The Nutcracker


New York City Ballet - 1815
    For the first time, this beloved holiday story is told based on George Balanchine’s quintessential production. The storyline of this gorgeous picture book mimics the choreography of the famous ballet and the illustrations are inspired by the backdrops and scenery from the actual production.The New York City Ballet’s production of the Nutcracker is considered to be “the” leading production in the world. A holiday tradition for many families, now readers who can’t travel to New York will be able to experience this colorful celebratory story. A must-have for every aspiring ballerina’s library and a holiday tradition for every family’s bookshelf.

The Art of Tangled


Jeff Kurtti - 2010
    Featuring the stunning concept art behind the newest Disney masterpiece, The Art of Tangled also includes a preface by John Lasseter, a foreword by Directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard, and interviews with the artists, animators, and production team—including Art Director David Goetz—that shed light on the history and artistry of this landmark film.

The Secret History of Mermaids and Creatures of the Deep


Ari Berk - 2009
    Variously known as Finfolk, Dinny Mara, Nereids, Blue Men, and Merrymaids, merfolk have been the source of both gifts and disasters for humankind. Now a lavishly illustrated resource offers insight into the lives, origins, language, and magic of these elusive peoples. Like a siren’s song, this fascinating tome is sure to enthrall all who fall under its spell. Special features include:— paper novelties — including sundry flaps, booklets, and gatefolds— a lavish cover with foil, embossing, and glittery jewels

Dracula is a Racist: A Totally Factual Guide to Vampires


Matt Melvin - 2010
    Those who still believe in them are often wildly misinformed. So what do you think will happen when Johnny McNormalpants finds himself face to face with a bloodthirsty vampire? Probably crap his pants, but then what? An informed citizen would know exactly what to do in this situation. If only there was some way to enlighten the public about this often forgotten subject, preferably in the form of a mock informative guide or something. From Matt Melvin, one of the creators of Explosm.net and the hit online comic Cyanide & Happiness, comes Dracula Is A Racist, the definitive guide to vampires, answering those gravely important questions that keep you up at night. . . Was Dracula really a racist?How do vampires do their hair if they don't have any reflection?Is it gross for immortals to be attracted to high school girls if they're stuck in a 17-year-old body?Was Sesame Street ever truly safe from The Count?Is dressing in all black and acting snobby toward everyone enough to fake being a vampire?Just how much more badass are vampires than zombies?Dracula Is A Racist is the essential vampire handbook that digs up all the dirt and backs it up with hard vampirical evidence. That's totally true. Really. Matt Melvin is a 25-year-old T-shirt aficionado and sideburn enthusiast. Along with three other dudes, he runs Explosm.net, a pretty awesome website full of awesome things. When not adding even more filth to the Internet, he enjoys criticizing and complaining about movies, listening to music and inventing obscure types of niche sexual acts. He currently lives in San Diego. He is very tall."

Working from Home with a Cat


Heidi Moreno - 2020
    With colorful art and oh-so-relatable scenarios, Working from Home with a Cat takes readers through a day in the life of artist Heidi Moreno and her pet cat Peanut. From the time she wakes up until the time she goes to bed, she navigates working with her needy yet loveable feline companion, as Peanut walks over her paintings, hogs her chair, disrupts her yoga routine, and more.Despite all the struggles, cats like Peanut are always by our side when we need them, even on the hardest, loneliest workdays. Working from Home with a Cat reminds us why cats are the cutest colleagues and a source of comfort and calm in this chaotic world.• Perfect gift for any cat owner• Features funny and heartwarming scenarios anyone who has tried to concentrate at home with a cat has experienced• For readers who like How to Tell if Your Cat is Plotting to Kill You, Herding Cats by Sarah Scribbles, and You Need More Sleep: Advice from Cats by Francesco Marciuliano

The Little Rabbit Who Wanted Red Wings


Carolyn Sherwin Bailey - 1931
    Our successful paperback edition of this enduring classic has sold over 630,000 copies and now has a brand-new cover.

Mythologica: An Encyclopedia of Gods, Monsters and Mortals from Ancient Greece


Stephen P. Kershaw - 2019
    Stephen Kershaw. Uncover the colorful lives of 50 powerful gods and goddesses, earth-dwelling mortals, and terrifying monsters as you journey back in time to ancient Greece. From the fearless Athena and her meddlesome ways to the brave and bold Odysseus and his remarkable journey home, discover why these incredible stories are still a part of our culture today. Listed alphabetically, each boldly designed spread presents a figure from the myths, including their name in Greek, their defining attributes, and a summary of their story, along with multiple sidelights that provide additional facts. Interspersed with the profiles are summaries of famous mythological tales and historical events, like the Odyssey, the Trojan War, and the story of the Argonauts.An electrifying visual portrayal of each figure transports you directly into their wild world. Victoria Topping’s artwork is a fusion of technological and traditional techniques that combines photography, painting, and cut-paper collage to perfectly express the blending of human and fantastic traits from which mythical beings are made. The thrilling images and digestible text provide the perfect introduction to the lively world of Greek mythology. Prepare to be amazed as you uncover the epic, heroic, and sometimes terrible lives of mortals, monsters, and gods.

Chicken Soup for the Working Mom's Soul: Inspiring Stories from the Playroom to the Boardroom (Chicken Soup for the Soul)


Jack Canfield - 2007
    The stories found in this heartwarming book are from women who, day in and day out, juggle and balance their careers and their families. Whether it's a busy day at the office, followed by music lessons and baseball practice, preparing dinner, or helping with homework, then snuggling and tucking in the little ones, life for a working mom is a busy one. But it is also an enriching and rewarding life, and the stories shared in this book by working moms will show you that it's not important to be 'Super Mom' all the time, just some of the time

Silhouettes from Popular Culture


Olly Moss - 2012
    Find your favourite pop-culture character in this collection of silhouettes from well-known movie, television, comics and video game characters!

