|
|
|
Oxford University Press
|
Freydis has been left for dead following a raid by pirates on her father's Viking stronghold. Her brother has been kidnapped-and Freydis's father is hell-bent on revenge. But this is a volatile man who loathes his daughter and is driven by love of his son. Reluctantly he takes Freydis with him on his journey, giving her a slave-Enno-to tend her. As Freydis's father becomes more bitter and cruel, and the hunt for his son becomes increasingly desperate, Freydis and Enno draw closer together. But when battle looms on the horizon, the bonds of friendship, obedience and loyalty are tested to the limit. |
|
Paris is on a trek in the Himalayas with her uncle and her uncle's friends. On the way they come across a young Tibetan monk, Tahr, who reluctantly joins their party as his protector has died in an accident. As the trek progresses, Paris realizes the true reason for the journey — her uncle and his friends are a strange, gourmet dining club, dedicated to hunting down and eating the rarest possible animals. So when they discover a young yeti-like creature, who is very nearly human herself, Tahr convinces Paris that they have a duty to protect her, come what may. Dramatically told in a lyrical style by Philip Gross, a well-known poet for both adults and children. |
|
How does a doctor examine a person's brain? They won't use any knives on me, will they? Rowan knows he is strange. But dangerous? He didn't mean to scare his sister. In his right mind, he wouldn't hurt a fly. But there's a place he can go where they say they can fix his mind... Beyond the bars on the window, England is at war. Behind them, Rowan's own battle is only just beginning. This amazing story gives a thought-provoking look at life in an asylum and the experimental treatments practised at the start of the Second World War. For Rowan, nobody could ever have predicted the effect these treatments would have... |
|
At eight o'clock in the evening, on Monday 24th December 2007, Pinewood Military Installation exploded. The blast ripped apart acres of forest and devastated the remote highland valley where the base was located. No official cause was given for the incident. Inside Pinewood were 185 male and female military personnel — a mixture of scientists and soldiers. There were also seven teenagers there. This is the story of their last day... |
|
Their garments are black as night. They carry torches in their hands, darkness and anger in their hearts. They are coming.' When a dark family secret is exposed, Sigrun's peaceful life is shattered. Forced to pay for her parents misdeeds, she finds herself exiled from all she knows — and from the boy she loves — for three long years. Yet more secrets lie ahead; not least the power Sigrun finds awakening in herself, seemingly passed to her from a mysterious amulet. Can she use her new-found gift to save herself and those around her from the dangers they face? And will true love wait until her return? |
|
We have no idea what's behind of any of these Doors, she said. It could be dangerous for us... and we could be dangerous for it. The city of Shattershard lies in ruins following a war engineered by three teenagers from Earth. The devastation has left Laura blind, Alex injured, and Zoe without a way home. Forced to leave Shattershard, they're now caught between worlds and face thousands of Doors — with no way of knowing what lies beyond them. And in unknown worlds there are unknown rules. Rules that, when broken, carry a price... 'Lassiter... is a young writer to look out for' The Times. |
|
What happens here is real and dangerous. You have stumbled into a darkness you don't understand. They thought they could handle it. They thought they understood the rules. They were wrong. Now four of Earth's teenagers are trapped in new and unfamiliar worlds — paying for their part in destroying the city of Shattershard... and almost destroying each other. Each thinks they know their friends from their enemies, but who can they really trust? And will they ever find their way home? Shadowland is the third part of a fast-paced fantasy which shows what it might really be like to travel into another world. |
|
Cyrano de Bergerac is a flamboyant character and a skilled swordsman, not in the least afraid of drawing attention to himself in public — for he can be highly amusing, even at his own expense, with jokes about his enormous nose. But he has a weakness: he has fallen in love with his beautiful cousin Roxane, and because of his own appearance is too ashamed to declare his love. Meanwhile Roxane is besotted with a handsome, but foolish young man, Christian, in the same company of guards as Cyrano. Cyrano is devastated by this, and horrified by her request that he should protect the young man and encourage him to write her love letters. Writing letters is something Christian can't do — but Cyrano generously offers to help, even if it means breaking his own heart. Soon Cyrano pours out his feelings in the most romantic letters ever. The question is will Roxane discover the truth? And if she does will it be too late for Cyrano? |
|
The Shepherd family have set off on their usual summer holiday under a cloud of gloom at the predictability of it all. When the car breaks down, they are forced to stay the night at the nearest B&B. To their dismay they find themselves at a place where Christmas comes every day of the year, complete with turkey and Santa Claus. And they discover it's even stranger than that, with the girl in the elf costume, the mysterious Mr Angel and the police seeking a fugitive. Stranded in this bizarre environment, unusual friendships develop and the relationships that have been so set in their ways are turned upside down. Full of comic moments, tension and drama, this is a highly satisfying read. |
|
Inez and her brother are amazed to find a huge hole being dug right outside the front door of their father's shop. Then suddenly more holes appear all over the main street and before long the cars can't use the road and everyone has to walk around balancing on planks of wood. It can only be a matter of time before the foundations give way and the whole town collapses. People are travelling from all over the country — the word on everyone's lips is GOLD. A fast-paced tale of a South American gold rush, told with all Geraldine McCaughrean's usual skill and verve. |
|
