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It is midnight in Crackledawn – a midnight full of magic. Sea dragons stir in the depths of the ocean, silver whales surface beneath the moon and sand goblins line the shores. Everyone is waiting for the phoenix, the guardian of the kingdom’s magic, to rise up from the forests of Everdark.But there is no sign of the phoenix tonight. Something else surges up out of Everdark instead: a harpy bent on stealing Crackledawn’s magic.It is up to an eleven-year-old girl called Smudge and an eccentric monkey called Bartholomew to set sail beyond the legendary Northswirl and stop the harpy before it’s too late.So, grab your compass and roll down your sail – the first adventure in THE UNMAPPED CHRONICLES is about to begin...
Following up the excellent A Year Full of Stories, Angela McAllister has travelled the world again to collect together wonderful folktales, this time with an animal theme. There are tales of tigers, pandas and jackals, of buffalos, bears and coyotes, as well as cheetahs, warthogs and ostriches, all of them told in the direct, robust prose of the best storytellers. Great for reading on your own and just the right length for bedtime, each story will capture the reader’s or listener’s imagination, and quite often leave them with something to think about too. Aitch’s watercolour illustrations highlight the stories’ individuality, but give them a universal feel too and it’s as lovely to look at as it is to read.
The world we live in is truly amazing, and across its continents, oceans and skies are all kinds of fabulous places and astounding sights. Almost 100 of them are described in the bright, information-filled pages of this book. Natural wonders featured include the Namib Desert, Mount Thor and the Sundarbans mangrove forest as well as Black Holes, ball lightening and hurricanes. They’re all brought to life through photographs, key facts and figures, attractively presented, and all graded for awesomeness. So too are the human creations listed, which include the Colosseum, the Millau Viaduct and Voyager 1. Perfect for dipping into and full of information they’ll rush to share, this will fascinate kids, and should inspire them too. ~ Andrea Reece
Merfolk of the World | We are all fascinated by mermaids – whether it’s the story of The Little Mermaid, or the idea of mysterious creatures luring sailors into danger. This beautifully illustrated book introduces readers to mermaids from all around the world – not just the UK and Europe but across the Americas, Australia and Asia too; it seems that people everywhere have always been entranced by the idea of human creatures living in the sea or deep lakes. Many of these mermaids are beautiful, some are helpful and kind, others anything but. The stories will catch the imagination, and this is a book to pore over and return to again and again.
Scottish islands have provided the background for some great adventures recently, from Geraldine McCaughrean's Carnegie winner Where the World Ends to Julia Green's To the Edge of the World and Kerr Thomson's The Sound of Whales. Barbara Henderson takes readers to just such a remote island and stages a tense and exciting confrontation between humanity - represented by the narrator, Em, her family and others involved in the creation of a new luxury hotel - and nature, represented by the island's furred and feathered inhabitants. There's a very good sense of the wild and scary power of the natural world, and it puts human behaviour in the spotlight too. Em is a strong central character, a good companion for readers throughout her intriguing, often scary adventure.
This comic picture book cleverly demonstrates the dangers of being swayed by popular opinion. New boy Peter is quickly branded the baddest boy in school and it does indeed seem that he’s given to doing naughty things. So when the school’s pet rat goes missing from his cage, everyone assumes Peter is responsible. Only one person knows the truth, and that Peter’s bad behaviour is not what it seems either. The book explores the dynamics of any classroom while also showing us that strange or different doesn’t equal bad and that categorising people on assumptions is never a good idea. Peter is a very charming little character, with his cape, fangs and lacy collar, and the story is beautifully told by its mystery narrator. Original, memorable, and lots of fun.
Read the original Nancy Drew mystery! The Secret of the Old Clock is the mystery that began it all for America's favorite teenaged slueth. The accidental rescue of a little girl who lives with her two great-aunts leads to an adventurous search for a missing will.
This lovely picture book tells a folktale from China and captures too the pleasures of a family gathering, and the importance of spending time together. Its little girl narrator is excited – it’s the night of the mid-Autumn Festival feast and her grandparents are coming round to celebrate. Her favourite part of the meal are the special mooncakes, ‘as small as my hand and as round as the moon’. They are decorated with the image of a beautiful lady and her grandmother tells them the story of Chang’e, the Lady in the Moon. It is a tale of courage, love and self-sacrifice, one to light up an autumn evening. As the book concludes, the little girl knows exactly what wish she will make for the coming year: like the lady in the moon, she wishes to be kind of heart and wise of mind. The story will be new to most readers in this country and, with a message of thanksgiving and unity and its insight into another culture, is a great one to share as we enjoy the autumn. There’s even a recipe for the delicious sounding mooncakes too.
Howl with laughter and squeal with delight at this monstrously exciting new picture book from number one bestselling author David Walliams, illustrated by the awesome Adam Stower! Howler is a SMALL werewolf with a BIG problem. He is just not SCARY! And that makes him the odd one out at Monster School... But when Howler finds some new friends, he discovers that being the ODD one out might just make him the COOLEST one of all... This hilarious new picture book is full of squeal appeal and has giggles on every page.
If vampire fever is driving you mad in your house and you've got children who are too young to read Stephenie Meyer's series or the huge array of Twilight look-alikes then perhaps this is the book for them? What do you know about vampires? Do you want to know more? Do vampires really drink blood? Can they ever appear in daylight? This book will attempt to address and answer some of the questions surrounding these dark, mythical creatures. Not only will you learn the truth behind the myths, you will find out about vampires around the world and how to distinguish between real-life stories and literary legends. As well as important facts, this book also includes practical advice on both identifying and avoiding these dangerous beings. Read about what to do if the worst happens and you find yourself face to face with a blood-sucking fiend!
The thrilling images and digestible text provide the perfect introduction to the lively world of Greek mythology and a beautiful display reference for the whole family. Prepare to be amazed as you uncover the epic, heroic and sometimes terrible lives of mortals, monsters and gods.
Dragonology was the start of the worldwide Ology phenomenon and has spawned many a book both about dragons but also pirates, Egypt, wizards, mythology and now monsters. Why not take a look at other dragonology titles such as Dragon's Eye, Tracking and Taming Dragons, Working with Dragons, Field Guide To Dragons? Also available in the 'Ology' series are Pirateology, Monsterology, Wizardology, Egyptology and Mythology.
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