In the sewers of Deptford, there lurks a dark presence that fills the tunnels with fear. The rats worship it in the blackness and name it "Jupiter, Lord of All." Into this twilight realm wanders a small and frightened mouse-the unwitting trigger of a chain of events that hurtles the Deptford mice into a world of heroic adventure and terror.

    Readers will learn about each animal's anatomy, behavior, and more. Then compare and contrast the battling animals before finally discovering the winner! This nonfiction series is full of facts, photos, and realistic illustrations, and it includes a range of mammals, sea creatures, insects, and dinosaurs to satisfy all kinds of animal fans.

    Frank Baum has been captivating the hearts of the young, and not so young, for over a hundred years.This delightful compilation includes all fifteen books written by L. Frank Baum:The Wonderful Wizard of OzThe Marvelous Land of OzOzma of OzDorothy and the Wizard in OzThe Road to OzThe Emerald City of OzThe Patchwork Girl Of OzLittle Wizard Stories of OzTik-Tok of OzThe Scarecrow Of OzRinkitink In OzThe Lost Princess Of OzThe Tin Woodman Of OzThe Magic of OzGlinda Of OzPerhaps there is no better, or fitting, introduction one could give to this compilation than the author's note that Baum himself writes in his very first book, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz." Here he reveals the true intention of his work. Folklore, legends, myths and fairy tales have followed childhood through the ages, for every healthy youngster has a wholesome and instinctive love for stories fantastic, marvelous and manifestly unreal. The winged fairies of Grimm and Andersen have brought more happiness to childish hearts than all other human creations. Yet the old time fairy tale, having served for generations, may now be classed as "historical" in the children's library; for the time has come for a series of newer "wonder tales" in which the stereotyped genie, dwarf and fairy are eliminated, together with all the horrible and blood-curdling incidents devised by their authors to point a fearsome moral to each tale. Modern education includes morality; therefore the modern child seeks only entertainment in its wonder tales and gladly dispenses with all disagreeable incident. Having this thought in mind, the story of "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" was written solely to please children of today. It aspires to being a modernized fairy tale, in which the wonderment and joy are retained and the heartaches and nightmares are left out.

    Yet the fragile balance between church and state lies shattered. The specter of civil war haunts the ravaged land - and a specter more fearsome still. The demon, though defeated, was not destroyed. Now its vengeful spirit has found sanctuary at the very heart of the Abellican Church. As the elf-trained ranger Elbryan Wynden presses north to reclaim the Timberlands from retreating goblin hordes, and his companion, Pony, mistress of gemstone magic, turns south to the civilized streets of Palmaris, they find themselves caught up in a power struggle to decide the fate of all Corona. Condemned as heretics, the two heroes are hunted by dangerous enemies. The leader of the Church boasts a mastery of gemstone magic that rivals Pony's proven might. And the Abbot's right hand, the Bishop of Palmaris, has claws so sharply honed by hate and magic that no man - or ranger - can withstand their killing stroke. Then an unexpected twist of fate forces Pony to make a harrowing choice, one that may doom the world to demonic domination.

    EXTENDED FREE PREVIEW - first 10 chapters onlyFollowing his #1 New York Times bestsellers Memory Man and The Last Mile, David Baldacci returns with his next thriller featuring detective Amos Decker.

    

    For what better time than Christmas, that most family-oriented of holidays, to read stories written by authors honored as winners of the John Newbery Medal for their contribution for literature for children? This collection comprises stories by authors today's children know and love, from E.L. Kongsburg and Nancy Willard to Beverly Cleary. It also contain stories by writers familiar to their parents and, perhaps, to their grandparents, from Ruth Sawyer and Rachel Field to Lois Lenski, Eleanor Estes, and Madeleine L'Engle.Some of these stories are humorous. Childen will laugh at the antics of Ramona Quimby in "Ramona, the Sheep Suit, and the Three Wise Persons" and at Eliot Miles's Christmas wish in E.L. Kongsburg's "Eliot Miles Does Not Wish You a Merry Christmas Because..." Others of the collection recall the christmases of years past, as in "Once in the Year" by Elizabeth Yates and "The Hundred Dresses" by Eleanor Estes. And others, like Madeleine L'Engle's "A Full House," remind us again of the true meaning of Christmas.This is a collection to savor and to read aloud. It's a book that can be read by the fire, on the beach, in the car on the way to Grandmother's house, or on any available lap. Most of all, it's a book for sharing and for celebrating the joys of Christmas.A portion of the royalties from this book will be donated to the American Library Association, administrators of the John Newbery Medal.

