Search results for ""astra publishing house""
Astra Publishing House Seeing: A Memoir of Truth and Courage from China's Most Influential Television Journalist
In the tradition of Katy Tur, Jane Pauley, and Peter Jennings, Chai Jing shows us the power of television news and the complex challenges of reporting in China. After garnering an intimate cult following as a late-night college radio DJ, Chai Jing is thrust into the spotlight when she is offered a position as a news anchor at CCTV, China's official state news channel. She struggles to find her footing while discovering corruption, courage, and hope within the people she meets. Through an immediate and deeply personal narrative, Chai tells the stories of SARS quarantine wards, a teenage suicide cult, domestic violence, the consequences of industrial pollution, and workplace sexism, while examining her growth as a journalist. At times doubting her abilities and fighting through the challenges of a male-dominated workplace, Chai Jing returns time and again to the extraordinary stories of her interviewees, committed to sharing their voices. This candid memoir about overcoming government obstacles and finding success provides a rare window into how China has faced challenges like pollution, climate change, and unfair standards for women in the public eye.
£22.50
Astra Publishing House Write-On Wipe-Off: My First 123 Hidden Pictures
This colourful, sturdy board book features wipe-clean pages and a marker so preschoolers can practise writing their numbers 0 to 10 and solve age-appropriate Hidden Pictures puzzles, mazes and other fun activities over and over again. Learning numbers and counting are essential building blocks for future learning and Highlights brings "Fun with a Purpose" into these formative skills. The award-winning content blends number tracing and writing practice with number-themed puzzles and humour, which will help kids develop a lifelong love of learning - all in a take-along format perfect for learning on the go.
£9.08
Astra Publishing House Write-on Wipe-off My First Hidden Pictures
Solve colorful My First Hidden Pictures puzzles by using the included dry-erase marker to find dozens of hidden objects in engaging, write-on, wipe-off scenes. This book contains more than 25 fun and colorful Hidden Pictures puzzles for the youngest puzzler along with bonus drawing and tracing activities, to do over and over with a dry-erase marker. Each puzzle is specially designed to help kids ages 3-6 develop visual perception and problem-solving skills, offering a unique and entertaining first-puzzling experience. Erase and puzzle again!
£11.99
Astra Publishing House Thomas Jefferson Builds a Library
£9.89
Astra Publishing House Light Bulb
EUREKA! Great things happen when science crosses history! Discover the all-true stories of your favorite inventions with this new multicultural STEM series that takes readers on a journey through time and around the world. A perfect choice for kids ages 4–8 who love to figure out how things work!Electric lights--without them, we'd be in the dark! Here is a "biography" of the light bulb, an essential invention that lights up our days and nights.From the first spark of Thomas Alva Edison's idea to the spread of electric lights around the world, Light Bulb is a fun and informative look at an invention that makes a huge difference in our lives. This STEAM nonfiction title is part of the new Eureka! series, each book covering one groundbreaking, world-changing discovery that millions of people use every single day.
£6.29
Astra Publishing House Outdoor Puzzles
This irresistible book is packed with more than 100 favorite puzzles straight from our beloved magazine. Drawn in Highlights' classic black-and-white style, each puzzle is carefully designed to engage and entertain children while honing their concentration skills and attention to detail. With more than 1,200 objects to find, this book provides kids of all ages with hours of puzzling fun. A surefire hit with Hidden Pictures fans who just can't get enough!
£10.03
Astra Publishing House Shadow Speaker
£13.17
Astra Publishing House Amongst Our Weapons
Now in paperback, the ninth novel of the bestselling Rivers of London urban fantasy series returns to the adventures of Peter Grant, detective and apprentice wizard, as he solves magical crimes in the city of London.There is a world hidden underneath this great city. The London Silver Vaults—for well over a century, the largest collection of silver for sale in the world. It has more locks than the Bank of England and more cameras than a paparazzi convention. Not somewhere you can murder someone and vanish without a trace—only that’s what happened. The disappearing act, the reports of a blinding flash of light, and memory loss amongst the witnesses all make this a case for Detective Constable Peter Grant and the Special Assessment Unit. Alongside their boss DCI Thomas Nightingale, the SAU find themselves embroiled in a mystery that encompasses London’s tangled history, foreign lands and, most terrifying of all, the North! And Peter must solve this case soon, because back home his partner Beverley is expecting twins any day now. But what he doesn’t know is that he’s about to encounter something—and somebody—that nobody ever expects… Effortlessly original, endlessly inventive and hugely entertaining—step into the world of the much-loved, bestselling Rivers of London series.
