But that was before she met Neil, the good-looking boy who lived next door, and standoffish Patrick who owned a motor boat, and before she realized a dark-bearded stranger was hiding in the shrubbery, watching the house. Something very strange was going on--something to do with the fearsome looking Chinese idol in great-grandmother Althea's room. Jan was determined to discover its secret--but apparently someone else was trying to discover it too. The idol was stolen...!

    It is a model for us all of how to read all good books well." ~ Karen Swallow Prior, author of On Reading Well: Finding the Good Life through Great BooksThe stories we read as children shape us for the rest of our lives. But it is never too late to discover that transformative spark of hope that children's classics can ignite within us, especially during uncertain times.Award-winning children's author Mitali Perkins grew up steeped in stories--escaping into her books on the fire escape of a Flushing apartment building and, later, finding solace in them as she navigated between the cultures of her suburban California school and her Bengali heritage at home. Now Perkins invites us to explore the promise of seven timeless children's novels for adults living in uncertain times: stories that provide mirrors to our innermost selves and open windows to other worlds.Blending personal narrative, accessible literary criticism, and spiritual and moral formation, Perkins delves into novels by Louisa May Alcott, C. S. Lewis, L. M. Montgomery, Frances Hodgson Burnett, and other literary "uncles" and "aunts" that illuminate the virtuous, abundant life we still desire. These novels are not perfect--and Perkins honestly assesses their frailties and flaws--but reading or rereading these books as adults can help us build virtue, unmask our vices, and restore our hope.Reconnecting with these stories from childhood isn't merely nostalgia. In an era of uncertainty and despair, they lighten our load and bring us much-needed hope.(Visit steepedinstories.com to find out more.)

    How would you survive? Thoughtfully Louis Sachar has learnt his knowledge and expertise to the subject and created this wonderful, quirky, and utterly essential guide to toughing it out in the Texan desert. Spiced with lots of information about the characters in "Holes", as well as lots of do's and don'ts for survival, this is an essential book for all those hundreds of thousands of "Holes'" fans.

    Given a scholarship to a prestigious academy, where he can learn magic, as well as other useful things, he must struggle to fit in with the nobles and high folk that live work and study there.All of that changes in an instant as intrigue, danger and assassins suddenly start to hunt him.For, you see, Tor Baker isn't just some boy from the deep woods. He's much more than that. If he wants to live to find out what that is exactly, he's going to have to become a thing no one would have ever expected.The greatest Wizard of all time.

    This is the original text with the addition of personal stories from both the 1st and 2nd editions. NEW LINKED TABLE OF CONTENTS ADDED FOR GROUP MEETING USE.Also included: A current study guide of notes from the 12 Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous.

    At 11, he looks big and strong for his age. His kind mother, Geeta is a rural Indian archetype: the overworked, stressed-out, barely-keeping-it- together single mother. His father is in prison for multiple robbery cases. The villagers are cold and overbearing, and his schooldays are made hellish by bullies. If this wasn’t enough, he has nightmares and uncanny callings from the age-old monstrous Peepal tree that lays on his way to school. The legend is a monster called Brahma Rakshas, living under this tree, for years unknown to people, lures kids with the black devil fruits and then makes them wrestle until one dies.And, one stormy night, the legend comes true when Brahma Rakshas meets Sarja. Set in a fictional village of Deogiri; a small haven of human civilization, away from the din of city life, this story is an adventure ride filled with riddles and monster wrestling.

    After a perilous escape from the nuclear wreckage of their Washington, DC suburb in Ashes, Ashes, the surviving kids reach their destination, a mountain safe house, only to find their troubles have just begun. There are no adults and the kids are still all alone. Fifteen-year-old Nester Bartlett's biggest worries had been growing up black in America... but the nuclear apocalypse has changed all of the rules. Now, instead of getting good grades and struggling against the negative stereotypes against African American men, he's fighting just to stay alive. With no skills for his new life of tending animals, maintaining fires and defending their mountain cabin against intruders, he's unprepared for the threats that bombard him and his friends from the weather, from escaped prisoners from a nearby correctional facility and from their own grief over their losses. Then, as nuclear winter sweeps over their mountain home killing crops and animals, a medical emergency threatens one of their number. Nester must make a desperate choice that shatters their little community and irrevocably alters their chances for survival.

