Search results for ""Astra Publishing House""
Astra Publishing House Infinity: Figuring Out Forever
What is infinity? Explore this fascinating and complex math concept and its purpose in our world in this picture book that both demystifies and explains. Perfect for kids who grew up on Baby University books like Quantum Physics for Babies. Defining infinity is difficult. But there is one thing people do every day that leads to infinity—counting. No matter what large number you name, there is always a larger number. By reading this book, kids can begin to think about this and other powerful ideas involving infinity, including how infinity relates to rocket science. Featuring clear text and beautiful photographs, this is an excellent choice for kids who want to delve deeper into math and science and for those ready to look at the world in a new way.
£14.39
Astra Publishing House Dolphins!
Here is an accessible and comprehensive introduction to dolphin species from all over the world; this title is the latest installment in the popular Strange and Wonderful series and a terrific STEM choice. With fascinating facts and detailed, illuminating artwork, DOLPHINS! Strange and Wonderful introduces readers to dolphin species -- from the well-known bottlenose dolphin to several species of "blackfish" (including orcas) that most people believe are whales. Author Laurence Pringle's clear, informative text describes dolphins' habitats, physiology, communication, intelligence, parenting, what and how they eat, and much more. The book also discusses conservation and how dolphins can be protected from hunting, pollution, and other threats. Accompanied by Meryl Henderson's beautiful and illuminating paintings, this book is a great STEM title that perfectly hits the mark for children interested in marine life. Includes a glossary, index, and further resources.
£16.99
Astra Publishing House Like a Lizard
The attributes of 28 different lizards are revealed in this STEM nonfiction picture book, while the story provides a subtle message encouraging children to be true to their own nature. The actions of 28 lizard species--the flying dragon that swoops through the air, the shingleback that sticks out its blue tongue to scare predators, the basilisk that can race across the surface of water--invite readers to act like a lizard themselves. The text by noted author April Pulley Sayre asks: "Can you run like a lizard? Sun like a lizard? Bob your head like a lizard?" Featuring brilliantly colorful, textured artwork by illustrator Stephanie Laberis, the book also includes extensive back matter with further information about the featured lizard species--their size, geographical range, why they perform the various actions introduced in the text--as well as details about lizards in general.
£15.29
Astra Publishing House Secret Life of the Red Fox
This gorgeous and lyrical picture book from renowned science author Laurence Pringle and debut illustrator Kate Garchinsky follows a year in the life of a red fox named Vixen as she finds food, hunts, escapes threats, finds a mate, and raises her kits-all the way to the day that she and her mate watch their kits head off to lead their own secret lives. Stunning, realistic illustrations celebrate the beauty of these mysterious creatures as readers learn important facts through an engaging and fascinating story. The book also includes back matter with more in-depth information, a glossary, and further resources.
£14.39
Astra Publishing House Cyrus Field's Big Dream: The Daring Effort to Lay the First Transatlantic Telegraph Cable
A NSTA Best STEM BookExplore the extraordinary achievement of Cyrus Field and one of the greatest engineering feats of the 19th century: laying a transatlantic telegraph cable to create instant communication between two continents.Cyrus Field had a big dream to connect North America and the United Kingdom with a telegraph line, which would enable instant communication. In the mid-1800s, no one knew if it was possible. That didn't dissuade Cyrus, who set out to learn about undersea cables and built a network of influential people to raise money and create interest in his project. Cyrus experienced numerous setbacks: many years of delays and failed attempts, millions of dollars lost, suspected sabotage, technological problems, and more. But Cyrus did not give up and forged ahead, ultimately realizing his dream in the summer of 1866. Mary Morton Cowan brilliantly captures Cyrus's life and his steadfast determination to achieve his dream.
£14.99
Astra Publishing House We Dig Worms!
What do worms do all day? How do they see? And why are they so cold and squishy? Find out by going on an underground tour through the hidden world of earthworms. Kevin McCloskey’s book even shows readers what’s happening inside a worm’s body— brain, crop, gizzard, and more. The book takes young readers from “ew!” to “wow!” as they learn about the different ways worms work hard to help the earth. Kids may pick up many of the life science lessons contained here on their first read, but they’ll return to We Dig Worms! again and again to rediscover its story. Deceptively simple, humble yet charming, this little book reaches surprising depths...just like, well, a worm!
£7.99
Astra Publishing House Ants Don't Wear Pants!: TOON Level 1
Feeling antsy? Then let yourself be captivated by these tiny, fascinating creatures that you can find in any backyard near you! They hear with their legs and smell with their antennae—some even explode! In this spectacular addition to his best-selling Giggle and Learn series, Kevin McCloskey points his magnifying glass for a close-up look at an anthill, shrinking young readers down, down, down into the underground colonies that ants call home. With his trademark humour and curiosity, he is sure to keep every emerging reader spellbound.
