Once upon a time, these stories of magical transformation were told to young women by their mothers and grandmothers and the wise women of the clan. The heroines of these old tales set out on a difficult road of trials to discover their true destiny. And marrying a prince was not the only goal. These ancient tales of wonder and adventure are about learning to be strong, brave, kind and true-hearted, and trusting in yourself to change the world for the better.
As 14-year-old Ella begins her first day at work she steps into a world of silks, seams, scissors, pins, hems and trimmings. She is a dressmaker, but this is no ordinary sewing workshop. Hers are no ordinary clients. Ella has joined the seamstresses of Birkenau-Auschwitz, as readers may recognise it. Every dress she makes could mean the difference between life and death. And this place is all about survival. Ella seeks refuge from this reality, and from haunting memories, in her work and in the world of fashion and fabrics. She is faced with painful decisions about how far she is prepared to go to survive.
Two young sisters celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival, admire their mooncakes decorated with a picture of a lady in the moon, and listen to their Ah-ma tell the ancient tale of how the holiday began.
Set your sails east with this stunningly original new history of the world. Peter Frankopan explores the connections made by people, trade, disease, war, religion, adventure, science and technology in this extraordinary book about how the east married the west with a remarkable voyage at its heart – the journey along the Silk Roads. From ancient world laws laid down by King Hammurabi and the mighty Persian empire, to terrifying huns, the rise of Europe, two world wars and politics today, The Silk Roads moves through time and history sewing together the threads from different peoples, empires and continents into a phenomenal history of the globe. With stories from each and every corner of society, Frankopan’s magnificent retelling of his literary triumph The Silk Roads, sumptuously illustrated by Neil Packer, is a must-have world history.
Four determined homeless children make a life for themselves in Chennai, India.
The Bridge Home was our WOW Recommends: Book of the Month for October 2019 and also featured our August 2019 My Take/Your Take, June 2020 My Take/Your Take, and July 2020 My Take/Your Take.
Teenaged best friends Tianyi and Kai journey deep below a mountain range, where ancient tombs are certain to contain riches but are rumored to be guarded by merciless supernatural forces.
Grisha the dragon is born in the Black Forest in 1803, the last year any dragon was born, and while young he was trapped by the emperor’s sorcerer, and turned into a teapot, which was frustrating but kept him alive while magic and other dragons were disappearing–until one day he meets Maggie, a poet’s daughter, and the two of them set out to discover what happened to all the other dragons.
Bella is reading the best book ever! Shes just gotten to the most amazing part when suddenly, Captain Bluebottom appears and invites her on an adventure. Im sorry, Captain, Bella tells him, but today, Id rather just sit and read my book. So Bella returns to her book and is just about to read the best part when Maurice Penguin shows up and invites her to perform on stage with all the penguins. But Bella just wants to read today! Will she ever have the chance to finish her book? A fantastically funny tale, celebrating imagination and the joy of reading.
Lillia, fifteen, flees Warsaw with her father and baby sister in 1940 to try to make a new start in Shanghai, China, but the conflict grows more intense as America and Japan become involved.
When her best friend, Ness, dies suddenly, Ember finds a way into the Afterworld, determined to bring Ness back.