Search results for ""macmillan""

Push, pull and slide the tabs to make things bloom in Busy Grow! Sprinkle seeds into the soil, water the plants and watch the beautiful flowers turn into fruit and vegetables as you discover how things grow.Green-fingered toddlers will love playing with this bright and colourful board book with gentle rhyming text and wonderful illustrations by Diana Bedoya, which is part of the popular Busy Book series.Little ones can enjoy more outdoor adventures in this tactile series with Busy Garden, Busy Park and Busy Beach.

Read more less

A Minute to Midnight is the gripping follow up to Long Road to Mercy featuring Special Agent Atlee Pine from one of the world’s most favourite thriller writers, David Baldacci.Without Mercy.At six years old, Atlee’s twin sister, Mercy, was taken from the family home while Atlee was left for dead. Since that fateful night, Atlee has dedicated her life and career to catching those who hurt others.Word of a killer.Atlee has never stopped searching for answers about her sister. A notorious serial killer, locked in a maximum-security prison, continues to haunt her. Does he really know what happened to Mercy?Quest for justice.When Atlee oversteps the mark on the arrest of a dangerous criminal, the FBI gives her a leave of absence – the perfect opportunity to return to where it all began.Determined to finally uncover the truth, Atlee Pine’s journey home turns into a rollercoaster ride of murder, long-buried secrets and lies . . . and a revelation so personal that everything she once believed is fast turning to dust.

Read more less

Treasure every moment. Life can change in a heartbeat.'A new Lucy Diamond book is one of the happiest highlights of my calendar' Katie Fforde, bestselling author of A Country EscapeIt’s a beautiful day in Manchester and four friends are meeting for a birthday lunch. But then they witness a shocking accident just metres away which acts as a catalyst for each of them. For Laura, it’s a wake-up call to heed the ticking of her biological clock. Sensible Jo finds herself throwing caution to the wind in a new relationship. Eve, who has been trying to ignore the worrying lump in her breast, feels helpless and out of control. And happy-go-lucky India is drawn to one of the victims of the accident, causing long-buried secrets to rise to the surface.On a Beautiful Day is a novel about the startling and unexpected turns life can take. It’s about luck – good and bad – and about finding bravery and resilience when your world is in turmoil. Above all, it’s about friendship, togetherness and hope.Praise for Lucy Diamond:'A hugely satisfying read' Heat'Full of emotion and insight - it really makes you think' Katie Fforde, bestselling author of A Summer at Sea'Warm, witty and wise' Daily MailOn a Beautiful Day is an uplifting and inspiring novel from bestselling author Lucy Diamond

Read more less

Calm Calligraphy will teach you the ancient art of the Scriptorium – copying letters, words and phrases – which helps you focus your thoughts and relax your mind. Learn the beautiful letter forms with step-by-step instructions, then refine your technique by copying inspirational words and phrases in the dedicated workbook section. By practising the meditative art of calligraphy you will gain a deeper appreciation of the beauty of order and balance. Ease your worries, improve your concentration and feel your spirits lift with each stroke of your pen.Màlleus studied with the most recognized international masters of calligraphy and founded the Antica Bottega Amanuense in Recanati, now the greatest Scriptorium in the world.

Read more less

A bashful man who can rock a Hawaiian shirt.A hopeful and dreamy bakery owner.Enough sweets to give you a cavity, and your favourite Inglewild residents. . .---------'Sweet and sexy. Everything you’d ever need in a romance. I’ll buy everything B.K Borison writes' - Hannah Grace, author of Icebreaker'Borison’s words have a special kind of magic' - Elena Armas, author of The Spanish Love Deception Mixed Signals is a sweet and steamy small-town romance from TikTok favourite author B. K. Borison, for fans of Tessa Bailey and Hannah Grace.Layla Dupree has given up on love. Apparently, owning the bakery at Inglewild’s most romantic destination does not help one’s love life – despite her best efforts. All she wants is a partner who gives her butterflies, not someone who ghosts her at dinner and leaves her with the cheque.Caleb Alvarez can never make it past the first date. Which has nothing to do with his long-term crush on the hot bakery owner who serves him coffee every morning . . . nothing at all. After saving Layla from a date gone bad, he has a simple proposition: one month of no-strings dating. He’ll do his best to renew her faith in love while she rates his romantic game. It’s a win-win situation.But there’s one thing they haven’t considered. The chemistry between them is red hot. Will Caleb be the secret ingredient that Layla has been missing?Mixed Signals is a standalone romance and the third book in the Lovelight series, a collection of interconnected novels.-------5* Reader Reviews'I love this book. Wholeheartedly. One of the best romance out there.''I have fallen helplessly in love with Caleb and everything about this book.''I just can’t. This book is just too beautiful. B.K. Borison is definitely an auto-buy for me from now on'

Read more less

Discover the wonders of Planet Earth, as you fly over the snowy mountains, dive into the deep blue sea and creep through the steamy hot rainforest . . . With giant fold-out pages, peep-through holes and flaps, My First Journey Around Planet Earth is a wonderful introduction to Earth's ecosystems for Early Years children.Little ones will love opening out the pages to reveal the six different ecosystems – grasslands, cities, mountains, oceans, rainforests and deserts.Designed to encourage learning through play, each ecosystem is brought to life through a colourful scene, with simple facts throughout, and lots to spot and talk about together.Little ones can have more fun learning with My First Body Book and My First Clock Book – the perfect gifts for curious kids!