£14.35
Astra Publishing House Dragonfall
The first book in a new romance epic fantasy trilogy, in which long-banished dragons, revered as gods, return to the mortal realm"In Dragonfall, Lam has forged a fresh and intricate world, a smoldering romance, and a fire-new take on dragons." —Samantha Shannon, New York Times-bestselling author of The Priory of the Orange Tree "What you will find here may be exactly what you love in fantasy: Dragonfall is an intriguing blend of magic, a thief, trickery, and an unexpected dragon." —Robin Hobb, New York Times-bestselling author of Fool’s Assassin "Dragonfall is a romance fantasy like you've never read before. A queer-norm world with new ways of telling tales, L. R. Lam is breaking boundaries and binaries yet again with a brilliant fantasy book that you won't want to miss." —Hannah Kaner, #1 Sunday Times-bestselling author of GodkillerLong ago, humans betrayed dragons, stealing their magic and banishing them to a dying world. Centuries later, their descendants worship dragons as gods. But the "gods" remember, and they do not forgive. Thief Arcady scrapes a living on the streets of Vatra. Desperate, Arcady steals a powerful artifact from the bones of the Plaguebringer, the most hated person in Lumet history. Only Arcady knows the artifact's magic holds the key to a new life among the nobles at court and a chance for revenge. The spell connects to Everen, the last male dragon foretold to save his kind, dragging him through the Veil. Disguised as a human, Everen soon learns that to regain his true power and form and fulfil his destiny, he only needs to convince one little thief to trust him enough to bond completely--body, mind, and soul—and then kill them.Yet the closer the two become, the greater the risk both their worlds will shatter.
£21.48
Astra Publishing House The Councillor
When the death of Iron Queen Sarelin Brey fractures the realm of Elira, Lysande Prior, the palace scholar and the queen's closest friend, is appointed Councillor. Publically, Lysande must choose the next monarch from amongst the city-rulers vying for the throne - including the mysterious prince Luca Fontaine, who seems to shift between ally and rival. Privately, she seeks to discover which ruler murdered the queen, suspecting the use of magic. Far from this, the White Queen is stirring and her ally - a traitor among the royal milieu - threatens the entire realm.
£15.29
Astra Publishing House Sleep No More
£9.58
Astra Publishing House The Innocent Sleep
£9.58
Astra Publishing House Divergence
The twenty-first book in the beloved Foreigner saga continues the adventures of diplomat Bren Cameron, advisor to the atevi head of state.The overthrow of the atevi head of state, Tabini-aiji, and the several moves of enemies even since his restoration, have prompted major changes in the Assassins' Guild, which has since worked to root out its seditious elements—a clandestine group they call the Shadow Guild. With the Assassins now rid of internal corruption, with the birth of Tabini's second child, and with the appointment of an heir, stability seems to have returned to the atevi world. Humans and atevi share the space station in peaceful cooperation, humans and atevi share the planet as they have for centuries, and the humans' island enclave is preparing to welcome 5000 human refugees from a remote station now dismantled, and to do that in unprecedented cooperation with the atevi mainland. In general Bren Cameron, Tabini-aiji's personal representative, returning home to the atevi capital after securing that critical agreement, was ready to take a well-earned rest—until Tabini's grandmother claimed his services on a train trip to the smallest, most remote and least significant of the provinces, snowy Hasjuran—a move concerning which Tabini-aiji gave Bren a private instruction: protect her. Advise her. Advise her—perhaps. As for protection, she has a trainload of high-level Guild. But since the aiji-dowager has also invited a dangerously independent young warlord, Machigi, and a young man who may be the heir to Ajuri, a key northern province—the natural question is why the dowager is taking this ill-assorted pair to Hasjuran and what on this earth she may be up to. With a Shadow Guild attack on the train station, it has become clear that others have questions, too. Hasjuran, on its mountain height, overlooks the Marid, a district that is part of the atevi nation only in name—a district in which Machigi is one major player, and where the Shadow Guild retains a major stronghold. Protect her? Ilisidi is hellbent on settling scores with the Shadow Guild, and her reasons for this trip and this company now become clear. One human diplomat and his own bodyguard suddenly seem a very small force to defend her from what she is setting in motion.
£10.11
Astra Publishing House The Heart of What Was Lost
New York Times-bestselling Tad Williams’ ground-breaking epic fantasy saga of Osten Ard begins an exciting new cycle! The perfect introduction to the epic fantasy world of Osten Ard, The Heart of What Was Lost is Tad Williams’ follow-up to his internationally bestselling landmark trilogy. Osten Ard inspired a generation of modern fantasy writers, including George R.R. Martin, Patrick Rothfuss, and Christopher Paolini, and defined Tad Williams as one of the most important fantasy writers of our time. A NOVEL OF OSTEN ARD At the end of Memory, Sorrow, and Thorn, Ineluki the Storm King, an undead spirit of horrifying, demonic power, came within moments of stopping Time itself and obliterating humankind. He was defeated by a coalition of mortal men and women joined by his own deathless descendants, the Sithi. In the wake of the Storm King’s fall, Ineluki’s loyal minions, the Norns, dark cousins to the Sithi, choose to flee the lands of men and retreat north to Nakkiga, their ancient citadel within the hollow heart of the mountain called Stormspike. But as the defeated Norns make their way to this last haven, the mortal Rimmersman Duke Isgrimnur leads an army in pursuit, determined to end the Norns’ attacks and defeat their ageless Queen Utuk’ku for all time. Two southern soldiers, Porto and Endri, joined the mortal army to help achieve this ambitious goal—though as they venture farther and farther into the frozen north, braving the fierce resistance and deadly magics of the retreating Norns, they cannot help but wonder what they are doing so very far from home. Meanwhile, the Norns must now confront the prospect of extinction at the hands of Isgrimnur and his mortal army. Viyeki, a leader of the Norns’ military engineers, the Order of Builders, desperately seeks a way to help his people reach their mountain—and then stave off the destruction of their race. For the two armies will finally clash in a battle to be remembered as the Siege of Nakkiga; a battle so strange and deadly, so wracked with dark enchantment, that it threatens to destroy not just one side but quite possibly all. Trapped inside the mountain as the mortals batter at Nakkiga’s gates, Viyeki the Builder will discover disturbing secrets about his own people, mysteries both present and past, represented by the priceless gem known as The Heart of What Was Lost.