£7.99
Astra Publishing House Love Report Volume 2, The
In this second book in the addictive graphic novel series for tweens, Grace and Lola uncover more truths about romance and friendship at home, at school, and on an island holiday. BFFs Grace and Lola are back in volume two of The Love Report. Grace tries to adjust to her parents' split, but dividing her time between two homes is no fun; Lola and Grace help Adele find a place to stay–an old factory–to escape her evil stepmother; and Lola wants to help Felicity after one of the boys begins harassing her, but it’s not easy. Summer comes just in time, and the change of season brings the girls and Adele to the island of Sardinia, where they continue to discover the ins and outs of love and romance far from home and school.
£11.69
Astra Publishing House Antonia
Perfect for fans of Oliver Jeffers and Jon Klassen, this nearly wordless picture book tells a heartwarming and hopeful story of loss and new beginnings as a little girl and her dog, Antonia, journey with their family across a river to start a new life.Like so many people around the world facing difficult times, the little girl and her family in this eye-catching and emotionally satisfying picture book have had to leave their home. The girl has brought along her belongings and her friendly, curious dog, Antonia. While waiting for a boat to take them across a river, she plays with other children who've also brought pets --a duck and a bird. But on the other side of the river, Antonia goes missing in the brush. The girl is distraught, until a new friend releases his own pet bird from its cage in an extraordinary gesture of solidarity and freedom. With colorful, whimsical illustrations and an uplifting message of resilience, this US debut from a talented Colombian creator will leave readers with a full heart.
£15.29
Astra Publishing House Dad, Don't Miss It!
Let’s stay connected to each other! A distracted parent comes to appreciate a child’s imagination and the importance of paying attention in this whimsical tale, inspired by Chinese folk culture. A child and his dad are off for a day in the countryside—but the dad is perpetually distracted by his computer screen, unable to see what his child sees: genies outside the bus windows, in the trees, behind rocks, everywhere! As the child tries again and again to get dad’s attention, the dad grows frustrated, until—oh no!—he turns into a roaring bear. But now, finally, he can see the parade of magical creatures, and parent and child join in a joyful, fantastical parade. Debut artist Qiaoqiao Li’s dreamy illustrations bring to life this magical story about the power of unplugging from our devices so we can plug into the scenes of wonder ready to burst out of our imaginations.
£15.99
Astra Publishing House Mysterious Patterns: Finding Fractals in Nature
Nature's repeating patterns, better known as fractals, are beautiful, universal, and explain much about how things grow. Fractals can also be quantified mathematically. Here is an elegant introduction to fractals through examples that can be seen in parks, rivers, and our very own backyards. Young readers will be fascinated to learn that broccoli florets are fractals�just like mountain ranges, river systems, and trees�and will share in the wonder of math as it is reflected in the world around us. Perfect for any elementary school classroom or library, Mysterious Patterns is an exciting interdisciplinary introduction to repeating patterns.
£8.99
Astra Publishing House Come On In: There's a Party in this Book!
Can you help Lemon find the party? Fans of Sabine Timm @virgin_honey are jumping for joy! The Instagram darling from Germany has teamed up with beloved American author Jamie Michalak to create a picture book perfect for all ages, but especially kids from 4 to 8. So...Come On In! 168K Instagram followers can't be wrong! Come on in to Lemon's world and meet a rainbow-tastical collection of friends: cats wearing boots, fruits dressed in suits, dogs made of bread, and pigeons named Fred. You can help Lemon find the party! With eye-popping art from beloved creator, Sabine Timm and bouncy rhyming text from Jamie Michalak, Come On In offers up a fresh take on the theme of inclusivity, and will have crafty kids and DIYers smiling, pointing, and thinking: I bet I can make those, too!
£15.29
Astra Publishing House Good Night, Oppy!
Learn all about the Mars Opportunity Rover "Oppy" in this fictionalized account of the space exploration robot's time on the red planet.Mixing humor with solid space and rover facts, this picture book gives an inside look into Opportunity's time on Mars. An interplanetary detective, Oppy spent 15 years on the red planet taking thousands of pictures and making groundbreaking discoveries that she transmitted to scientists and engineers back on Earth. From joyriding on Olympus Mons, to racing away from a treacherous dust storm, Oppy's adventure in space--combined with her grit and perseverance--will inspire and educate young readers of all ages.
£15.29
Astra Publishing House Welcome to the Wonder House
This collection of poems, creatively presented in the format of an allegorical house, will engage anyone who has ever wondered “why?” as it shows young readers that wonder is everywhere—in yourself and in the world around you.Welcome to the Wonder House, a place to explore the cornerstone of every great thinker—a sense of wonder. This Wonder House has many rooms—one for nature, one for quiet, and one for mystery, among others. Each room is filled with poems and objects covering a wide variety of STEAM topics, including geology, paleontology, physics, astronomy, creative writing, and drawing, that will inspire curiosity in young readers.This enchanting book written by award-winning poets Rebecca Kai Dotlich and Georgia Heard both sparks wonder and shows readers how to kindle it in themselves.
