Saturday 28 January 2012

Three Tales of My Father's Dragon

Three Tales of My Father's Dragon

Three Tales of My Father's Dragon

by Ruth Stiles Gannett

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Book Description
The classic fantasy trilogy of Elmer Elevator and the flying baby dragon has delighted children and their parents for generations. Now, on the occasion of their fiftieth anniversary, Random House is proud to bring the three timeless tales together in one beautiful commemorative edition, complete with the original delightful illustrations. A Newbery Honor Book and an ALA Notable Book, My Father's Dragon is followed by Elmer and the Dragon ("rich, humorous, and thoroughly satisfying"*) and The Dragons of Blueland ("ingenious and plausible, the fantasy well-sustained"*). Each story stands alone, but read in succession, they are an unforgettable experience.

About the Author
Ruth Stiles Gannett wrote My Father's Dragon just a few years after her graduation from Vassar College in 1944. She lives in Upstate New York.Ruth Chrisman Gannett was already a well-established illustrator when she began collaboration with her stepdaughter on My Father's Dragon.

Thursday 12 January 2012

Magic Tree House #48: A Perfect Time for Pandas

Magic Tree House #48: A Perfect Time for Pandas

Magic Tree House #48: A Perfect Time for Pandas

by Mary Pope Osborne, Sal Murdocca

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Book Description
Jack and Annie are ready for their next adventure in the New York Times bestselling middle-grade series—the Magic Tree House!

Time-traveling brother-and-sister team Jack and Annie have to find a certain kind of food—the fourth thing needed to save Merlin’s beloved penguin, Penny. The magic tree house whisks them off to a village in the mountains of southeast China, close to a world-famous panda reserve. Will it be their easiest adventure yet? Not a chance! Jack and Annie don't know it, but they’ve arrived on the day of a historic earthquake!

How will Jack and Annie survive when the giant quake strikes? Will they be able to rescue the pandas? And how will they ever get back to the tree house so that they can fulfill their quest to save Penny as well?

Mary Pope Osborne conjures up another fast-paced adventure filled with danger, mystery, and magic in the bestselling Magic Tree House series.

About the Author
MARY POPE OSBORNE is the author of the New York Times number one bestselling Magic Tree House series. She and her husband, writer Will Osborne (author of Magic Tree House: The Musical), live in northwestern Connecticut with their three dogs. Ms. Osborne is also the coauthor of the companion Magic Tree House Fact Trackers series with Will, and with her sister, Natalie Pope Boyce.

SAL MURDOCCA has illustrated more than 200 children's trade and text books. He is also a librettist for children's opera, a video artist, an avid runner, hiker, and bicyclist, and a teacher of children's illustration at the Parsons School of Design. Sal lives and works in New York with his wife, Nancy.

Monday 19 December 2011

The Sisters Grimm: Book Nine: The Council of Mirrors

The Sisters Grimm: Book Nine: The Council of Mirrors

The Sisters Grimm: Book Nine: The Council of Mirrors

by Michael Buckley, Peter Ferguson

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Book Description
In the final volume in the Sisters Grimm series, Sabrina, Daphne, and the rest of the Grimms and their friends must face off against the Master to decide the fate of Ferryport Landing and the world. When Mirror fails to escape the barrier using Granny Relda’s body, he turns to his plan B: killing all the Grimms so that the magical barrier collapses. In the meantime, Sabrina has gathered the other magic mirrors as advisors on how to deal with their mortal enemy. They tell her to join forces with the Scarlet Hand against Mirror, in exchange for offering all the citizens of Ferryport Landing their freedom. This final chapter is the end of the road for several beloved characters, but the conclusion is sure to satisfy devoted fans of the series.

About the Author
Michael Buckley is the New York Times bestselling author of the Sisters Grimm and NERDS series. He lives in Brooklyn, New York, with his wife and son. Peter Ferguson is a comic book and editorial artist who has illustrated a number of young adult novels. He lives in Argentina.