£8.86
Astra Publishing House The Name of the Wind
Discover #1 New York Times-bestselling Patrick Rothfuss’ epic fantasy series, The Kingkiller Chronicle. “I just love the world of Patrick Rothfuss.” —Lin-Manuel Miranda OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD! DAY ONE: THE NAME OF THE WIND My name is Kvothe. I have stolen princesses back from sleeping barrow kings. I burned down the town of Trebon. I have spent the night with Felurian and left with both my sanity and my life. I was expelled from the University at a younger age than most people are allowed in. I tread paths by moonlight that others fear to speak of during day. I have talked to Gods, loved women, and written songs that make the minstrels weep. You may have heard of me. So begins a tale unequaled in fantasy literature—the story of a hero told in his own voice. It is a tale of sorrow, a tale of survival, a tale of one man’s search for meaning in his universe, and how that search, and the indomitable will that drove it, gave birth to a legend.
£18.68
Astra Publishing House Mirror Sight
Magic, danger, and adventure abound for messenger Karigan G'ladheon in the fifth book in Kristen Britain's New York Times-bestselling Green Rider fantasy series Karigan G’ladheon is a Green Rider—a seasoned member of the elite messenger corps of King Zachary of Sacoridia. King Zachary sends Karigan and a contingent of Sacoridians beyond the edges of his nation, into the mysterious Blackveil Forest, which has been tainted with dark magic by a twisted immortal spirit named Mornhavon the Black.In a magical confrontation against Mornhavon, Karigan is jolted out of Blackveil Forest and wakes in darkness. She’s lying on smooth, cold stone, but as she reaches out, she realizes that the stone is not just beneath her, but above and around her as well. She’s landed in a sealed stone sarcophagus, some unknown tomb, and the air is becoming thin. Is this to be her end? If she escapes, where will she find herself? Is she still in the world she remembers, or has the magical explosion transported her somewhere completely different? To find out, she must first win free of her prison— before it becomes her grave. And should she succeed, will she be walking straight into a trap created by Mornhavon himself?
£11.01
Astra Publishing House Good Night, Planet: TOON Level 2
Good Night, Planet: TOON Level 2 (TOON into Reading) What happens while you're sleeping?... Your toys go out to play! After a long day of jumping in leaves and reading her favourite books, this little girl is worn out, but her favourite stuffed animal, Planet, is just getting started. Planet befriends a dog, gobbles a cookie, and takes a leap into the unknown. This tender, gorgeous tale by the internationally renowned cartoonist Liniers will reveal to early readers the wonders that exist at night, in secret, after they close their eyes.
£7.99
Astra Publishing House A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse
Join a young explorer and his best friend, Mouse, on a sea journey to Antarctica, where they make new friends with penguins and a whale – and have all kinds of fun. Young readers won’t stop grinning as they’re swept away by the strange and magical world created by Frank Viva, the bestselling author of Along a Long Road. As kids TOON into Reading, they will want to circle back to the beginning – again and again.
£6.99
Astra Publishing House Astra 1: Ecstasy: Issue One
Astra Magazine is the new literary magazine of the moment, a must-read for anyone interested in the most vital contemporary literature from around the world. Astra Magazine connects readers and writers from New York to Mexico City, Lagos to Berlin, Copenhagen to Singapore and beyond around a unified aesthetic that highlights the luxurious pleasures of reading. Each issue contains prose, poetry, art and comics, artfully produced on silky smooth paper with luxurious French flaps. The Ecstasy Issue contains work by Mieko Kawakami, Fernanda Melchor, Catherine Lacey, Leslie Jamison, Solmaz Sharif, Terrance Hayes, Don Mee Choi, Ada Limón, Chinelo Okparanta, Sayaka Murata, Katharina Volckmer, Kate Zambreno, and many more.
