Search results for ""author bird"

'Have I remembered everything?' 'What shall I wear?' 'Who am I likely to be shooting alongside?' 'Will the dog behave?' 'Will the birds be there?' These are all questions that might keep the Gun, the picker-up, the keeper and anyone else connected with a day's game shooting awake the night before a much anticipated day. 'Why did I say that?' 'Why did I do that?' 'Why did my dog do that?' 'Why did I think about the weather?' 'What was I thinking?' These are all questions one might ask oneself the evening after! Fortunately, you are not alone in your nightmares! If you've ever encountered a particular incident or experience on the shooting field, whether it be a formal day, or as a rough shoot with a couple of friends, it's a fairly safe bet that others will have it too. The Imperfect Shot illustrates in words and cartoons, light-hearted errors and ill-judgment of those who have experienced minor faux pas and misdemeanours on the shooting field — and also glorifies those who have got the better of a particular situation! There are, among its pages, real pearls of wisdom; there is, though, much advice written somewhat 'tongue-in-cheek'. All immediately bring a mental picture to mind. A mental picture is not, however, required. The illustrations, brought to life by renowned country and field sports artist, Oliver Preston — himself a shooting man of no ill-repute — has negated the need for the cry which otherwise might go out: 'Oh, if only I had a camera!' As if the situation was not clear enough, Oliver adds more. Some tales might, of course be apocryphal — and I'll leave it for the reader to decide which they might be!

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A collection of classic nursery rhymes and songs brought to you by the BBC. Join in with over 40 minutes of fun with familiar favourite rhymes including This Little Piggy, Incy Wincy Spider and Baa Baa Black Sheep. Pre-schoolers will love to sing, dance and learn with this traditional compilation of 30 cheerful songs. Head down to the farm with Old McDonald, count with One Potato Two Potato and discover the delightful joys of Hey Diddle Diddle with a CD that will soon become an essential soundtrack to those precious early years. The tracks in this collection are: This Little PiggyOld McDonald Had A FarmSing a Song of SixpenceBaa Baa Black SheepIncy Wincy SpiderThree Blind MiceFive Little Speckled FrogsBought Me a CatHickety Pickety My Black HenThe Farmer's in His DenA Farmer Went TrottingCock A Doodle DooHickory Dickory DockThe House that Jack BuiltOne Man Went to MowI Went to Visit the Farm One Day 12345 Once I Caught a Fish AliveFive Little DucksTwo Little Dickie-BirdsPussy Cat Pussy CatOld Mother HubbardOne Potato Two PotatoOats and Beans and Barley GrowTo Market To MarketTom Tom the Piper's SonGoosey Goosey GanderLittle Bo PeepThree Little KittensHey Diddle DiddleThe North Wind Doth Blow

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First, there is a soft rustle in the underbrush, then a low-slung, utterly bizarre-looking insectivore dashes in front of Eladio Fernández. With a reflexive click of digital shutter, he's captured the reclusive (Solenodon paradoxus--a living fossil. A Dominican-based conservationist and photographer, Fernandez is documenting the efforts of a distinguished team of international scientists as they unravel the workings of evolution being played out on the island of Hispaniola.A short flight from the Florida coast, Hispaniola offers unique opportunities, not just to photographers like Fernández, but to evolutionary biologists as well. At 40 million years, Hispaniola is far older than the Galápagos. Its considerable age, along with a diversity of habitats--from mountains and cloud forests to savannahs and tropical lowlands--makes this island one of the most spectacular, if poorly understood, troves of biota on the planet. The extraordinary richness of species, much of it endangered and yet to be described, is showcased here in nearly 400 spectacular photographs. The photos are accompanied by essays--in both English and Spanish--that make known the Hispaniolan fungi, plants, and animals by the experts who know them best.Insights gained from Hispaniola's unique flora and fauna, from its rare orchids to its stunningly beautiful bird life, may enrich our understanding of other, more complex, living systems worldwide. What Fernández captures here so vividly is not just the amazing variety of living creatures that have erupted in evolutionary isolation, but the urgency of scientists racing to give that variety a name before it vanishes.

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Whether you are an accomplished artist desiring to learn a new medium or a beginning artist simply wanting to play with this colourful art form, The Art of Coloured Pencil Drawing features all of the basic information you need to get started in this versatile and approachable medium. From selecting and handling pencils and choosing paper and supports to understanding color theory, learning pencil strokes, and layering colour to create depth and form, The Art of Coloured Pencil Drawing is brimming with valuable instruction and helpful tips and techniques for mastering working with colored pencil. Discover uses for a variety of colored-pencil techniques, such as hatching, crosshatching, stippling, burnishing, and blending. Learn valuable tips and tricks for drawing from photographs, setting up balanced compositions, and working with light sources, as well as capturing the beauty of the natural world by creating realistic textures and expressing time of day and mood. In The Art of Colored Pencil Drawing, artists Cynthia Knox, Eileen Sorg, and Debra Kauffman Yaun share their expertise and artistic insights for working with colored pencil to achieve lifelike results through inspiring subject matter and step-by-step demonstrations of still lifes, pets, wildlife, birds, garden and tropical flowers, landscapes, foliage, and more. In-depth, easy-to-follow instructions show aspiring artists how to develop and improve their drawing skills, guiding them from simple sketches to final flourishes. Filled with gorgeous, colorful artwork, The Art of Coloured Pencil Drawing is sure to be a valuable and welcome addition to any artist's reference library.

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Essays on the depiction of animals, birds and insects in early medieval material culture, from texts to carvings to the landscape itself. For people in the early Middle Ages, the earth, air, water and ether teemed with other beings. Some of these were sentient creatures that swam, flew, slithered or stalked through the same environments inhabited by their human contemporaries. Others were objects that a modern beholder would be unlikely to think of as living things, but could yet be considered to possess a vitality that rendered them potent. Still others were things half glimpsed on a dark night or seen only in the mind's eye; strange beasts that haunted dreams and visions or inhabited exotic lands beyond the compass of everyday knowledge. This book discusses the various ways in which the early English and Scandinavians thought about and represented these other inhabitants of their world, and considers the multi-faceted nature of the relationship between people and beasts. Drawing on the evidence of material culture, art, language, literature, place-names and landscapes, the studies presented here reveal a world where the boundaries between humans, animals, monsters and objects were blurred and often permeable, and where to represent the bestial could be to holda mirror to the self. Michael D.J. Bintley is Senior Lecturer in Medieval Literature at Canterbury Christ Church University; Thomas J.T. Williams is a doctoral researcher at UCL's Institute of Archaeology. Contributors: Noël Adams, John Baker, Michael D. J. Bintley, Sue Brunning, László Sándor Chardonnens, Della Hooke, Eric Lacey, Richard North, Marijane Osborn, Victoria Symons, Thomas J. Williams