£16.53
Astra Publishing House Penguins Strange and Wonderful
Laurence Pringle's fascinating and informative book, with stunning illustrations by Meryl Henderson, introduces young readers to the life and behavior of one of nature's most remarkable—and most popular—birds. The seventeen species of penguin come in all sizes and live in a surprising range of habitats. Readers familiar with the emperor penguin that stands almost four feet tall and lives in the Antarctic may be surprised to encounter the little blue penguin that's only about sixteen inches high and hops ashore into the green forests of southern Australia and southern New Zealand. This book is packed with such a wealth of information, even penguin enthusiasts are bound to learn something new.
£9.03
Astra Publishing House Binti: The Complete Trilogy
Includes a brand-new Binti story!Collected for the first time in a trade paperback omnibus edition, the Hugo- and Nebula-award-winning Binti trilogy, the story of one extraordinary girl's journey from her home to distant Oomza University.In her Hugo- and Nebula-winning novella, Nnedi Okorafor introduced us to Binti, a young Himba girl with the chance of a lifetime: to attend the prestigious Oomza University. Despite her family's concerns, Binti's talent for mathematics and her aptitude with astrolabes make her a prime candidate to undertake this interstellar journey. But everything changes when the jellyfish-like Medusae attack Binti's spaceship, leaving her the only survivor. Now, Binti must fend for herself, alone on a ship full of the beings who murdered her crew, with five days until she reaches her destination. There is more to the history of the Medusae—and their war with the Khoush—than first meets the eye. If Binti is to survive this voyage and save the inhabitants of the unsuspecting planet that houses Oomza Uni, it will take all of her knowledge and talents to broker the peace. But even if Binti achieves this remarkable feat, it's not the end of her story. For this lone Himba woman, now bonded with a Medusa and forever changed by this bond, still must find a way to survive and thrive at Oomza University amid swirling interspecies biases. And eventually, she must return home to test the strength of the fragile peace she worked so hard to win. Collected now for the first time in omnibus form—and introducing a new Binti story—follow Binti's journey in this groundbreaking sci-fi trilogy.
£16.58
Astra Publishing House The Thronemaker Of Amenkor Trilogy
This omnibus, The Throne of Amenkor Trilogy, brings Joshua Palmatier's The Skewed Throne, The Cracked Throne, and The Vacant Throne together for the first time.
£17.77
Astra Publishing House Terminal Alliance: Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse #1
The Krakau came to invite Earth into an alliance of sentient species, only to find that plague had turned humanity into shambling, near-unstoppable animals. A century later a bioweapon wipes out the Krakau command crew and reverts the rest of the humans to their feral state - only Marion 'Mops' Adamopoulos and her Shipboard Hygiene and Sanitation team on board the Earth Mercenary Corps Ship Pufferfish are left with their minds intact. They stumble onto a conspiracy born from the truth of what happened on Earth all those years ago.
£9.99
Astra Publishing House Who Says Ho Ho Ho?: Baby's First Christmas Book
Holiday fun for little ones! A perfect Christmas read-aloud story, this engaging board book is filled with bright photos of adorable animals and babies. The end of the book features a tree-shaped mirror where babies can see themselves and practice saying ho, ho, ho, too.Designed to spark a love of reading in babies and toddlers, Who Says Ho Ho Ho is a jolly story that little ones and caregivers can enjoy together. The mirror at the end of the book allows little ones to enjoy memorable peekaboo play with grown-ups, creating positive associations with reading from a young age. Simple, repetitive words encourage listening and speaking skills, boosting Baby's use of language.Ready for hands-on fun, the book’s sturdy wipe-off pages and rounded edges make it easy and safe for babies to touch and interact with the playful images. Who Says board books are small enough for little hands to hold on their own, and they fit easily in a diaper bag or purse to entertain little bookworms on the go. A great gift for a baby shower or for a new little one!
£7.78
Astra Publishing House Find it Farm
Seek-and-find fun on the farm! This adorable puzzle board book, inspired by a popular feature in Hello magazine, encourages interactivity and invites babies, toddlers and their caregivers to read and explore together. Every page helps spark early learning by combining vibrant, baby-friendly illustrations and developmentally appropriate challenges.Touch and feel the embossed pages while searching for animals, vehicles and places on the farm. The last page is a bonus learning activity about counting from 1 to 6, with sheep, sunflowers, hay bales and more.Ready for hands-on fun, this book’s wipe-off surface protects against spills, and rounded edges provide a safe reading experience. Find It board books are easy to take on the go to entertain the littlest readers anywhere—a perfect gift for new parents! This interactive and tactile board book is designed by childhood experts to enhance learning and encourage bonding through play.