Read more less

‘Fills me with all the confidence I need.’ - Daisy Upton, The Five Minute Mum‘I’ll be a pro by the end of the year!’ - Sophie Liard, The Folding LadyGoing green in the garden has never been easier with Nancy Birtwhistle’s sustainable, eco-friendly tips that will help you make the most of your space, and what it can grow. Whether you have a sprawling garden, a modest patch of grass or just a spare windowsill, The Green Gardening Handbook has over 100 tips that will help you embrace the joy of growing and eating from your own garden.This beautifully illustrated guide is packed with advice on everything from composting, clothing and basic equipment to seasonal recipes and guides to freezing, storing and preserving that will help you save money and reduce waste. This practical book from the former Great British Bake Off winner and Sunday Times bestselling author of Clean & Green and Green Living Made Easy is for anyone, green-fingered or not, looking to discover the delights of growing and eating food they’ve grown themselves.‘Getting out in the garden helps us stay healthy – and it helps our planet too. Mother Nature wants you to succeed, plants actually want to grow – those seeds are there patiently ready and waiting. All we need to do is just have a go.’ - Nancy x

Read more less

10 Million Children Laughing Worldwide!There are lots of laughs at every level in The 169-Storey Treehouse, the last book in the worldwide bestselling Treehouse series by Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton.The kind of book I would have loved as a kid' – Tom Fletcher, author of The Danger GangAndy and Terry have added thirteen new levels and built their biggest and most astonishing treehouse yet! There's an electric pony stable, a NOISY level, a weather dome and a 100% edible gingerbread house. There's also a hall of funhouse mirrors – the perfect place to hide from Mr Bunkoff who is trying to send Andy, Terry and Jill back to school!But Anti-Andy, Terrible Terry and Junkyard Jill, their trouble-making opposites, are trapped in one of the mirrors — and they want out. Oh, and Mr Big Nose wants them to write their book . . . RIGHT NOW. Can our heroes escape school, defeat their doppelgängers AND meet their book deadline?Well, what are you waiting for? Come on up!Climb more fun-filled levels by collecting all thirteen books in the seven million-copy-selling series – the perfect chapter books for reluctant readers. Plus, check out The Guide to the Treehouse: Who's Who and What's Where? – the must-have companion book for any treehouse fan, available now!

Read more less

‘They’re Not Pets, Susan,’ says a stern father who has just shot a bumblebee, its wings sparkling in the evening sunlight; a lone office worker, less than an inch high, looks out over the river in his lunch break, ‘Dreaming of Packing it all In’; and a tiny couple share a ‘Last Kiss’ against the soft neon lights of the city at midnight. Mixing sharp humour with a delicious edge of melancholy, Little People in the City brings together the collected photographs of Slinkachu, a street-artist who for several years has been leaving little hand-painted people in the bustling city to fend for themselves, waiting to be discovered. . . ‘Oddly enough, even when you know they are just hand-painted figurines, you can’t help but feel that their plights convey something of our own fears about being lost and vulnerable in a big, bad city.’ The Times

Read more less

'Raw. Vulnerable. Open. Truthful . . . This is a book that will open up the floor for even more honest conversations about the side of yoga we don't often see.' - Angie Tiwari @tiwariyogaHow did an ancient spiritual practice become the preserve of the privileged?Nadia Gilani has been practising yoga for twenty-five years. She has also worked as a yoga teacher. Yoga has saved her life and seen her through many highs and lows; it has been a faith, a discipline, and a friend, and she believes wholeheartedly in its radical potential. However, over her years in the wellness industry, Nadia has noticed not only yoga's rising popularity, but also how its modern incarnation no longer serves people of colour, working class people, or many other groups who originally pioneered its creation.Combining her own memories of how the practice has helped her with an account of its history and transformation in the modern west, Nadia creates a love letter to yoga and a passionate critique of the billion-dollar industry whose cost and inaccessibility has shut out many of those it should be helping. By turns poignant, funny, and shocking, The Yoga Manifesto excavates where the industry has gone wrong, and what can be done to save the practice from its own success.

Read more less

‘Ferrara’s book is an introduction to writing as a process of revelation, but it’s also a celebration of these things still undeciphered, and many other tantalising mysteries besides.‘ - The SpectatorThis book tells the story of our greatest invention. Or, it almost does. Almost, because while the story has a beginning – in fact, it has many beginnings, not only in Mesopotamia, 3,100 years before the birth of Christ, but also in China, Egypt and Central America – and it certainly has a middle, one that snakes through the painted petroglyphs of Easter Island, through the great machines of empires and across the desks of inspired, brilliant scholars, the end of the story remains to be written.The invention of writing allowed humans to create a record of their lives and to persist past the limits of their lifetimes. In the shadows and swirls of ancient inscriptions, we can decipher the stories they sought to record, but we can also tease out the timeless truths of human nature, of our ceaseless drive to connect, create and be remembered.The Greatest Invention chronicles an uncharted journey, one filled with past flashes of brilliance, present-day scientific research and the faint, fleeting echo of writing’s future. Professor Silvia Ferrara, a modern-day adventurer who travels the world studying ancient texts, takes us along with her; we touch the knotted, coloured strings of the Incan khipu and consider the case of the Phaistos disk. Ferrara takes us to the cutting edge of decipherment, where high-powered laser scanners bring tears to an engineer’s eye, and further still, to gaze at the outline of writing’s future. The Greatest Invention lifts the words off every page and changes the contours of the world around us – just keep reading.‘The Greatest Invention is a celebration not of achievements, but of moments of illumination and “the most important thing in the world: our desire to be understood”.‘ - TLS

