Frank B. Edwards
Illustrated by John Bianchi

Young Robin dreams of becoming one of the King's foresters but a single mistake changes his life forever. Goaded into shooting a royal deer to prove his skills as an archer, Robin is declared a criminal and is forced to flee to the safety of Sherwood Forest. There he finds dozens of others hiding from the evil Sheriff of Nottingham but, unlike the others, he vows to fight the injustice around him and help the less fortunate.

The book relates some of Robin's classic exploits and introduces many of the Merry Band's characters while also presenting a story about correcting mistakes and defending honor. The illustrations capture some of the shadowy moodiness of earlier editions of this oft-told tale and gives Bianchi a chance to show off his incredible range as an illustrator who can bridge the gap between cartoons and classic painting.

8 x 10.25 inches, 32 pages

Treasure Island with lots of dogs
Written by Frank B. Edwards
Illustrated by John Bianchi

After the death of a brutish guest at his family's inn, young Jim Hawkins discovers a treasure map that leads him and some local adventurers to an island filled with danger and intrigue. Within hours of sighting the island, the crew, led by the villainous Long John Silver, reveals itself as a band of pirates desperate to steal the treasure for themselves.

Torn between his desire for adventure and his sense of duty, Jim sets out to defeat the pirates and save his friends, discovering that there are rewards to be earned that are far more valuable than gold.

This is one of the world's greatest adventure yarns and Edwards and Bianchi do a stellar job in packaging it for young readers without sacrificing the twists, turns or flavor of the original narrative.

8 x 10.25 inches, 32 pages