£7.78
Astra Publishing House Home Bound: An Uprooted Daughter's Reflections on Belonging
In this singular and intimate memoir of identity and discovery, Vanessa A. Bee explores the way we define “home” and “belonging” — from her birth in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to her adoption by her aunt and her aunt’s white French husband, to experiencing housing insecurity in Europe and her eventual immigration to the US. After her parents’ divorce, Vanessa travelled with her mother to Lyon and later to London, eventually settling in Reno, Nevada, as a teenager, right around the financial crisis and the collapse of the housing market. At twenty, still a practicing evangelical Christian and newly married, Vanessa applied to and was accepted by Harvard Law School, where she was one of the youngest members of her class. There, she forged a new belief system, divorced her husband, left the church, and, inspired by her tumultuous childhood, pursued a career in economic justice upon graduation. Vanessa’s adoptive, multiracial, multilingual, multinational, and transcontinental upbringing has caused her to grapple for years with foundational questions such as: What is home? Is it the country we’re born in, the body we possess, or the name we were given and that identifies us? Is it the house we remember most fondly, the social status assigned to us, or the ideology we forge? What defines us and makes us uniquely who we are? Organised unconventionally around her own dictionary-style definitions of the word “home,” Vanessa tackles these timeless questions thematically and unpacks the many layers that contribute to and condition our understanding of ourselves and of our place in the world. Inspirational, powerful and though-provoking, this book is a perfect read for those looking for connection, belonging and understanding.
£22.50
Astra Publishing House Highlights Sticker Hidden Pictures Pack
Highlights Hidden Pictures puzzles --now with over 280 colorful stickers! Stickers bring an exciting new element to everyone's favorite puzzle--Hidden Pictures! This set of three books is filled with full-color and black-and-white Hidden Pictures scenes featuring kids' favorite pets, barnyard friends, and more, along with 8 pages of vibrant stickers to mark the hidden objects. For Hidden Pictures fans of all ages, here is an unbeatable combination that makes a terrific gift!
£23.72
Astra Publishing House Lady Has the Floor, A
An excellent example of picture-book biography. --Booklist, starred review. For fans of the best-selling titles I DISSENT and SHE PERSISTED, here is a non-fiction picture-book biography of Belva Lockwood, a lawyer, activist and presidential candidate who devoted her life to overcoming obstacles and demanding equality for women. Activist Belva Lockwood had big dreams and didn't let anyone stand in her way--not her father, her law school, or even the US Supreme Court. She fought for equality for women in the classroom, in the courtroom, and in politics. In her quest for fairness and parity, Belva ran for President of the United States, becoming the first woman on the ballot. This riveting non-fiction picture book illuminates the life of a woman who was never afraid to take the floor and speak her mind.
£9.04
Astra Publishing House Zack and Ike Are Exactly Alike
Friendship is about far more than being alike in this simple yet satisfying story. Zack and Ike are best friends who like to think they're exactly alike. They have the same backpack, the same bike, and the same kind hearts. But what happens when these best friends disagree? And what happens when they meet a new friend who is exactly different--or is she? In this classic friendship story written by award-winning author Suzanne Bloom, readers will see that Zack and Ike are alike in some ways, but different in others--and that's okay! Because you don't have to be exactly alike to be friends.
£15.99
Astra Publishing House Becoming Billie Holiday
The stunning voice and hard life of legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday is revealed through evocative, accessible poetry. In 1915, Sadie Fagan gave birth to a daughter she named Eleanora. The world, however, would know her as Billie Holiday, possibly the greatest jazz singer of all time. Eleanora's journey to become a legend took her through pain, poverty, and run-ins with the law. By the time she was fifteen, she knew she possessed something that could possibly change her life--a voice. Eleanora could sing. Her remarkable voice led her to a place in the spotlight with some of the era's hottest big bands. Through a sequence of raw and poignant poems, New York Times best-selling and award-winning poet Carole Boston Weatherford chronicles the singer's young life, her fight for survival, and the dream she pursued with passion.
£9.99
Astra Publishing House Arithmechicks Take a Calculation Vacation: A Math Story
This playful picture book demonstrates key math concepts to children in a merry story featuring the Arithmechicks, ten maths-loving chicks. The Arithmechicks are headed to the beach! Their good friend Mouse is going to compete in a sandcastle contest. The chicks are excited to play all sorts of beach games—including volleyball and surfing—as they cheer on Mouse. Readers are invited to add and subtract as these maths-loving chicks also explore fact families—and to watch as Mouse, along with their new friend Crab, create a magnificent sandcastle! Will they win a prize? This book includes a helpful glossary that defines fact families, providing a playful introduction to essential maths for young children and their caregivers.
