Search results for ""author weird"

A thrilling selection of weird and wonderful short stories from the pages of Doctor Who Annual. Jon Culshaw, John Leeson, Terry Molloy, Louise Jameson, Dan Starkey and Geoffrey Beevers read seven stories from the legendary Doctor Who Annual of the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. In Justice of the Glacians the First Doctor gets into difficulties in a snowy wilderness. The Second Doctor, Jamie and Victoria fall into the clutches of the Mastermind of Space, whilst the Third Doctor and Sarah go in search of The Time Thief. The Fourth Doctor is taken prisoner with Leela on The Planet of Dust, then joins Romana and K9 for A Midsummer's Nightmare. The Fifth Doctor and Tegan encounter the Master at The Creation of Camelot, and the Sixth Doctor and Peri observe an intriguing Interface in time.Set the co-ordinates for nostalgia with these vintage tales, all featuring atmospheric sound design.

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Izzy and her friends are shocked when they find their lollipop man has disappeared! Maisie thinks he's gone to Rome but if that's true, why do they keep seeing a weird white wispy cloud around the school? And why do Izzy's legs feel cold even though she's got tights on? Could it be that the lollipop man is a phantom and he's come to spook them all?! Laugh-out-loud fun from Blue Peter Award winners Pamela Butchart and Thomas Flintham.Read more of Izzy's adventures! Baby Aliens Got My Teacher The Spy Who Loved School Dinners My Headteacher Is a Vampire Rat To Wee Or Not To Wee! There's a Werewolf in my Tent There's a Yeti in the Playground The Phantom Lollipop Man Icarus Was Ridiculous

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The formative years of Britain’s railway network produced a host of ideas, activities and characters, quite a few of which now seem not only highly unusual, but sometimes little short of ridiculous. Weird schemes and designs, extravagant behaviour, reckless competition and larger-than-life characters all featured in the genuine struggle of the railway system to evolve. While the dawning of regulation and common sense brought about more uniform and responsible practices, factors like the weather and the innate complexity of railway operation continued to produce a stream of nonstandard incidents and outcomes, from wild storms to unusual equipment. This book, by ex-railwaymen Geoff and Ian Body, captures over 150 entertaining snippets, stories, and strange and unusual facts from an ample supply of railway curiosities.

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Hilarious hijinks featuring the characters and story lines of My Hero Academia!The superpowered society of My Hero Academia takes a hilarious turn in this reimagining of the best-selling series! Join Midoriya, All Might and all the aspiring heroes of U.A. High, plus memorable villains, in an irreverent take on the main events of the series, complete with funny gags, ridiculous jokes and superpowered humor!This final volume of the My Hero Academia parody series goes Plus Ultra with its Gag Quirk to explore new horizons of humiliation! If nothing else, you gotta check out Bakugo’s pretty boy makeover. But if he’s not amused, will anyone get the last laugh? Then, the whole cast teams up to create an unforgettable finale for the amusement of one last super-weird yet terrifying villain!

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Motionless now and in absolute silence, she awaited her doom, the moments growing to hours, to years, to ages; and still those devilish eyes maintained their watch. Ambrose Bierce was one of America’s leading writers of the nineteenth century, seen by contemporaries as a successor to Edgar Allan Poe with an authentic grasp of horror based on his experiences fighting for the Union in the American Civil War. Despite his contributions to the genre of supernatural and weird tales, today his name remains unknown to many readers. This new collection presents over thirty of Bierce’s most terrifying and unusual stories, from essential classics such as ‘An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge’ and ‘The Eyes of the Panther’ to the writer’s lesser-known series recounting macabre local legends of haunted houses, mysterious disappearances and chilling encounters with the dead.

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Meet Madgie M. Cappock, also known as Mad Cap, of the Rent-a-Hero agency – no job too big or small. In this, the first book in the Mad Cap series, Madgie and her partner in crime Norbert Soup follow a series of clues to solve a mystery involving a missing butcher, an evil cat and weird old Mrs Mudrick across the road, who seems to have it in for them. On top of all this, Madgie’s mum’s been acting really strangely and – wait, why is Norbert wearing a giant yellow bunny suit? Can the young superheroes figure out what’s going on before it’s too late? Mad Cap forever and beyond!