War Horse

War Horse

War Horse

by Michael Morpurgo

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Book Description
In 1914, Joey, a beautiful bay-red foal with a distinctive cross on his nose, is sold to the army and thrust into the midst of the war on the Western Front. With his officer, he charges toward the enemy, witnessing the horror of the battles in France. But even in the desolation of the trenches, Joey's courage touches the soldiers around him and he is able to find warmth and hope. But his heart aches for Albert, the farmer's son he left behind. Will he ever see his true master again?

About the Author
Michael divides his time between his writing and running Farms for City Children, a charity which each year takes up to 3,000 children to a working farm for a week. Michael and his wife Clare were awarded MBEs this year for their work with the charity. Before the first farm opened 22 years ago, Morpurgo was a teacher and his knowledge of children's experiences, plus his experience of Farms enrich his writing enormously. Michael Morpurgo has won the Whitbread Children's Book Award, and the Smarties Book Prize.

Wednesday 14 December 2011

The 39 Clues

The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Book 2: A King's Ransom

The 39 Clues: Cahills vs. Vespers Book 2: A King's Ransom

by Jude Watson

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Book Description
Amy and Dan are in a race for their lives . . . and the enemy may be even closer than they think.

When seven members of their family were kidnapped by a sinister organization known as the Vespers, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, vowed they'd stop at nothing to bring the hostages home. But then the ransom comes in and the Vespers demand the impossible. Amy and Dan have just days to track down and steal an ancient map. The only catch? No one has seen the map for half a century.

Now Amy and Dan are on a desperate search that will lead them to the Nazis, spies, a mad king and some of history's dirtiest secrets. It's the race of their lives . . . and one misstep will mean certain death for the hostages.

About the Author
Jude Watson is the author of two 39 Clues books, BEYOND THE GRAVE and IN TOO DEEP, and the bestselling Star Wars: Last of the Jedi and Jedi Quest series. As Judy Blundell, she wrote WHAT I SAW AND HOW I LIED, the 2008 winner of The National Book Award for Young People's Literature. She lives in Katonah, New York.

Sunday 11 December 2011

Mary Engelbreit's Fairy Tales: Twelve Timeless Treasures

Mary Engelbreit's Fairy Tales: Twelve Timeless Treasures

Mary Engelbreit's Fairy Tales: Twelve Timeless Treasures

by Mary Engelbreit

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Book Description
With twelve beloved stories meant for reading aloud and more than one hundred glorious illustrations, Mary Engelbreit's Fairy Tales is destined to become a family favorite!

Every turn of the page brings fresh delight as Snow White, Sleeping Beauty, the Little Mermaid, and others come to life as only Mary Engelbreit could have imagined them.

Images of Rapunzel alone in her tower, Cinderella’s pumpkin becoming a golden carriage, and Thumbelina's search for a home are unforgettable.

Richly sparkling art in splendid colors, warm humor, and all of the charm found in Mary Engelbreit's Fairy Tales make it a treasure with immediate appeal and long-lasting value. You’ll want to share it with those you love.

About the Author
Mary Engelbreit grew up studying the illustrations in the vintage storybooks of her mother’s own childhood, and she developed a unique style that harkens back to those simpler times. Mary’s distinctive images have made her a celebrity to millions, who eagerly snap up gift items, calendars, books, fabrics, and more.

Mary’s dearest wish has always been to illustrate for children. Her New York Times bestselling the night before christmas is already part of the holiday tradition for families across the country. Other treasured additions to a child’s first bookshelf are her New York Times bestselling Mary Engelbreit’s Mother Goose, Mary Engelbreit’s Nursery Tales, and Mary Engelbreit’s Fairy Tales.

Mary Engelbreit's Nutcracker

Mary Engelbreit's Nutcracker

Mary Engelbreit's Nutcracker

by Mary Engelbreit

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Book Description
It is the night before Christmas! When Marie receives a handsome wooden Nutcracker from her dear uncle, she’s thrilled. But during the night, something magical happens...and when her toy Nutcracker transforms into a handsome Prince, Marie is whisked off to Toyland on a winter adventure she’ll never forget!

The Nutcracker is one of the world’s favorite holiday stories. Now for the first time the beloved artist Mary Engelbreit offers her vision of that magical night, creating a picture book filled with joyful movement and rich detail that even the youngest child will enjoy.