£10.79
Astra Publishing House One Day, the End: Short, Very Short, Shorter-Than-Ever Stories
Very short, creative stories pair with bold illustrations in this picture book that will inspire young readers to stretch their imaginations and write stories of their own. "One day. . . I went to school. I came home. The end," says our storyteller—a girl with a busy imagination and a thirst for adventure. The art tells a fuller tale of calamity on the way to school and an unpredictably happy ending. Each illustration in this inventive picture book captures multiple, unexpected, and funny storylines as the narrator shares her shorter-than-ever stories, ending with "One day. . . I wanted to write a book." This book demonstrates a unique approach to writing and telling stories and is a delightful gift for children as well as for teachers seeking a mentor text for their classrooms.
£8.99
Astra Publishing House After Dark: Poems about Nocturnal Animals
This collection of 22 poems explores the fascinating lives of North American nocturnal animals. When the sun goes down, many animals come out. Crickets chirp their crickety song hoping to attract a mate. Cougars bury their leftovers for later, leaving few clues for others to follow. Armadillos emerge from their dens to dig for worms, leaving holes in the lawns they disturb. This collection of poetry from acclaimed children's author and poet David L. Harrison explores the lives of animals who are awake after dark. Stephanie Laberis's beautifully atmospheric illustrations will draw in readers, and extensive back matter offers more information about each animal.
£15.29
Astra Publishing House Comics: Easy as ABC: The Essential Guide to Comics for Kids
Filled with activities, Comics: Easy as ABC is a fun way for young readers to effortlessly and playfully start thinking like writers and artists. This simple guide is also aimed at parents, teachers, and librarians: all will enjoy learning the ABCs of this popular and rapidly growing medium.Children kindergarten-age and up are shown how to use basic shapes to make faces, eyes, noses, and design their own characters. Ivan Brunetti’s funny and incisive advice on the language of comics (panels, lettering, balloons, and so much more) naturally leads budding artists and writers into thinking about their characters, settings, and prompts. A section with essential tips on how to read comics with young children rounds out the package. Featuring advice from master cartoonists and star authors— including Geoffrey Hayes, Eleanor Davis, Art Spiegelman, and many others.
£10.99
Astra Publishing House Tippy and the Night Parade
When Tippy wakes up, there's a peacock in her bedroom, a bird in her hair, and mice dancing on the headboard... Yet all Tippy remembers is falling asleep. In her first book for children, award-winning cartoonist Lilli Carré takes Tippy on a nocturnal adventure up a mountain, down a hole, and back home for endless bedtime enjoyment.
£7.78
Astra Publishing House A Trip to the Top of the Volcano with Mouse: TOON Level 1
Can we have pizza now?Join Mouse and a young explorer as they prepare to climb Mount Etna. Help them list what they’ll need: “walking sticks,” “mountain boots,” “sunglasses . . .““Can I have pepperoni?” asks Mouse. From sea to snow, young readers will giggle with delight as they experience the magical world drawn by Frank Viva. Over and over again, the bestselling author of Young Frank, Architect will make them expereince an unforgettable journey to the top of one of the world’s most active volcanoes.
£7.99
Astra Publishing House The Museum of Nothing
Discover all the many ways that nothing is really something! This mind-bendingly clever picture book about a visit to the Museum of Nothing will have curious readers marveling and laughing along. There is so much more to nothing than you think! Join Oona and Otto on a tour of the funny, fascinating Museum of Nothing in this imaginative read-aloud from noted designer Guarnaccia. This museum proudly displays every kind of nothing. There's the Hall of Holes (donut, button, black), the Zero Wing, the Nobody Room�where the Invisible Man is the star attraction�and more. With pages full of witty details to discover, this captivating book is perfect for curious kids ages 5-9 looking for their next big mind-bending adventure.