£15.29
Astra Publishing House Limitarianism: The Case Against Extreme Wealth
"A powerful case for limitarianism—the idea that we should set a maximum on how much resources one individual can appropriate. A must-read!" —Thomas Piketty, bestselling author of Capital in the Twenty-First CenturyAn original, bold, and convincing argument for a cap on wealth by the philosopher who coined the term "limitarianism."How much money is too much? Is it ethical, and democratic, for an individual to amass a limitless amount of wealth, and then spend it however they choose? Many of us feel that the answer to that is no—but what can we do about it?Ingrid Robeyns has long written and argued for the principle she calls "limitarianism"—or the need to limit extreme wealth. This idea is gaining momentum in the mainstream – with calls to "tax the rich" and slogans like "every billionaire is a policy failure"—but what does it mean in practice?Robeyns explains the key reasons to support the case against extreme wealth: It keeps the poor poor and inequalities growing It’s often dirty money It undermines democracy It’s one of the leading causes of climate change Nobody actually deserves to be a millionaire There are better things to do with excess money The rich will benefit, too This will be the first authoritative trade book to unpack the concept of a cap on wealth, where to draw the line, how to collect the excess and what to do with the money. In the process, Robeyns will ignite an urgent debate about wealth, one that calls into question the very forces we live by (capitalism and neoliberalism) and invites us to a radical reimagining of our world.
£21.41
Astra Publishing House Wild Dances: My Queer and Curious Journey to Eurovision
Wild Dances: My Queer and Curious Journey to Eurovision For fans of Crying in H Mart and Priest-daddy; How a misunderstood queer biracial kid in small-town Georgia became a Eurovision Song Contest commentator; A memoir combining race, glitz, glamour, geopolitics, and the power of pop music. As a boy, William Lee Adams spent his days taking care of his quadriplegic brother, worrying about his undiagnosed bipolar Vietnamese mother, and steering clear of his openly racist and homophobic father. Too shy and anxious to even peak until he was six years old, it seemed unlikely William would ever leave small-town Georgia. He passed the time alone in his room, studying maps and reading encyclopaedias, dreaming of distant places where he might one day feel free. In time, William discovered that learning was both a refuge and a ticket out. So even as he struggled to understand and to get others to accept both his sexuality and his biracial identity, William focused on his schoolwork, his extracurriculars, and building community with the students and teachers who embraced him for who he truly was. Though his scholarship to Harvard parachuted him into a whole new world, he still carried a lifetime of secrets and unanswered questions that would haunt him no matter how far he travelled. Years later, as a journalist in London, William discovered the Eurovision Song Contest―an annual competition known for its extravagant performers and cutthroat politics. Initially just a fan, he started blogging about the contest, ultimately becoming the most sought-after expert on the subject. From Albania, Finland, and Ukraine, to Israel, Sweden, and Russia, William was soon jetting across the Continent to meet divas, drag queens, and aspiring singers, who welcomed him to their beautiful, if dysfunctional, family of choice. An uplifting memoir about glitz, glamour, geopolitics, and finding your people, no matter how far you must travel, Wild Dances celebrates the power of pop music to help us heal and forgive.
£21.59
Astra Publishing House Golden Age: A Novel
Like Gary Shteyngart or Michel Houellebecq, Wang Xiaobo is a Chinese literary icon whose satire forces us to reconsider the ironies of history. Apparently, there was a rumour that Chen Qingyang and I were having an affair. She wanted me to prove our innocence. I said, to prove our innocence, we must prove one of the following: Chen Qingyang is a virgin I was born without a penis Both propositions were hard to prove, therefore, we couldn’t prove our innocence. In fact, I was leaning more toward proving that we weren’t innocent.” And so begins Wang Er’s story of his long affair with Chen Qinyang. Wang Er, a 21-year-old ox herder, is shamed by the local authorities and forced to write a confession for his crimes but instead, takes it upon himself to write a modernist literary tract. Later, as a lecturer at a chaotic, newly built university, Wang Er navigates the bureaucratic maze of 1980’s China, boldly writing about the Cultural Revolution’s impact on his life and those around him. Finally, alone, and humbled, Wang Er must come to terms with the banality of his own existence. But what makes this novel both hilarious and important is Xiaobo’s use of the awkwardness of sex as a metaphor for all that occurred during the Cultural Revolution. This achievement was revolutionary in China and places Golden Age in the great pantheon of novels that argue against governmental control. A leading icon of his generation, Wang Xiaobo’s cerebral and sarcastic narrative is a reflection on the failures of individuals and the enormous political, social, and personal changes in 20thcentury China. "At the time Wang was writing, novels about the Cultural Revolution tended to be fairly conventional tales of how good people suffered nobly during this decade of madness. The system itself was rarely called into question. Wang’s book was radically different . . . The idea of how to stand up to power underlies Golden Age." —Ian Johnson, The New York Times Book Review
£22.50
Astra Publishing House The Narrow Road Between Desires
An instant New York Times, USA Today and Indie Bestseller!#1 New York Times-bestselling phenomenon Patrick Rothfuss returns to the wildly popular Kingkiller Chronicle universe with a stunning reimagining of "The Lightning Tree." Expanded to twice its previous length and lavishly illustrated by Nate Taylor, this touching stand-alone story is sure to please new readers and veteran Rothfuss fans alike.Bast knows how to bargain. The give-and-take of a negotiation is as familiar to him as the in-and-out of breathing; to watch him trade is to watch an artist at work. But even a master's brush can slip. When he accepts a gift, taking something for nothing, Bast's whole world is knocked askew, for he knows how to bargain—but not how to owe. From dawn to midnight over the course of a single day, follow the Kingkiller Chronicle's most charming fae as he schemes and sneaks, dancing into trouble and back out again with uncanny grace.The Narrow Road Between Desires is Bast's story. In it he traces the old ways of making and breaking, following his heart even when doing so goes against his better judgement.After all, what good is caution if it keeps him from danger and delight?