Read more less

Beautiful and full of adventure, Escape to the River Sea is Emma Carroll's compelling novel inspired by Eva Ibbotson's bestselling, classic masterpiece, Journey to the River Sea.'A joyously animal-packed adventure.' – Hilary McKay, Costa Award-winning author of The Skylark's WarIn 1946, Rosa Sweetman, a young Kindertransport girl, is longing for her family to claim her. The war in Europe is over and she is the only child left at Westwood, a rambling country estate in the north of England, where she'd taken refuge seven years earlier.The arrival of a friend of the family, Yara Fielding, starts an adventure that will take Rosa deep into the lush beauty of the Amazon rainforest in search of jaguars, ancient giant sloths and somewhere to belong. What she finds is Yara’s lively, welcoming family on the banks of the river and, together, they face a danger greater than she could ever have imagined.Featuring places and characters known and loved by fans of Journey to the River Sea (including, among others, Maia, Finn, Miss Minton and Clovis) this spectacular story tells of the next generation and the growing threats to the Amazon rainforest that continue to this day.

Read more less

‘No one is better . . . Eden sees Crace at the top of his game’ - TelegraphTrouble has come to the garden. Its inhabitants live an eternal and unblemished life, tending to the bountiful fields, orchards and lakes, and serving their angelic masters. But now one of the gardeners has escaped, breaching the walls and making her way into the world beyond; a land of poverty, sickness and death - as well as liberty. The angels know there are those who would go to the ends of the earth to find her. Perhaps another fall is coming . . .‘Vivid and poetic . . . Crace writes with great flair and inimitable imagination’ - Financial Times‘Since announcing his retirement in 2013, Jim Crace has had more comebacks than Kanye West, something for which we should all be thankful’ - Spectator

Read more less

Axel Scheffler's My First Search and Find: On the Farm is jam-packed with farm animals, from baaing sheep to mooing cows, neighing horses to crowing cockerels!Preschoolers can explore the big scenes, find the animals and objects, and read the name labels in the panels. With a friendly mole to spot in each scene, there is plenty for parents and children to talk about and return to again.There are seven different scenes, illustrated by Axel Scheffler, bestselling illustrator of The Gruffalo, and sturdy tabs for young children to find their favourite pages.Discover more animal adventures from Axel Scheffler: Pip the Puppy, Lizzy the Lamb and The Noisy Farm Book.

Read more less

'Delicious tensions between parents and squabbles among their children seem so harmless, yet every one has the potential to start a devastating snowball of events. I couldn’t put this one down.' - Janice Hallet author of The AppealLooking to escape her old life, Nancy and her ten-year-old daughter Lara move to Ripton. A quiet, picturesque village in the rolling Derbyshire countryside, it seems like the perfect place to settle down.But when Nancy reaches the school gates, she learns that beneath the quaint village atmosphere is a minefield. And after her daughter clashes with her school friends, Nancy quickly finds herself outside the whispering circle of parents.As much as Nancy finds the playground politics absurd, they soon become impossible to ignore when Lara is accused of hurting another girl.Desperate to clear Lara's name, Nancy is about to learn just what lengths a parent will go to for their child . . .Wry, twisting and suspenseful, Michelle Frances tells a story of schoolyard sniping turning into something much uglier in The Playground, for fans of Liane Moriarty and Adele Parks.**************PRAISE FOR THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLING AUTHOR MICHELLE FRANCES'Michelle Frances is an author we're going to hear a great deal about' JILLY COOPER‘Brilliant (toxic) context. Loved the epistolary touches. Taut, dark, and seriously addictive.’ WILL DEAN‘I tore through the pages . . . A high-speed chase of a novel’ Louise Candlish‘Michelle Frances manages to bring fresh energy to this age-old theme of family secrets . . . The finale doesn't disappoint’ Daily Mail‘Toxic family relationships, sultry European settings and an intricate plot which leaves you never knowing who to trust’ Catherine Cooper, author of The Chalet

Read more less

As featured on BBC Radio 4 Open BookA modern classic, The Light Years is a story of twentieth-century English life in the countryside and the first in Elizabeth Jane Howard's extraordinary, bestselling family saga The Cazalet Chronicles.'She helps us to do the necessary thing – open our eyes and our hearts' – Hilary Mantel, author of Wolf HallEvery summer, the Cazalet brothers – Hugh, Edward and Rupert – return to the family home in the heart of the Sussex countryside with their wives and children. There, they are joined by their parents and unmarried sister Rachel to enjoy two blissful months of picnics, games, and excursions to the coast. But despite the idyllic setting, nothing can be done to soothe the siblings’ heartache: Hugh is haunted by the ravages of the Great War, Edward is torn between his wife and his latest infidelity, and Rupert is in turmoil over his inability to please his demanding wife. Meanwhile, Rachel risks losing her only chance at happiness because of her unflinching loyalty to the family.'Charming, poignant and quite irresistible . . . to be cherished and shared' – The TimesWith cover artwork exclusively designed by artist Luke Edward Hall, this is an edition to treasure. Continue the dazzling historical series with Marking Time and Confusion.