£16.19
Astra Publishing House The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester
The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester explores healing in the aftermath of trauma and the fullness of queer joy. In this queer contemporary YA mystery, a nonbinary autistic teen realizes they must not only solve a 30-year-old mystery but also face the demons lurking in their past in order to live a satisfying life. Sam Sylvester has long collected stories of half-lived lives—of kids who died before they turned nineteen. Sam was almost one of those kids. Now, as Sam’s own nineteenth birthday approaches, their recent near-death experience haunts them. They’re certain they don’t have much time left. . . . But Sam's life seems to be on the upswing after meeting several new friends and a potential love interest in Shep, their next-door neighbour. Yet the past keeps roaring back—in Sam’s memories and in the form of a thirty-year-old suspicious death that took place in Sam’s new home. Sam can’t resist trying to find out more about the kid who died and who now seems to guide their investigation. When Sam starts receiving threatening notes, they know they’re on the path to uncovering a murderer. But are they digging through the past or digging their own future grave? “Look no further for your next favourite read, because The Many Half-Lived Lives of Sam Sylvester has it all: a gripping murder mystery that will keep you turning pages, ghosts, romance, and a treasure trove of queer characters with depth and heart. Here’s something rare—a suspenseful story that also feels like a hug.” —Sarah Glenn Marsh, author of the Reign of the Fallen series
£9.99
Astra Publishing House Shipwrecked!: Diving for Hidden Time Capsules on the Ocean Floor
From National Book Award winning author Martin W. Sandler, here is a fascinating look at what shipwrecks reveal about our world's past and how exploring them led to the development of a whole new field of science: marine archaeology. Most of the world's ocean floor remains to be discovered. In fact, it's estimated to be home to over 3 million sunken vessels and countless treasures of the past. This enthralling and adventure-filled nonfiction book for young readers recounts some of the most captivating shipwrecks from history, ranging from the Shinan, a Chinese merchant ship laden with riches from the 14th century, to the the HMS Erebus and Terror, two polar exploration ships that mysteriously disappeared in the early 1800s. Combining new research, stunning archival material, and vivid storytelling, Shipwrecked! dives deep into the world of marine archaeology and shows young readers what each discovery reveals about the world before our time.
£20.69
Astra Publishing House Y/N: A Novel
Finalist for the 2023 Center for Fiction First Novel PrizeNew York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2023New York Times 2023 Critics' PickNew Yorker Best Book of 2023 (Essential Read)NPR Best Book of 2023TIME Must-Read Book of 2023Bookshop.org Best Book of 2023Chicago Public Library Favorite Book of 2023Ms. Magazine Best Book of 2023 It’s as if her life only began once Moon appeared in it. The desultory copywriting work, the boyfriend, and the want of anything not-Moon quickly fall away when she beholds the idol in concert, where Moon dances as if his movements are creating their own gravitational field; on livestreams, as fans from around the world comment in dozens of languages; even on skincare products endorsed by the wildly popular Korean boyband, of which Moon is the youngest, most luminous member. Seized by ineffable desire, our unnamed narrator begins writing Y/N fanfic—in which you, the reader, insert [Your/Name] and play out an intimate relationship with the unattainable star.Surreal, hilarious, and shrewdly poignant, Y/N is a provocative literary debut about the universal longing for transcendence and the tragic struggle to assert one’s singular story amidst the amnesiac effects of globalization. Esther Yi’s prose unsettles the boundary between high and mass art, exploding our expectations of a novel about “identity” and offering in its place a sui generis picture of the loneliness that afflicts modern life.
£20.31
Astra Publishing House One of a Kind: The Life of Sydney Taylor
£16.53
Astra Publishing House Empire of Silence
Hadrian Marlowe, a man revered as a hero and despised as a murderer, chronicles his tale in the galaxy-spanning debut of the Sun Eater series, merging the best of space opera and epic fantasy.It was not his war.The galaxy remembers him as a hero: the man who burned every last alien Cielcin from the sky. They remember him as a monster: the devil who destroyed a sun, casually annihilating four billion human lives—even the Emperor himself—against Imperial orders.But Hadrian was not a hero. He was not a monster. He was not even a soldier.On the wrong planet, at the right time, for the best reasons, Hadrian Marlowe starts down a path that can only end in fire. He flees his father and a future as a torturer only to be left stranded on a strange, backwater world.Forced to fight as a gladiator and navigate the intrigues of a foreign planetary court, Hadrian must fight a war he did not start, for an Empire he does not love, against an enemy he will never understand.
£20.75
Astra Publishing House Reckoning
Now in paperback, the sixth book in the thrilling Donovan sci-fi series returns to a treacherous alien planet where corporate threats and dangerous creatures imperil the lives of the colonists. Three years after Ashanti spaced for Solar System, Turalon reappears in the Donovanian sky. The Corporation has returned. Donovan's wealth is a lure for the powerful families who control the Board. Unburdened by morals, they are bringing their battle for supremacy to Port Authority and a showdown that could tear The Corporation apart. Much to her disgust, Falise Taglioni has been chosen to ensure that her family emerges triumphant; she comes with instructions for her brother, Dek. After all, she could always manipulate him to her will. And she will again, even if she has to destroy Talina Perez in the process. And if her war with the Grunnels, Xian Chans, and Radceks destroys Port Authority in the process? Who cares? But nothing on Donovan is static, and in the three years since Ashanti's departure, life on the planet has hardened Kalico Aguila and the scrappy inhabitants of Port Authority. Life in the bush breeds a different kind of human: genetically altered, tough, and self-reliant. And on Donovan, determining who is predator and who is prey has never been easy. Meanwhile, for Kylee Simonov and her bonded quetzal, Flute, there will be a final comeuppance. Because on Donovan, blood vendetta needs to be paid. And then she's going to town. After which, nothing will be the same.