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The ‘Get to Know Me’ series is made up of resources aimed at children with additional needs. Developed by child psychologist Dr Louise Lightfoot and illustrated by Catherine Hicks, the series includes activities specific to anxiety, depression and OCD. This book, Draw Along With Silver Matilda, is an activity-based picture book story, in which individual children are encouraged to interact with the story in a creative way – through writing, drawing, scrap booking, collage, activities etc. Active engagement helps children to understand and process information, and aids long-term recall. It has been designed to support the individual child and encourage an empathetic and inclusive environment. In this book, we meet Silver Matilda, a bird with silver feathers known for her beauty and graceful flight. The story follows Matilda as she loses her bright feathers and ashamed, hides away from the world until one day an owl comes and sits with her. The owl shows Matilda empathy and stays with her whilst she recovers and watches as she becomes stronger through her experience.This book was written with children with depression in mind, providing an opportunity to relate to Matilda’s thoughts, feelings, behaviours and experiences. However, children with a range of needs may benefit from the story. The book is written in a narrative style, so it does not use diagnostic labels and is not intended for this purpose. Instead the focus is on creating a common language which children can understand and use to make sense of how they are feeling.A practitioner guidebook is also available (ISBN 9780815349433).

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Cities pose formidable obstacles to nonhuman life. Vast expanses of asphalt and concrete are inhospitable to plants and animals; traffic noise and artificial light disturb natural rhythms; sewage and pollutants imperil existence. Yet cities teem with life: In rowhouse neighborhoods, tiny flowers bloom from cracks in the sidewalk. White clover covers lawns, its seeds dispersed by shoes and birds. Moths flutter and spiders weave their webs near electric lights. Sparrows and squirrels feast on the scraps people leave behind. Pairs of red-tailed hawks nest on window ledges. How do wild plants and animals in urban areas find mates? How do they navigate the patchwork of habitats to reproduce while avoiding inbreeding? In what ways do built environments enable or inhibit mating?This book explores the natural history of sex in urban bacteria, fungi, plants, and nonhuman animals. Kenneth D. Frank illuminates the reproductive behavior of scores of species. He examines topics such as breeding systems, sex determination, sex change, sexual conflict, sexual trauma, sexually transmitted disease, sexual mimicry, sexual cannibalism, aphrodisiacs, and lost sex. Frank offers a guide to urban reproductive diversity across a range of conditions, showing how understanding of sex and mating furthers the appreciation of biodiversity. He presents reproductive diversity as elegant but vulnerable, underscoring the consequences of human activity. Featuring compelling photographs of a multitude of life forms in their city habitats, this book provides a new lens on urban natural history.

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This beautifully illustrated overview of the wildlife of the British Isles showcases the diversity of our plant and animal life. Wild Isles is a celebration of the wildlife found on a relatively modest collection of islands positioned at a latitude so northerly to be unattractive to many animals and plants. Despite these unpromising foundations, the islands of Britain and Ireland, together with more than 6,000 lesser islets that make up our archipelago, contain some of the most diverse, beautiful and wildlife-rich landscapes and seas on our planet.This book will explore the fascinating relationships within and between species who make their home on our beautiful isles. Each chapter focuses on a particular kind of wild space. Britain and Ireland are dominated by a wide variety of grasslands from lowland water meadows to upland moors, and we will see how these human-shaped, semi-natural landscapes thrum with insect, bird and mammal life. Life requires water to flourish, and streams and rivers carry freshwater through our landscape, creating unique ecosystems and interrelations within and beside these waters, which are revealed in a third section. While Britain and Ireland’s woodlands are comparatively thin on the ground compared with most of continental Europe, we will see some of the forests and trees that remain are unusually ancient and, great repositories of life. Finally, of course, we are surrounded by sea, and our position on the continental shelf before it plunges into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean gives rise to an often overlooked plenty of marine life. A glorious richness divided into five breathtaking sections.

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Follow the story of evolution! The illustrated children's book is a beautiful introduction to the evolution of species over millions of years.What's made animals survive and naturally go extinct? Why are fish scaled? Why do birds have wings? Find out about the changing animal anatomy discoveries made by Swedish zoologist, Charles Linneas.Animals and evolution are fascinating subjects to teach little minds. Discover the ways that animals have adapted to survive and the amazing reasons behind these adaptations. The illustrated guide includes:- Perfect for kids ages 7+, with facts suitable for key stage 2 learning - Stunning illustrations available on every page- Many different animal features (such as eyes, scales, claws, hair and many more), as well as feature, spreads on topics like fast evolution- Highly accessible text of a key schooling subject Children ages 7 years and older will be delighted by the scientific facts in the wildlife book. It's filled with incredible bits of information that pique a keen interest in the natural world, evolution, and the animal kingdom. The book highlights that evolution is an ongoing process and allows kids to look at the world around them and notice the continuing evolution of species. Evolved also features more in-depth explanations of animal body parts, how they work, and how they're different from other species. Children will understand how evolution made certain elements of the natural world unnecessary and others integral to survival. Explanations of Charles Linneas' classification system of all living things are included and give kids, adults, and educators a fantastic reference to the magnificent living world.

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“Beauchemin discovers again and again that happiness is a function of the connection between beings—the nonhuman animals as well as the human.”—Maria Popova, A Favorite Book of 2023For readers of Ross Gay’s The Book of Delights comes a joyful, tender memoir of encounters with animals and their potential to transform our lives through joy.Two mismatched ducks quarrel amorously. A tortoise basks on a rock in the sun. Four deer ceremoniously visit a writer’s garden to announce the arrival of a newborn fawn. In Archives of Joy, renowned poet, essayist, and novelist Jean-François Beauchemin turns his poetic and playful gaze to memories of animals he has known throughout his life, from fleeting encounters to deep relationships. With each meeting, Beauchemin returns to a simple thought: that joy in nature is an essential counterweight to the inescapable awareness of the brevity of life.In short, humorous, and often dreamlike vignettes, Beauchemin meditates on the mysteries of existence, the alchemy of memory, and the entwinement of the animal world with our own—whether he’s nursing an injured bird back to health, deciphering the gaze of a judgmental cat, or keeping company with a workhorse nearing its death.His life as a writer and his beloved pet dogs and cats feature often, as do the creatures he encounters in his garden, at farms, or on woodland walks: sparrows, crows, deer, foxes, horses, and cows. Deeply restorative, imaginative, and dreamily poetic, Archives of Joy is a memoir that will stay with readers long after its final page.

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The West Country is a brand new cruising guide covering Lyme Bay to Land's End and the Isles of Scilly. It provides essential sailing directions and detailed listings of facilities together with a wealth of information for those wishing to learn about the West Country and enjoy trips ashore. Part of the coastline has World Heritage Status and its geological history is described. Human settlement is traced and the reader is given guidance to find the oldest European fossil of modern man and numerous bronze age remains. Seahorses, dolphins, birds and flowers are discussed as is the history of the cream tea, which comes with a recipe for scones! People of significance, who were born or moved here, such as Sir Francis Drake, William Cookworthy and Agatha Christie, are also included, together with information on the atmospheric railway, the mining and fishing industry and, of course, the Cornish pasty. All the information relevant to a passage, harbour or anchorage is arranged for easy access. Aerial photographs have been taken by Patrick Roach. Ordnance Survey road maps and larger scale town plans help pinpoint facilities ashore. The West Country and Imray charts for the southwest of England provide a comprehensive package for all visitors arriving by boat. Carlos Rojas wrote Imray's Cruising Galicia with Robert Bailey. Along with Imray and through his company Tucabo he has released marine apps for the iPhone and iPad, including Tides, Rules & Signals, Racing Rules, Boat Handling and Chart Navigation using Imray charts.