Read more less

Play with the soft, cuddly Gruffalo hand puppet as you read the fun story, based on the bestselling picture book The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.Who's afraid of the Gruffalo? With this fantastic addition to the My First Gruffalo range, you can use your special Gruffalo hand puppet to scare away Fox, Owl and Snake as you read the interactive text. Then see if you are brave enough to scratch the Gruffalo's warty nose and tickle his prickles!Toddlers and young children will love meeting the Gruffalo, Mouse and the other animals in the deep dark wood in a playful new way in The Gruffalo Puppet Book, with a simple preschool story based on the original picture book and a fantastically detailed Gruffalo hand puppet.

Read more less

Packed full of everyone's favourite zoo animals, and with a large flap to lift on every page, Who's at the Zoo? is perfect for fans of the What the Ladybird Heard series.The elephant is fast asleep and the tiger is playing with her cubs, but where are those cunning thieves, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len? Based on Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks' bestselling picture book, What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday, preschool children will love lifting the large card flaps to find all their favourite characters. With bright and colourful illustrations and a flap to lift on every page, this interactive board book is packed full of favourite zoo animals and is perfect for little fingers!Collect more What the Ladybird Heard lift-the-flap books: Who's on the Farm?

Read more less

A beautiful collection of inspirational quotes from writers, artists and thinkers, chosen by the world's favourite storyteller, Danielle Steel. These are words to comfort you, to move you, to inspire you, and to make you laugh.'The right words can bring you back to reality or make you dream, can comfort you when you're in despair or make you laugh out loud. The right words can open your mind or give you hope'.As a young girl, Danielle began collecting quotations that had special meaning to her – a habit that has stayed with her over the years. In Expect a Miracle, Danielle has compiled some of her favourite quotations, proverbs and sayings to live and love by.With a heartfelt introduction from Danielle, Expect a Miracle is the perfect road map to life, with grace, courage and humour. Whether you’ve read her books or not, this is a book filled with wisdom for everyone.

Read more less

Children of Virtue and Vengeance is the breathtaking second title in Tomi Adeyemi's YA fantasy trilogy, Legacy of Orïsha, following her ground-breaking, West African-inspired debut Children of Blood and Bone.After battling the impossible, Zélie and Amari have finally succeeded in bringing magic back to the land of Orïsha. But the ritual was more powerful than they imagined, reigniting the powers of not only the maji but also some nobles with magic ancestry. Now, Zélie struggles to unite the maji in an Orïsha where the enemy is just as strong and magical as they are. When Amari's mother forms an army of royals with newly awakened powers, Zélie fights to secure Amari's right to the throne and protect the new maji from the monarchy's wrath. But with civil war looming on the horizon, Zélie finds herself at a breaking point: she must find a way to bring the kingdom together or watch as Orïsha tears itself apart.

Read more less

Lift the flaps and join in the fun with Mole's Spectacles, a brilliant story in the bestselling Tales from Acorn Wood preschool series by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo.Mole has lost his spectacles. He searches all around his house, in the garden and even in Weasel's sweetshop, but he can't find them anywhere! Where could they be? Lift the flaps to help him find them.With sturdy flaps on every spread and rhyming stories that are a joy to read aloud, Mole's Spectacles joins the bestselling Tales from Acorn Wood which have been delighting parents and children for over twenty years.More lift-the-flap adventures from Acorn Wood: Cat's Cookbook, Squirrel's Snowman and Badger's Band. Look out for new Acorn Wood story Dormouse Has a Cold.

Read more less

You're never too young to meet a Gruffalo! Lift the soft felt flaps on every page to meet all your favourite characters from the deep dark wood.With soft fabric flaps which are easy to lift and help develop fine motor skills, this felt flaps book is perfect for sharing with babies. Designed to appeal to even the youngest child, simple patterns and bright colours combine with Axel Scheffler's instantly recognizable artwork to keep babies entertained for hours. Perfect for tiny Gruffalo fans, Gruffalo, Where Are You? is part of a charming range of books specially created for babies featuring Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's iconic creation, the Gruffalo.Enjoy more of the Gruffalo Baby series with Say Hello to the Gruffalo and Gruffalo, What Can You Hear?

Read more less

Lift the flaps and join in the fun with this bestselling preschool classic, Fox's Socks by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo. Poor old Fox has lost his socks – can you help him find them? Are they in the kitchen or under the stairs? Are they inside the clock or hidden in a chest? Lift the flaps and find out!With sturdy flaps on every spread and rhyming stories that are a joy to read aloud, the Tales from Acorn Wood series has been delighting both parents and toddlers for over twenty years.Discover more stories in the Tales from Acorn Wood series: Rabbit's Nap, Hide-and-Seek Pig, Postman Bear, Cat's Cookbook, Squirrel's Snowman, Mole's Spectacles and Badger's Band. Look out for new Acorn Wood story Dormouse Has a Cold.

Read more less

Join everyone's favourite crime-busting ladybird on a trip to the seaside! With a cast of wonderful sea creatures, including a magical mermaid, and plenty of beach fun, What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside is a brilliant rhyming adventure from the bestselling picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks.The clever little ladybird is off on a trip to the seaside, but those two bad men, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, are up to their wicked ways again. This time they're planning to steal the mermaid's hair and sell it to a famous star. Luckily, the crime-busting ladybird has a clever plan to stop the thieves . . .The fourth title in the number one bestselling What the Ladybird Heard series – perfect for young children to read aloud. Enjoy more stories from Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks: The Singing Mermaid, Sharing a Shell, and What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday.