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From much-loved documentary maker Louis Theroux comes a funny, heartfelt and entertaining account of his life and weird times in TV.The Sunday Times Bestseller.'Honest and soul-searching' - Sunday Express______________In 1994 fledgling journalist Louis Theroux was given a one-off gig on Michael Moore’s TV Nation, presenting a segment on apocalyptic religious sects. Gawky, socially awkward and totally unqualified, his first reaction to this exciting opportunity was panic. But he’d always been drawn to off-beat characters, so maybe his enthusiasm would carry the day. Or, you know, maybe it wouldn’t . . .In Gotta Get Theroux This, Louis takes the reader on a joyous journey from his anxiety-prone childhood to his unexpectedly successful career. Nervously accepting the BBC’s offer of his own series, he went on to create an award-winning documentary style that has seen him immersed in the weird worlds of paranoid US militias and secretive pro-wrestlers, get under the skin of celebrities like Max Clifford and Chris Eubank and tackle gang culture in San Quentin prison, all the time wondering whether the same qualities that make him good at documentaries might also make him bad at life.As Louis woos his beautiful wife Nancy and learns how to be a father, he also dares to take on the powerful Church of Scientology. Just as challenging is the revelation that one of his old subjects, Jimmy Savile, was a secret sexual predator, prompting him to question our understanding of how evil takes place. Filled with wry observation and self-deprecating humour, this is Louis at his most insightful and honest best.______________'Funny, engaging' - Sunday Times'Gripping' - Daily Mail'Absorbing and surprisingly candid' - Telegraph Magazine

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From sweltering sun to a wild snowstorm, wardens Grace and Tom must brave the elements to save the day in this thrilling Griffin Gate adventure from bestseller Vashti Hardy. It’s the height of summer in Moreland, and Grace Griffin and her fellow warden Tom Eely are sweltering in the heat until they answer a strange call for help that comes through on the amazing Griffin map. After teleporting to Oakwell, they find the town paralysed by a freezing snowstorm, which is ruining the famous summer market that brings in visitors and trade. Using their mystery-solving skills and amazing inventions, can Grace and Tom find the cause for the weird weather and restore summer from the snow?

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THE SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER'Explores just about every area of life' DAILY MAIL'If only Adam Rutherford and Hannah Fry were on tap to all of us, all the time . . . The pair have such a gift for making life, numbers and the forces at work in the universe all the richer, stranger, funnier and more marvellous.' Stephen FryIn Rutherford and Fry's comprehensive guidebook, they tell the complete story of the universe and absolutely everything in it - skipping over some of the boring parts.This is a celebration of the weirdness of the cosmos, the strangeness of humans and the fact that amid all the mess, we can somehow make sense of life.Our brains have evolved to tell us all sorts of things that feel intuitively right but just aren't true: the world looks flat, the stars seem fixed in the heavenly firmament, a day is 24 hours... This book is crammed full of tales of how stuff really works. With the power of science, Rutherford and Fry show us how to bypass our monkey-brains, taking us on a journey from the origin of time and space, via planets, galaxies, evolution, the dinosaurs, all the way into our minds, and wrestling with some truly head-scratching questions that only science can answer:What is time, and where does it come from?Why are animals the size and shape they are?How horoscopes work (Spoiler: they don't, but you think they do)Does my dog love me?Why nothing is truly round?Do you need your eyes to see?'A wonderfully engaging blend of wit, enthusiasm, clarity and knowledge.' Bill Bryson'Like the universe itself, this book is multi-faceted, surprising and full of wonders. It's also funny, wise and exceedingly brainy. You really owe it to yourself to read it.' Tim Harford, author of How To Make The World Add Up

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Join the hunt for some weird and wonderful sharks! Make reading your superpower with DK’s beautiful, leveled nonfiction.Use your reading superpowers to learn all about sharks, from the whale shark to one that glows in the dark - a high-quality, fun, nonfiction reader - carefully leveled to help children progress.Little Sharks, Big Sharks is a beautifully designed reader all about fourteen different sharks, and what makes each one unique. Think you know sharks? Read on! The engaging text has been carefully leveled using Lexile so that children are set up to succeed. A motivating introduction to using essential nonfiction reading skills. Children will love to find out about the different sharks in our oceans, and what makes each unique.

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Sometimes I dream about myself and in my dream I m someone else But also, I am me becoming the horse that I want to be. Was it always like this? What if your self portrait was a collection of weird shapes? Have you ever felt like an abstract painting? Do you ever simultaneously wish and worry that the boundaries of your body will melt away and you ll become a magnificent horse? Becoming Horses is a book about squinting hard and looking from the right angle to find that everything around you sparkles just a little and the shapes of things are not firm but fuzzy. The You you know may shift and take form as a beautiful horse, a sunset, or something so special, so huge that you could never describe it.

