"This authorised celebration of Eva Ibbotson's life and work is a unique and moving literary biography, filled with fascinating ephemera.
'In Sweden,' she said, rising to stand beside him and speaking very seriously, 'they have a word for a place like this. It's called a "smultronställe". A "wild strawberry place". A place like that is special, it's the most special place there is . . . A place where life is an epiphany. (Eva Ibbotson, Magic Flutes)
For bestselling author and Eva Ibbotson fan Laura Wood, every one of Eva's novel is a wild strawberry place - now, whether you're already a fan or discovering her for the first time, Laura invites you to find joy and wonder in the life and work of a beloved author.
Eva Ibbotson's classic novels, filled with warmth, wit and a yearning for a place to belong, have captivated generations of readers. Follow the fascinating journey of a life that spanned Europe in its turbulent mid-twentieth century and inspired unforgettable characters and landscapes.
Drawing on previously unseen material from the family's private archive, and interviews with Eva's family and friends, we discover the connections between her personal experiences and the enduring themes of some of her best-loved novels: the search for home, the power of storytelling and the triumph of humour and compassion. A short collection of rediscovered, out-of-print ephemera and a charming Eva Ibbotson short story completes this inventive biography, a treasure trove for book lovers everywhere."
"Told in diary entries, this is the gripping, heartbreaking, and hilarious story of an 11-year-old girl growing up in a 19th-century shtetl who is certain her name will one day be known far and wide.
If she had her wish, soon-to-be twelve-year-old Bunke would spend her days studying the Talmud and grow up to be a scholar-or perhaps a rabbi. But since she has the great misfortune of being born a girl, Bunke's life mainly consists of caring for her younger siblings, helping her mother on market day, and tackling a seemingly never-ending litany of chores.
When young, unmarried boys begin disappearing from her shtetl, kidnapped and placed in the Tsar's army, Bunke fears for her brothers, but not for herself. For once, she thinks, being a girl has some benefit... Until, she is woken in the middle of the night and forced, by her parents, to marry a boy she hardly knows.
As Bunke adjusts to married life, she discovers an unlikely friend in her new husband, who agrees to secretly teach her Hebrew and even introduces her to forbidden secular texts. She chronicles all this and more in her beloved diary and, in doing so, gains a new understanding of her place in the world as both a girl and a Jew-and how deeply both of those identities limit and create her."
"After an online incident forces a student to leave their school, four students team up and start posting fake rumors as an experiment to show everyone the dangers of online gossip in this high stakes and heartfelt story from highly acclaimed author Barbara Dee.
How far is too far?
Between her best friend ditching her and her parents taking away her phone, Winnie’s year is off to a rough start. But eighth grade gets even more complicated when she’s named on the Not Hot list by an anonymous online account.
Gia’s on the Hot list, but she’d rather not be. There’s already enough chatter about her online―how she thinks she’s smarter and better than everyone else, and lately, that she’s secretly dating Mateo.
Mateo isn’t dating Gia, but he’s had a crush on her for over a year now. But kids online are saying they have nothing in common, and he doesn’t want to make her uncomfortable.
Mateo’s best friend Levi doesn’t mind that he’s not the one in the spotlight. He’s got enough going on at home.
And when an anonymous post takes things too far, these four very different kids team up to start their own experiment, posting fake gossip on social media to show what can happen when online rumors get out of control, in this high stakes and heartfelt story from highly acclaimed author Barbara Dee."
"Aku, space traveler of the metaverse, is BACK and ready to blast off in book two of this action-packed sci-fi series, where he and his friends must travel to a fiery planet to recover a gem of untold power, lest it fall into the wrong hands. Starring the 3D character featured on TIME Magazine!
After saving the planet Ibra from a ruthless space militia, Aku is ready for a break. But when his grandfather announces an urgent mission to the fiery, lava-filled planet Pyra, Aku and his friends end up on their most dangerous mission yet.
What awaits them is a world forged in lava and legend. Here, ancient beings guard the GEM: a radiant core said to control the light of the universe. To claim the GEM, Aku's crew must survive three deadly trials-racing through molten mazes, battling in a gravity-defying magmaball arena, and descending into the planet's core itself-before Aku comes face-to-face with his greatest enemy…and the truth about his family's past.
Filled with humor and high-octane twists, this is a cosmic coming-of-age story about courage, legacy, and the value of finding your winning team."
"Inspire your children to reach for gold with simple, engaging stories about the world's most incredible athletes, to listen to at home or on the go.
These sportspeople started out as amateurs, but each had a dream of becoming the best, and with perseverance and passion broke records and barriers. Their journeys from young children to celebrated athletes are now available in audio format, including:
- Lewis Hamilton, a Formula One champion who has raced with Ferrari, Mercedes and McLaren.
- Leo Messi, a World Cup-winning footballer who is often praised as 'The Greatest of All Time'.
- Billie Jean King, a groundbreaking tennis player who won 39 Grand Slam titles.
- Michael Jordan, a legendary basketball player who played 15 seasons in the NBA.
- Usain Bolt, an extraordinary sprinter who won his first championship aged just 15.
- Simone Biles, an Olympic-gold-medal winning gymnast with multiple moves named after her.
Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats.
This audiobook is ideal for any young athletes curious about a sports career or simply just learning about their favourite icons. Listen at home or learn something new in the car or on holiday. An uplifting tape that will be replayed again and again. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!"
"Inspire little ones to follow their dreams with simple, engaging stories about the most impactful women, to listen to at home or on the go.
With determination and unique ideas, these bold and talented women changed the world forever. Their journeys from young children to celebrated figures are now available in audio format, including:
- Jane Austen, the groundbreaking novelist who portrayed women bravely making their own choices.
- Malala Yousafzai, the youngest person ever to win a Nobel Peace Prize.
- Vivienne Westwood, the designer who revolutionized the fashion world.
- Beyoncé, the superstar singer with most Grammy-nominations in history.
- Queen Elizabeth, the longest-reigning monarch of modern times.
- Emmeline Pankhurst, the activist who championed the right of women to vote.
Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. This audiobook is ideal for any young girl curious about women's accomplishments or simply just learning about their favorite celebrity. Listen at home or learn something new in the car or on holiday. An uplifting tape that will be replayed again and again. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!"
"Get ready to blast back to the past and learn all about the Civil Rights Movement!
When people think about the Civil Rights Movement, things like segregation and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech may come to mind. But what was the movement all about, and what social changes did it bring? This engaging nonfiction book, complete with black-and-white interior illustrations, will make readers feel like they've traveled back in time. It covers everything from Jim Crow laws and protests to major milestones like Brown v. Board of Education and the Civil Rights Act, and more. Find out interesting, little-known facts such as how Rosa Parks was not the first person of color to refuse to give up her seat on a bus and how most of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s 'I Have a Dream' speech was actually improvised. The unique details along with the clever and humorous interior illustrations make this series stand out from the competition."