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Whether in your garden, kitchen, bathroom or under a log in the woods, minibeasts are everywhere to be found! So grab this handy nature guide and explore every nook and cranny you can find, there might just be a surprise. Did you know that honey bees have a special stomach for honey? Or that butterflies got their name from butter? From gorgeous orange-tip butterflies to the fierce-looking stag beetle, get ready to find out about over 190 different minibeasts and bugs. There are so many wonderful living things to meet in this children's spotter's guide, published in collaboration with the RSPB, the largest wildlife conservation charity in Europe. You will learn what a dragonfly's lifecycle looks like, which habitat each insect enjoys most and what kind of minibeasts you may be likely to spot each season. This guide covers all grounds when it comes to minibeast-watching. Whether you’re in a city park or on a walk in the woods, don’t ever leave your RSPB Nature Guide: Minibeasts at home! Includes information on how to make your green space bug friendly, activities such as making a wormery and a minibeast checklist so you can tick off everything you spot! With beautiful and life-like illustrations by Kate McLelland throughout, this is the perfect contemporary pocket guide for young wildlife watchers and adult nature enthusiasts alike. This is the third book in the RSPB Nature Guide series, following Birds and Wildlife.

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"They sit on a spur of test track outside General Electric's locomotive factory in Erie, Pennsylvania, panting and grumbling like two old lions half asleep. The ominous, muttering rumble is the idle of 8,800 horsepower--24 cylinders with pistons big as buckets, turbochargers the size of washing machines, two V12 engines driving alternators five feet in diameter. For here are two units of the most advanced diesel-electric locomotives in the world: a pair of GE Evolutions."--Excerpt from "Do the Locomotion" in Man and Machine Stephan Wilkinson--a longtime expert on the ways men entertain themselves when no one is telling them what to do--takes readers into the high-speed, high-risk world of restored jets, fast boats, and Formula 1 cars. Wilkinson visits a factory where Amish men build custom ambulances, flies an airliner from the glory days of air travel, meets a bird that is a killing machine, and has a hot date with a handgun. In another chapter, Wilkinson relates the hazards of flying purely on instruments, and why being able to do so can make the difference between life and death. He draws from his own misadventures in flight and explains exactly why the high-end Beech Bonanza is known as “the doctor killer.” And dissecting the finely tuned instrument that is the Formula 1 car, Wilkinson relates how the engine's connecting rods actually stretch at 19,000 rpm, even though they're made of titanium, and what can happen when a racecar brakes at 6Gs. Always entertaining, Wilkinson takes men, and maybe even a few women, where they love to go--under the hood, over the mechanic’s shoulder, and behind the wheel.

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An honest explanation about how power and privilege factor into the lives of white children, at the expense of other groups, and how they can help seek justice. —THE NEW YORK TIMES ONE OF HUFFPOST'S RECOMMENDED "ANTI-RACIST BOOKS FOR KIDS AND TEENS" **A WHITE RAVEN 2019 SELECTION** NAMED ONE OF SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL'S BEST BOOKS OF 2018 Not My Idea: A Book About Whiteness is a picture book about racism and racial justice, inviting white children and parents to become curious about racism, accept that it's real, and cultivate justice. This book does a phenomenal job of explaining how power and privilege affect us from birth, and how we can educate ourselves...Not My Idea is an incredibly important book, one that we should all be using as a catalyst for our anti-racist education. —THE TINY ACTIVIST Quite frankly, the first book I’ve seen that provides an honest explanation for kids about the state of race in America today. —ELIZABETH BIRD, librarian “It’s that exact mix of true-to-life humor and unflinching honesty that makes Higginbotham’s book work so well…”—PUBLISHERS WEEKLY (*Starred Review) A much-needed title that provides a strong foundation for critical discussions of white people and racism, particularly for young audiences. Recommended for all collections. —SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL (*Starred Review) A necessary children's book about whiteness, white supremacy, and resistance… Important, accessible, needed. —KIRKUS REVIEWS A timely story that addresses racism, civic responsibility, and the concept of whiteness. —FOREWORD REVIEWS For white folks who aren’t sure how to talk to their kids about race, this book is the perfect beginning. —O MAGAZINE

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“It is the contemporary elixir from which all manner of being emerges, the metamorphic sublime, an alchemist’s dream.” So begins Palma Africana, the latest attempt by anthropologist Michael Taussig to make sense of the contemporary moment. But to what elixir does he refer? Palm oil. Saturating everything from potato chips to nail polish, palm oil has made its way into half of the packaged goods in our supermarkets. By 2020, world production will be double what it was in 2000. In Colombia, palm oil plantations are covering over one-time cornucopias of animal, bird, and plant life. Over time, they threaten indigenous livelihoods and give rise to abusive labor conditions and major human rights violations. The list of entwined horrors—climatic, biological, social—is long. But Taussig takes no comfort in our usual labels: “habitat loss,” “human rights abuses,” “climate change.” The shock of these words has passed; nowadays it is all a blur. Hence, Taussig’s keen attention to words and writing throughout this work. He takes cues from precursors’ ruminations: Roland Barthes’s suggestion that trees form an alphabet in which the palm tree is the loveliest; William Burroughs’s retort to critics that for him words are alive like animals and don’t like to be kept in pages—cut them and the words are let free. Steeped in a lifetime of philosophical and ethnographic exploration, Palma Africana undercuts the banality of the destruction taking place all around us and offers a penetrating vision of the global condition. Richly illustrated and written with experimental verve, this book is Taussig’s Tristes Tropiques for the twenty-first century.

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“Keep watching for Yolanda Barnes and her work. Her voice is her own and will be heard.”—George Garrett Inspired by the Los Angeles riots of 1992, When It Burned to the Ground is an impressionistic vision of inner-city life. This stunning re-rendering of Eden takes place on imaginary Piedmont Street—an avenue of vital contradictions, with a pawnshop and cemetery, prostitutes and preachers, a street with no money in its pockets. Here we meet a variety of women embattled at society’s fringe—Cecile, once a schoolgirl at her history lessons of Pompeii, now a piano teacher down on her luck; Bernadette, seamstress and subject of rumor; an anonymous gardener planting dill as a curative against witchcraft and an amateur botanist studying the bird of paradise, which is both flame and woman’s hat. Throughout this beautifully made montage, recurring images flash into focus and then recede—fire, dusk, the fearsome temper and pleasures of red (lipstick, fig and burning sun). And among them all appears the reluctant street preacher Daniel, a troubling messianic figure bothering Piedmont with warnings of hellfire. As striking as Jean Toomer’s Cane, When It Burned to the Ground is a stark, bold lyric of place and time, an ambitious and innovative fiction. Its stories, sketches and fragments culminate into a haunting book of novelistic breadth and depth, creating a dreamlike and surreal reflection of our own strange world. It is an extraordinary and unique accomplishment. Yolanda Barnes lives in Los Angeles, where she was born of Creole/black Southern heritage. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she majored in journalism, and received her MFA from the University of Virginia. Her short fiction has appeared in TriQuarterly, Ploughshares and the O. Henry and Pushcart Prize collections.