    But their attempts to ostracise him merely show up some very ugly shortcomings of their own . . .Part of the Storycuts series, this story was previously published in the collection Ford County.

    He was a Minecraft villager.And he was a zombie.He spent his days and nights doing zombie stuff.The zombie Devdan couldn't even remember his name anymore, that is, until he was visited by the pet cat he had when he was alive. Now, along with Skeleton Steve's help, Devdan sets out with his long-lost kitty to remember who he is and find his village home. But how will he find the way? And what will he do if he gets there? Will Devdan be destined to roam the Minecraft world as a zombie villager forever? Love Minecraft adventure?? Read Book 1 of the Teenage Zombie Villager now! Sign up for Skeleton Steve's Mailing List here:Author's Note: This is an unofficial Minecraft book. Minecraft is a registered trademark of, and owned by, Mojang AB, and its respective owners, which do not approve, endorse, sponsor, or authorize this book.Minecraft®/TM & © 2009-2016 Mojang AB/Notch***Tags: Minecraft Book, game fiction, Minecraft Books for Kids and Teens, minecraft games, game stories, game books, game story books, minecraft tips, minecraft secrets handbook, Minecraft Stories, kids books, minecraft free, minecraft xbox, minecraft story mode, minecraft handbook free, minecraft creepypasta, minecraft diary of a wimpy, game fanfiction, minecraft game, minecraft story book, Minecraft Steve series, minecraft journal book, minecraft comics, free kids books, Minecraft Kids Book, minecraft books for kids, Minecraft Villagers, Minecraft Creeper, herobrine, Minecraft Skeleton Steve, minecraftales, minecraft fanfiction, minecraft diaries, minecraft tales, minecraft short stories, minecraft gift, minecraft short story.

    He does not have any spots, you see! He keeps seeing spots wherever he goes… One spot, two spots, three spots, Four! And many, many, many more. “Where did you get your spots?” he asks. Join Andrew as he discovers how the ladybug, the leopard and the owl came to have spots and discovers that spots often appear when you are least expecting them! This is a wonderful rhyming picture book for children of all ages.

    If you could have any animal's eyes, whose would you choose?What if you woke up one morning and your eyes weren't yours? What If You Had Animal Eyes? -- the next imaginative book in the What If You Had series -- explores what would happen if you looked in the mirror and saw a pair of animal eyes instead of your own! From the chameleon's eyes that can point in different directions, to the colossal squid's eyes that shine in the dark, discover what it would be like if you had these special eyes -- and find out why your eyes are just the right ones for you!

    Lucy, a schoolgirl of 11, finds that the animals of the world have been expecting her for more than a million years. Her exciting adventures take her to the heart of the greatest jungle on Earth, where the animals help her to overcome ruthless and deadly foes.

    This collection contains three stories about the "Catwings", continuing their adventures of their eventual return home to find their owner has disappeared.

    Filled with Quentin Blake's illustrations plus black and white photos, each spread is exploding with information about the creator of Willie Wonka, James, and Matilda; from his family tree to the exact type of pencil he used to write his stories. Perfect for devoted fans and Dahl newcomers alike, this is a glorimptious guide to the world of Roald Dahl. Roald Dahl (1916-1990) wrote many beloved and award-winning books for children, including Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and The Witches.

    But when Paco was struck down by a disease that left him unable to walk, Hickam was faced with a terrible decision, let his beloved cat live in misery or put him to sleep. Before that decision could be made, the space mission Hickam was working on needed to be rescued and there was only one sure way to save it: Paco's magic meow! This is a true story of the space age that is also a delightful tale of the love between an engineer and his cat.