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Did you know that there are tigers, bulls and even angels in the seas and oceans? That is, there are tiger sharks, bull sharks and angel sharks. There are also whale sharks and cookie-cutter sharks. From the angel shark to the zebra shark by way of the great white shark, hammerhead shark and megamouth shark, A-Z of Sharks presents 26 weird and wonderful marine creatures to be explored. Each shark is illustrated with an outstanding colour artwork, with boxes of text highlighting key features. There is also a guide to the pronunciation of each shark’s name. Whether huge or tiny, deadly or harmless, each shark is explored over one page. From a lemon shark to a nurse shark to a velvet belly lantern shark, A-Z of Sharks is informative fun about some of the most fascinating animals in the ocean.

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Going off to university is always a time of change and growth, but for Esther, Susan, and Daisy, things are about to get a little weird.Their freshman year is finally coming to a close and Daisy, Susan, and Esther say goodbye to Catterick Hall forever. Literally forever. It’s being bulldozed and re-purposed as a luxury dorm next semester. But as one door closes, another opens and between end of semester hookups, music festivals, and moving into their first home together, the life experiences are just getting started. Written by Eisner Award nominee John Allison (Bad Machinery, Scary Go Round) and illustrated by Max Sarin, Giant Days Volume 5 finishes off freshman year in style, collecting issues #17-20 of the Eisner and Harvey Award-nominated series.

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Cheese puffs. Coffee. Sunscreen. Vapes. Hand sanitiser. George Zaidan reveals the weird science behind everyday items that may or may not kill you, depending on whom you ask. If you want easy answers, this book is not for you. But if you’re curious which health studies to trust, what dense scientific jargon really means, and how to make better choices when it comes to food and health – dive right in! Zaidan makes chemistry more fun than potions class as he reveals exactly what science can (and can’t) tell us about the packaged ingredients we buy in the supermarket. He demystifies the ingredients of life and death – and explains how we know whether something is good or bad for you – in exquisite, hilarious detail at breakneck speed.

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When twelve-year-old, UFO-obsessed, Lucy Sladan sneaks out in the middle of a thunderstorm to investigate the unexplained disappearances in her hometown of Sticky Pines, she finds more than she bargained for: a huge hairy creature, a thirteen-year-old stranger named Milo Fisher and a deep-rooted secret. Together, Lucy and Milo become entwined in a mystery that threatens to engulf the whole town of Sticky Pines and its weird and wonderful residents.Sticky Pines: The Bigwoof Conspiracy is the debut novel for children by the talented Dashe Roberts.UFO-obsessed Lucy sneaks out in a thunderstorm to investigate unexplained disappearances, and finds more than she bargained for. First in a funny, fast-paced series aimed at aspiring "Stranger Things" fans. - Bookseller

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Olga, the animal-loving girl scientist returns in a second laugh-out-loud adventure for fans of Tom Gates, Barry Loser and Timmy Failure.Olga’s trip to outer space is postponed when her possibly-alien but definitely-cute pet, Meh, comes down with a case of the Pink-Pox. Meh is acting weird. She won’t eat olives. She sleeps for 12 hours at a time. She’d rather pee on the rug than go for a walk in the park. And she smells bad – REALLY bad –worse than usual! But the vet is a silly human, and Olga does NOT trust humans. Can she solve Meh’s mystery illness herself? Girl power, wacky jokes, kooky science facts and an adorable furry pink alien blob – resist if you can!

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Ten-year-old Rob thought he knew all there was to know about his parents, but suddenly things have changed. Why do Mom and Dad keep warning him not to ask too many questions? Could aliens from another world really have replaced his parents? And what’s happened to Snappy, the family dog? Soon Rob’s writing down all the latest weird developments in a notebook entitled REASONS WHY MY PARENTS ARE ALIENS FROM OUTER SPACE. Can he figure it out before it’s too late? It’s another eerily fun thriller from the inventive mind of R.L. Stine.

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Ride a cock horse to Banbury Cross and listen to the tales of this ancient county. Hear how a King and his knights were turned to stone at the mysterious Rollright Stones; how Dragon Hill got its name; take the Devil's Highway to the End of the World - if you dare; or spend a night on the weird Ot Moor; listen in on the Boar's Head Carol; walk the oldest trackway in Europe in the footsteps of a Neolithic pilgrim; pause to try the Blowing Stone; leave a coin for the enigmatic blacksmith to shoe your horse at Wayland's Smithy; eavesdrop upon the Inklings in the Eagle and Child; and meet that early fabulist, Geoffrey of Monmouth in the city of dreaming spires. This collection will take you on an oral tour across the county - on the way you'll meet gypsies, highwaymen, cavaliers, a prime minister and a devilish mason.