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Once there was a Postman who fell in love with a Raven. So begins the tale of a postman who encounters a fledgling raven while on the edge of his route and decides to bring her home. The unlikely couple falls in love and conceives a child—an extraordinary raven girl trapped in a human body. The raven girl feels imprisoned by her arms and legs and covets wings and the ability to fly. Betwixt and between, she reluctantly grows into a young woman, until one day she meets an unorthodox doctor who is willing to change her. One of the world’s most beloved storytellers has crafted a dark fairy tale full of wonderment and longing. Complete with Audrey Niffenegger’s bewitching etchings and paintings, Raven Girl explores the bounds of transformation and possibility. Praise for Raven Girl: “With her signature wit, wry melancholy, and keen gothic sensibility, Niffenegger weds the fabulous with the deeply human in this concentrated, suspenseful fable. . . .” ---Booklist, Starred Review “The book is a colorist’s dream that hauntingly captures the world of birds and humans and, as the title suggests, a creature that is somewhere in between.” – The Chicago Sun-Times “Niffenegger (The Night Bookmobile) blends art and prose in this eerie picture book for adults.” —Publishers Weekly “Raven Girl is a delight to hold and take in. Lovers of fairy tales and some graphic novel fans should find much to love here.” —School Library Journal online "A haunting grown-up fairy tale" – Variety Magazine “Provocative and beautiful.” —ForeWord Reviews “A runaway hit? This one’s going to fly.” —DailyCandy “It’s a lovely story.” —Chicago Reader “Raven Girl is an insidious intermingling of words and pictures to be treasured.”—Tor.com

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Does your child love to find out what makes top reptile predators experts at hunting? They will be staggered at the variety of techniques snakes and other scaly creatures use to bring down their prey!Puff adders lure in victims with a worm-like tongue, anacondas can squeeze the life out of their prey, crocodiles clamp their jaws around their prey and then drown it and cobras rely on powerful venom. Different techniques and adaptations are examined in detail, showing how reptile predators are perfectly suited to their habitat and to the prey they pursue.Each spread has dramatic photographs and looks in detail at one mammal predator and focuses on its primary weapon, such as fangs, strength or ambush. The prey animal shows us how it attempts to evade certain death, whether through camouflage, a speedy retreat or safety in numbers. Stat panels give readers a quick overview of how predator and prey stack up against each other.Predators are awe-inspiring. Whether they are fast, strong, armed with claws or teeth, cunning, patient or venomous, they are all masters of the art of killing their prey. Young readers will love the Predator Vs Prey series with its amazing photographs and the details about super-senses or incredible adaptations. These books also highlight the variety of life on Earth and reinforces how animals are adapted to their habitats. Suitable for readers aged 7+ who are either fascinated by wildlife or are studying natural history or animal adaptations or classification.Titles in this series:How Eagles and Other Birds AttackHow Lions and Other Mammals AttackHow Sharks and Other Fish AttackHow Snakes and Other Spiders AttackHow Spiders and Other Invertebrates Attack

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'Sy Montgomery’s The Soul of an Octopus does for the creature what Helen Macdonald’s H Is for Hawk did for raptors' New Statesman'Charming and moving...with extraordinary scientific research' Guardian'An engaging work of natural science... There is clearly something about the octopus’s weird beauty that fires the imaginations of explorers, scientists, writers' Daily Mail In 2011 Sy Montgomery wrote a feature for Orion magazine entitled 'Deep Intellect' about her friendship with a sensitive, sweet-natured octopus named Athena and the grief she felt at her death. It went viral, indicating the widespread fascination with these mysterious, almost alien-like creatures. Since then, Sy has practised true immersion journalism, from New England aquarium tanks to the reefs of French Polynesia and the Gulf of Mexico, pursuing these wild, solitary shape-shifters. Octopuses have varied personalities and intelligence they show in myriad ways: endless trickery to escape enclosures and get food; jetting water playfully to bounce objects like balls; and evading caretakers by using a scoop net as a trampoline and running around the floor on eight arms. But with a beak like a parrot, venom like a snake, and a tongue covered with teeth, how can such a being know anything? And what sort of thoughts could it think? The intelligence of dogs, birds and chimpanzees was only recently accepted by scientists, who now are establishing the intelligence of the octopus, watching them solve problems and deciphering the meaning of their colour-changing camouflage techniques. Montgomery chronicles this growing appreciation of the octopus, but also tells a love story. By turns funny, entertaining, touching and profound, The Soul of an Octopus reveals what octopuses can teach us about consciousness and the meeting of two very different minds.

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Relax, breathe, color. Take a moment from your hectic life, and do yourself a favor by letting your inner artist take control. Proven to be beneficial for your mental health, coloring is one of the simplest ways to de-stress and engage the mind in positive exercise. And when your head is happy, your body is happy. It’s time to let go for a little while. Part of the Peaceful Adult Coloring Book Series, the pages of this book are filled with ornamental mandalas, elegant creatures, and soothing patterns to calm your senses. Let your imagination take over as it meanders through the winding paths of these delicate and harmonious designs. Fanciful birds take flight while whimsical sea creatures glide over the pages. Abstract arrangements and elaborate mandalas encourage a meditative sense of focus as you color, bringing the designs—and you—to the most vibrant forms possible. Dream up new color combinations, and allow your creativity to explore places it’s never been before. The possibilities are never ending as you de-stress and reinvest your energy in the serenity of these therapeutic pages. In this book, you’ll find: An introduction on the cognitive benefits of coloring Thirty-seven black-and-white designs for you to color Palette grids to help you envision your color combinations Perforated pages so your finished artwork can be removed and displayed The graceful curves and beautiful decorations of these designs complement each other throughout this coloring book. Whether you’re unwinding after a long day or taking some “me time” at the office, these pages ensure hours of relaxation and release. Gather your colored pencils, or whatever medium you prefer, and be at peace.

