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Puck of Pook’s Hill Audiobook
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(3.02) - 917 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
On Midsummer’s Eve, Dan and Una enact A Midsummer Night’s Dream three times over—right under Pook’s Hill. That is how they meet Puck, “the oldest Old Thing in England,” and the last of the People of the Hills.
Through Puck, they are introduced to the nearly forgotten pages of old England’s history and to characters that can illuminate their own historical predicaments. The god Weland is freed from an unwanted heathen immortality by a novice monk, Hugh, who goes on to become a warrior and leader. The centurion, Parnesius, shows an insight which is absent from the higher echelons of the declining Roman Empire in cooperating with the Picts.
Originally published in 1906, this collection of ten stories and accompanying poems were intended for both adults and children.
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"Kipling really does write well. I loved the idea of this book, the framing device of the children meeting Puck, and those sections are excellent - I love the poems that top and tail the sections. But to the main point of the book, the historical figures telling their stories - you need to know the history before you read this because he does plunge in rather. Given that this book was written presumably for children, it makes you realise that education was very different one hundred years ago. I've put the sequel, 'Rewards and Fairies' on my to-read list."
— Lucy (4 out of 5 stars)
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“A brilliant reading…one of the premier family listening events of the year. The story has everything listeners could want: enchantment, high adventure, battles, intrigue, all wrapped up in romantic poetic language…brought exquisitely to life by [Wanda McCaddon]. Winner of the AudioFile Earphones Award.”
— AudioFile -
“[Wanda McCaddon]…has the requisite British accent and very good judgment as to how to make the tales exciting yet believable.”
— Wilson Library Bulletin -
“Enchanting…A book which will delight every boy and girl…and will be devoured with a thrill of pleasure by the ‘grown-ups.’”
— The Spectator (London)
Awards
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Winner of an AudioFile Earphones Award
Puck of Pook’s Hill Listener Reviews
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" Read it in the context of a composition date of 1906 or so, and see what a really wide and glorious view of the full range of good humans Kipling espoused. There's room for anyone with a caring heart in his story of the making of England: Normans, Picts, Bee Boys and more.... "
— Donald, 1/28/2014 -
" Loved it as a child. "
— Alice, 1/26/2014 -
" Rudyard Kipling's take on English history for kids, this is a set of stories about historical figures, retold as good yarns. :) A lot of deep devotion to the roots of England, but mostly doesn't come off as overly chauvinistic. In fact, Kipling's treatment of a Jewish character late in the book surprised me--very, very sympathetic for the times he was writing in. "
— Jennifer, 1/24/2014 -
" I recently listened to the Librivox audio of Puck of Pook's Hill, which reminded me again how much I love Rudyard Kipling. "
— Glas, 1/11/2014 -
" I think this is a charming way to learn about British history. There's a faun, an English soldier from the reign of Richard I, a Roman soldier from the seiges with the Picts, tales of faeries, and lots more. Besides, you have the beauty of Kipling's language and his lovely poetry. Recommended. "
— Maggie, 12/27/2013 -
" One of the best books of British legends ever. "
— Terry, 11/30/2013 -
" This is charming English history for kids and people who have been taught history is boring. "
— Catherine, 11/6/2013 -
" Dad read it to me as a child - sparked my love of all things both historical and English phase. "
— PJ, 1/27/2013 -
" A brilliant read for an imaginative child and/or a burgeoning Anglophile. "
— Olga, 12/25/2012 -
" a o-kay book. "
— Maia, 9/19/2012 -
" A pleasant little story but certainly not Kiplings best. "
— Tess, 9/18/2012 -
" Made me heart-sore for England, but lovely none the less. "
— Skye, 7/22/2012 -
" Sooooo much fun to read!! "
— Laura, 6/28/2012 -
" Marvelous stuff. I can imagine how the young J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis adored these stories when they appeared in 1906. "
— Amy, 5/8/2012 -
" This is the first book that made history seem like a continuity rather than a collection of interesting but discrete stories. "
— Margaret, 4/8/2012
About Rudyard Kipling
Rudyard Kipling (1865–1936) was born of English parents in Bombay, India. At seventeen, he began work as a journalist and over the next seven years established an international reputation with his stories and verses of Indian and army life, including such classics as The Jungle Book and Kim. In 1907 he became the first English writer to receive the Nobel Prize.
About Wanda McCaddon
Wanda McCaddon (d. 2023) narrated well over six hundred titles for major audiobook publishers, sometimes with the pseudonym Nadia May or Donada Peters. She earned the prestigious Audio Award for best narration and numerous Earphones Awards. She was named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine.