Search results for ""macmillan""

The Cook of the Halcyon is the twenty-seventh Inspector Montalbano mystery from the master of Sicilian crime, Andrea Camilleri.Moments later the all-white schooner, which looked like a hospital ship, began to pass ever so slowly before him, as if wanting to show itself off in all its beauty. The name on the prow said: Halcyon.Two deaths – the suicide of a recently fired worker and the murder of an unscrupulous businessman – lead Inspector Montalbano to the Halcyon, a mysterious ship that visits Vigàta’s port each day. With very few crewmen, no passengers and a stern large enough to land a helicopter, it piques the Inspector’s interest straightaway. In the midst of this, a rare trip to Genoa to visit Livia ends with the Vigàta police department in disarray, and Inspector Montalbano’s position as the head of the commissariat in jeopardy. It will be up to Montalbano to fix the damage done.

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As heard on BBC Radio 4 Book at BedtimeA Times, Guardian, and Good Housekeeping Book of the Year for 2022Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction'It takes the most ferocious intelligence, skill, and a deep reservoir of sadness to write a novel as funny as this. I adored it' - Meg Mason, bestselling author of Sorrow & BlissMeet the Hanrahan family.Ray, the father. Acclaimed artist and notorious narcissist, who is obsessed with his own reputation.Lucia, his long-suffering wife. A lauded sculptor yet terrified of what recognition could bring. And she has a secret of her own which could tear the family apart.Leah, the eldest daughter, devoted to her father and convinced of his genius.Patrick, Lucia’s sensitive son, who has finally decided to strike out by himself.Jess, the youngest daughter, insecure and facing a daunting decision.As they gather for a momentous weekend – the first exhibition of Ray’s artwork in many decades – each member of the family must finally make a choice. And when they do, once tensions have boiled over and the guests have departed, what will be left of the Hanrahans?Longlisted for the Women's Prize for Fiction 2022, The Exhibitionist is the extraordinary fifth novel from Charlotte Mendelson, a dazzling exploration of art, sacrifice, toxic family politics, queer desire and personal freedom.'A devastating treat of a novel: funny, furious, dark and delicious' - Sarah Waters, bestselling author of Fingersmith

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Push, pull and slide the scenes to discover all the different animals in Busy Safari! Help the elephants cool down, make a cheetah run really fast and find out who is hiding in the mud in this fun book about amazing African animals.Children will love playing with this bright and colourful board book! Featuring gentle rhyming text and wonderful illustrations by Yi-Hsuan Wu, Busy Safari is part of Campbell Books bestselling Busy Books series.Discover more amazing animal adventures with Busy Farm, Busy Zoo, Busy Pets, Busy Vet and Busy Jungle.

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Times are tough for Santa. He's tightened his belt, made the reindeer redundant and now it's time to get a second job.But finding work is not easy at all, even if you’re Santa – he tries being a waiter, a party entertainer, and even works in a call centre. He finally finds the perfect job to be useful to the community – the bin man! Santa discovers that waste can conceal wonderful gifts, and he is soon back on his sled delivering toys made from recycled materials. When Santa finds some lost letters from years ago in the bin, begging to meet him, he sets out to find their owner. Will he be able to find them and finally grant their wish before Christmas Day?Hilarious and heartwarming, Santa Gets a Second Job is the perfect present for Santa fans of all ages from Michele D'Ignazio and Sergio Olivotti.

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Times are tough for Santa. He's tightened his belt, made the reindeer redundant and now it's time to get a second job.But finding work is not easy at all, even if you’re Santa – he tries being a waiter, a party entertainer, and even works in a call centre. He finally finds the perfect job to be useful to the community – the bin man! Santa discovers that waste can conceal wonderful gifts, and he is soon back on his sled delivering toys made from recycled materials. When Santa finds some lost letters from years ago in the bin, begging to meet him, he sets out to find their owner. Will he be able to find them and finally grant their wish before Christmas Day?Hilarious and heartwarming, Santa Gets a Second Job is the perfect present for Santa fans of all ages from Michele D'Ignazio and Sergio Olivotti.

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Julia Donaldson is the author of some of the world's best-loved children's books, including modern classics The Gruffalo and The Gruffalo's Child, which together have sold over 17 million copies worldwide, and the hugely successful What the Ladybird Heard adventures. Julia also writes fiction, including the Princess Mirror-Belle books illustrated by Lydia Monks, as well as poems, plays and songs and her brilliant live shows are always in demand. She was Children's Laureate 201113 and has been honoured with a CBE for Services to Literature. Julia and her husband Malcolm divide their time between West Sussex and Edinburgh.Lydia Monks is one of the most original and bestselling picture book artists working today. Lydia illustrates several bestselling series including the What the Ladybird Heard adventures and Princess Mirror-Belle, written by Julia Donaldson. Her distinctive use of colour and collage has won her critical acclaim and several awards,

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Longlisted for the Highland Book Prize 2020 ‘I’ve long admired Robin Robertson’s narrative gift . . . If you love stories, you will love this book.’ Val McDermidThe new book from the author of The Long Take, shortlisted for the Booker Prize and winner of both the Walter Scott Prize and the Goldsmiths Prize.Like some lost chapters from the Celtic folk tradition, Grimoire tells stories of ordinary people caught up, suddenly, in the extraordinary: tales of violence, madness and retribution, of second sight, witches, ghosts, selkies, changelings and doubles, all bound within a larger mythology, narrated by a doomed shape-changer – a man, beast or god.A grimoire is a manual for invoking spirits. Here, Robin Robertson and his brother Tim Robertson – whose accompanying images are as unforgettable as cave-paintings – raise strange new forms which speak not only of the potency of our myths and superstitions, but how they were used to balance and explain the world and its predicaments.From one of our most powerful lyric poets, this is a book of curses and visions, gifts both desired and unwelcome, characters on the cusp of their transformation – whether women seeking revenge or saving their broken children, or men trying to save themselves. Haunting and elemental, Grimoire is full of the same charged beauty as the Scottish landscape – a beauty that can switch, with a mere change in the weather, to hostility and terror.

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Winner of the Sunday Times Sports Book Award 2022If you are the girl, the woman who feels like she is never enough, that she will never be as strong, as good, as capable, I am here to tell you that you are enough. I am here to tell you that while it shouldn’t have been your burden, you can write a different story.Stronger will change what you think you know about strength and, most importantly, empower you to go on your own journey to discover what strength looks like for you.Now a competitive amateur powerlifter who can lift over twice her own bodyweight, Poorna Bell is perfectly placed to start a crucial conversation about women’s strength and fitness, one that has nothing to do with weight loss. In Stronger she challenges the notions taught to us as girls, and examines how all of us can tap into our reservoir of inner strength to make us our strongest selves mentally and physically. Describing taking up weightlifting after the death of her husband, she shows how discovering her own strength helped her to find the confidence that physical pursuits can amplify – the confidence that has been helping men to succeed for centuries – and that women can find too.In these pages, Poorna tells not only her own story but those of a range of women, investigating intersections of race, age and social background. Part memoir, part manifesto, Stronger explodes old-fashioned notions and long-held beliefs about getting strong and explores the relationship between mental and physical strength.Whether you’re into weightlifting, running, swimming, yoga or don’t consider yourself to be sporty at all, Poorna shows how finding strength can work for you, regardless of age, ability or background.

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The Best Ever Book of Funny Poems is a hilarious anthology of the most giggle-worthy children's poems from one of the nations most celebrated children's poets, Brian Moses. Perfect for gifting and for reading aloud, you'll be chortling along with Brian as he shows you the funniest poems in the world! Explore chucklesome poems about pets, funny creatures, school, family, fantasy and fairy-tales, dinosaurs and dragons, space, and just plain SILLY poems.With poets such as Brian Bilston, Sue Hardy-Dawson, Pie Corbett and Paul Cookson next to Liz Brownlee, Mike Jubb, James Carter and Rachel Rooney, this is the ultimate collection of rib-tickling poems guaranteed to make you laugh out loud.

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A bouncy lift-the-flap Easter tale, Little Bunny's Easter Surprise is the perfect gift for little ones to enjoy this spring.It's Easter day and the woods are buzzing with excitement when Little Bunny sends his invitations for a scrumptious Easter picnic. He wants the picnic to be perfect, collecting all the best things for to share with friends: fruit, toffees and delicious chocolate treats. But – OOPS! - has this bunny made a blunder?An interactive book, packed full of non-stop fun, with flaps to lift, and eggs to search and find, this book is just right for shared reading and keeping little hands busy! Lilly Murray's bouncy rhyming text and Julia Woolf's bright, warm illustrations make this the perfect story to read and share together this Easter.

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A 20th century classic, The Prophet is thought-provoking, comforting and wise, and its simple truths remain compelling and rewarding to this day.Utterly unique and beloved around the world, The Prophet is a collection of twenty-six poetic essays by the Lebanese artist, philosopher and writer Kahlil Gibran. Telling the story of the prophet Al-Mustafa and his conversations with various acquaintances as he returns home after a long absence, the book touches on subjects of universal concern, including love, friendship, passion, pain, religion and freedom.

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Packed full of magic and adventure, this collection of seven fantastic stories from the creators of the bestselling What the Ladybird Heard series, is perfect for listening to at home, in the car, at bedtime or any time at all!Join in the adventure with Sugarlump the rocking horse when a unicorn grants his every wish, help the Singing Mermaid escape the circus and return to her seaside home, join Josephine and her extraordinary new shoes for an action-packed adventure, and much more! This magical collection features seven much-loved stories from the bestselling picture-book partnership of Julia Donaldson and Lydia Monks, creators of What the Ladybird Heard.With lively performances from Julian Clary, Noma Dumezweni, Lauren Laverne, Joanna Page, Imelda Staunton, David Tennant and Sophie Thompson, and including the Sugarlump and the Unicorn Song, music and sound effects, Sugarlump and the Unicorn and Other Stories is a must-have audio collection, perfect for listening to together. This fantastic collection includes seven bestselling stories together on one CD: Sugarlump and the Unicorn, The Singing Mermaid, Sharing a Shell, The Rhyming Rabbit, The Princess and the Wizard, The Girl the Bear and the Magic Shoes and Princess Mirror-Belle and the Dragon Pox.

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‘Tempest has a gift for shattering and transcending convention.’ New York TimesPhiloctetes lives in a cave on a desolate island: the wartime hero is now a wounded outcast. Stranded for ten years, he sees a chance of escape when a young soldier appears with tales of Philoctetes’ past glories. But with hope comes suspicion – and, as an old enemy emerges, he is faced with an even greater temptation: revenge.Kae Tempest is now widely acknowledged as a revolutionary force in contemporary British poetry, music and drama; they continue to expand the range of their work with a new version of Sophocles’ Philoctetes in a bold new translation. Like Brand New Ancients before it, Paradise shows Tempest’s gift for lending the old tales an immediate contemporary relevance – and will find this timeless story a wide new audience.

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My Grandpa is the stunning picture book debut from Marta Altés, author of I Am An Artist.A moving and memorable book about the very special relationship between an elderly grandfather and his adoring grandson, this unique look at old age through the eyes of a young bear is big-hearted, poignant and beautifully observed.'The expressive drawings are winning. . . A lovely tale.' – Guardian

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It's hard being a little monkey in a big troop, in an even bigger jungle – and this little monkey has had enough of always missing out! She's off to climb to the top of the tallest tree in the jungle and she's going to do it all on her own.Except that there's someone following close behind. Someone with claws and stripes and rather sharp teeth . . .Little Monkey is a beautiful, funny and empowering picture book from bestselling author-illustrator, two times CILIP Kate Greenaway Medal nominee and BookTrust Time to Read favourite, Marta Altés, which shows us that the world is a big, wild and wonderful place where anything is possible.

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Blade of Light is the nineteenth gripping addition to the phenomenally successful Inspector Montalbano Sicilian mysteries by Andrea Camilleri.When a gentleman arrives at Montalbano's police station to report an armed robbery on his wife that ended with a kiss, the inspector's suspicions are aroused.As he delves deeper into the case, Montalbano finds that none of the witnesses' stories are adding up, and he can't help but feel that they're not meant to. When a body turns up showing all the signs of a mafia hit, the inspector knows he must excavate the truth from what he is being led to believe.Meanwhile there's a case that keeps winding its way back to Montalbano's office. A locked door has suddenly appeared on a farmer's disused shed, and then, just as quickly, the door disappears. The anti-terrorist police soon intervene, but why are they so keen to keep this away from the inspector? And why does he sense that this case is connected to him somehow?With deceit at every turn and a distraction of the heart taking over his head, Inspector Montalbano must focus if he is ever going to solve this mystery.Blade of Light is followed by the twentieth book in the Sicilian mystery series, A Voice in the Night.

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Andrea Camilleri's sensational and darkly humorous Inspector Montalbano series continues in the fourteenth instalment, The Age of Doubt. A chance encounter with a strange young woman leads Inspector Montalbano to Vigàta harbour – and into a puzzling new mystery. The crew of a mysterious yacht – the Vanna – due to dock in the area has discovered a corpse floating in the water, the dead man's face badly disfigured. It isn't long before Montalbano becomes suspicious of the Vanna's inhabitants. Who is the yacht's owner, the glamorous and short-tempered Livia Giovannini? How has she accrued her riches? And why does she spend so much time at sea? Meanwhile Montalbano finds himself getting into tangles with the dreaded Commissioner, the exasperating Dr Lattes and a very beautiful young woman at the harbour, with whom he becomes dangerously besotted . . . Can the Inspector clear his head long enough to unravel this murky mystery?The Age of Doubt is followed by The Dance of the Seagull, the fifteenth book in the series.'Among the most exquisitely crafted pieces of crime writing available today . . . Simply superb' - Sunday Times

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August Heat by Andrea Camilleri is the tenth installment in the Inspector Montalbano series, now adapted as a major BBC4 television series. The lazy, slow month of August at the height of the Sicilian summer is, Inspector Montalbano assures his girlfriend Livia as they prepare for a relaxing holiday in a villa he has found for them, far too hot for any murders to be committed. But when Livia's friends' young son goes missing, a chain of events is sparked which will certainly ruin the Chief Inspector's pleasant interlude. A secret apartment and a grisly find in an old trunk are just the beginning, as Montalbano navigates his way through the case, as well as coping with the sweltering heat, the suspicious death of an Arab labourer and the tempting lure of a beautiful girl . . .August Heat is followed by the eleventh book in the series, The Wings of the Sphinx.