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Exactly 500 years after its first publication by the great Venetian printing house Aldus Manutius, Francesco Colonna's weird, erotic, allegorical antiquarian tale, Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, was translated into English and reprinted in full, together with all of its 174 original - and enchanting - woodcut illustrations. It is one of the most important documents of Renaissance imagination and fantasy, and its woodcuts are a primary source for Renaissance ideas on both buildings and gardens. This translation was first published in 1999 in a large format that exactly matched the original in size, design and typography. This new, smaller paperback edition retains all the text and illustrations and is easy to handle and read. Long prized by bibliophiles, pored over by generations of scholars, this classic book may now gain the wider audience its melancholy genius merits.

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A Waterstones science book of the yearA book of the year for The Times and Sunday TimesNew York Times editor''s choice Winner of the Giles St Aubyn Award for Non-Fiction''The book that might change the world ... This is luxury-class science writing'' TELEGRAPH''One of the best books of any genre that I''ve read in 2023, this superbly-written book ... will fascinate absolutely everyone'' FORBES''A delight. To learn more about phages is to discover fascinating details about a hidden world'' NATURE''Outstanding'' CLIVE MYRIEThe viruses that do us harm are vastly outnumbered by viruses that can actually save lives. These good viruses are called ''phages'', and they are the most abundant life form on Earth.The Good Virus reveals how these weird and wonderful microbes shape our health, support our ecosys

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Our times are not just weird, but literally surreal: we live in a paranoid, increasingly authoritarian culture in which the real, the presumed and the purported are indistinguishable strands of a dense hallucinatory web of mediated spectacles. Surrealpolitik takes up cultural theorist Mark Fisher’s challenge to expose capitalist realism’s 'realism' as nothing of the sort. To subject the symbolic order to a surrealist mode of inquiry is to transgress taboos, reveal biases and inconsistencies, test assumptions and investigate the extent to which the real is, like our dreams - a fungible projection of our unconscious expectations. The nexus of dreams, hyperreality, paranoia, totalitarianism, terror, art, myth and culture is where realpolitik becomes the surrealpolitik of the title.

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Setting off from Ireland, Pete McCarthy takes us on a wonderful journey around the weird and wonderful Irish communities of the world.In his own inimitable style, Pete recounts his adventures and escapades as, in Morocco he meets the head of Clan McCarthy, and then goes on to visit the renowned Irish peoples of New York. He journeys to the southern hemisphere and then back again to the United States before ending up in a small town called McCarthy in Alaska.Will he encounter enough McCarthy's Bars, as he continues to obey the eighth rule of travel: 'never pass a pub with your name on it'? This is a funny, affectionate look at the Irish communties of the world.

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This beautifully illustrated bingo game features 64 species of birds from around the world. Spot all kinds of birds – from the robin to the puffin and the kookaburra to the splendid fairywren – mark them off on your card and bingo! Bird Bingo brings a fun and educational twist to the traditional game as players learn the names and colourings of both their favourite species and weird and wonderful exotic birds. Contains 64 superbly illustrated bird tokens, one board, 12 bingo cards and brightly coloured counters for you to mark up your card, as well as a leaflet containing basic information and a few quirky traits for all of the birds featured.

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This is the first in-depth look at Reginald LeBorg, the quintessential Hollywood contract director, who worked constantly during the 1940s and 50s at such studios as Universal, PRC, and Monogram, making a series of beautiful and resonant films under severe constraints of time and budget. Here, in a book-length interview recorded a year before his death in 1989, LeBorg looks back at all his work—Destiny, Calling Doctor Death, Weird Woman, The Flight That Disappeared, Jungle Woman, Diary of A Madman, San Diego I Love You, and many others, and discusses his impatience with "fans" who don't bother to screen his more interesting non-Gothic films, describes studio life during the 1940s, and gives the reader insights into his personal life. With stills and a thorough filmography.

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Knight Sir Louis, champion knight at Castle Sideways, has been sent on another important mission – he must face the dastardly, double-headed dragon, Borax! And his mission isn't made any easier with the tricksy jester Merry-Jingles trying to steal his thunder. Things are about to get hot, then hotter, then boiling ...Luckily, Louis has great friends who can help - a flying robot horse, Clunkalot, an adventurous boar called Catalogue, and Pearlin, the brilliant wizentor. That's bound to help, right?The second adventure in the hilarious series about Knight Sir Louis, including lots of different storytelling, fabulous comic strip illustrations and lots and lots of jokes!______________‘I love this book SO much! Mr Gum levels of weird and brilliant’ – Jo Nadin

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Flowing between Devon and Cornwall, the beauty of the River Tamar is ever changing. Every turn brings something new; deer, otters, seals, stoats and, in the past, even the occasional dolphin. Rich with trees, flowers and insects, there is something wonderful to be found with every season. Spring brings new growth and colour with bluebells and daffodils. Wildlife flourishes and bees and butterflies appear, along with many other weird and wonderful insects.In the summer everything thrives and then the wonderful shades of autumn cloak the banks of the river. In the winter we see stormy weather, snow flurries and heavy rain. Various industries flourish along the Tamar including boat building, fishing and farming together with many activities such as yacht racing, regattas and fetes. This lavishly illustrated book will appeal to anyone who loves this beautiful waterway.