    She wants to hate him. Ace Jagger swept into my life like a storm. Dark and dangerous, he’s the bad boy with no conscience. But I can’t stay away. No matter how much I try. It started as a game. A sick, twist plan for revenge. But Remi Tanner buried her way under my skin and the lines have started to blur. He’s cruel. I want her. Calculating. I need her. In the end, I never stood a chance. In the end, I’ll prove she’s the only thing that matters. Because Remi might be a Sterling Prep princess, and I might be the guy from the wrong side of the tracks, but one thing's for sure... I won’t stop until I get what I want. Her. This boxset contains Taunt Her and Tame him. It is a dark high school bully romance. If possessive, tattooed, motorcycle-riding alphaholes aren't your thing, you probably won't like this book!

    

    Maybe your kids have never liked games. Are you out of fun ideas to try? Whatever your situation you are sure to find some amazing games in this book!Would you like your child to get up and get moving? You will find lots of amusing games that incorporate all types of movement to get the wiggles and giggles out of your child. Does your child love watching stories where the hero beats the bad guy? Would your kid enjoy hunting for lost treasure? Can you imagine playing basketball inside? Are you interested in helping your child learn new things while having fun? No problem! This book includes different games for a variety of interests.If you are looking for new ideas or want an update on an old game, there is something here for you to share with your kids to keep them entertained for hours! Most of the games are designed to be played alone, with a parent, or with a group. If you have an only child, don’t worry about inviting a whole brigade of neighborhood children into the house to play these games. Another great thing about the indoor games you will find in this book is that they are played with relatively few items. Most of the parts are made from items lying about your house, like construction paper, paper plates, masking tape, ping pong balls, bean bags, pool noodles, and a timer. This means there’s no need for you to run out and get anything before you can begin playing. So even if a rainy day catches you by surprise, you will be ready to roll, hop, hide, kick, and toss with just a few household items.21 Fun Indoor Games for Kids Book Includes FREE BONUS Baskets, Balls & Drinking Straws Stand Up, Sit Down, Turn Around, Touch the Ground Don’t Stand By . . . Let It Fly Indoor games will have you laughing and playing in all new ways with your child! In the process of learning the games, you will spend quality time teaching and learning from each other. Isn’t that what every parent wants? Extra special time set aside with their kids to connect and have fun? You bet it is!So take a few minutes to read through the instructions and then pick out one game to try today. You will not regret the time invested in creating meaningful and active play experiences for your child!

    This guide starts with the basics and will teach you everything you need to know including how to make an account and how to customize your avatar. The guide quickly moves into more advanced topics such as how to earn robux, reduce lag, make your own games and even make create paintings! So what is ROBLOX? ROBLOX is an online virtual playground and workshop, where kids of all ages can safely interact, create, have fun, and learn. It

    So, we begin with a zany Butterfingers story ‘School Escort’. What happens when Butter is made responsible for getting a tiny tot to school? Disaster? You bet! Following soon after, is our Tinkle Original Story Competition second prize winner, ‘Mission LKG Admission’, a light-hearted look at the maddening process of school admissions. And then we take you ‘On a Little Spin’ all because Little Shambu and Little Suppandi make a wish to skip their school years. Can you imagine a dinosaur let loose in your school? You would, if you had read ‘Brain+Brawn’. We are not done yet for the school mania has gotten into our feature pages as well. If you love puns you should love ‘Pun’ishment Time and if you have ever wished for gadgets to make school life easy, you should be thrilled with ‘Here Comes School’. We move on to the fun feature ‘Ten Ways to Make the Best of School Days’ and to cap it all we have a special Tinkle Time Table just for you! Apart from our school special, do check out the next chapter in The Puppy Chronicles ‘Horus the Saviour’ and the wicked antics of Tantri in ‘A Matter of Opinion’. Enjoy!

    Discover the Homework Hoax, the Squirting Blister, the Movie Popcorn That Grabs You Back. Pull classic pranks on your siblings, like short-sheeting the bed. Freak out your friends with food pranks: a self-peeling banana, “misfortune” cookies, or ice cream that will make them scream (here’s a hint—it involves instant mashed potatoes). And there are perfect pranks to pull on your parents, including a scheme to “freeze” the family computer. The book includes recipes for fake bird poop, fake dog poop, fake vomit, and fake snot (regular, nosebleed, and wormy varieties). A complete prankster’s guide, Pranklopedia also provides a four-part lesson on how to pull the perfect prank and tells you what to do when pranks go bad: 1. Disappear for a while . . .

    

    Jack is to make his debut as a professional footballer, but it's 1914 and the world is at war. Talk of sportsmen's cowardice leads to the formation of a Footballers' Battalion and Jack has little choice but to join up. Jack and his team-mates will have to survive a waking nightmare if they are ever to play again.