£18.00
Astra Publishing House Sleep No More
The 17th novel of the Hugo-nominated, New York Times bestselling October Daye urban fantasy series.October is very happy with her life as the second daughter of her pureblood parents, Amandine and Simon Torquill. Born to be the changeling handmaid to her beloved sister August, she spends her days working in her family’s tower, serving as August’s companion, and waiting for the day when her sister sets up a household of her own. Everything is right in October’s Faerie. Everything is perfect.Everything is a lie.October has been pulled from her own reality and thrown into a twisted reinterpretation of Faerie where nothing is as it should be and everything has been distorted to support Titania’s ideals. Bound by the Summer Queen’s magic and thrust into a world turned upside down, October has no way of knowing who she can trust, where she can turn, or even who she really is. As strangers who claim to know her begin to appear and the edges of Titania’s paradise begin to unravel, Toby will have to decide whether she can risk everything she knows based on only their stories of another world.But first she’ll have to survive this one, as Titania demonstrates why she needed to be banished in the first place—and this time, much more than Toby’s own life is at stake.
£22.18
Astra Publishing House Backpacking through Bedlam
Seanan McGuire's New York Times-bestselling and Hugo Award-nominated urban fantasy InCryptid series continues with the twelfth book following the Price family, cryptozoologists who study and protect the creatures living in secret all around us.Reunion, noun:1. The state of being united again. Reconciliation, noun:1. An act of reconciling, as when former enemies agree to an amiable truce.2. The process of making consistent or compatible.3. See also “impossible.” Alice Price-Healy gave up her life for fifty years to focus completely on the search for her missing husband. The danger of focus like that is that it leaves little room for thinking about what happens after…and now that she’s finally managed to find Thomas, she has no idea what she’s supposed to do next. The fact that he comes with a surrogate daughter who may or may not have some connection to Alice’s recently adopted grandson is just icing on the complicated cake.So the three of them are heading for the most complicated place in the universe: they’re going home.But things on Earth have changed while Alice, Thomas, and Sally have been away. The Covenant of St. George, antagonized by Verity’s declaration of war and Sarah’s temporary relocation of an entire college campus, is trying to retake North America from the cryptids and cryptozoologists who’ve been keeping the peace for the past hundred years. And they’re starting in New York.Alice and company have barely been back for an hour before the Ocean Lady and the Queen of the Routewitches are sending them to New York to help, and they find themselves embroiled in the politics of dragons, kidnappings, and of course, the most dangerous people of all: family.Getting “back to normal” may be the hardest task Alice has undertaken yet.
£14.85
Astra Publishing House Be the Serpent
Now in paperback, the sixteenth novel of the Hugo-nominated, New York Times bestselling October Daye urban fantasy series.October Daye is finally something she never expected to be: married. All the trials and turmoils and terrors of a hero’s life have done very little to prepare her for the expectation that she will actually share her life with someone else, the good parts and the bad ones alike, not just allow them to dabble around the edges in the things she wants to share. But with an official break from hero duties from the Queen in the Mists, and her family wholly on board with this new version of “normal,” she’s doing her best to adjust.It isn’t always easy, but she’s a hero, right? She’s done harder.Until an old friend and ally turns out to have been an enemy in disguise for this entire time, and October’s brief respite turns into a battle for her life, her community, and everything she has ever believed to be true.The debts of the Broken Ride are coming due, and whether she incurred them or not, she’s going to be the one who has to pay.
£10.44
Astra Publishing House Terminal Peace
The third and final book of The Janitors of the Post-Apocalypse follows a group of unlikely heroes trying to save the galaxy from a zombie plague. Marion “Mops” Adamopoulos and her team were trained to clean spaceships. They were not prepared to fight an interplanetary war with the xenocidal Prodryans or to make first contact with the Jynx, a race that might not be as primitive as they seem. But if there’s one lesson Mops and her crew have learned, things like “training” and “being remotely qualified” are overrated. The war is escalating. (This might be Mops’ fault.) The survival of humanity—those few who weren’t turned to feral, shambling monsters by an alien plague—as well as the fate of all other non-Prodryans, will depend on what Captain Mops and the crew of the EDFS Pufferfish discover on the ringed planet of Tuxatl. But the Jynx on Tuxatl are fighting a war of their own, and their world’s long-buried secrets could be more dangerous than the Prodryans. To make matters worse, Mops is starting to feel a little feral herself!