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Join ten playful pumpkins for Halloween fun in this charming rhyming counting adventure!Ten little pumpkins are brought to life by magic dust on Halloween. Can they make their way past ghosts, ghouls and monsters to the Halloween party?Follow the pumpkins as they screech and squelch their way through a weird and wonderful world, packed with sweet and spooky friends.Read the bouncy rhyming story and count from ten to one and back again, as the little pumpkins disappear then reappear. Spot and count the details on each pages, and join in with the magical read-aloud sounds.Part traditional counting rhyme, part fun-filled story, Ten Little Pumpkins is perfect for sharing.

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In Running, former NCAA Division I track athlete Lindsey A. Freeman presents the feminist and queer handbook of running that she always wanted but could never find. For Freeman, running is full of joy, desire, and indulgence in the pleasure and weirdness of having a body. It allows for a space of freedom—to move and be moved. Through tender storytelling of a lifetime wearing running shoes, Freeman considers injury and recovery, what it means to run as a visibly queer person, and how the release found in running comes from a desire to touch something that cannot be accessed when still. Running invites us to run through life, legging it out the best we can with heart and style.

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Hand-painted in 2020 during the first weeks of quarantine, this bright and vibrant tarot deck for the modern card reader is a connection to the universe and a light for anyone who has ever searched for meaning in the darkness.Commune with the UniverseThe Gentle Thrills Tarot is a tool to connect both outward to the universe and inward to your intuition with its weird, wonderous, and whimsical messages. Rooted in traditional tarot archetypes, this deck offers bold and fresh artwork in saturated color to catch the attention of the modern tarot reader. The simple, beginner-friendly guidebook includes two words for each card meaning—one for uprights and one for reversals—as well as the astrological and elemental correlations.

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The Worst Witch Saves the Day is the fifth adventure in the much-loved Worst Witch series by Jill Murphy, in which lovable but disaster-prone Mildred Hubble is in trouble once again. She is possibly the worst witch ever to go to Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches . . .'What this cat needs is to pull himself together!'Something is up at Miss Cackle's Academy for Witches: Mildred Hubble's new form teacher is really weird. Or is she? Investigating isn't easy, especially when Mildred's potions go wrong, the class know-it-all insists on being 'helpful' and her beloved cat is having a meltdown . . .'A lovely, sparkly book' - Observer

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Anouk Ricard's bold and colourful comics of this quirky, grumpy gang of pals are delightfully weird yet thoroughly reaslistic in their honest and hilarious portrayal of friendship. Anna, Froga, Christopher the worm, Ron the cat, and Babu the dog continue their non-adventures with bickering, needling, cajoling, and honest friendship. No white lie goes unexposed, no small embarrassment goes unrevealed, no secret is kept, everyone's foibles are fodder for jokes. Anna and Froga: Completely Babu collects all five volumes of the acclaimed Anna and Froga series into an accessible paperback. Ricard's virbrant world shines with visual puns and deft animal caricatures, making Anna and Froga enjoyable for kids and their parents alike.

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Winner of the Sunday Times short story prizeWinner of the Edge Hill short story prizeA kiss that just won't happen. A disco at the end of the world. A teenage goth on a terror mission. And OAP kiddie-snatchers, and scouse real-ale enthusiasts, and occult weirdness in the backwoods...Dark Lies the Island is a collection of unpredictable stories about love and cruelty, crimes, desperation, and hope from the man Irvine Welsh has described as 'the most arresting and original writer to emerge from these islands in years'. Every page is shot through with the riotous humour, sympathy and blistering language that mark Kevin Barry as a pure entertainer and a unique teller of tales.