£19.45
Astra Publishing House Terminal Uprising
Human civilisation didn't just fall. It was pushed. The Krakau came to Earth in the year 2014. By 2015, humanity had been reduced to shambling, feral monsters. In the Krakau's defense, it was an accident, and a century later, they did come back and try to fix us. Sort of. But whe Mops and her rogue cleaning crew learns of a secret Krakau laboratory on Earth, they will have to do the one thing she fears most: return to Earth, a world overrun by feral apes, wild dogs, savage humans, and worse.
£9.99
Astra Publishing House Terminal Peace
Now in paperback, the third and final book of the Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse follows a group of unlikely heroes trying to save the galaxy from a zombie plague. Marion Mops Adamopoulos and her team were trained to clean spaceships. They were absolutely not trained to fight an interplanetary war with the xenocidal Prodryans or to make first contact with the Jynx, a race who might not be as primitive as they seem. But if there's one lesson Mops and her crew have learned, it's that things like training and being remotely qualified are overrated. The war is escalating. (This might be Mops' fault.) The survival of humanity�those few who weren't turned to feral, shambling monsters by an alien plague�as well as the fate of all other non-Prodryans, will depend on what Captain Mops and the crew of the EDFS Pufferfish discover on the ringed planet of Tuxatl. But the Jynx on Tuxatl are fighting a war of their own, and their world's long-buried secrets could be more dangerous than the Prodryans. To make matters worse, Mops is starting to feel a little feral herself�
£8.42
Astra Publishing House Garbage Island
For fans of Stuart Little and Poppy, here is a middle-grade adventure in which a mouse and a shrew, lost at sea, try to navigate to their home in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Braving multiple dangers, they discover they have more in common than they could ever have imagined. Mr. Popli, the mouse mayor of Garbage Island, is always at odds with Archibald Shrew, a brilliant but reckless inventor. When Garbage Island splits apart, they're trapped together in Mr. Popli's houseboat, desperate to find their way home. At first, they only argue, but when they face a perilous thunderstorm and a series of predators, they begin to work together and recognize--in themselves and in each other--strengths they didn't know they had. Nonstop action and deep emotion intertwine in this tale of opposites who discover that with bravery, creativity, and friendship, they can triumph.
£7.99
Astra Publishing House Sea Lions in the Parking Lot: Animals on the Move in a Time of Pandemic
What would happen if people all around the world stayed inside, away from animals' habitats? Twelve fascinating real-life stories of creatures around the globe who reclaimed their habitat during the COVID-19 quarantine show animal lovers and aspiring citizen scientists how to help wildlife by fighting habitat loss. With the skies, roads, and waterways clear and quiet during the COVID-19 pandemic, the natural world seemed to return to an earlier, wilder state. Animals crossed boundaries that people had set over centuries, reclaiming ancient habitats. From sea lions who clambered into a parking lot in Argentina to deer who wandered in a Japanese subway to lions lounging in the middle of South African roads to kangaroos who bounced through a shopping district in Australia, this thoroughly researched, stunningly illustrated book tells the stories of these newly footloose creatures -- and describes what the COVID-19 "pause" taught scientists about how ecosystems and wildlife can rebound if the right environmental conditions are achieved.
£16.99
Astra Publishing House The Magic Bookcase
Hans Christian Andersen Medalist Robert Ingpen brings classic stories to life in a collection that serves as his magnum opus to the imagination. Featured in New York Times Book Review "8 Picture Books About Books"World-renowned illustrator Robert Ingpen begins his magical journey through the world of classic children's stories with a mural he worked on for years, inspired by the great storybook characters. The original mural is more than 20 feet long, but Mr. Ingpen knew he had to find a way to turn that work into a book in its own right. This book contains some of his favorite quotations from the stories that inspired him, as well as an eye-popping fold-out centerpiece with a reproduction of the full mural. This book is an eye-popping illustrated celebration of the power of imagination.
£16.19
Astra Publishing House Longest Storm, The
A New York Times 2021 Best Children's BookThis heartwarming family story from acclaimed author-illustrator Dan Yaccarino features a father and his kids who are stuck inside the house together — and figure out how to connect and overcome conflict. No one knew where the strange storm came from, or why it lasted so long. The family at the center of this timely story has to hunker down together, with no going outside - and that's hard when there's absolutely nothing to do, and everyone's getting on everyone else's nerves. This classic in the making will lift hearts with its optimistic vision of a family figuring out how to love and support one another, even when it seems impossible.
