The Witch of Blackbird Pond with related readings.

    Is it for children, or for adults? Is it fantasy or a psychological novel? In its great range, it encompasses poetry and farce, comedy and tragedy -and sudden flights of schoolboy humour. White's `footnote to Malory' (his own phrase) resulted in the last major retelling of the story based on Malory's Morte Darthur, and Elisabeth Brewer explores the literary context of White's finest work as wellas considering his aims and achievement in writing it.White's story of Arthur begins with his `enfances', set in an imaginary medieval England, but it is far removed from the conventional historical novel. White was writing in wartime England, a country increasingly absorbed by a need to find an antidote to war. Through the medium of the Arthurian story he found his own voice, his unique contribution to keeping alive the flame of civilisation. Malory's chivalric virtues are rejected in favour of White's own twentieth-century values; the love affair of Lancelot and Guenever is interpreted in terms of modern psychology.The books which eventually made up The Once and Future Kingof 1958 appeared in distinctly different editions. In discussing these, Elisabeth Brewer looks at some of the ways in which White drew on his own personal experience at a deep psychological level, while also incorporating into his story material inspired by his antiquarian pursuits and by his years as a schoolmaster. She completes her study with an account of White's use of historical material, and the relationship of The Once and Future King to the Morte Darthur.ELISABETH BREWER lectured in English at Homerton College, Cambridge. She is the author of books and articles on Chaucer and the Arthurian legends

     And, even worse, Kat has just discovered that she can see spirits, too. Now it’s up to Kat and her best friend, Jac, to help a spirit trapped in their school cross over successfully. The question is, can they do it without having to switch schools themselves?Scaredy KatKat can see spirits, but what’s even worse is the fact that spirits, especially the exceptionally needy ones, can see her. As this medium-in-training discovers, there’s really no way to run from spirits, and sometimes being sought out by a whole bunch of dead people can be pretty scary. So when their exploration of the abandoned house next door leads Kat and her best friend, Jac, on a search for a missing boy, Kat’s not sure if she wants to help–or even if she can.

    And I'm scared. My little brother, Jimmy, is sick. All I want for Christmas is for him to get well. Santa seems to be listening when we get Buck, the best horse ever! I get spurs, and Jimmy gets a new cowboy hat, a real Stetson. He's so happy it almost makes us forget... until Jimmy's in the hospital again. I try to act big and strong. But I feel angry and sad, until the miracle happens... on an unforgettable Christmas day.

     You may have liked the book, but not be a fan. You may call yourself a fan, but few truly are. Are you? Trivia-on-Books is an independent quiz-formatted trivia on the book for readers, students, and fans alike. Whether you're looking for new materials to the book or would like to take the challenge yourself and share it with your friends and family for a time of fun, Trivia-on-Books provides a unique approach that is both insightful and educational! Features You'll Find Inside: • 30 Multiple choice questions on the book, plots, characters and author • Insightful commentary to answer every question • Complementary quiz material for yourself or your reading group • Results provided with scores to determine "status" Promising quality and value, grab your copy of Trivia-on-Books!

    That is, until she meets an old man who entrusts her with a package containing a mysterious item that has unbelievable powers. It is a meeting that will change her life.

    Coming closer . . . and closer . . . Suddenly, she heard a blood-chilling scratch, scratch, scratch at the window. . . .   Shiver, shake, and shudder! Be prepared for goose bumps when you read these thirty stories that will scare you silly—if you dare to keep reading. . . .   Ghouls, vengeful spirits, the walking dead, and deals with devils! Horror lives in every corner of the globe, from China to Virginia, Brazil to Japan, Haiti to Nigeria. The most terrifying stories on earth will keep you up all night and are perfect to read to your friends. Can they handle it?Katherine Coville "Hold him, Tabb!" (United States --Virginia) --The witches' eyes (Spanish American --American Southwest) --The duppy (Haiti) --Two snakes (China) --The draug (Norway) --The vampire cat (Japan) --Windigo Island (Canada) --The haunted inn (China) --The rolling head (North America --Plains Indians) --The Croglin Grange vampire (British Isles --England) --The Yara (Brazil) --"Me, myself!" (British Isles --Scotland) --Island of fear (North America --Seneca tribe) --Three who sought death (British Isles-England-from Geoffrey Chaucer) --Sister Death and the healer (Mexico/American Southwest) --The mouse tower (German) --The Devil and Tom Walter (United States --from a tale by Washington Irving) --The greedy daughter (Italy) --The pirate (United States --adapted from a poem by Richard H. Dana) --The golden arm (British Isles --England) --The serpent woman (Spain) --Loft the Enchanter (Iceland) --The accursed house (United States --Ohio) --Escape up the tree (Nigeria) --The headrest (Papua New Guinea) --The thing in the woods (United States --Louisiana) --King of the cats (British Isles --England) --The dead mother (Russia) --Knock...knock...knock (United States/Canada --urban folklore) --Twice surprised (Japan).