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Lighthouses have been used as aids to maritime navigation for centuries. They are highly recognisable and beloved features of our coastline and waterways, treasured by communities and captivating visitors. But how many are there and is it really possible to visit them all? The British Lighthouse Trail is the only book of its kind to provide a comprehensive listing of all lighthouses in Scotland, England, Wales, Northern Ireland, the Isle of Man and Channel Islands accompanied by practical advice on how to reach them. The author, an avid pharologist, set off on a quest in 2012 to visit all lighthouses around the British coastline only to find that there were many more lighthouses to be discovered. This comprehensive book is the result of further extensive research and significant travel. Over 600 lighthouses are featured - from the perilous beauty of Shetland's Muckle Flugga Lighthouse to the elegant serenity of Jersey's Corbiere Lighthouse. Complete with helpful maps highlighting the location of every lighthouse in each region and colour photography of a broad selection of our nation's most weird and wonderful aids to navigation throughout, this book is an indispensable guide to visiting and seeing some of our nation's most majestic, historical and isolated buildings. Each listing features a description of the structure, its light characteristic as well as any notable designers. Access information offers the best ways to reach or see each lighthouse, and whether it is possible to explore inside the tower. Nearby or related places of interest, such as other notable aids to navigation and relocated lighthouse optics, are also included. Experience the secluded joy of visiting tidal islands, watch waves lapping against some of the most remote rock structures, and feel the magic of walking in the footsteps of the lighthouse keepers inside the towers. This book will guide you on countless journeys never to be forgotten.

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It's Sapiens for teenagers.' The TimesLIFE IS WEIRD.Nothing gives you a sense of perspective like finding out just how weird.I'm an extremely curious chap and with this book I wanted to share the content of my noggin, because I think these are the 147 things that have helped me through this thing we call life. Sometimes because it shows how lucky we are to be here at all, but often because I’m a moron and learned whatever lesson it taught me the hard way, and I’d like to save you the pain of making the same mistakes (I refer here to the waxing of my pubic hair).Ever wondered if first times are over-rated (hint: they are), whether you’ll ever find the one (hint: there are 7 billion of us) or pondered the sheer unlikelihood of the you who is you being in the world right now? If so, then YouTube superstar and fact-obsessed, over-sharer Jim Chapman is here to explain it all – whether it’s why your heart actually aches after a break-up, what’s happening when you get hangry, or why people are just so plain RUDE online.Along the way, we’ll find out how much fun he has when Tanya’s sleep-talking and why he looked like a gangly T-rex with wonky teeth when he was a teenager. As with his videos, no subject is off-limits, as Jim lifts the lid on his life and his relationships, sharing embarrassing stories and things he’s learnt along the way (trust us, the thing about kangaroos will really freak you out).

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'A wonderful blend of nostalgia, hilarity and personal anecdotes that only Josh Widdicombe could deliver' James Acaster'If you read only one book by Josh Widdicombe this year, make it this one' Jack Dee'Beautifully written, cleverly crafted and charmingly funny' Adam Hills'This is a book about growing up in the '90s told through the thing that mattered most to me, the television programmes I watched. For my generation television was the one thing that united everyone. There were kids at my school who liked bands, kids who liked football and one weird kid who liked the French sport of petanque, however, we all loved Gladiators, Neighbours and Pebble Mill with Alan Titchmarsh (possibly not the third of these).'In his first memoir, Josh Widdicombe tells the story of a strange rural childhood, the kind of childhood he only realised was weird when he left home and started telling people about it. From only having four people in his year at school, to living in a family home where they didn't just not bother to lock the front door, they didn't even have a key.Using a different television show of the time as its starting point for each chapter Watching Neighbours Twice a Day... is part-childhood memoir, part-comic history of '90s television and culture. It will discuss everything from the BBC convincing him that Michael Parkinson had been possessed by a ghost, to Josh's belief that Mr Blobby is one of the great comic characters, to what it's like being the only vegetarian child west of Bristol.It tells the story of the end of an era, the last time when watching television was a shared experience for the family and the nation, before the internet meant everyone watched different things at different times on different devices, headphones on to make absolutely sure no one else could watch it with them.

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Two classic Roald Dahl stories brought to life as audiobook readings by House star Hugh Laurie, and Sir Quentin Blake.The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me, read by Hugh LaurieBilly dreams of turning a weird old wooden house into a wonderful sweet-shop.But a giraffe, a pelly and a monkey already live inside!Soon they are friends, and when they meet the richest man in England, Billy's scrumptious-galumptious dream just might come true . . .Esio Trot, read by Quentin BlakeMr Hoppy loves Mrs Silver.Mrs Silver loves Alfie the tortoise.Sometimes Mr Hoppy wishes he could become a tortoise.Until one day he finds a way to win Mrs Silver's heart, with the help of some magic, and some cabbage . . .

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What if the key to saving the future lay in a technology that makes love visible—even after death? Lexa Andromeda is just a normal twelve-year-old girl, until the day her dog dies. She's at a loss—until she discovers pranking. It's fun, it's easy, and it gives her something to do while she mourns. But when one prank goes too far, Lexa finds herself sent to Thistleton Academy—a prestigious boarding school for "Highly Creatives" like her. And that's when things start getting weird. Lexa soon discovers a sinister plot that could lead to a mass extinction event. Join Lexa, her friends, and a mysterious time traveler as they navigate the dangerous halls of Thistleton and work to reveal the truth and save the world before it's too late.