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Once upon a golden day, beside a silver brookAlice and her older sister sat and read a book...But when a talking rabbit runs past, Alice follows him down the rabbit hole to Wonderland, where she meet iconic characters of children's literature such as the grinning Cheshire Cat, the Hatter and the Queen of Hearts. From joining in with the Hatter's tea party to painting the white roses red, the familiar scenes from Lewis Carroll's beloved original story are reimagined in this charming introduction to Alice and her adventures in Wonderland suitable for younger readers.Jeanne Willis' re-telling of Carroll's beloved story in bouncy rhyming verse is a fresh venture into Wonderland, brought to life by Ross Collins' vibrant illustrations.

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'The best collection I've read in ages: every poem contains something unexpected and unexpectedly powerful. This is serious, modern, ambitious and bold work – the kind of poetry you hope to find, and rarely do' – Nick LairdJohn Ashbery called Timothy Donnelly’s previous collection, The Cloud Corporation, ‘The poetry of the future, here today’. The Problem of the Many sees Donnelly, one of the most influential poets of his generation, focused less on the future than the end of history: these richly textured and intellectually capacious poems often seem to attempt nothing less than a circumscription of the totality of human experience. The book contains the already widely praised ‘Hymn to Life’, which opens with a litany of what we have made extinct; elsewhere, from an immediately contemporary vantage, Donnelly confronts the clutter and devastation that civilization has left us as he strives towards a beauty that we still need, along the way enlisting agents as various as Prometheus, Jonah, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, NyQuil, Nietzsche, and Alexander the Great.The Problem of the Many refers to the famous philosophical problem of what defines the larger aggregate – a cloud, a crowd – which Donnelly extends to address the subject of individual boundary, identity and belonging. Donnelly’s solutions may be wholly poetic, but he has succeeded in speaking as deeply to these profound and urgent issues as any writer currently at work.

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'A thrilling journey into a magical world packed with Rob’s brilliant humour.' – David WalliamsSuperstar, author and illustrator Rob Biddulph dazzles in Peanut Jones and the Illustrated City, the first title in an adventure series for boys and girls of 8+. This exciting, funny, middle-grade debut is from the bestselling creative genius behind #DrawWithRob and is illustrated in black and white throughout.Some legends are born, some are drawn . . .Drawing feels like magic to Peanut Jones. But art can't fix her problems. Her dad has gone missing, and she's stuck in a boring new school. Until the day she finds a unique pencil turbo-charged with special powers. Suddenly she's pulled into a world packed with more colour, creativity, excitement and danger than she could ever have imagined. And maybe, just maybe, she might find out what happened to her dad.'Peanut Jones is AWESOME. I loved this book from start to finish - the story is packed with twists and turns, and Rob’s illustrations are full of wit and warmth' – Nadia Shireen'A vividly illustrated, immersive romp that will leave readers desperate for the next instalment' – Guardian'A wildly imaginative, big-hearted celebration of creativity' - Anna James, bestselling author of the Pages & Co series'Look at this utter beauty . . . This book is EPIC' - Laura Ellen Anderson, bestselling author of Amelia Fang

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'An engrossing and evocative read. Jenny Quintana captures layered atmosphere and complex emotions beautifully, alongside writing a compulsive tale. I loved it' – Kate Hamer, author of Crushed From the bestselling author of The Missing Girl and Our Dark Secret, comes The Hiding Place: a story about identity, love, long-buried secrets and lies.'A credible mystery, intriguingly unravelled over two timelines, that kept me guessing to the very end' – Anita Frank, author of The Lost Ones Some houses have their secrets. But so do some people . . .Abandoned as a baby in the hallway of a shared house in London, Marina has never known her parents, and the circumstances of her birth still remain a mystery.Now an adult, Marina has returned to the house where it all started, determined to find out who she really is. But the walls of this house hold more than memories, and Marina’s reappearance hasn’t gone unnoticed by the other tenants.Someone is watching Marina. Someone who knows the truth . . .

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Could you sacrifice one of your children to save the other?*SUNDAY EXPRESS BEST BOOKS OF 2023**AN IRISH TOP TEN BESTSELLER*‘A gripping crime narrative which blends so seamlessly with emotional family drama’ - Erin KellyAn unbearable decisionHeld up at gunpoint by two vicious killers, Christina Hardwicke is ordered to make an unthinkable choice – between the life of her daughter or her son.An unsuspecting familyWhen the Hardwicke family set off on a holiday to the Scottish Highlands, the last thing they expected was to be confronted by a deadly couple on a killing spree.A nightmare come to lifeTailed closely by Detective Saul Anguish, the damaged pair have committed a string of ruthless killings across the country, all leading to this moment.Will the detective be able to reach the Hardwicke family before catastrophe strikes?Everyone is talking

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Shortlisted for the Theakston Old Peculiar Crime Novel of the Year 2023Into the Dark is the gripping crime thriller from Fiona Cummins about revenge, greed, ambition and the true cost of friendship.‘Complex. Inventive. Twisting. Unsettling’ – Sarah Vaughan, bestselling author of Anatomy of a ScandalThe Place: Seawings, a beautiful art deco home overlooking the sweep of the bay in Midtown-on-Sea.The Crime: The gilded Holden family – Piper and Gray and their two teenage children – have vanished from the house without a trace.The Detective: DS Saul Anguish, brilliant but with a dark past, treads the narrow line between light and shade.One late autumn morning, Piper’s best friend arrives at Seawings to discover an eerie scene – the radio is playing, phones are charging on the worktop, the cars are in the garage. But the house is deserted.In fifteen-year-old Riva Holden’s bedroom, scrawled across the mirror in blood, are three words:MakeThemStop.What happens next?