Read more less

Join everyone's favourite crime-busting ladybird on a trip to the seaside! With a cast of wonderful sea creatures, including a magical mermaid, and plenty of beach fun, What the Ladybird Heard at the Seaside is a brilliant rhyming adventure from the bestselling picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks.The clever little ladybird is off on a trip to the seaside, but those two bad men, Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len, are up to their wicked ways again. This time they're planning to steal the mermaid's hair and sell it to a famous star. Luckily, the crime-busting ladybird has a clever plan to stop the thieves . . .The fourth title in the number one bestselling What the Ladybird Heard series – perfect for young children to read aloud!Enjoy more stories from Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks: The Singing Mermaid, Sharing a Shell, and What the Ladybird Heard on Holiday.

Read more less

In this thrilling novel from the world’s favourite storyteller, Danielle Steel, a small community is tested when their children go missing while exploring a dangerous local peak, forcing them to band together during the crisis.Fishtail, Montana, is home to Anne and Pitt Pollock, local royalty, high school sweethearts and owners of the successful Pollock ranch. The sprawling foothills of the Beartooth Mountains surround the town, overlooking the Pollocks’ property and the nearby ranch belonging to Bill and Pattie Brown. The two couples have known each other since childhood. Their sons Peter Pollock and Matt Brown are also the best of friends. When they and two other local kids meet Juliet Marshall, new to town after her parents’ bitter divorce, the five of them are soon inseparable, spending their summer days swimming, horseback-riding, hiking and fishing.But one August afternoon, their latest adventure takes a dangerous turn – and quickly escalates into a battle for survival – when they find themselves trapped on Granite Peak. Fear reverberates through the town as their parents grow ever more desperate to hear word that their children have been found. They must place their own trials aside amid a massive search-and-rescue operation. As they come to lean on one another for support, a media frenzy ensues, heightening tensions and testing some already fragile relationships.In the aftermath of this one fateful event, devastating secrets are revealed, new love appears on the horizon, and families are forced to reconsider what they once held dear.

Read more less

Farm animals take on Britain's Got Talent, in this laugh-out-loud funny rhyming romp! From Peter Bently and Jim Field - illustrator of the bestselling Oi Frog books.Then Buttercup Jersey, the moonwalking cow, caused cries of 'Incredible!', 'Knockout!' and 'Wow!'She glided and twisted and then did the splits. It was utterly stunning. They loved her to bits!Old Farmer Clegg may be tucked up for the night, but down in the farmyard, a talent show is about to take place. Who has what it takes to be a star? The break-dancing cow?The honky-tonk geese?Meg, the egg-laying, Mozart-singing hen?Or maybe a certain sleep-walking farmer...With a bouncy rhyming story and lively, comedy-packed illustrations from the bestselling Jim Field, this is the perfect read-aloud treat!

Read more less

A beautiful picture book with colour illustrations, The Last Dragon in Moominvalley is the perfect gift for Moomin fans of all ages.When Moomintroll finds a tiny dragon, he puts it in a jam jar to keep it as a pet. He's so excited to have found the very last dragon in the world! But Moomintroll soon realizes that the dragon wants to be free. And when the dragon seems to prefer Snufkin, will Moomintroll's heart be broken?This stunning picture book is a newly-illustrated retelling of Tove Jansson's classic Moomin short story The Last Dragon, originally published in Tales from Moominvalley sixty years ago and now reinterpreted for a new generation of Moomin fans.

Read more less

Jay and his mates were looking forward to the best summer ever before they become nervous little minnows heading off to senior school learning to swim with the sharks. But when Danny and Dom have to bail, Jay is left facing the long holiday alone, until his mysterious new next door neighbour makes him think hanging out at Summer School might not be such a bad idea after all.Summer School and Cyborgs, the sequel to ClIppa award-winner Steven Camden's funny and tender first novel My Big Mouth, is for readers of 8+ about friendship, growing up and working out who you want to be. Brilliantly illustrated throughout by Chanté Timothy.

Read more less

Join the Gruffalo's Child on a snowy adventure through the deep dark wood with this fun sticker book, packed full of activities, games and over 400 stickers!The Gruffalo said that no gruffalo shouldEver set foot in the deep dark wood.But one wild and windy night the Gruffalo's child disobeys her father's warnings and ventures out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn't really exist . . . does he?Join in the adventure with sticker scenes, spot the difference, sticker jigsaws and more in this fun-packed sticker activity book. Based on the bestselling classic picture book, The Gruffalo's Child, from the unparalleled picture-book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, The Gruffalo's Child Sticker Book is perfect for rainy days, holidays and journeys, or a great gift for birthdays or Christmas!

Read more less

Milly-Molly-Mandy lives in a tiny village in the heart of the countryside, where life is full of everyday adventures! Join the little girl in the candy-striped dress as she goes excavating with Billy Blunt, learns to ride a horse and cooks her very own toffee – whatever Milly-Molly-Mandy and her friends are up to, you're sure to have fun when they're around.Milly-Molly-Mandy and Billy Blunt contains seven short stories that are wonderful to read aloud and are the perfect way to introduce younger readers to the enduringly popular heroine, not forgetting her friends little-friend-Susan and Billy Blunt!This sixth and final book in Joyce Lankester Brisley's Milly-Molly-Mandy series, which have charmed generations of children since their first publication in 1928, brings the characters to life with the authors original, iconic black and white illustrations.