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Vananka Darmont’s life has sucked since his Indian father stuck him with such a weird name before disappearing. When he comes home from his soul-draining job to find his mother dead from an overdose, he decides to abandon the $31k in debt she left him to find a new life in Mexico. But trouble follows him like a shadow, and he soon finds himself wrapped up in a world of drug smugglers, white supremacists, and federal agents. In the middle of all that, however, is perhaps the one good thing ever introduced to his life: Leila. And when she’s kidnapped, rescuing her becomes his single purpose. A psychedelic mix of BREAKING BAD, DESPERADO, and a just whisper of APOCALYPSE NOW.

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Affirming Bedtime Stories for Kids (Ages 3-6)"Through guided illustrations, author Kate Allan opens the door to discussion about mental health in an approachable and unassuming manner" —Sydney Weiss, Seek the Joy PodcastPacked with positive affirmations for kids, Kate Allan’s lovingly encouraging children's book, I Like You, is designed to foster a good night's sleep for children.Use affirmations to give your kids a good night’s rest. I Like You is an awesome book full of magic. This delightful and sweet book garners smiles, giggles, and many a hug in this one-of-a-kind bedtime read. Let your child know you love them through all of life’s highs and lows. I Like You strengthens the bonds between parent and child along with self-esteem boosting reminders of acceptance and love through all the ups and downs of life.Allan's trademark art adds whimsy and fun to every page. Kate Allan has brought comfort and calm to many grownups with unique colorful illustrations and inspired affirmations in her bestselling You Can Do All Things; It’s Your Weirdness that Makes You Wonderful; You're Smart, Strong and You Got This; and Thera-pets. Now fans of Kate Allan, you can give the gift of love to your children through creative bedtime stories for kids. I Like You is the perfect jumpstart for a life full of love and understanding.I Like You offers you and your child: A way to express unconditional love with wonderfully positive affirmations for kids A nightly bonding ritual through bedtime stories for kids Building blocks to help develop self-esteem If you and your kids enjoyed reading books like Helga Makes a Name for Herself, The World Needs Who You Were Made to Be, and Hey Girl! A Unicorn Coloring Book for Girls, then you’ll love I Like You.

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Just how humdrum is 10-year-old Aldo Zelnick's life right now? So humdrum that he sets out to measure which January day will be the most boring. So humdrum that Jack and Bee succeed in getting him to try some weird hobbies. So humdrum that his recurring Hawaiian dream has become way more enticing than real life. So humdrum that even unathletic Aldo agrees to downhill ski with his superjock brother, Timothy -- and finds that hotdogging it on the slopes can be hazardous to your health. The humorous plot and lively drawings in this book will captivate enthusiastic and reluctant readers alike. This eighth installment in an A-to-Z alphabet series also includes a glossary of fun and challenging "H words," such as harbinger, hyperbole, and hogwash.

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Petunia the platypus heads to her first party since arriving from Australia. She has the present, a party hat, and a pavlova, but it's a costume party and she doesn't have a costume! Everyone asks what she's supposed to be: 'Are you a duck?' 'Do you have webbed feet?' 'Can you lay eggs?' Even without a costume, Petunia stands out, and all of the other party guests give her a full-on identity crisis! Will she, with her weird quirks, ever fit in? For anyone who has ever felt out of place - from moving to a new country to moving to a new school - Quacks Like a Duck is a charming tale of acceptance and individuality that will have you laughing and embracing your own quirks and differences with pride.

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Big Cat for Little Wandle Fluency has been developed in collaboration with Wandle Learning Trust and Little Sutton Primary School. It consists of a range of chapter books with increasing word counts across 10 fluency levels aimed at children in Year 2 and 3. Each book builds reading confidence, stamina and speed and nurtures a love for reading. Fluency 3 books have a word count of 3840 words with an expected reading rate of 80 words per minute. Have you ever felt like running down a hill after a rolling wheel of cheese? Or swimming as fast as you can down a muddy bog? Learn about the world's most weird and wonderful competitions. Who knows, you might find your new favourite sport!