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In Carry On, Simon Snow and his friends realized that everything they thought they understood about the world might be wrong. And in Wayward Son, they wondered whether everything they understood about themselves might be wrong.In Any Way the Wind Blows, Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha have to decide how to move forward.For Simon, that means deciding whether he still wants to be part of the World of Mages -- and if he doesn't, what does that mean for his relationship with Baz? Meanwhile Baz is bouncing between two family crises and not finding any time to talk to anyone about his newfound vampire knowledge. Penelope would love to help, but she's smuggled an American Normal into London, and now she isn't sure what to do with him. And Agatha? Well, Agatha Wellbelove has had enough.Any Way the Wind Blows takes the gang back to England, back to Watford, and back to their families for their longest and most emotionally wrenching adventure yet.This book is a finale. It tells secrets and answers questions and lays ghosts to rest.Carry On was conceived as a book about Chosen One stories; Any Way the Wind Blows is an ending about endings. About catharsis and closure, and how we choose to move on from the traumas and triumphs that try to define us.

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In Carry On, Simon Snow and his friends realized that everything they thought they understood about the world might be wrong. And in Wayward Son, they wondered whether everything they understood about themselves might be wrong.In Any Way the Wind Blows, Simon and Baz and Penelope and Agatha have to decide how to move forward.For Simon, that means deciding whether he still wants to be part of the World of Mages – and if he doesn't, what does that mean for his relationship with Baz? Meanwhile Baz is bouncing between two family crises and not finding any time to talk to anyone about his newfound vampire knowledge. Penelope would love to help, but she's smuggled an American Normal into London, and now she isn't sure what to do with him. And Agatha? Well, Agatha Wellbelove has had enough.Any Way the Wind Blows takes the gang back to England, back to Watford, and back to their families for their longest and most emotionally wrenching adventure yet.This book is a finale. It tells secrets and answers questions and lays ghosts to rest.Carry On was conceived as a book about Chosen One stories; Any Way the Wind Blows is an ending about endings. About catharsis and closure, and how we choose to move on from the traumas and triumphs that try to define us.

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A Reese Witherspoon Book Club Pick and an instant New York Times bestseller'One of the most riveting books I've read in a long time' - Louise Candlish, author of Our House'Marple meets Succession' – Sunday Times StyleFor fans of The White Lotus and Big Little Lies, Ellery Lloyd's The Club is an exhilarating, addictive read, telling a story of ambition, excess, and what happens when people who have everything - or nothing - to lose are pushed to their limit.There’s no place like Home . . .The Home Group is a collection of ultra-exclusive private members' clubs and a global phenomenon. So the opening of its most ambitious project yet – Island Home, a forgotten island transformed into the height of luxury – is billed as the celebrity event of the decade.But as the first guests arrive, the weekend soon proves deadly. It turns out that even the most beautiful people can keep the ugliest secrets and, in a world where reputation is everything, they'll do anything to keep them.If your name's on the list, you're not getting out . . .'Smart, topical and immensely entertaining' - T.M. Logan, author of The Holiday'Glitzy and twisty and tons of fun' – Observer

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Jonathan Blitzer is a staff writer at The New Yorker. He has won a National Award for Education Reporting as well as an Edward R. Murrow Award, and was a 2021 Emerson Fellow at New America. He lives with his family in New York City.

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In a magical ancient Britain, bards sing a story of treachery, love and death. This is that story. For fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Lucy Holland's Sistersong retells the folk ballad ‘The Twa Sisters.''A beautiful reimagining of an old British folklore ballad, Sistersong weaves a captivating spell of myth and magic' – Jennifer Saint, author of AriadneKing Cador’s children inherit a land abandoned by the Romans, torn by warring tribes. Riva can cure others, but can’t heal her own scars. Keyne battles to be seen as the king’s son, although born a daughter. And Sinne dreams of love, longing for adventure. All three fear a life of confinement within the walls of the hold, their people’s last bastion of strength against the invading Saxons. However, change comes on the day ash falls from the sky – bringing Myrdhin, meddler and magician. The siblings discover the power that lies within them and the land. But fate also brings Tristan, a warrior whose secrets will tear them apart. Riva, Keyne and Sinne become entangled in a web of treachery and heartbreak, and must fight to forge their own paths. It’s a story that will shape the destiny of Britain.Sistersong is a powerfully moving story, perfect for readers who loved Naomi Novik’s Uprooted and Katherine Arden’s The Bear and the Nightingale.