£15.29
Astra Publishing House This Weightless World: A Novel
A literary debut subverting classic sci-fi tropes set in gentrified Chicago, Silicon Valley, and across the vastness of the cosmos. From the streets of gentrified Chicago, to the tech boom corridors of Silicon Valley, This Weightless World follows a revolving cast of characters after alien contact upends their lives. We are introduced to Sevi, a burned-out music teacher desperate for connection; Ramona, his on-again, off-again computer programmer girlfriend; and Sevi’s cello protégé Eason, struggling with the closure of his high school; after a mysterious signal arrives from outer space. When the signal—at first seen as a sign of hope—stops as abruptly as it started, they are all forced to reckon with its aftermath. In San Francisco, Sevi fights to find meaning in rekindled love; and Ramona–determined to build an AI to prevent mankind’s self-destruction–begins to feel the weight of past mistakes. And in Chicago, Eason measures his commitment to an estranged childhood friend against the chance of escaping neighborhood troubles. A dazzling deconstruction of science-fiction tropes, This Weightless World looks to the past for a vision of the future. "It's precisely Soto's refusal to be 'weighted' down by decades of genre tradition, to instead turn the trope on its head and in doing so remind us that no-one but ourselves is coming to save us, that makes This Weightless World such an exciting and radical novel." —Ian Monde, Locus "Set in Silicon Valley and Chicago, This Weightless World considers questions of morality in a world where people feel powerless in the face of formidable systemic forces." —Laura Adamczyk, A.V. Club
£14.99
Astra Publishing House Dreaming of You: A Novel in Verse
A macabre novel in verse of loss, longing, and identity crises following a poet who resurrects pop star Selena from the dead. Melissa Lozada-Oliva's Dreaming of You is an absurd yet heartfelt examination of celebrity worship. A young Latinx poet grappling with loneliness and heartache decides one day to bring Tejano pop star Selena Quintanilla back to life. The séance kicks off an uncanny trip narrated by a Greek chorus of gossiping spirits as she journeys through a dead celebrity prom, encounters her shadow self, and performs karaoke in hell. In visceral poems embodying millennial angst, paragraph-long conversations overheard at her local coffeeshop, and unhinged Twitter rants, Lozada-Oliva reveals an eerie, sometimes gruesome, yet moving love story. Playfully morbid and profoundly candid, an interrogation of Latinidad, womanhood, obsession, and disillusionment, Dreaming of You grapples with the cost of being seen for your truest self. "A feverish story of young adulthood, exploring how fandom and obsession shape how we relate to the world . . . Dreaming of You navigates the complexities of Latinx identity, self-loathing, love, and the loneliness of drifting into adulthood." —Miguel Salazar, Vulture "At the centre of this exploration of insecurities, joys, and identity stands Melissa Lozada-Oliva—an unapologetic poet who isn’t afraid of the rawness of the mind and is resilient in her writing— so much so that it feels like we’re talking to our best friend." —Bianca Pérez, Porter House Review
£13.49
Astra Publishing House The Artisans: The Legacy of the Ancestors of Shen Village
Evoking Studs Terkel, Shen Fuyu delivers a rollicking deep dive into working life in a small village in rural China, tracing the last 100 years of history. Born in Shen Village in Southeast China, Shen Fuyu grew up in a family of farmers. Years later, Shen, now a writer, returned to his hometown to capture the village's rich history in the face of industrialization. Through his own childhood memories and those of his ancestors, Shen resurrects the working life of Shen Village through interlinked stories of fifteen artisans as their lives intersect over the course of a century. While Shen's view of his hometown and his heritage is tinged with nostalgia, he does not romanticize it. Nor does he sugarcoat the backbreaking difficulty of life in rural China, but he still captures its small satisfactions and joys of loving one's work with a great deal of care. In an acerbic, earthy and unsparing style that swings from poignancy to comedy, sometimes within a single paragraph, Shen evokes the spirits of these workers--a bamboo-weaver and his beloved bull, a carpenter's magical saw, the deserter who became the village lantern-maker and a rebellious woman who beats up her own kidnapper. A reflection on the vicissitudes of small-town life during the epic shift from agricultural to industrial civilization, The Artisans vividly details the hardships, friendships and communal mythmaking of a disappearing community.
£22.50
Astra Publishing House Takedown: Art and Power in the Digital Age
Farah Nayeri addresses the difficult questions plaguing the art world, from the bad habits of Old Masters, to the current grappling with identity politics. For centuries, art censorship has been a top-down phenomenon--kings, popes, and one-party states decided what was considered obscene, blasphemous, or politically deviant in art. Today, censorship can also happen from the bottom-up, thanks to calls to action from organizers and social media campaigns. Artists and artworks are routinely taken to task for their insensitivity. In this new world order, artists, critics, philanthropists, galleries and museums alike are recalibrating their efforts to increase the visibility of marginalized voices and respond to the people’s demands for better ethics in art. But what should we, the people, do with this newfound power? With exclusive interviews with Nan Goldin, Sam Durant, Faith Ringgold, and others, Nayeri tackles wide-ranging issues including sex, religion, gender, ethics, animal rights, and race. By asking and answering questions such as: Who gets to make art and who owns it? How do we correct the inequities of the past? What does authenticity, exploitation, and appropriation mean in art? Takedown provides the necessary tools to navigate the art world.
£22.50
Astra Publishing House Here Comes Truck Driver Hippo
New York Times best-selling author Jonathan London explores how even the smallest Hippo can be a big help when he teams up with his friends. Little Hippo loves to play pretend, and today he’s going to be a truck driver! He zooms his dump truck through the savannah to deliver a surprise to the lion cubs. But when Little Hippo encounters roadblocks throughout his journey, he’s grateful he has such good friends to help him along his way. This heartwarming story shows the importance of helping others and being brave.