The Wizardology Handbook: A Course for Apprentices


Master Merlin - 2007
    The ultimate companion to the best-selling WIZARDOLOGY — an indispensable handbook for would-be wizards everywhereCalling all aspiring wizards! Do you know the appropriate tools (including flattery) to have on hand should you encounter a Western wizard? Have you memorized the spell for summoning a unicorn familiar? Can you follow the steps for releasing magical powers in a lump of rock or piece of metal? What role do natural objects and animals play in the mysterious ways of the shaman? From charts to booklets to lessons, from fascinating stories to free-form spells to create on your own, this elaborate workbook contains all the elements needed for transforming the reader into a wizardworthy of Merlin himself.

Work: The World in Photographs


Ferdinand Protzman - 2006
    We see cowboys and clowns, dancers and dog groomers, miners and models. On one page, drill sergeants bark orders to U.S. Navy recruits; on another, young Tibetan monks study Buddhist scriptures; and on another, Kenyan women spread coffee beans to dry. Work is a subject that is both worldwide and personal. It is a shared endeavor at the very core of our identity. From the glamour of a Parisian fashion show to the grit of an African diamond mine, there are countless ways to make a living. The book illuminates scores of them many in never-before-published photographs offering revealing glimpses into various eras and cultures and engaging the reader with entertaining text and informative captions. With a wonderful mix of the utterly unexpected and the instantly familiar, this vivid panorama takes an essential human activity and shows us myriad ways in which work is at once universal and delightfully, unforgettably unique."

D'Aulaires' Book of Norse Myths


Ingri d'Aulaire - 1967
    Children meet Bragi, the god of poetry, and the famous Valkyrie maidens, among other gods, goddesses, heroes, and giants. Illustrations throughout depict the wondrous other world of Norse folklore and its fantastical Northern landscape.

Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth


Catherine McIlwaine - 2018
    R. R. Tolkien’s talents is remarkable. Not only was he an accomplished linguist and philologist, as well as a scholar of Anglo-Saxon and medieval literature and Norse folklore, but also a skillful illustrator and storyteller. Drawing on these talents, he created a universe which is for many readers as real as the physical world they inhabit daily.Tolkien: Maker of Middle-earth explores the huge creative endeavor behind Tolkien’s enduring popularity. Lavishly illustrated with three hundred images of his manuscripts, drawings, maps, and letters, the book traces the creative process behind his most famous literary works—The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion—and reproduces personal photographs and private papers, many of which have never been seen before in print. Six essays introduce the reader to the person of J. R. R. Tolkien and to main themes in his life and work, including the influence of northern languages and legends on the creation of his own legendarium; his concept of “Faërie” as an enchanted literary realm; the central importance of his invented languages in his fantasy writing; his visual imagination and its emergence in his artwork; and the encouragement he derived from his close friend C. S. Lewis and their literary group the Inklings. The book brings together the largest collection of original Tolkien material ever assembled in a single volume. Drawing on the extensive archives of the Tolkien collections at the Bodleian Libraries, Oxford, which stretch to more than five hundred boxes, and Marquette University, Milwaukee, as well as private collections, this hugely ambitious and exquisitely produced book draws together the worlds of J. R. R. Tolkien – scholarly, literary, creative, and domestic—offering a rich and detailed understanding and appreciation of this extraordinary author. This landmark publication, produced on the occasion of a major exhibition at the Bodleian Libraries in Oxford in 2018 and at the Morgan Library in New York in 2019, is set to become a standard work in the literature on J. R. R. Tolkien.

The Poison Diaries


The Duchess Of Northumberland - 2006
    Weed is an orphan who is taken in by a sadistic apothecary, known only as the master, and proves to be a promising apprentice with a natural ability for the craft. Eventually, Weed's master takes him to a secret walled garden containing some of the most dangerous poisonous plants in the world. In later solitary visits to the garden, however, Weed realizes that the vegetation can communicate with him, and as he learns more about each individual plant, he also discovers precisely how the utilization of each plant's poison can gruesomely put an end to someone's life. The tremendous danger surrounding Weed's education in poisons is tragically underscored when his girlfriend, Marigold, after listening to Weed's far-from-expert instructions, experiments with belladonna and dies. Overwhelmed with grief, Weed blames his master for the death and, finally taking the advice of all the plants in the secret garden, prepares to enact vengeance Including incredibly detailed illustrations (� la National Audubon Society field guides) of a variety of poisonous plants -- belladonna, ricin, mandrake, hemlock, ergot, et al. -- iThe Poison Diaries/i is equal parts nightmarish fable, instructive botanical guide, and not-so-subtle cautionary tale. Fans of illustrated works like Brom's iThe Plucker/i will absolutely cherish this twisted and toxic tale. iPaul Goat Allen/i

Torn Apart


James Patterson - 2008
    It started with an irresistible urge to shake his head, and before long, his body became a volatile, explosive and unpredictable force. Overtaken by physical urges, tics and compulsions, the bright young boy started to feel and look like a puppet on a string. Cory had developed a rare combination of Tourette Syndrome, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Anxiety Disorder and other neurological conditions. His desperate family embarked on a fifteen year search for help which took them beyond breaking point. Cory was seen by thirteen doctors who in total prescribed sixty potent medicines. He was mistakenly sent to a psychiatric ward and, on the brink of utter despair, he and his family decided on a form of intervention that had never been tried in cases like Cory's: he was sent to a wilderness survival camp in a bitter, unforgiving snowy Utah winter. This felt like their final chance. Throughout it all, Cory battled against the extraordinary events that were unfolding, and would take him on one of the most terrifying personal journeys ever recorded.