Read more less

Now a major film directed by Idris Elba, Yardie by Victor Headley shines a light on the brutal underworld of 90s London gang culture.At Heathrow Airport’s busy immigration desk, a newly arrived Jamaican strolls through with a kilo of top-grade cocaine strapped to his body. And keeps on walking . . .By the time the syndicate get to hear about the missing consignment, D is in business – for himself – as the Front Line’s newest don.But D’s treachery will never be forgotten – or forgiven. The message filters down from the Yardie crime lords to their soldiers on the streets:Find D. Find the merchandise. And make him pay for his sins . . .

Read more less

Following on from the bestselling The Seven Sisters and The Storm Sister, The Shadow Sister is the third book in Lucinda Riley's spellbinding series of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the Seven Sisters constellation.Star D'Aplièse, in her late twenties, is at a crossroads in her life after the sudden death of her beloved father – the elusive billionaire, named Pa Salt by his six daughters, all adopted by him from the four corners of the world. He has left each of them a clue to their true heritage, but Star – the most enigmatic of the sisters – is hesitant to step out of the safety of the close relationship she shares with her sister CeCe. In desperation, she decides to follow the first clue she has been left, which leads her to an antiquarian bookshop in London, and the start of a whole new world . . .A hundred years earlier, headstrong and independent Flora MacNichol vows she will never marry. She is happy and secure in her home in the Lake District, living close to her idol, Beatrix Potter. But, when machinations outside of her control lead her to the London home of one of Edwardian society's most notorious players, Flora is pulled between passionate love and duty to her family. But she finds herself a pawn in a game – the rules of which are only known to others – until a meeting with a mysterious gentleman unveils the answers that Flora has been searching for her whole life . . .As Star learns more of Flora's incredible journey, she too goes on a voyage of discovery, finally stepping out of the shadow of her sister and opening herself up to the possibility of love.The epic, multi-million selling series continues with The Pearl Sister.'Absolutely impossible to put down! The Seven Sisters books just keep getting better and better' - Tracy Rees, author of Amy SnowPraise for the Seven Sisters:'A masterclass in beautiful writing' – The Sun'Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling' – Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party'A breathtaking adventure' – Lancashire Evening PostFive-Star Reader Reviews:'Absolutely incredible''Totally addictive''Ideal for when you need to escape'

Read more less

The spellbinding series continues in the icy beauty of Norway. Following the bestselling The Seven Sisters, The Storm Sister is the second book in Lucinda Riley's epic saga of love and loss, inspired by the mythology of the Seven Sisters constellation.Ally D'Aplièse, in her early thirties, is about to compete in one of the world's most perilous yacht races when she hears the news of her adoptive father's sudden, mysterious death. Rushing back to meet her five sisters at their family home, she discovers that her father – an elusive billionaire affectionately known to his daughters as Pa Salt – has left each of them a tantalizing clue to their true heritage.Ally recently embarked on a deeply passionate love affair that will change her destiny forever. But with her life now turned upside down, Ally decides to leave the open seas and follow the trail that her father left her, leading to the icy beauty of Norway . . .There, Ally begins to discover her roots – and how her story is inextricably bound to that of a young unknown singer, Anna Landvik, who lived there over a hundred years before, and sang in the first performance of Grieg's iconic music set to Ibsen's play 'Peer Gynt'. As Ally learns more about Anna, she also begins to question who her father, Pa Salt, really was. And she begins to wonder: why is their seventh sister missing?The epic, multi-million selling series continues with The Shadow Sister.'A brilliant page-turner just soaked in glamour and romance' – Daily MailPraise for the Seven Sisters:'A masterclass in beautiful writing' – The Sun'Heart-wrenching, uplifting and utterly enthralling' – Lucy Foley, author of The Hunting Party'A breathtaking adventure' – Lancashire Evening PostFive-Star Reader Reviews:'Absolutely incredible''Totally addictive''Ideal for when you need to escape'

Read more less

A charming lift-the-flap story from the bestselling, record-breaking partnership of Julia Donaldson and Rebecca Cobb.One little boy is very excited when he receives an invitation to go and play at his friend Dan's house. But there's just one problem, he doesn't know which house on South Street Dan lives in. Along the way he meets some very interesting neighbours, including a cook, a pirate and ghost. But which door does Dan live behind? A wonderful game of dressing-up awaits. Will he ever be able to find the right house?Written in Julia Donaldson's trademark rhyming style and with adorable illustrations packed full of details to spot from the award-winning Rebecca Cobb, this is a book to delight young children, and to read again, and again . . . and again!