£10.79
Astra Publishing House The Best Eid Ever
Young readers can learn about Eid, a religious holiday celebrated by Muslim families every year, as well as the Hajj pilgrimage, when Muslims travel back to Mecca for the Eid, in this picture book about Muslim culture and traditions written by Dr. Asma Mobin-Uddin and illustrated by Laura Jacobsen. This Eid, Aneesa should be happy. But, her parents are thousands of miles away for the Hajj pilgrimage. To cheer her up, her Nonni gives her a gift of beautiful clothes, one outfit for each of the three days of Eid. At the prayer hall, Aneesa meets two sisters who are dressed in ill-fitting clothes for the holiday. She soon discovers that the girls are refugees - they had to leave everything behind when they left their native country to live in America. Aneesa, who can't stop thinking about what Eid must be like for them, comes up with a plan - a plan to help make it the best Eid holiday ever. School Library Journal says: "[A] beautifully composed story. . . . This is a welcome contribution, giving much-needed visibility to a celebration observed by over ten million people in North America." And Library Media Connection says: "After reading this book, children will have a greater appreciation for the Muslim culture and will have no problem realizing that love is an action word."
£8.99
Astra Publishing House The Bark Park
Discover Math Matters! With over 15 million books sold worldwide, this award-winning series of easy-to-read books will help young readers ages 5-8 approach math with enthusiasm. Great for fans of MathStart or Step into Reading Math. Pups love the Bark Park, the best dog park around. Only one thing would make it better for everyone—a bench! But a bench isn’t in the park budget. How can Lila and her friends raise the money? With a dog wash! They reach 25% of the goal, then 50%, until . . . a sudden shower threatens to make the dog wash a 100% washout! With engaging stories that connect math to kids’ everyday lives, each book in the Teachers’ Choice Award-winning Math Matters series focuses on a single concept and reinforces math vocabulary and skills. Bonus activities in the back of each book feature math and reading comprehension questions, and even more free activities online add to the fun! (Math topic: Percentages)
£7.15
Astra Publishing House Frogs!
Are kids going to love this book? Is a frog waterproof? The latest title in the popular Strange and Wonderful series delivers the awe-inspiring variety of frogs, the world's hoppiest amphibians. Did you know that the Goliath frog is more than a foot long? Or that the tiny gold frog could sit on a dime? Some frogs have camouflage. Others wear bold colors warning their enemies that they are poisonous. Some frogs leap, others hop, one is a runner, and a few glide from tree to tree with their big, webbed hands and feet! Surprising facts and beautiful, realistic nature illustrations come together in this celebration of one of nature's most fascinating marvels.
£9.04
Astra Publishing House If You Want to Knit Some Mittens
In this humorous picture book, a girl's desire to knit mittens leads to something even better: the warmth of friendship.How do you knit a pair of mittens? The first step is to get a sheep of course! In this playful story, a girl follows 18 steps to knit mittens--from bringing home a sheep to carding, spinning, and dyeing the wool to knitting the mittens. But along the way, her mischievous sheep creates chaos and wins her heart. By wintertime, the girl has sunny-yellow mittens, the sheep has a sunny-yellow hat, and together they're ready for adventure. This tale of patience, creativity, and friendship is knitted from skeins of humor and love.
£15.29
Astra Publishing House Bus For Us, The
A perfect picture book to share with children starting school or those riding the school bus for the first time. It’s the first day of school for Tess, and it’s also her very first ride on a school bus. Waiting at the bus stop with her older friend Gus, Tess eagerly asks, “Is this the bus for us, Gus?” as each vehicle passes by. Award-winning author and illustrator Suzanne Bloom introduces young readers to a diverse cast of characters and a variety of vehicles in this charming book that makes a great gift for any child about to start school.
£7.99
Astra Publishing House Dwarf Nose
Jacob is cursed after insulting a wicked fairy and the outlandish spell she casts on him will change his life forever. Dwarf Nose is a classic fairy tale by Wilhelm Hauff, rich with unforgettable characters and suspenseful turns. Jacob’s arduous tasks and twists of fate will have readers of all ages on the edges of their seats. Lisbeth Zwerger’s fanciful illustrations evoke all the magic, mystery and drama of this German classic, while Anthea Bell’s fresh translation breathes new life into a story that deserves a wider audience.
£16.19
Astra Publishing House Luke the Little Seed
This celebration of the magic of nature teaches a gentle life lesson about the value of patience On his birthday, Luke, the little mouse, has so many wonderful presents. So when his grandfather gives him a seed, he is rather disappointed. But as Luke learns about patience, he begins to realize that this could become the best present ever!