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Victoria's Box–Ironbark region is one of the most important areas of animal diversity and significance in southern Australia. The forests and woodlands of this region provide critical habitat for a diverse array of woodland-dependent animals, including many threatened and declining species such as the Squirrel Glider, Brush-tailed Phascogale, Regent Honeyeater, Swift Parrot, Pink-tailed Worm-Lizard, Woodland Blind Snake, Tree Goanna and Bibron's Toadlet.Wildlife of the Box–Ironbark Country gives a comprehensive overview of the ecology of the Box–Ironbark habitats and their wildlife, and how climate change is having a major influence. This extensively revised second edition covers all of the mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs that occur in the region, with a brief description of their distribution, status, ecology and identification, together with a detailed distribution map and superb colour photograph for each species. The book includes a 'Where to watch' section, featuring a selection of national parks, state parks and nature conservation reserves where people can experience the ecosystem and its wildlife for themselves.This book is intended for land managers, conservation and wildlife workers, fauna consultants, landholders, teachers, students, naturalists and all those interested in learning about and appreciating the wildlife of this fascinating and endangered ecosystem.FEATURES A timely update of animals found in the Box–Ironbark region, the threats they face and wildlife research and conservation initiatives. Includes a new introductory chapter that outlines the impact of the millennium drought and the breaking of the drought, and new species accounts for fauna that now reside permanently or regularly visit the Box–Ironbark region. Covers 267 species, each with a detailed description, high-quality colour photograph and updated maps and descriptions of 16 locations to observe Box–Ironbark wildlife.

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An exciting tale about tackling climate change to help protect the animals.Grown-ups and children can enjoy this gentle and imaginative story together, all about the environmental concerns facing our wildlife. Follow the tale of Finn and Skip as they head out for a peaceful picnic - when all of a sudden they hear the sound of buzzing bees, fear sets in and chaos ensues! Can a chance encounter with a beekeeper help them learn the truth about these fuzzy little insects?Introduce 3-5 year-olds to the importance of protecting the environment with this illustrated storybook about climate change and its effects on animals. The ups and downs of this story shows us all the different ways we can help our bees and the environment, through Finn and Skip’s adventure. This heart-warming climate change story…- Is a positive and hopeful guide that offers children strong practical tips for how they can take care of bees and the planet.- Is perfect for adults and children to share together, as it prompts a wider conversation about the environment.- Offers a charming, humorous, and emotionally gripping message, whilst raising awareness of the environmental issues impacting bees.With its playful, quirky illustrations, Bee will empower young readers with passion and drive. This inspiring and fun story will help children realize that there is hope to protect our valuable wildlife after all.More in the seriesAt DK, we believe in the power of discovery.So why stop there? If you like Adventures with Finn and Skip: Bee, then you’ll love other titles in the series that raise awareness of important environmental issues. Why not try Adventures with Finn and Skip: Bird, Adventures with Finn and Skip: Fish and Adventures with Finn and Skip: Forest?

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Posing questions about memory, the body, folklore and rituals, Jumana Emil Abboud's artistic practice confronts the telling and retelling of history and the impacts of language and the fragmentation of memories. In aching agony and longing I wait for you by the Spring of Thieves includes a selection of the Jerusalem based artist's visual, poetic and text-based projects spanning 20 years, and contributions by Marina Warner and Tina Sherwell engage closely with Abboud's practice. In aching agony and longing I wait for you by the Spring of Thieves' three chapters focus on Abboud's long engagement with folktales from Palestine and elsewhere. The first chapter entitled, "The Book of Haunted Landscapes" addresses Abboud's connection to the landscape of her homeland and showcases drawings, videos and performances connected to Palestinian folktales, as well as her recent collaboration with filmmaker Issa Freij in which they return to haunted springs and water wells described in 1922 by ethnographer Tawfiq Canaan. A second chapter; "From Lamb to Monster: A Study of Transformation" deals with stories and themes of transformation and journeying, while bridging these with contemporary life in the region. The third chapter, "Happy Endings: The Book of Spells and Remedies" celebrates magical beings and bodies, instilling-after morbid events-a sense of the possibility of realising emancipatory endings. The book also includes collected Palestinian tales that have inspired the artist throughout her practice.In aching agony and longing I wait for you by the Spring of Thieves marks the finissage of Abboud's solo exhibition The Horse, the Bird, the Tree and the Stone at Bildmuseet and the inauguration of her solo show The pomegranate and the sleeping ghoul at Darat al Funun-The Khalid Shoman Foundation. Supported by Bildmuseet and Darat al Funun-The Khalid Shoman Foundation.

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Nahri has never believed in magic. Certainly, she has power; on the streets of eighteenth-century Cairo, she's a con woman of unsurpassed talent. But she knows better than anyone that the trades she uses to get by–palm readings, zars, and a mysterious gift for healing–are all tricks, both the means to the delightful end of swindling Ottoman nobles and a reliable way to survive. But when Nahri accidentally summons Dara, an equally sly, darkly mysterious djinn warrior, to her side during one of her cons, she's forced to reconsider her beliefs. For Dara tells Nahri an extraordinary tale: across hot, windswept sands teeming with creatures of fire and rivers where the mythical marid sleep, past ruins of once-magnificent human metropolises and mountains where the circling birds of prey are more than what they seem, lies Daevabad, the legendary city of brass–a city to which Nahri is irrevocably bound.In Daevabad, within gilded brass walls laced with enchantments and behind the six gates of the six djinn tribes, old resentments run deep. And when Nahri decides to enter this world, her arrival threatens to ignite a war that has been simmering for centuries. Spurning Dara's warning of the treachery surrounding her, she embarks on a hesitant friendship with Alizayd, an idealistic prince who dreams of revolutionizing his father's corrupt regime. All too soon, Nahri learns that true power is fierce and brutal. That magic cannot shield her from the dangerous web of court politics. That even the cleverest of schemes can have deadly consequences. After all, there is a reason they say to be careful what you wish for . . .

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With Let’s Draw Wild Animals, you can learn to bring your graphite pencil drawings to life, guided by realistic illustrations and step-by-step instructions for a variety of creatures from around the world. The easy-to-follow visual and written instructions in this book make it achievable and fun to draw lifelike animals. Each drawing lesson begins with basic shapes and progresses, step by step, to a finished piece of artwork, making it easy to follow along. You just need to grab a pencil, a piece of paper, and your copy of Let’s Draw Wild Animals, and then flip to the creature you want to draw. The drawing projects include: Jaguar Kangaroo Wolf Chimpanzee Lion Alligator Grizzly Bear African Elephant Tiger Giraffe The detailed written instructions in this 48-page book also provide tips for placement of details, how to create realistic fur and skin, how to shade, and much more. If you’ve never drawn before, don’t be intimidated. Just start with a few basic shapes and follow the illustrated steps—you’ll be creating your own amazing animal masterpieces in no time at all! And each time you draw, you should see an improvement in your artistic skills.Also available from the Let’s Draw series:Let’s Draw Cats, Let’s Draw Dogs, Let’s Draw Favorite Animals, Let’s Draw Birds & Butterflies, Let’s Draw Sea Creatures, Let’s Draw Dinosaurs, and Let’s Draw Dragons.

