Long ago when the world was brand new, before animals or birds, the sun rose into the sky and brought the first day. To begin with, all the creatures were pretty much alike – very different from what they are now. Those that wanted to be lions practised being lions. But there were other creatures – including the whale, the elephant, the cat and the donkey – that came about in different ways.
Europe
Materials from Europe
Living With Mom And Living With Dad
A little girl describes what her life is like now that her parents no longer live together.
The Big Adventure Of The Smalls
It’s the night of the Small Hall Ball, and everyone in the Small family is getting ready for one of the BIGGEST parties of the year. Everyone, that is, except for Paul and Sally Small, who are too young to join in the fun. But when Paul’s tiny teddy bear goes missing, he and Sally have no choice but to sneak into the festivities, and nothing–not secret doors, spooky passageways, or even a swinging chandelier–will stop the smallest of the Smalls from finding Paul’s furry little friend.
Florentine And Pig
After a week of rain, Florentine and Pig are ready to do something outdoors and decide to have a picnic, but getting the apples needed for Pig’s favorite treat proves to be a challenge. Includes directions for making “Pig’s Pretty Picnic Bunting” and recipes for “Apple and carrot muffins with squidgy lemon icing” and “Florentine’s home-made pink lemonade with fresh berry ice cubes “.
Caddy’s World
People vanish for days, come to live in your bedroom, hide under tables for hours and hours, count pennies in jam jars until they have enough to buy bread, and then the next day gild halos for the school play with real gold leaf. Caddy’s home is a turmoil of piled possessions, lost belongings, and unexpected adventures. Her one constant is her three best friends, a charmed circle that she never wants to leave. But the summer that Caddy is twelve, everything turns upside down. Her mother spends most of her time in the hospital with the fragile new baby. Her father comes home from London to “organize” his family, causing plenty of chaotic confusion. Her boyfriend, not content with dating three girls, is looking to conquer a fourth. But worst of all for Caddy, her best friends are growing up and growing apart. Luckily, Caddy is the bravest of the brave and luckily for Caddy, endings are not always the end, and a world that is entirely unpredictaale is also a world full of surprises.
I Don’t Believe It, Archie!
Odd things happen to Archie every day. Some very odd things…
On Monday, when Archie is on his way to mail a letter, a piano rolls down the hill and traps his new friend, Cyd, in her mum’s car. And then a truck tips a load of gravel on top of it. Cyd finds it exciting. Though she doesn’t believe that this sort of thing happens to Archie every day. Until Tuesday, when Archie finds a small dog in his pocket–a dig that doesn’t seem to be very alive. It certainly isn’t Archie’s fault, but will anyone else believe him?
Join Archie and Cyd for a while week’s worth of utterly surprising and outragously funny escapades!
Pandemonium
Acclaimed author Chris Wooding’s first graphic novel — fun fantasy-adventure with a macabre twist! Seifer’s life is about to become a royal pain. . . . As captain of the local skullball team, Seifer Tombchewer is the envy of his peers. He’s fast, he’s strong, and he flies circles around the competition. But Seifer’s always dreamed of more–of leaving his tiny, remote village for a new life beyond the mountains. He just never dreamed it would happen like this. Knocked unconscious and abducted, Seifer awakens in the royal palace to learn that Prince Talon Pandemonium has gone missing. And since Seifer is a ringer for Talon, it’s his duty to replace the missing royal in his roles of diplomat, warrior, and Lord Defender of the Realm. He might fool Talon’s sisters. He might fool Talon’s army. But Seifer has little hope of fooling Talon’s enemies. . . .Chris Wooding and debut artist Cassandra Diaz team for a classic tale of mistaken identity set against the breathtakingly original backdrop of the Darkling Realm.
Pegasus: The Flame of Olympus
Reborn as the Flame, thirteen-year-old Emily has saved Olympus from destruction but when the gruesome Nirads begin a new invasion, Emily and her friends become entangled in the conflict as old grudges are unearthed and new enemies are discovered.
Renegade Magic
Kat Stephenson may have inherited her mother’s magical talents, but not everyone in the Order of the Guardians is ready to accept her. When she is tricked into losing her temper in front of the most powerful Guardian in England, she finds herself expelled without a single magic lesson. After a devastating accusation shatters her sister Angeline’s romance, their stepmama whisks the family away to the fashionable city of Bath and orders Angeline to find a new fiance. But as Angline plays a dangerous game with a scandalous rake, their brother, Charles, tumbles headlong into danger…and Bath’s wild magic gets rady to explode. With more than one life at stake, will Kat’s untrained magic be enough to reunite Angeline with her true love, conquer the danger at bath, and prove she truly has what it takes to be a Guardian?
The Adventures Of Sir Balin The Ill-Fated
Many years ago, the storytellers say, the great King Arthur brought justice to England with the help of his gallant knights of the roundtable. While most of King Arthur’s knights freely chose a life of duty, for Sir Balin the Ill-Fated, destiny was foretold in a prophecy. And seriously, “ill-fated” is right there in his title, so Balin’s not surprised when things go sour. Still, no matter how dire the task, a loyal and gallant knight never refuses adventure! Will Sir Balin finally discover his true destiny? And which ill-fated path will he have to choose? Join Balin on this, the noblest quest of all. With black-and-white drawings from acclaimed artist Aaron Renier throughout.