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Taken from an original story by E.A Wyke-Smith, published in 1927 and acknowledged by Tolkein as an inspiration for The Hobbit, which has been brought back to life, with the agreement of the author’s family, by a writer who has already demonstrated her storytelling skill with her previous books - The Extincts and The Halloweeds. The glorious cover and internal line drawings by Melissa Castrillón are just perfect for this perfectly whimsical and imaginative tale. We have two feisty characters, Pip and Flora, who run away from the Sunny Bay Home for Superfluous and Accidentally Parentless Children, ostensibly in pursuit of their newly acquired puppy, but really in search of adventure- which they find in bucketloads as they dive through a gap in a yew tree into another world! A world where they meet the eponymous Snergs - the creatures who are so hobbitlike in their physique and their obsession for communal feasting. They did not realise they already knew a Snerg - the delightfully comic and more than slightly gormless Gorbo who had just been sacked from Sunny Bay. He becomes their guide to the world, as they come up against the Snerg’s arch enemies, the Kelps, and witches, ogres, cinnamon bears and all sorts of monstrous vegetation. Told with great verve and wit, this would make an excellent read-aloud. The adventure is fast paced and with just the right amount of peril and mystery and a very satisfying resolution. The characters grow and develop and the hapless Gorbo actually saves the day and brings harmony to both the worlds. This could make a fascinating book to read alongside The Hobbit and is a real delight in its own right.
First published in 1975, this extraordinary story of the friendship between the gentle Tuck family and ten-year-old Winnie feels older than its years, but also of our age, in the magical way true classics do. The story is enthrallingly set-up by juxtaposing three apparently unconnected happenings during the “strange and breathless days” of a hot August. As the Prologue states, and as things turn out, “things can come together in strange ways.” Dissatisfied at home, Winnie longs to do “something that would make some kind of difference in the world.” Certain this will never happen “if I stay in here like this,” she explores her family’s wood and chances upon a “glorious” boy who stops Winnie in her tracks, and warns her against drinking from a spring. Winnie meets the boy’s family - the Tucks - and discovers a “big, dangerous secret” that must ever be revealed if their way of life is to be preserved, if the equilibrium of humanity is to be maintained, for the spring seems to have granted the Tucks everlasting life. In their company, in their warm-hearted, higgledy-piggledy home, Winnie “discovered the wings she’d always wished she had”. For their part, the Tucks say she’s the best thing that’s happened to them in “at least eighty years.” Then, when a yellow-suited stranger seeks to disrupt the Tuck’s lives, Winnie bravely leaps on her opportunity to make a difference. Dazzlingly written (how about this for a description of sunset? “The sun was dropping fast now, a soft, red sliding egg yolk”), this is a wondrously wise story. Take Tuck’s remarks about the nature of life and death: “You can’t have living without dying. So you can’t call it living, what we got. We just are, we just be, like rocks beside the road.” With a bittersweet ending that brings tears to the eyes and warmth to the soul, I couldn’t love this book more. It’s that rare kind of tale that speaks of all things, to all ages.
The second in Philip Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy. His ‘Dark Materials’, is the story of Lyra, a young girl with an exceptional destiny. Brought up in Jordan College, Oxford Lyra uncovers a secret about her mysterious guardian which leads to some dangerous questioning. It also marks the beginning of Lyra’s search for her friend Roger, a search that takes her to the ice kingdoms of the North where armoured bears rule. Lyra’s courage and stubborn determination lead her on this mission of incredible danger in this brilliant and imaginative story. It’s completely original and totally spellbinding; a true classic that will stand the test of time much in the way Tolkien’s famous work has done.
This exciting non-fiction picture book introduces young readers to the fascinating (and cutting-edge) world of nanotechnology. Everything is made from something - but the way we make things, from the materials we use to the science and technology involved, is changing fast. Nano offers a fascinating narrative introduction to this cutting-edge area of STEM, better known by the name nanotechnology . With words by Dr Jess Wade - a highly skilled physicist and trailblazing campaigner for diversity in STEM fields - and beautiful, dynamic pictures by award-winning artist Melissa Castrillon, this is the perfect book for budding young scientists and engineers.
If you met a dragon, could you keep it secret? One day in the forest, Winnie discovers the last dragon in the whole world. His fabulous friends, the gryphon, the winged lion and the tree-man, are the last of their kind, too. They'll be in danger if grown-ups discover them. But can Winnie really keep them secret? With its brave, resourceful heroine and magical endangered animals, this exquisite picture book is a perfect story for our time.
If you met a dragon, could you keep it secret? One day in the forest, Winnie discovers the last dragon in the whole world. His fabulous friends, the gryphon, the winged lion and the tree-man, are the last of their kind, too. They'll be in danger if grown-ups discover them. But can Winnie really keep them secret? With its brave, resourceful heroine and magical endangered animals, this exquisite picture book is a perfect story for our time.
Castrillon offers riotous sprouting life through soft forms, stylized shapes, and bright colors. -Publishers Weekly Elegant...A charmingly verdant tale in classic style. -Kirkus Reviews Lovely...delightful. -School Library Journal From internationally acclaimed illustrator Melissa Castrillon comes a magical story of how a girl's garden in her new home changes her life and the lives of people all around her. When a little girl moves from her home to an apartment in the city, she takes her pretty plants with her and one by one they grow and bloom and change both her world and the world all around her as she makes a new friend. When your heart is open, the world is full of possibilities.
Deep in the garden, one very tiny girl is about to go on a huge adventure. Step inside Min's magical miniature world, and discover that you're never too small to be mighty! Min dreams of being as brave and adventurous as her equally tiny aunts, but she's sure that will never happen. Then one night, an owl whisks her away on an extraordinary adventure, and Min discovers how brave and resourceful she really is. Melissa Castrill n's first picture book as author/illustrator is an exquisitely illustrated adventure with a bold, empowering message.
A child and his beloved best friend go on a grand sea adventure in this magical picture book by the author and artist who created If I Had a Little Dream. You just never know what a new day will hold if you are brave enough to find out. On one quiet afternoon, a boy and his special friend's unexpected adventure bring joy and excitement and sights never imagined. And the best part of any adventure is returning home with stories to tell and you best friend at your side.
Did you know that humpback whales are some of the furthest travelling mammals in the world? Or that Arctic terns fly from the Arctic to Antarctica and back again? In Melissa Castrillon's wonderfully illustrated Animazes, young readers can follow these incredible journeys through twisting, turning mazes. They can find a safe path for the wildebeest and trace a rockhopper penguin's trail up the slippery cliffs. An interactive, informative title for all ages.
Nina Laden's lyrical picture book sees and appreciates through a child's eyes how fortunate we are to live in the world we do. Celebrate the wonder of the world in this reassuring picture book about the joy, love, and beauty that is part of each and every day. Our world is full of possibilities if you look for them.
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