Read more less

Chris Kraus’ The Bastard Factory tells the story of an entire epoch: a drama of betrayal and self-delusion spanning the years 1905 to 1975, taking us from Riga and Moscow, Berlin and Munich, all the way to Tel Aviv.Hubert and Konstantin Solm are brothers, born in Riga at the beginning of the twentieth century. They will find themselves – along with their Jewish adopted sister, Ev Solm – caught up in in the maelstrom of their changing times.As the two brothers climb the rungs of society – working first for the government in Nazi Germany, then as agents for the Allied forces, and eventually becoming spies for the young West Germany – Ev will be their constant companion, and eventually a lover to them both. The passionate love triangle that emerges will propel the characters to terrifying moral and political depths.The story of the Solms is also the story of twentieth-century Germany: the decline of an old world and the rise of a new one – under new auspices but with the same familiar protagonists.Translated from the German by Ruth Martin

Read more less

Find out who is keeping little owl awake with their noisy habits and who is keeping very quiet. Wiggle the sliding tabs and giggle as the noisy animals come to life! With brilliantly bold, bright pictures by the wonderful Jo Lodge, plus a funny rhyming story, Little Owl, Little Owl, Can't You Sleep? is sure to put a big smile on your toddler's face and with any luck, a big yawn too! The perfect bedtime book to read with your toddler.Also available: Puppy Dog, Puppy Dog, How Are You?, Pussy Cat, Pussy Cat, What Can You See?, Tiger, Tiger, Time to Take a Bath! Moo Cow, Moo Cow, Please Eat Nicely! Giraffe, Giraffe, What Will You Wear Today?

Read more less

‘I was on a train, and a German soldier began shouting at me and poking me in the ribs with his machine gun. I just thought that was it, the game was up . . .’Downed airman Bob Frost faced danger at every turn as he was smuggled out of France and over the Pyrenees. Prisoner of war Len Harley went on the run in Italy, surviving months in hiding and then a hazardous climb over the Abruzzo mountains with German troops hot on his heels. These are just some of the stories told in heart-stopping detail as Monty Halls takes us along the freedom trails out of occupied Europe, from the immense French escape lines to lesser-known routes in Italy and Slovenia. Escaping Hitler features spies and traitors, extraordinary heroism from those who ran the escape routes and offered shelter to escapees, and great feats of endurance. The SAS in Operation Galia fought for forty days behind enemy lines in Italy and then, exhausted and pursued by the enemy, exfiltrated across the Apennine mountains. And in Slovenia Australian POW Ralph Churches and British Les Laws orchestrated the largest successful Allied escape of the entire war.Mixing new research, interviews with survivors and his own experience of walking the trails, Monty brings the past to life in this dramatic and gripping slice of military history.

Read more less

A flavour-focused drinks recipe book with a feminist slant, Spirited opens up the 'boys' club' world of serious cocktails and features fifty drinks, both alcoholic and booze-free.Spirited brings together fifty well-crafted cocktail recipes, all fuelled by a cook's palate and a love of creative ingredients. Signe Johansen's recipes play with a wide range of flavours such as fresh, floral, herbal and spicy notes and encourage you to think like a cook not a bartender. With chapters on drambling (the joy of winter walks and whisky), creative and delicious drinks to serve at gatherings, warming nightcaps and non-alcoholic 'soothies' to calm an ailing spirit, there is a tipple here for every occasion. There is also a collection of recipes called Cupboard Cocktails – made from staple ingredients you may already have in your kitchen – and more ambitious weekend projects for gifts or special occasions.Spirited is a refreshing departure from earnest mixologists writing about the 'art of the cocktail' – books often written by men, for men. Instead, Signe opens the field for everyone and celebrates the convivial and social experience of healthy hedonism and raising a glass together. This is a warm and inclusive companion to the subject, packed with trade secrets, delicious recipes and fascinating insight into the world of drinks.

Read more less

Join the tiny crime-busting ladybird and all your favourite farmyard characters in this fun sticker book based on the bestselling picture book, What the Ladybird Heard Next. Packed with games, activities and over 400 stickers, the What the Ladybird Heard Next Sticker Book is perfect for birthdays, rainy days and school holidays – a great gift for any child. From Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, an unstoppable picture book pairing, and creators of the bestselling What the Ladybird Heard series.

Read more less

Captivating and suspenseful, Best Kept Secret is the third novel in international bestseller Jeffrey Archer’s outstanding Clifton Chronicles. It sees our hero Harry Clifton and Giles Barrington, brother of Harry’s beloved wife Emma, become entwined in the fate of the Barrington family fortune.It is 1945 and the House of Lords’ vote on who should inherit the Barrington estate ends in a tie, casting a long shadow on the lives of those involved.Author Harry begins to promote his novel, whilst Emma, after her father’s mysterious death, searches for the girl found abandoned in his office on the night he died.Politician Giles defends his seat in the House of Commons and finds not only his future but his family’s fortune at stake. Ultimately his fate is dictated by Harry’s son Sebastian, even as Sebastian himself becomes embroiled in an international art fraud.As they move out of the shadows of war, a new generation of Cliftons and Barringtons comes to the fore, and a thrilling new episode of Jeffrey Archer’s captivating family saga begins.Continue the bestselling series with Be Careful What You Wish For and Mightier than the Sword.

Read more less

Celebrate the joy of books with the entertaining Charlie Cook's Favourite Book, from the unparalleled picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo. Charlie Cook is reading a book about a pirate captain, who is reading a book about Goldilocks, who is reading about a knight, who is reading about a frog . . . From kings and queens to aliens and ghosts, there's something for everyone in Charlie's amazing book of adventure! This handy board book format is perfect for younger readers. It features the classic story with a stunning redesigned cover and beautiful finish, making it a must-have for even the smallest Donaldson and Scheffler fans! Also available in board book format and with striking redesigned covers are: The Gruffalo, The Gruffalo's Child, Room on the Broom, The Snail and the Whale, The Smartest Giant in Town, Monkey Puzzle and A Squash and a Squeeze.