Gabriel has no idea what the future will hold when he runs away from his apprenticeship with the bad-tempered stonemason. But God Himself, in the shape of playmaster Garvey, has plans for him. He wants Gabriel for his angel... But will Gabriel's new life with the travelling players be any more secure? In a world of illusion, people are not always what they seem. Least of all Gabriel. Geraldine McCaughrean is considered an exceptional writer of our time. She has won the Carnegie Medal, the Guardian Children's Fiction Award, the Whitbread Award (twice) and the Blue Peter Book of the Year Award. |
|
Everyone knows the story of the Flood, the men God chose to survive, the animals that went in two by two. But what about the others that sailed on the Ark — the women and the children? This adventure story asks what it was really like when the heavens opened and the world drowned — and what might have happened in the days that followed. With a frighteningly zealous and single-minded Noah; Japheth and his young wife, Zillah, concerned for the welfare of the animals; the stowaway boy and baby found by Noah's daughter Timna; and the animals themselves, continuing to act as animals do, whatever their surroundings, this is an extremely compelling and at times very frightening story, beautifully written as ever by Geraldine McCaughrean. |
|
Ailsa doesn't trust MCC Berkshire, the mysterious man helping out in her mother's antique shop. He tells wonderful stories about all the antiques, and his stories persuade the customers to buy the items he talks about, but everything he says is a pack of lies, isn't it? The story of Ailsa and MCC is interwoven with the stories MCC tells the customers, which range from romances to adventure stories; from crime dramas to pirate stories; from stories set in modern-day Ireland to stories set in ancient China. |
|
Phelim was the only one, they said, the only one who could save the world from the Hatchlings of the Stoor Worm. The Stoor Worm, who had been asleep for aeons, since it was vanquished by the hero, Assipattle, was beginning to waken. It was the booming of the guns, the cries of the wounded, the dreadful sounds of war that had woken it, and now its Hatchlings were abroad to terrorize the people who had forgotten all about them, forgotten all the ancient magics. But how could Phelim, who was only a boy, after all, save the world from all these dreadful monsters? And where could he find the Maiden, the Fool, and the Horse who were supposed to help him? And as Phelim leaves his home and sets out on his quest, the words of the domovoy ring in his ears: You are the one. To stop the Worm waking. To do what must be done. Geraldine McCaughrean is a best-selling author who has won the Carnegie Medal, the Whitbread Children's Novel Award (twice), and the Guardian Children's Fiction Award. The Stones Are Hatching is now reissued in a smaller mass-market paperback format. |
|
It's 1893 and for Cissy and her family, a new life beckons on the prairies of Oklahoma and they and their fellow settlers prepare for steady business alongside the Red Rock Railroad track. But when they refuse to sell their land to the railroad company, the boss swears that his trains will never stop in Florence again. How will they ever make a living now? Cissy and her friends, family and neighbours vow that they will make the train stop — by whatever means are necessary, no matter how dangerous that may prove to be... |
|
Haoyou knows that his father's spirit lives among the clouds above Ancient China. He also knows that to save his mother from being forced into a new marriage he must now follow in his father's footsteps and take to the skies, riding a kite through the clouds and the spirits of the dead. Then the Jade Circus offers him a chance to escape his enemies and travel throughout the empire, and maybe even perform before Kublai Khan himself. But is going with the circus really the best option? It could be that the circus master is leading him into even greater danger. This outstanding story is like nothing else you've ever read — packed with action, adventure and emotion. |
|
BETRAYED. ATTACKED. LOST. Life has returned to normal for Hanna, Ned and Jik after their adventures in the tempestuous Sulu Sea. But then Dad heads to Borneo to look for gold and everything goes horribly wrong. Dad is accused of murder, and Hanna, Ned and Jik know they must go into the jungle to prove his innocence. It is a race against time but the tropical forest is filled with predators — both animal and human. And what deadly secret waits in the heart of the jungle? |
|
All signs point to James being right. Davey is not Heathcliff. He is moron. Rachel Riley is taking control of her life and seizing the day! Can she be open-minded (and open-mouthed) and stay focused on her goal? Find out in this fantastic double edition featuring Back to Life and The Facts of Life. The stakes are getting higher — now it's double or quits time for Rachel! As predicted, James has been sent to his room to a) change and b) reflect on use of the word ho when referring to Mum, or indeed any woman. |
|
Making plan with Scarlet to deal with post-break-up trauma. We are going to channel anger into something positive and have new mission statement: 1. Not to moon about over exes but to embrace single life. 2. To stay away from all men (Sad Ed excepted as he is not actual man. He tried to disagree on this but was outnumbered). 3. To remain true to our friends, forsaking all others. 4. To remember that we alone are responsible for our own happiness. Scarlet is right. Life will be so much easier without the complications of love. It will be utter Simple Life and am completely committed. Am starting tomorrow. |
|
I need more tragedy in my life. Why is life never like it is in books? Nothing Jacqueline Wilson ever happens to me: I am not adopted, my mum is not tattooed, I am not likely to move to the middle of a council estate or be put into care. My parents are not alcoholics, drug addicts or closet transvestites. Even my name is pants. In other words, my life is earth-shatteringly NORMAL. This cannot go on. Something deep and life-changing has to happen. This year I shall befriend more exotic and interesting people, learn to drink coffee (tragic heroines do not start the day with Cheerios and lemon barley) and capture the heart of Justin Statham with my vintage clothing and knowledge of all-time great guitar solos. It's time for my so-called life to be brought up to speed. Starting NOW! So begins the tragically normal diary of Rachel Riley. Follow her highs and lows, friendships and relationships... and meet her completely bonkers family, in this fabulous double edition of her first two diaries, My So-Called Life and The Life of Riley. |
|