£22.50
Astra Publishing House The Wise Man's Fear
Discover book two of Patrick Rothfuss’ #1 New York Times-bestselling epic fantasy series, The Kingkiller Chronicle. “I just love the world of Patrick Rothfuss.” —Lin-Manuel Miranda DAY TWO: THE WISE MAN’S FEAR “There are three things all wise men fear: the sea in storm, a night with no moon, and the anger of a gentle man.” My name is Kvothe. You may have heard of me. So begins a tale told from his own point of view—a story unequaled in fantasy literature. Now in The Wise Man’s Fear, Day Two of The Kingkiller Chronicle, an escalating rivalry with a powerful member of the nobility forces Kvothe to leave the University and seek his fortune abroad. Adrift, penniless, and alone, he travels to Vintas, where he quickly becomes entangled in the politics of courtly society. While attempting to curry favor with a powerful noble, Kvothe uncovers an assassination attempt, comes into conflict with a rival arcanist, and leads a group of mercenaries into the wild, in an attempt to solve the mystery of who (or what) is waylaying travelers on the King's Road. All the while, Kvothe searches for answers, attempting to uncover the truth about the mysterious Amyr, the Chandrian, and the death of his parents. In The Wise Man's Fear, Kvothe takes his first steps on the path of the hero and learns how difficult life can be when a man becomes a legend in his own time.
£21.49
Astra Publishing House Rosemary And Rue: An October Daye Novel
October Toby' Daye, a changeling who is half human and half fae, has been an outsider from birth. After being rejected by both sides of her heritage, Toby has denied the Faerie world, retreating to a 'normal' life. Unfortunately for her, the faerie world has other ideas. The murder of Countess Evening Winterrose pulls Toby back into the fae world. Unable to resist Evening's dying curse, which binds her to investigate, Toby must resume her former position as knight errant and renew old alliances.'
£8.62
Astra Publishing House Black Sun Rising
Blending science fiction and fantasy, the first book of the Coldfire Trilogy tells a dark tale of an alien world where nightmares are made manifest.Over a millennium ago, Erna, a seismically active yet beautiful world was settled by colonists from far-distant Earth. But the seemingly habitable planet was fraught with perils no one could have foretold. The colonists found themselves caught in a desperate battle for survival against the fae, a terrifying natural force with the power to prey upon the human mind itself, drawing forth a person's worst nightmare images or most treasured dreams and indiscriminately giving them life.Twelve centuries after fate first stranded the colonists on Erna, mankind has achieved an uneasy stalemate, and human sorcerers manipulate the fae for their own profit, little realizing that demonic forces which feed upon such efforts are rapidly gaining in strength. Now, as the hordes of the dark fae multiply, four people—Priest, Adept, Apprentice, and Sorcerer—are about to be drawn inexorably together for a mission which will force them to confront an evil beyond their imagining, in a conflict which will put not only their own lives but the very fate of humankind in jeopardy.
£17.50
Astra Publishing House Nick and Nack Put on a Puppet Show
Stories + Puzzles = Reading Success! Highlights Puzzle Readers offer an innovative approach to learning that integrates puzzles and stories to develop motivated, confident readers.Nick and his robot pal Nack love to build things. As they make puppets and a stage in this Level 1 Highlights Puzzle Reader, kids can find supplies in Hidden Pictures scenes that double as picture support for the simple story text, which is full of repeated words. With bonus craft directions, Nick and Nack Put on a Puppet Show will appeal to junior makers who are just discovering reading.
£5.81
Astra Publishing House Pangolina
From legendary naturalist Jane Goodall, an absorbing fictional tale that will steal hearts and open minds about the plight of the pangolin, the only mammalian species with scales, and endangered by illegal trafficking.After a blissful babyhood being cared for by her loving mother, Pangolina ventures out alone into the forest to become an independent adult, helped along by wise, older animal companions, including a civet and a bat. But one day cruel hunters trap Pangolina, putting her into a cage along with her friends, and bring them to a market to be sold as wild game. Pangolina is especially vulnerable, since her scales are prized by humans who believe they have curative powers. To the rescue comes a small girl who knows that pangolins are friendly fellow creatures who have feelings too, and who convinces her mother to buy Pangolina and set her free. Jane Goodall's many followers and all animal-loving children and adult picture book fans will be riveted by this suspenseful and heartwarming fictional story set in China and including an authoritative informational page about pangolins and suggestions for how to help fight animal trafficking.
£14.39
Astra Publishing House Sharing
A perfect sharing book for your toddler — with clever cut outs showing how two friends can be happy enjoying things they want together.★ A Kirkus Best Book of 2020★ An ABC Best Books for Young Readers selection★ "Sharing is caring, and this small gem of a board book is a delight to share with little listeners.” —Kirkus Reviews, starred reviewWhen two rabbits want the same carrot, how can they decide who gets it? When two monkeys want the same banana, what are they to do? The answer becomes clear when you turn the die-cut pages to find the answers underneath in this clever concept book from a board book master. This adorable and interactive book is the perfect way for young children to learn the importance of sharing--both the things they crave and the time of others.“Many of us struggle all our lives with this concept. The brilliant Yusuke Yonezu, master board book creator, shows toddlers (and grownups) how it's done.” —Maria Russo, Editorial Director, mineditionUS
£10.99