Read more less

Warm, funny and moving; the perfect summer read. For fans of Arthur, Finding Gobi and Damien Lewis' A Dog Called Hope.When Steve Jamieson met Bilbo, a chocolate Newfoundland puppy, little did he know that the small bundle of fluff would grow to take up a huge space in his heart and change his life forever. The pair were inseparable, with Bilbo accompanying Steve to his job as head lifeguard of Sennen beach in Cornwall every day. With his webbed paws and thick, double layer of fur, Bilbo was an excellent swimmer and he was soon promoted to honorary lifeguard. He was even credited with saving the lives of three people.Word about Bilbo spread and fans flocked from miles around to meet the friendly giant. But Bilbo and Steve couldn't have foreseen the obstacles that life would throw at them. Together, they would have to gather every bit of their strength to fight for their livelihood. Warm, heartfelt and moving, Bilbo the Lifeguard Dog is a tale of heroism and friendship, and is one man's tribute to his extraordinary dog.

Read more less

An ambitious warlord leaves his nephew for dead and seizes his lands.A stubborn father forces his younger son to surrender his wife to his older brother.A mysterious woman seeks five fathers for her children.A powerful priest meddles in the succession to the Lotus Throne.These are the threads of an intricate tapestry in which the laws of destiny play out against a backdrop of wild forest, elegant court, and savage battlefield. Set in a mythical medieval Japan inhabited by warriors and assassins, ghosts and guardian spirits, Emperor of the Eight Islands by Lian Hearn is a brilliantly imagined novel, full of drama and intrigue – the beginning of an enthralling, epic adventure: The Tale of Shikanoko.

Read more less

Join the Gruffalo's Child for a BIG adventure in this clever sequel to much-loved modern classic, The Gruffalo, from the unparalleled picture book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler.The Gruffalo said that no gruffalo shouldEver set foot in the deep dark wood.But one wild and windy night the Gruffalo's child disobeys her father's warnings and ventures out into the snow. After all, the Big Bad Mouse doesn't really exist . . . does he?The Gruffalo's Child is the number one bestselling, much-loved sequel to the worldwide picture book phenomenon that is The Gruffalo. Julia Donaldson's trademark rhyming text and Axel Scheffler's brilliant, characterful illustrations combine once more to ensure that the Gruffalo's Child has followed firmly in her father's footsteps and that her story is one that children will ask for again, and again . . . and again!This edition features the classic story with a stunning redesigned cover and beautiful finish, making it a must-have addition to the bookshelves of all Donaldson and Scheffler fans – big and small!Enjoy more family favourite picture books from Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler: The Gruffalo, Room on the Broom and The Snail and the Whale.

Read more less

Past Perfect is a heartwarming, magical story of an unexpected friendship spanning a century, from the world's favourite storyteller, Danielle Steel.Sybil and Blake Gregory live a well-ordered, predictable Manhattan life, she as a cutting-edge design authority and museum consultant, he in high-tech investments, raising their children. But when Blake is offered a dream job as CEO of a start-up in San Francisco, he accepts it, without consulting his wife, and buys a magnificent, historic mansion as their new home in Pacific Heights.Past and present collide at their elegant mansion, when they meet the large and lively family who lived there a century ago. All long dead but very much alive in spirit – visible to the Gregorys and no one else. Within these enchanted rooms, it is at once 1917 and a century later.The Gregorys been given a perfect gift; but does living in the past prevent them from embracing their future?

Read more less

Push, pull and slide the moving mechanisms to follow the ladybird and all the animals on the farm in this brilliant board book based on the bestselling classic picture book What the Ladybird Heard.When the little spotty ladybird hears Lanky Len and Hefty Hugh's plan to steal the fine prize cow, she makes a clever plan, and all the animals join in to help stop the thieves! Move the push, pull and slide mechanisms on every spread to join in too and bring the story to life.With a short, simple rhyming text based on the original story, What the Ladybird Heard: A Push, Pull and Slide Book is the perfect introduction for preschoolers to the What the Ladybird Heard series by Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, and a great gift for little fans of the bestselling picture book.

Read more less

In the baron’s icebound castle, a parasite is spreading . . . From Hiron Ennes, Leech is an atmospheric Gothic horror, perfect for fans of Jeff VanderMeer and Silvia Moreno-Garcia.'Unique and utterly assured, I will follow this writer anywhere' – Gillian Flynn, author of Gone GirlIn an isolated chateau, as far north as north goes, the baron’s doctor has died. The Interprovincial Medical Institute sends out a replacement. But when the new physician investigates the cause of death, which appears to be suicide, there’s a mystery to solve. It seems the good doctor was hosting a parasite. Yet this should have been impossible, as the physician was already possessed – by the Institute.The Institute is here to help humanity, to cure and to cut, to cradle and protect the species from the horrors their ancestors unleashed. For hundreds of years, it has taken root in young minds and shaped them into doctors, replacing every human practitioner of medicine. But now there’s competition. For in the baron’s cold castle, already a pit of secrets and lies, the parasite is spreading . . .These two enemies will make war within the battlefield of the body. Whichever wins, will humanity lose again?‘A wonderful new entry to Gothic science fiction, impeccably clever and atmospheric. Think Wuthering Heights . . . with worms!’ – Tamsyn Muir, author of Gideon the NinthFeatured in The Times Best Sci-Fi Books and Winner of The Sydney J. Bounds Award for Best Newcomer at the British Fantasy Awards 2023.

Read more less