    But trouble starts brewing the moment the two orphans are summoned to live in Chrestomanci Castle. Frustrated that the witches of the castle refuse to acknowledge her talents, Gwendolen conjures up a scheme that could throw whole worlds out of whack.

    With peace in their lands, Levi and Reece have been living a life of serenity and peace, raising their three young children at Oxley Manor. Everything seems perfect and well until Levi realizes something: a holiday he knows his wife as always loved on her home planet of Earth has never been celebrated in his realm. In fact, Reece hasn't had the privilege of enjoying her favorite holiday in over six years, and Levi vows to change that. But can he? With his sister's wedding at hand, his own daughter professing her love for another as well, and wanting to have a new holiday introduced to Pemdas...Levi is determined to find a way to make all of this work no matter the sacrifices he must make.

    "Strange," says his mother. "A seer," says the Old One, Tila Fashat. "A seer is one who is born to show a new way. Many, many seasons pass, then our father, the Deep, and our mother, the Sky, say, 'Send a seer to the people. The people have need.' And so one is born who is different." When strange and different Dak meets Aldrea, the clever Andalite daughter of Prince Seerow, they learn together of the dangerous plot of the Yeerks, and of Esplin 9466, who will stop at nothing to build his empire. Learn more about Prince Seerow's Kindness, find out how Andalites kiss, and plumb the mysteries of the Deep in this suspense-filled story of good, evil, and interspecies love. (Ages 9 to 12)

    There she meets Briar, a former thief who has a way with plants; Daja, an outcast gifted at metalcraft; and Tris, whose connection with the weather unsettles everyone, including herself. At Winding Circle, the four misfits are taught how to use their magic - and to trust one another. But then disaster strikes their new home. Can Sandry weave together four kinds of magical power and save herself, her friends, and the one place where they've ever been accepted?

    He makes friends with the ticket seller there, and before long is allowed to roam wherever he wants. Then Eddie nearly dies in a pothole and discovers not only the truth, but life where nobody thought it could be.

    until she discovers a mysterious library book that promises her the chance to become a wizard. But she has no idea of the difference that taking the Wizard's Oath is going to make in her life. Shortly, in company with fellow beginner-wizard Kit Rodriguez, Nita's catapulted into what will be the adventure of a lifetime—if she and Kit can both live through it. For every wizard's career starts with an Ordeal in which he or she must challenge the one power in the universe that hates wizardry more than anything else: the Lone Power that invented death and turned it loose in the worlds. Plunged into a dark and deadly alternate New York full of the Lone One's creatures, Kit and Nita must venture into the very heart of darkness to find the stolen, legendary Book of Night with Moon. Only with the dangerous power of the wizardly Book do they have a chance to save not just their own lives, but their world...

    But when her dream theater college rejects her and her best friend dies in a terrible accident, Nanette decides the world would be better off without her. Unfortunately, the afterlife offers something less than a heavenly situation. Trapped between alternating periods of utter darkness and light, Nanette is stuck following a high school freshman around. Soon, she learns she’s a guardian angel, and the only way she can earn her wings is to keep her young charge, Vera, from committing the same sin she did—taking her own life.Unfortunately, Nanette is missing more than just her wings. She has no tangible body or voice, either. Frustrated by her inability to reach out to Vera and haunted by memories of her old life, Nanette wants to give up, but then she sees what happens when another Guardian at the high school turns his back on his charge. The shock is enough to supercharge Nanette’s determination. She’s going to find peace in the afterlife…as soon as she can convince Vera that living is what life is all about.

    From the moment she saw it, Laura Chant knew that something dreadful was going to happen. It wasn’t the first time she’d been forewarned. But never before had anything so terrible happened. The horrifyingly evil Carmody Braque touched and branded her little brother – and now Jacko was very ill, getting steadily worse.There was only one way to save him. Laura had to change over: had to release her supernatural powers. And that meant joining forces with the extraordinary and enigmatic Sorenson Carlisle…