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Brilliant flowers, vines of every stripe, glorious gardens galore, and more—Beautiful Blooms just begs for you to dive in and add your own spin on this bounty of blooms. Offering a wide range of gorgeous designs and scenes for you to personalize, these 120-plus stunning templates are perfect for relaxing after a serious session of weeding—or let them inspire you during the coldest months of the year. Whether you have a green thumb—or you just wish you did—you can get your garden on and find your inner peace as you bring to life lush summer gardens and birds spreading their wings. Engage your mind and imagine a light spring breeze as you focus on the task at hand and color the intricate patterns, flowers and foliage, stamens and pistils, and all manner of garden visitors, from butterflies to bumblebees. Each piece of art is line drawn and ideal for colored pencil, marker, or gel pen. Art is printed on one side of the paper, with a meditative design on the back. By the end, you’ll have gained beautiful, frameable works of art. And who knows? Maybe you’ll end up following your creative instincts and taking them out into the garden.Chartwell Coloring Books is the ultimate coloring book series, encompassing designs of every kind. From intriguing abstract patterns to beautiful pictures from the natural, technological, and fantasy worlds, each of these coloring books will soothe the mind and inspire the inner creative in anyone. With so many variations of complex, beautiful designs in each book, you’ll have plenty of pages to bring to life. Whether young or old, creative or not, this series has something for you.

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St Kilda is the most romantic and most romanticised group of islands in Europe. Soaring out of the North Atlantic Ocean like Atlantis come back to life, the islands have captured the imagination of the outside world for hundreds of years. Their inhabitants, Scottish Gaels who lived off the land, the sea and by birdcatching on high and precipitous cliffs, were long considered to be the Noble Savages of the British Isles, living in a state of natural grace. St Kilda: A People's History explores and portrays the life of the St Kildans from the Stone Age to 1930, when the remaining 36 islanderswere evacuated to the Scottish mainland. Bestselling author Roger Hutchinson digs deep into the archives to paint a vivid picture of the life and death, work and play of a small, proud and self-sufficient people in the first modern book to chart the history of the most remote islands in Britain.

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Pulitzer Prize–winning poet Charles Simic introduces and translates one of Serbia’s most important contemporary poetsPulitzer Prize-winning poet Charles Simic has done more than anyone since Czeslaw Milosz to introduce English-language readers to the greatest modern Slavic poets. In Oranges and Snow, Simic continues this work with his translations of one of today's finest Serbian poets, Milan Djordjević. An encounter between two poets and two languages, this bilingual edition—the first selection of Djordjevic's work to appear in English—features Simic's translations and the Serbian originals on facing pages. Simic, a native Serbian speaker, has selected some forty-five of Djordjević's best poems and provides an introduction in which he discusses the poet's work, as well as the challenges of translation.Djordjević, who was born in Belgrade in 1954, is a poet who gives equal weight to imagination and reality. This book ranges across his entire career to date. His earliest poems can deal with something as commonplace as a bulb of garlic, a potato, or an overcoat fallen on the floor. Later poems, often dreamlike and surreal, recount his travels in Germany, France, and England. His recent poems are more autobiographical and realistic and reflect a personal tragedy. Confined to his house after being hit and nearly killed by a car while crossing a Belgrade street in 2007, the poet writes of his humble surroundings, the cats that come to his door, the birds he sees through his window, and the copies of one of his own books that he once burnt to keep warm.Whatever their subject, Djordjević's poems are beautiful, original, and always lyrical.

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I Am Still The Greatest Says Johnny Angelo - Despite persistent rumours of his death fifteen years ago, Johnny Angelo's legend continues. Johnny Angelo is a rock singer, and this is his story from the beginning. As a child he is a dreamer and a solitary, a thief, a killer of birds and cats. As a man he is a god to his fans, an emperor to his cronies, a hoodlum to his enemies. Girls lie at his feet. He becomes rich. He commits murder. At the end, police shoot him down in the street. In a cool and highly original style Nik Cohn has written a bizarre fable for our time, capturing its sickness and horror yet staying true to its grandeur and allure. King Death - Eddie is a strange man with an extraordinary talent that makes him the 'performer' he is. Eddie administers Death. His subjects, he explains, are not afraid, but are thrilled and transported. To Eddie, Death is completion, and he finds fulfilment, satisfaction, and pride in each job he carries out. When Seaton Carew, America's most successful TV entrepreneur, chances to witness Eddie in action, Eddie's career is altered. Overcoming many obstacles, he and Seaton literally ride to glory on the Deliverance Special, a train carrying King Death and his huge entourage all over America. But then a disturbing change comes over Eddie and threatens to topple him from his grisly throne... King Death is part nightmare, part modern fairytale and wholly original.

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'That word, "vacation," makes me sweat.' Coco Chanel on taking a break'You must do it irregardless, or it will eat its way out of you.' Zora Neale Hurston on writing'One has to choose between the Life and the Project.' Susan Sontag on choosing artFrom Vanessa Bell and Charlotte Brontë to Nina Simone and Jane Campion, here are over one hundred and forty female writers, painters, musicians, sculptors, poets, choreographers, and filmmakers on how they create and work.Barbara Hepworth sculpted outdoors and Janet Frame wore earmuffs as she worked to block out noise. Kate Chopin wrote with her six children ‘swarming around her’ whereas the artist Rosa Bonheur filled her bedroom with the sixty birds that inspired her work. Louisa May Alcott wrote so vigorously – skipping sleep and meals – that she had to learn to write with her left hand to give her cramped right hand a break.From Isak Dinesen subsisting on oysters, champagne and amphetamines, to Isabel Allende's insistence that she begins each new book on 8 January, here are the working routines of over 140 brilliant female painters, composers, sculptors, writers, filmmakers and performers.Filled with details of the large and small choices these women made, Mason Currey's Daily Rituals Women at Work is a source of fascination and inspiration.'An admirably succinct portrait of some distinctly uncommon lives' - Meryle Secrest

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REVISED 2023 Streetwise Barcelona Map is a laminated city center map of Barcelona, Spain. The accordion-fold pocket size travel map coverage includes: Main Barcelona Map 1:12,000 Old City Center Map 1:6,000 Barcelona Area Metro Map 1:73,000. Dimensions: 4" x 8.5" folded, 8.5" x 36" unfolded Explore the Barri Gòtic. See Gaudi’s masterpieces Sagrada Familia and Parc Güell. Take in the Picasso Museum, an FC Barcelona match, the colorful Boqueria market, the funicular to the Miro Foundation, and old town for Catalan seafood. These and many other notable sites are indexed and highlighted on the STREETWISE® Barcelona Map. The STREETWISE® Barcelona Map is the ultimate resource for navigating your way through these streets of Spain's second largest city. This colorfully designed Barcelona map is fully indexed with streets, hotels, cultural sites, government buildings, parks, plazas, shopping centers, and other places of interest. The STREETWISE® Barcelona Map affords you a bird’s-eye view of everything from the Estadi Olimpic to Park Guell. The pocket size map of Barcelona is laminated for durability and accordion folding for effortless use. For a more detailed look at Barcelona, check out the Michelin Barcelona Map and Guide and the Michelin Main Cities Europe for a selection of the best hotels and restaurants in the area. For driving or to plan your trip to and from Barcelona, use the Michelin Spain & Portugal Road and Tourist Map No. 734.