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Available for the first time in trade paperback, the first of five volumes collecting the complete fiction of William Hope Hodgson, an influential early twentieth-century author of science fiction, horror, and the fantastic.William Hope Hodgson was, like his contemporaries Algernon Blackwood and Arthur Machen, one of the most important, prolific, and influential fantasists of the early twentieth century. His dark and unsettling short stories and novels were shaped in large part by personal experience (a professional merchant mariner for much of his life, many of Hodgson’s tales are set at sea), and his work evokes a disturbing sense of the amorphous and horrific unknown.While his nautical adventure fiction was very popular during his lifetime, the supernatural and cosmic horror he is most remembered for only became well known after his death, mainly due to the efforts of writers like H. P. Lovecraft and Clark Ashton Smith, who often praised his work and cited it as an influence on their own. By the later half of the twentieth century, it was only his weird fiction that remained in print, and his vast catalog of non-supernatural stories was extremely hard to find.Night Shade Books’s five-volume series presents all of Hodgson’s unique and timeless fiction. Each volume contains one of Hodgson's novels, along with a selection of thematically-linked short fiction, including a number of works reprinted for the first time since their original publication. The first of the five-volume set, The Boats of the "Glen Carrig" and Other Nautical Adventures, collects all of Hodgson’s series nautical fiction, including the Sargasso Sea Story cycle.The Complete Fiction of William Hope Hodgson is published by Night Shade Books in the following volumes:The Boats of the “Glen Carrig” and Other Nautical AdventuresThe House on the Borderland and Other Mysterious PlacesThe Ghost Pirates and Other Revenants of the SeaThe Night Land and Other RomancesThe Dream of X and Other Fantastic Visions

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'Immensely, cheerily silly' Guardian Dog lost in space? Grown an extra head and don't know why? Pocket money stolen by a green blob? You need the Space Detectives! Connor and Ethan are spending their summer holidays aboard the world's first orbiting city, Starville (basically Beverley Hills in space!). The amazing space station is bursting with celebrities and the mega-rich. But Connor and Ethan are too busy selling ice cream to see the sights. However, neither of our heroes can resist a mystery and when they discover the space station is hurtling on a collision course with the moon (eep!) they know they need to step in. This is a case for the SPACE DETECTIVES! Can Connor and Ethan find the culprit and save Starville from its impending doom? LOOK OUT FOR SPACE DETECTIVES: EXTRA WEIRD CREATURES

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'Had me giggling all the way through . . . I loved it!' Jasbinder Bilan'Action-packed and bursting with fun' Sinéad O'HartWelcome to Little Snoddington, where nothing is normal and every day is magic . . .Nine-year-old Alfie Blackstack's parents have met a very unfortunate end. Now he's living in the SUPER CREEPY Switherbroom Hall with his mad-haired Aunt Gertie and warty Aunt Zita. The thing is, Alfie's aunts aren't just weird - they're WITCHES!When the circus arrives in town Alfie makes his first ever friend, the FEARLESS Calypso Fagan. But when Calypso's little sister Nova disappears, they must face the TERRIFYING Head Witch in a race to find Nova and stop the next Witch War.

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The diary of a woman longing for community in a crowded downtown in pandemic times, when casual intimacies are forbidden.The novelist Rebecca Rosenblum lives in St. James Town, Toronto — the most densely populated square kilometre in all of Canada. When the Covid-19 pandemic and ensuing lockdowns arrive, she’s cut off from colleagues, friends, and family, and not allowed to go near neighbours. As the world constricts, Rebecca keeps a weird and worried diary online — a love letter both to the outside world that she misses so desperately, and the little world inside St. James Town that she can see from home. As Rebecca watches and wonders from inside her box in the sky, her diary entries mix an account of a tough time in a tough place with joyful goofiness and moments of unexpected compassion.

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An offbeat guided tour of the Universe, focusing on weird and wonderful facts.Astrophysicist Dr Jillian Scudder knows more than most of us what a surreal place the Universe can be. In this light-hearted book she delves into some of the more arcane facts that her work has revealed, and tells us how we have actually managed to discover these amazing truths.Did you know: the galaxy is flatter than a credit card; supermassive black holes can sing a super-low B flat; it rains iron on a brown dwarf, and diamonds on Neptune; you could grow turnips on Mars if its soil weren't full of rocket fuel; the Universe is beige, on average; Jupiter's magnetic field will short-circuit your spacecraft - and, of course, the Milky Way smells of rum and raspberries.

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You’ve just passed someone on the street who could be the love of your life, the person you’re destined for – what do you do? In Murakami’s world, you tell them a story. The five weird and wonderful tales collected here each unlock the many-tongued language of desire, whether it takes the form of hunger, lust, sudden infatuation or the secret longings of the heart.Selected from Haruki’s Murakami’s short story collections The Elephant Vanishes, Blind Willow Sleeping Woman, Men Without WomenVINTAGE MINIS: GREAT MINDS. BIG IDEAS. LITTLE BOOKS.A series of short books by the world’s greatest writers on the experiences that make us human Also in the Vintage Minis series: Love by Jeanette WintersonPsychedelics by Aldous HuxleyEating by Nigella LawsonSummer by Laurie Lee

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