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In Eva Carter's How to Save a Life, saving a life is only the start of the story . . .'A sweeping, brave, epic love story. I was hooked from the very first page' - Josie Silver, author of One Night on the IslandEighteen-year-old Kerry has had a crush on Joel for years, but knows he's out of her league. Then something extraordinary happens: minutes before midnight on the eve of the millennium, Joel collapses and Kerry saves his life.As Kerry supports Joel through his recovery, they discover a connection neither of them anticipated – until, haunted by what might have been, he abruptly ends their relationship.Over the course of the next two decades, the two are bound by that moment of life and death; each time they believe they’ve found love, discovered their vocation, or simply moved on, their lives collide again. But Joel got a second chance at life; will Kerry get a second chance at love?Because bravery isn’t just about life or death decisions; it’s also about what happens next . . .'I couldn't put it down until I reached the final page' - Beth O'Leary, author of The Flatshare

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Shortlisted for the International Booker Prize 2021'A dazzling piece of historical re-imagining and a revolutionary sermon, a furious denunciation of inequality' - The judges of the International Booker prize.The fight for equality begins in the streets.From the internationally bestselling author of The Order of the Day: Éric Vuillard once again takes us behind the scenes at a moment when history was being written.The history of inequality is a long and terrible one. And it’s not over yet. Short, sharp and devastating, The War of the Poor tells the story of a brutal episode from history, not as well known as tales of other popular uprisings, but one that deserves to be told.Sixteenth-century Europe: the Protestant Reformation takes on the powerful and the privileged. Peasants, the poor living in towns, who are still being promised that equality will be granted to them in heaven, begin to ask themselves: and why not equality now, here on earth?There follows a violent struggle. Out of this chaos steps Thomas Müntzer: a complex and controversial figure, who sided with neither Martin Luther, nor the Roman Catholic Church. Müntzer addressed the poor directly, encouraging them to ask why a God who apparently loved the poor seemed to be on the side of the rich.Éric Vuillard tells the story of one man whose terrible and novelesque life casts light on the times in which he lived – a moment when Europe was in flux. As in his blistering look at the build-up to World War II, The Order of the Day, Vuillard 'leaves nothing sleeping in the shadows' (L'OBS).

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My Stars: Aquarius is a perfect gift for children born between 20th January and 18th February. Children will learn all about their star sign, including: Science: Children will discover their constellation in the night sky and a die-cut finger trail to trace.Myth: Each star sign has roots in Greek myth, which is retold for young readers, along with the classic symbol for the star sign. All About You: Little ones will find out about the personality traits associated with their sign, along with the colour, gemstone and flowers!With wonderful illustrations by bestseller Lizzy Doyle, My Stars is an innovative series of board books that make beautiful and personal gifts.

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My Stars: Leo is a perfect gift for children born between 23rd July and 22nd August. Children will learn all about their star sign, including: Science: Children will discover their constellation in the night sky and a die-cut finger trail to trace.Myth: Each star sign has roots in Greek myth, which is retold for young readers, along with the classic symbol for the star sign. All About You: Little ones will find out about the personality traits associated with their sign, along with the colour, gemstone and flowers!With wonderful illustrations by bestseller Lizzy Doyle, My Stars is an innovative series of board books that make beautiful and personal gifts.

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Return to the world of Amy Wilson's A Girl Called Owl in this sparkling seasonal novel Owl and the Lost Boy, from 'the rising star of children's fantasy'. Being stuck in an eternal summer is not fun. Especially when you're Jack Frost's daughter. Owl's friend Alberic – who also happens to be the Earl of Autumn's son – is missing. Determined to find him and end the perpetual summer, Owl and her best friend Mallory embark on an adventure that will take them deep into the magical world of time itself. But Alberic's disappearance is shrouded in secret, and there's more going on than meets the eye. As an epic battle of the elements approaches, will Owl and Alberic be able to control their magic and restore the natural world?Lose yourself in this glittering story of friendship, nature and the elements told with Amy Wilson's trademark magic and heart.'A story of wild winds and bitter frosts with the warmth of friendship at its heart' Abi Elphinstone, author of Sky Song on A Girl Called Owl'It was such a treat to be back in Owl’s world - Amy Wilson spins her magic like a glittering winter cloak' Jasbinder Bilan, author of Asha & the Spirit Bird

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Hotel Raphael, Rachael Boast’s fourth collection, charts a journey through heat, drought and pain, and describes not only the reality of chronic illness, but living with it at a time of global crisis.Raphael is the patron saint of travellers and pilgrims, and also of healing; in the search for remedy, we pass through the balm of landscape, and brush against the worlds of artists, writers and filmmakers, whose angels broadcast to us from other rooms. We also encounter the biblical figure of Job, who poses the question of a terrible forbearance: how much suffering can we take, and what can we realistically change?While we fight to relieve our own pain, address the planet’s ecological imbalance and make efforts, large or small, to right its shocking injustices, we must also simply find a way through. Hotel Raphael sees Boast compose an extraordinary travelling song, one that shows us how to bear our pain without trying to erase its source.