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 5 Scholastic Set: 09 Title: Teagan's Butterflies Focus: ay (as in 'away'), ou (as in 'out'), ea (as in 'leaf'), ir (as in 'girls'), ie (as in 'lie'), ue (as in 'blue') Tricky words: was she the said they of to put all like some into full were Book Band: Green This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 09 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 3 Scholastic Set: 06 Title: My Fort Focus: ar or air er Tricky words: I and pull into the my put you Book Band: Red This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 06 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 3 Scholastic Set: 05 Title: Up at Night Focus: ee ight oo (long, as in 'food') oo (short, as in 'look') Tricky words: we put and go the are full of I into they to be Book Band: Red This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 05 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 2 Scholastic Set: 02 Title: Ken the Kid Focus: g o c k ck e u r h l Tricky words: the Book Band: Pink B This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 02 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 2 Scholastic Set: 02 Title: Dig It Up Focus: g o c e u f Tricky words: the is Book Band: Pink B This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 02 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 2 Scholastic Set: 03 Title: The Picnic Focus: j w y z Tricky words: we go puts the full is Book Band: Red This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 03 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 2 Scholastic Set: 02 Title: Fun in the Fog Focus: g o c ck u f Tricky words: I the is Book Band: Pink B This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 02 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 3 Scholastic Set: 05 Title: You Cannot Fool Me Focus: ai ee oo (long, as in 'fool') Tricky words: you me are sure the no and Book Band: Red This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 05 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 4 Scholastic Set: 07 Title: Trent Gets a Pet Focus: Adjacent consonants with short vowel sounds (example words: flat bench plan slug) Tricky words: he there was no the little I have all Book Band: Yellow This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 07 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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Letters & Sounds (2021): Phase 5 Scholastic Set: 10 Title: Don't Shriek, Maisie! Focus: o (as in 'so'), i (as 'kind'), a (as in 'lazing'), e (as in 'she'), a-e (as in 'cave'), i-e (as in 'bite'), ie (as in 'Maisie'), aw (as in 'lawn') Tricky words: the said are to have was of do you they little all put were when Book Band: Green This title is part of a brand new set of phonically decodable reading books perfect for very early readers. These expertly levelled stories are engaging, and are exactly matched to Little Wandle Letters & Sounds Revised, used in schools across the UK. The series includes a wide selection of diverse and inclusive stories, accompanied by bright, contemporary and humorous illustrations that will engage and inspire young readers with a 'find the character' feature on each spread. The artwork is detailed so as not to provide picture cues and prompting. Each book also contains parent's notes and a 'retell the story' task to support children's oracy, vocabulary and comprehension skills. Thirteen sets of books covering groups of sounds to allow for progression. The stories in this set focus on the sounds found in Scholastic Set 10 and revise the sounds found in previous sets. There are thirteen sets in total, covering: Phase 2 Set 1: s a t p i n m d Phase 2 Set 2: g o c k ck e u r h b f l Phase 2 Set 3: ff ll ss j v w x y z zz Phase 2 Set 4: qu ch sh th ng nk Phase 3 Set 5: ai ee igh oa oo Phase 3 Set 6: ar or ur ow oi ear air er Phase 4 Set 7: Adjacent consonants with short vowels Phase 4 Set 8: Adjacent consonants with Phase 3 long vowels Phase 5 Set 9: ay (play), ou (cloud), oy (boy), ea (each), ir (bird), ie (pie), ue (blue), u (unicorn) Phase 5 Set 10: o (go), i (tiger), a (paper), e (he), a-e (snake), i-e (time), o-e (home), u-e (cute), e-e (these), ew (new), ie (shield), aw (claw) Phase 5 Set 11: y (funny), ea (head), wh (wheel), oe (toe), ou (shoulder), y (fly), ow (snow), g (giant), ph (phone), le (apple), al (metal), c (ice), ve (give), o-e (some), o (mother), ou (young), se (cheese), se (mouse), ce (fence), ey (donkey), ui (fruit), ou (soup) Phase 5 Set 12: or (word), u (full), oul (could), are (share), ear (bear), ere (there), au (author), aur (dinosaur), oor (floor), al (walk), tch (match), ture (adventure), al (half), a (father), a (water), a (want), ear (learn), wr (wrist), st (whistle), sc (science), ch (school), ch (chef), ze (freeze), schwa at the end of words (actor) Phase 5 Set 13: eigh (eight), aigh (straight), ey (grey), ea (break), gn (gnaw), kn (knee), mb (thumb), ere (here), eer (deer), su (treasure), si (vision), dge (bridge), ge (large), y (crystal), ti (potion), ssi (mission), si (mansion), ci (delicious), augh (daughter), our (pour), oar (oar), ore (more) Have you got them all?

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See the animal kingdom in all its glory, from jellyfish to polar bears, with up-close details of their unique features from head to toe. Filled with magnificent photographs that were specially commissioned for this book and cannot be seen anywhere else. Written in association with the Natural History Museum.This visual reference book starts with the question "what is an animal?" and takes you through the animal kingdom - mammals, reptiles, birds, and sea creatures. It uses a unique head to toe approach that showcases in spectacular detail special features such as the flight feathers of a parrot, the antenna of a moth, or the tentacles of coral.This visual encyclopedia is filled with clear and fascinating information on everything about the social lives of animals. Read exciting stories, like how animals communicate, defend their territories, and attract mates.Learn how evolution has helped wildlife to adapt to their unique environments, whether it is the ability to live in difficult habitats, adjust to specific diets or how they work physically.Humans have drawn and painted animals for thousands of years. The Science of Animals has included some of these, such as early rock art that depicts our awe of the animal kingdom, or natural history artworks such as the ones commissioned by the Mughal Courts in the 1600s.Dramatic Wildlife PhotographySpectacular, never seen before, photographs that will bring you close to many of the world's most captivating and intriguing inhabitants. This book offers an extraordinary introduction to the animal world by taking you through chapters that details their diversity.Go from head to toe in The Science of Animals: - The animal kingdom- Shape and size- Skeletons - Skins, coats, and armour- Senses- Mouth and jaws- Legs, arms, tentacles, and tails- Fins, flippers, and paddles- Wings and parachutes- Eggs and offspring

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This cute collection of six boardbooks is the perfect gift for young children. Each sturdy volume has been carefully planned to introduce little ones to everyday words and help them get ready to read. There are lots of familiar objects to look at and name, including clothes, food, toys, sports and activities, objects from indoors and outside, animals on the farm and in the wild, and much more.With big, bright pictures on every page, these chunky little books will provide babies and toddlers with hours of fun while improving their language skills and reading abilities. They can also flip the books over to put together a simple picture puzzle! . Six little books presented in an attractive and durable magnetized gift box that is easy to open and close. . Full of fun illustrations for little learners to look at and talk about, each book has a different theme: . First Words – parts of the body, indoor things, outdoor things, fruit, vegetables or more. . On the Farm – see baby animals, their parents and where they live, as well as other farmyard objects. . Counting – from 1 boat and 2 trucks to 9 bricks and 10 toy soldiers. . Animals – creatures from cold and hot places, birds, pets and other types of animal. . Shapes – after looking at a square, a circle, a star and more, young readers are asked to find shapes such as a red triangle and a pink heart within the book. . Things We Do – waking up, eating, drinking, talking, dancing, running, jumping, and many other 'doing' words.