About the Author
Mary Engelbreit grew up studying the illustrations in the vintage storybooks of her mother’s own childhood, and she developed a unique style that harkens back to those simpler times. Mary’s distinctive images have made her a celebrity to millions, who eagerly snap up gift items, calendars, books, fabrics, and more.

Mary’s dearest wish has always been to illustrate for children. Her New York Times bestselling the night before christmas is already part of the holiday tradition for families across the country. Other treasured additions to a child’s first bookshelf are her New York Times bestselling Mary Engelbreit’s Mother Goose, Mary Engelbreit’s Nursery Tales, and Mary Engelbreit’s Fairy Tales.

Wednesday 7 December 2011

North: The Amazing Story of Arctic Migration

North: The Amazing Story of Arctic Migration

North: The Amazing Story of Arctic Migration

by Nick Dowson, Patrick Benson

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Book Description
A passionate nature lover and a renowned artist trace the awe-inspiring spring migration of millions of creatures to the Arctic--the greatest journey on Earth.

At the top of our world is a huge wild place called the Arctic.

In the winter, it is a cold and barren land, where few animals can survive. But when spring comes, it brings with it animals from every corner of the earth. Gray whales, white cranes, wolves, and caribou begin their migrations as the snow melts, gradually making the long journey north. Once they reach their destination, they will raise their young, feast on the lush Arctic tundra, and bask in the sunlight that lasts all summer. Still, this season too must pass, and by the time winter grips the Arctic once again, the visitors have gone--only to return the following year. This lushly illustrated picture book celebrates the cyclical nature of the seasons, showcasing the barren and beautiful landscapes of the Arctic Circle and reminding the reader of the hardships and harmony of life in the wild.

About the Author
Nick Dowson is the author of TRACKS OF A PANDA and TIGRESS. A teacher and naturalist, he lives in Suffolk, England.

Patrick Benson has received the Mother Goose Award, the Christopher Award, and the Kurt Maschler Award. He has collaborated with Roald Dahl, Russell Hoban, and Martin Waddell, whose book OWL BABIES has sold 12 million copies. Patrick Benson lives in Scotland.

Saturday 26 November 2011

Christmas Holidays & Celebrations

Home for Christmas

Home for Christmas

by Jan Brett

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Book Description
A wild little troll runs away from home because he doesn’t want to do his chores. Rollo tries living with various woodland animals, but he finds out that there is no place like home, and returns to his family just in time for “the best Christmas ever.”

Among the animals who take him in are an owl family, a mother bear and two rambunctious cubs, some playful river otters, a hungry lynx and a friendly moose family.

Jan Brett creates an irresistible, mischievous character that kids will recognize in themselves. Jan transports us to a glorious Scandinavian landscape where a beautiful fall turns into a magnificent snowy winter. Her signature borders depict the troll family missing Rollo, and animals as appealing as those found in The Mitten.

A warm, fun-loving Christmas picture book for families to share and love and laugh over together.

About the Author
Jan Brett (www.janbrett.com) is the beloved New York Times bestselling author/illustrator of many books for children. She lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.

 

The Night Before Christmas: Book & DVD

The Night Before Christmas: Book & DVD

by Jan Brett, Boston Pops Orchestra, Jim Dale

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Book Description
Experience this Jan Brett visual masterpiece like never before!

One of Jan Brett’s all-time bestselling Christmas classics comes to life with this deluxe package that includes a DVD featuring Brett’s gorgeous, digitally rendered artwork paired with original music performed by the Boston Pops Orchestra, and text read by award-winning narrator Jim Dale.

About the Author
The Boston Pops Orchestra, currently under the leadership of Keith Lockhart, presents the best of a wide variety of music, from classical to popular and everything in between.

Jim Dale is the acclaimed narrator of many audio books, winning a record ten Audie Awards, two Grammy Awards and seven Grammy nominations.

Jan Brett (www.janbrett.com) is the beloved New York Times bestselling author-illustrator of many books for children. She lives in Norwell, Massachusetts.