£14.39
Astra Publishing House Lost in NYC: A Subway Adventure
Also available in Spanish as Perdidos en NYC: una aventura en el metroThe sights . . . the sounds . . . the SMELLS! New York's crowded subway system is known for many things, but being easy on a lost kid isn't one of them. When Pablo gets separated from his new schoolmates during his first field trip in New York City, he doesn't know how he'll be able to find them again. Luckily, he has a little knowledge, a new friend, and the surprisingly approachable city itself to guide his way. This story features maps, archival photos, and fascinating facts to help readers explore the subway without ever having to get caught like Pablo in the mob of Times Square. It brings all the bustle and beauty of NYC to young readers around the world.This story is also available in Spanish as Perdidos en NYC: una aventura en el metro
£10.99
Astra Publishing House Nina in That Makes Me Mad!
What makes Nina mad? Lots of things—lots of little, everyday things, frustrations that all children will recognize. But Nina knows how to speak her mind and that makes her feel much better. In a series of humorous vignettes, Hilary Knight, the artist who brought the enormously successful Eloise to life, applies his magic to a text by veteran children's book writer Steven Kroll, and brings to life a spunky character who will show young readers how to articulate their feelings.
£6.99
Astra Publishing House The Great Book of Doing: The Highlights Book of How to Create, Discover, Explore, and Do Great Things
The Highlights Book of Things to Do is the winner of the: 2020 National Parenting Seal of Approval National Parenting Product Award (NAPPA) Mom's Choice Award, Gold Crafted by childhood experts, The Highlights Book of Things to Do is the essential book of pure creativity and inspiration, filled with over 500 screen-free things to do with kids. From future chefs and scientists to budding humanitarians, children ages 7 and up will be inspired to explore, invent, create and do great things!This highly visual, hands-on activity book will banish boredom, foster imagination and unlock new interests. Your child can try engaging outdoor ideas like starting a bucket garden; tasty projects like making rock candy; science activities like building a water microscope; and so much more.Organized by interest and covering all aspects of childhood, chapters include: Things to Build, Things to Do in the Kitchen, Things to Do with Color and more. The final chapter, Do Great Things, encourages kids to become caring individuals, confident problem-solvers, and thoughtful people who can change the world. With sturdy hardcover binding and a ribbon bookmark, this 372-page deluxe activity book is a perfect gift for kids 7+.
£22.50
Astra Publishing House Travel Puzzles
This new collection of beloved, classic black-and-white Hidden Pictures puzzles features travel-inspired scenes and over 1,900 objects to find (with picture prompts).This Hidden Pictures® collection is packed with over 100 travel-themed puzzles drawn in the classic Highlights(TM) black-and-white style. From illustrations of family vacations to class trips to adventures on water, land, in the air, and in space, there are puzzles for every interest. With more than 1,900 objects to find, this book is sure to satisfy a sense of adventure in every child.
£9.86
Astra Publishing House Tee Time on the Moon: How Astronaut Alan Shepard Played Lunar Golf
Astronaut Alan Shepard's mission: Fly to the moon. Study it in more detail than ever before. Hit a golf ball in low gravity. But how far? Find out in this engaging STEM/STEAM picture book. In 1971, Alan Shepard and his fellow astronauts made their way to the Moon in the cramped Apollo 14 capsule. Their mission: Study the moon in more detail than ever before. While the world watched on TV, Shepard and Edgar Mitchell gathered rock and soil samples wearing stiff, heavy spacesuits. But Alan Shepard had a secret hidden in his sock: two tiny golf balls. Golf was Shepard's favorite sport. And since the moon has virtually no atmosphere and gravity that is only a fraction of the Earth's, a golf ball should have been able to go far. But did it? Here's the little-known but true story of an experiment that may have started as a stunt, but ended up making people think differently about the moon, ask questions, and look for answers.
£15.29
Astra Publishing House Cheese Fest!: Composing Shapes
Each read-aloud book in the Mouse Math series focuses on a single, basic math concept and features adorable mice, Albert and Wanda, who live in a People House. Entertaining fiction stories capture kids' imaginations as the mice learn about numbers, shapes, sizes and more. Over 3 million copies sold worldwide! Cheese Fest! It's every mouse's most magical time of the year. This year, Albert and Wanda will even have a booth at the fair . . . once they build it. Albert's plans are big, but the cardboard supply is small. How can he make the Cheese Fest booth of his dreams when all he has are a bunch of triangles? Every Mouse Math title focuses on a single basic math concept and includes back matter activities that support and extend reading comprehension and math skills, plus free online activities. (Math concept: Shapes.)
£6.99
Astra Publishing House Night Stories Folktales from Latin America
Classic Latin American folktales get an update in this new collection by celebrated author Liniers!New York Times bestselling author and Eisner Award winner Liniers brings his exuberant cartooning style and irrepressible sense of humor to the spooky folktales of his childhood, telling three from across Latin America: the Iara, a mermaid (or a pink dolphin?) who lures young men to her underwater domain in the Amazon basin; La Lechuza, an enormous owl with the face of a woman, who terrorizes people who venture out after dark (a legend found in Mexico, Chile, and Uruguay); and La Luz Mala, a spooky, evanescent light that menaces gauchos and other travelers on the Argentine pampas. Liniers animates these thrilling tales with lighthearted twists. Combined with informative backmatter on their ecological, cultural, and historical background and a bibliography, these old stories will come alive for all young readers, from those who have grown up hearing them to those
£11.99