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Staying at home doesn’t mean that you have be stuck in front of the TV. This is the ultimate companion to help you beat boredom and to embrace your time indoors.Organized by mood, this book is packed with ideas on how to energize yourself, find your purpose, relax and reflect, get creative and connect with the world around you. Whether it’s for a rainy day or a weekend indoors, there are over 80 ideas to keep busy and to challenge your mind. Staying at home can be a challenge and this clever book will offer ways to keep you happy and healthy, from putting together a homemade exercise routine using everyday household items to creating your own home silent disco as well as ideas to help you discover a new hobby, such as learning a language or upcycling furniture. There are also tasks to keep you feeling engaged and proactive, with tips on lowering your plastic pollution and ways you can volunteer from the comfort of your home, as well as practical ways to help you stay connected with nature, from making your own bird feeder to star gazing from your window, and creative activities to help reduce stress and worry, such as journaling, colouring and crafting. Staying in is the new going out, and it’s so much more fun when you have ideas to keep you busy and entertained. These simple activities are full of tips and tricks to make your time at home as enjoyable as possible. You’ll never wonder what you can do with your spare time ever again!

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With Jumbo Stickers for Little Hands: Winter Wonderland, young sticker lovers can use the 75+ adorable, oversize stickers on 11 colorful winter scenes. With more than 75 stickers and 11 different scenes to place them on, Jumbo Stickers for Little Hands: Winter Wonderland is a captivating collection of wintertime delights. Snowflakes, hats and mittens, and colorful cardinal birds are just some of the jumbo stickers included in this book. All 2 inches or larger, the stickers are easy for little fingers to handle, and the playful illustrations of adorable animals are sure to inspire big imaginations. Should that sledding penguin sticker be placed at the top of the hill or the bottom? Is that a smiling snowman? What about that ice skating bear? Where should she go? With Jumbo Stickers, even the youngest children with the smallest fingers can have loads of fun while dreaming up wintertime stories. Each book in the Jumbo Stickers for Little Hands series from Walter Foster Jr. provides hours of fun, with oversize stickers made with tiny fingers in mind. Colorful illustrations inspire imaginative play and storytelling, while the large stickers allow for fine motor skill practice, making the Jumbo Sticker books perfect for creative young kids. Have even more Jumbo Sticker fun with: Jumbo Stickers for Little Hands: Human Body, Jumbo Stickers for Little Hands: Cute Stuff, Jumbo Stickers for Little Hands: Unicorns, and Jumbo Stickers for Little Hands: Mermaids.

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'Lovely... delivers the warmest of glows' - Telegraph'Who wouldn't love this chocolate-box delight of insights and snapshots of The Queen...A treasure chest' - Good HousekeepingA sparkling celebration of our much-loved Queen Elizabeth II including special writings and illuminating insights around key moments in her 70-year reign, introduced and edited by her biggest fan Joanna Lumley.In 2022 Queen Elizabeth II celebrated seventy years as Queen and Head of the Commonwealth. She was Britain's longest reigning monarch and the very first to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. A Queen For All Seasons, edited and introduced by Joanna Lumley, is a perceptive, touching and engaging tribute to this unique woman. A treasure chest of first-hand writings, insights and snapshots of the Queen during key moments of her reign to form a vibrant portrait of the woman herself and the extraordinary role she played. Joanna Lumley guides us as we meet Princess Elizabeth in 1952, aged just twenty-five, and about to become Queen, and in more recent events, as our matriarch, the Queen kept the national ship steady through seven decades, including in moments of crisis and suffering. Here are unique perspectives into some of the most fascinating aspects of the Queen's life - her role as head of state at home and abroad, her private passions and public interests and a bird's-eye look at key events that have held the nation together and the Queen in our affection throughout Britain and beyond.This book is a special and unique portrait of the life of Queen Elizabeth II.

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A cautionary tale with depth and humour, A Garden on Top of the World is environmental fiction for ages 12 and up. Includes resources on gardening, urban gardens, heirloom seeds and organic foods. The year is 2066 and life in Greenland is much warmer, more crowded, and lacking in fresh food. Sixteen-year-old Jonnie lives in the Relocation city of Shamed. Hundred-story high rises house extended families from American coastal cities relocated after the Sixth Sea Rise. Work and school are conducted from overcrowded apartments, and homeless people camp out in the streets. Red is a homeless man who takes up temporary residence in a pigeon coop on the roof. After Red talks about the seeds in the birds' droppings, Jonnie gets interested in heirloom seeds. The family business has just been awarded a lucrative contract from Monarcho, the international conglomerate that holds patents to much of the world's seeds. Jonnie knows little about how food grows because meals come in packages ordered online and delivered by drone. Dishes are manufactured in the home using 3D printers. Armed with a new understanding of old-fashioned garden-grown food, Jonnie is determined to create her own garden on the roof of her high rise. Jonnie's search for who she is and what she might be able to offer the world is one that will resonate with readers of all ages. The information she learns about healthy food, sustainable agriculture, and urban gardens may inspire readers to start their own gardens.

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"It is the contemporary elixir from which all manner of being emerges, the metamorphic sublime, an alchemist's dream." So begins Palma Africana, the latest attempt by anthropologist Michael Taussig to make sense of the contemporary moment. But to what elixir does he refer? Palm oil. Saturating everything from potato chips to nail polish, palm oil has made its way into half of the packaged goods in our supermarkets. By 2020, world production will be double what it was in 2000. In Colombia, palm oil plantations are covering over onetime cornucopias of animal, bird, and plant life. Over time, they threaten indigenous livelihoods and give rise to abusive labor conditions and major human rights violations. The list of entwined horrors--climatic, biological, social--is long. But Taussig takes no comfort in our usual labels: "habitat loss," "human rights abuses," "climate change." The shock of these words has passed; nowadays it is all a blur. Hence, Taussig's keen attention to words and writing throughout this work. He takes cues from precursors' ruminations: Roland Barthes' suggestion that trees form an alphabet in which the palm tree is the loveliest; William Burroughs' retort to critics that for him words are like animals--cut them and the words are let free. Steeped in a lifetime of philosophical and ethnographic exploration, Palma Africana undercuts the banality of the destruction taking place all around us and offers a penetrating vision of the global condition. Richly illustrated and written with experimental verve, this book is Taussig's Tristes Tropiques for the twenty-first century.

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