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They say you can't choose your family . . . But what if they're wrong?Chloe lives a quiet life. Working as a newspaper archivist in the day and taking care of her nan in the evening, she's happy simply to read about the lives of others as she files the news clippings from the safety of her desk.But there's one story that she can't stop thinking about. The case of Angie Kyle – a girl, Chloe's age, who went missing as a child. A girl whose parents never gave up hope.When Chloe's nan is moved into care, leaving Chloe on the brink of homelessness, she takes a desperate step: answering an ad to be a lodger in the missing girl's family home. It could be the perfect opportunity to get closer to the story she's read so much about. But it's not long until she realizes this couple isn't all they seem. In a house where everyone has something to hide, is it possible to get too close?Anna Wharton’s debut, The Imposter, is a thought-provoking story of obsession, loneliness and the lies we tell ourselves in order to live with ourselves.'Evocative and compelling' – Karen Hamilton, author of The Perfect Girlfriend and The Last Wife

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Set deep in the Yorkshire Dales, Diane Allen’s A Child of the Dales is a sweeping novel of family, deceit, separation and love.Abandoned as a baby on the steps of a remote inn, Ruby Blake has been raised by the innkeeper’s wife, Martha Metcalfe, unknowing of the family searching for her. One wild stormy night, Ruby is reunited with her long-lost father, who wants to whisk her away to Banksgill Farm for a happy life with her true family. Feeling betrayed by Martha, Ruby follows her father for the chance of a new life.However, for her Romani heritage, Ruby is quickly outcast from her real family by everyone – everyone except the charming stable hand, Tom Adams.Struck with loneliness in a village of people who find ways to make her miserable, she seeks friendship and love in Tom. As their relationship blossoms, Ruby is faced with the temptations of a handsome local miner and, when rumours begin to spread, Ruby feels more lost and confused than ever.With his long-lost daughter now safely under his wing, Reuben Blake is still desperately searching for Ruby’s mother, and vows he will not rest until he finds his true love. With Rueben’s mission leading him to the darkest corners of Brough Hill, his search shows only signs of heartbreak and despair.As neither father or daughter feel quite whole, will either finally find where they truly belong?

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An irresistible tall tale full of warmth, wit, cake and . . . penguins! Perfect for small children with big imaginations."I did not eat the cake."A cake has gone missing from the kitchen and Dad wants to know where it has gone. But Albert says it wasn't him. Oh, no. It was eaten by some very naughty penguins who then kidnapped Albert and took him on a madcap adventure involving international travel in a giant jar of marmalade and a snowball fight with kangaroos. Albert's dad is not impressed. But Albert swears he's telling the truth. HE DID NOT EAT THE CAKE! Could his story really be true?

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Set on the coast of Sicily, The Safety Net is the twenty-fifth novel in the bestselling Inspector Montalbano series by Andrea Camilleri.***Adapted for BBC4's Inspector Montalbano series***Vigàta is bustling as the new filming location for a Swedish television series set in 1950. In the production frenzy, the director asks the locals to track down movies and vintage photos to faithfully recreate the air of Vigàta at that time. Meanwhile, Montalbano is grappling with a double mystery, one that emerges from the past and another that leads him into the future . . .Engineer Ernesto Sabatello, rummaging in the attic of his house, finds some films shot by his father between 1958 and 1963, always on the same day, 27th March, and always the same shot: the outside wall of a country house. Montalbano hears the story and, intrigued, begins to investigate its meaning. Meanwhile, a middle school is threatened by a group of armed men, and a closer look at the case finds Montalbano looking into the students themselves and delving into the world of social media.

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True leadership is about character – this is the key to winning ‘the right way’.In a world where we’re bombarded by messages of ‘winning at any cost’, dishonest politicians, CEOs committing fraud, disgraced military commanders and cheating athletes, integrity matters more than ever. The Character Edge explains the powerful role character plays in trust, culture and leadership, and offers readers tools to exercise and strengthen their own.Reaching from the battlefield to the classroom and beyond, former superintendent of West Point Robert Caslen and professor of psychology Dr Michael Matthews explore the vital link between strong character and strong leadership, and explain why the latter cannot exist without the former.‘Caslen and Matthews show how and why this fundamental inner architecture of leadership can – and must – be built’ - Jim Collins, bestselling author of Good to Great.

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Lift the flaps and join in the winter fun in this Tales from Acorn Wood story by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, creators of The Gruffalo – perfect for sharing at Christmas!It's snowing in Acorn Wood, and Squirrel wants to build a snowman. Will she and her friends find everything they need? Lift the flaps to find out in this wonderful wintry tale.With sturdy flaps on every spread and rhyming stories that are a joy to read aloud, Squirrel's Snowman joins the bestselling Tales from Acorn Wood preschool stories which have been delighting parents and children for over twenty years.Enjoy more lift-the-flap adventures from Acorn Wood with Dormouse Has a Cold, Mole's Spectacles and Badger's Band.

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For the record, it was never my intention to fall in love. But you know Cupid: he'll get you when you least expect it . . .Tilly isn't looking for a girlfriend, but her best friend Teddy is.Enter Katherine Cooper-Bunting: beautiful, charming, and perfect for Teddy. So why does Tilly find herself using any excuse to join the theatre production they're starring in?And why can't she stop thinking about Katherine?Cupid's Revenge by Wibke Brueggemann is a hilariously honest novel full of heart, from the acclaimed author of Love is for Losers.

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Indigo's Star is the second title in Hilary McKay's hilarious and award-winning Casson Family series.Indigo's going back to school after a long bout of illness. He's not looking forward to it, the bullies are lying in wait. But he's determined to stand on his own two feet – so when Saffy and Sarah break up a fight in the boys' bathroom, he's furious. Until he meets Tom.Tom is from New York, loves music, makes Indigo laugh and is unfazed by the bullies. But Tom has troubles of his own – can the boys help each other out?Follow the family's adventures in the rest of the beloved series: Saffy's Angel, Permanent Rose, Caddy Ever After, Forever Rose and Caddy's World.

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Forever Rose is the fifth book in Hilary McKay's hilarious and award-winning Casson Family series.It's tough being the youngest.Rose comes home to a dark, quiet, empty house every day – her sisters and brother are always so busy. Indigo has his guitar lessons and paper round, Saffy is off with Sarah, and who knows where Caddy is since she disappeared with Michael's postcards.School isn't any better. Exams are looming, and vindictive Mr Spencer has cancelled Christmas!When will Rose get the happy ever after she has read about in books?Follow the family's adventures in the rest of the beloved series: Saffy's Angel, Indigo's Star, Permanent Rose, Caddy Ever After and Caddy's World.

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Tidying superstar Marie Kondo brings her unique magic to Kiki and Jax, a charming picture book story about how tidying up can spark joy in the lives of young children.Kiki and Jax are best friends – Jax enjoys sorting but Kiki enjoys collecting and gathers a lot of stuff. Soon her home is full of things all over the place. Where is Kiki's ball? What did she do with her swimsuit? Her home has become an obstacle course and it's hard for Kiki and Jax to play together. But Jax has a plan – he teaches Kiki how to sort everything and to keep only those things that spark joy. Once she and Jax have tidied up, Kiki has room in her life for those things that matter the most – especially Jax!An accessible introduction to Marie Kondo - complete with a special step-by-step folding activity - this charming story will make tidying fun for even the youngest of children!

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Pádraig Kenny's The Shadows of Rookhaven is a story about family and forgiveness, the sequel to The Monsters of Rookhaven.Shadows are gathering over Rookhaven.It is the time of The Great Configuration, a once in a hundred years event. Family and monsters descend on Rookhaven from all over the country to take part. But amid the guests there is an interloper. One who is disguised and has an eye on their destruction.Meanwhile Mirabelle – part human, part monster – discovers that to those from outside Rookhaven she is not considered family at all . . . and, forced to search further afield for knowledge of her true history, she risks everything – and everyone.Praise for The Monsters of Rookhaven:'A stunning book . . . a brand new take on the monster story' – Eoin Colfer, author of Artemis Fowl'A magnificent, shadowy, gothic adventure full of heart' – Emma Carroll, author of Frost Hollow Hall'A wildly imaginative story . . . a triumph' – Irish Examiner

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I consider [Observatory Mansions] the best fiction yet published in the 21st Century' Jeff Vandermeer'All of Edward Carey's work is profound and delightful’ Max Porter‘[Edward Carey, with Observatory Mansions] proves the potential brilliance of the novel form’ John FowlesObservatory Mansions was once the Orme family's ancestral home. Now it is a crumbing apartment block, stranded on a traffic island and peopled with eccentrics. Alice Orme never stirs from her bed, her husband lives in his old armchair, and Francis, their son, practises his own art of stillness as a human statue in the centre of the decaying city. He lives by his Law of White Gloves, never touching anything without their protection, and collects items for his secret exhibition - items stolen, not because of any monetary worth, but because they are treasured by the owners. This careful routine is shaken by the arrival of a new resident, Anna Tap, half blind and vulnerable, but with a strange gift for inspiring trust. As the other residents gradually open their hearts to her, Francis realises he must act before she forces him to confront his own past, and before she finds out about the mysterious final object in his exhibition. But as the currents of memory and desire swirl within Observatory Mansions' crumbling walls, it seems the sinister Porter has plans of his own... Edward Carey's debut is a novel of immense originality - a strangely haunting landscape occupied by compelling and unforgettable characters.

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