The Secret Lake is Karen's bestselling time travel mystery adventure story, enjoyed by over 7,000 readers. Karen has been praised by teachers, librarians, parents and reading charities for getting the most reluctant readers turning the pages. Full books available to order in print and/or for Kindle once the kids have had their say :) Order with one click for free today - we think the kids and preteens will be back for more...!

    But what really terrified those bad men was that peculiar gun of his. It didn't shoot bullets. It shot light. And Larry always aimed for the heart. Can Larry save the town of Brimstone from Evil-Eye McNeevil's outlaw gang? Find out in this rip-roaring original tale of a gunfighter with a huge smile and a hankering for lemonade. TEACHERS AND LIBRARIANS -- A READER'S THEATER SCRIPT OF THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE IN AARON'S BOOK -STORIES ON STAGE, - OR FREE ON AARON'S WEB SITE. ///////////////////////////////////////////////// Aaron Shepard is the award-winning author of -The Baker's Dozen, - -The Sea King's Daughter, - -The Monkey King, - and many more children's books. His stories have appeared often in Cricket magazine, while his Web site is known internationally as a prime resource for folktales, storytelling, and reader's theater. Once a professional storyteller, Aaron specializes in lively retellings of folktales and other traditional literature, which have won him honors from the American Library Association, the New York Public Library, the Bank Street College of Education, the National Council for the Social Studies, and the American Folklore Society. Toni Goffe is the British illustrator of numerous well-loved children's books and is a winner of the 1993 Gold Medallion Book Award. He is also illustrator of Aaron's -The Legend of Slappy Hooper.- ///////////////////////////////////////////////// -One of the books every boy should have on his bookshelf; girls will probably like the story too . . . The language is perfect, [with] the right dose of silliness to make both parents and children chuckle . . . The illustrations are ideal.- -- Cindi Rose, San Francisco Examiner, Aug. 20, 2012 -A tall-tale superhero for our time. . . . A readaloud that could lighten up classes well up in the elementary grades.- -- Kirkus Reviews, Mar. 1, 1993 -Pass out the bandanas and dig out the spittoon. Read this story in an old-timer's voice, and everyone will have a good time.- -- Chris Sherman, American Library Association Booklist, Mar. 1, 1993 -Move over Wyatt Earp. Make room for a cowboy of a different caliber. A wide age range of listeners will request this one again and again.- -- School Library Journal, Nov. 1993 -A rib-tickler. . . . Kids will enjoy acting this out as readers theatre.- -- Jan Lieberman, TNT, Spring 1993 -Lovely. . . . Should reach the tickly bone of youngsters.- -- Storyline, June 1993 -Perfect for telling or reading out loud.- -- Katy Rydell, Stories, Spring 1993 -My class loved this story. Great to use when introducing tall tales.- -- D. Peccianti, Reviews of All Resources (Monterey Peninsula United School District) -Introduces one amazing cowpoke. . . . Will have young listeners laughing out loud and asking you to 'read it again.'- -- Smithsonian, Nov. 1993 -Told in the spirited language of a true yarn-spinner, this is a rollicking picture book to warm the heart of just about everyone.- -- Kids' Line, Summer 1993

    Aoife, their new stepmother is very kind to them. But in her heart she is jealous of the children and uses her secret magic powers to cast a spell on them, changing them from children into swans. They spend long years on lonely lakes and frozen seas, until one day the spell is broken and they are human again. Though everyone they loved is long gone, they know they are home at last.

    This book is great for early readers, reading aloud at home, and is especially fun to read right before you go make your very own EPIC pancake!

    Contains stories such as "The Goose Girl", "Hansel and Grethel", "Cinderella", "The Golden Goose", "The Frog Prince" and many more.

    Step back into ancient India as Marcia Williams brings her inviting comic-book style to eight animal folktales that continue to enchant children today.Have you heard about the elephant and the dog who became not just unlikely companions, but the best of friends? Or the traveler whose greed for gold lures him straight into the scrawny tiger’s trap? How about the talkative tortoise who can’t keep his mouth closed to save his life? Drawing from three books of best-loved Indian folktales — Hitopadesha Tales, Jataka Tales, and Panchantra Tales — this graphic storybook collection, alive with kid-friendly illustrations, is infused with humor and warmth.

    If it had come down on any other patch of ground Finn would simply have been another statistic. Death by dangerous driving. But the car hit the surface of the Earth at Exit 43. It slid through the membrane like a hot knife through butter, plunging into the darkness and catapulting Finn from its shattered windscreen as it fell. Finn Oliver knows he'll never come to terms with his father's death, but joy-riding over the moors in his mum's beat-up old car is a quick fix of freedom and forgetting. Until the accident happens - and Finn finds himself hurtling through the wafer-thin divide between the worlds of the living and the dead. Adventurous, charming and poignant by turns, "The Boy Who Fell Down Exit 43" is a quirky debut novel laced with humour and a dollop of magic.

    Noble Gareth defeats a dreaded knight and wins the hand of a fair maiden.

    JohnsonWhen Jason meets his mom’s billion-dollar invention, an artificial intelligence device named Proto, he accidentally gets caught up in a mysterious adventure. Proto goes missing, and then people go missing. Now Jason and his coolest-neighbor-ever Maya must risk their lives to prevent global mayhem. But who is behind this devious plot? Is it another AI? The FBI? Or any other abbreviation with an I? What exactly is there to learn about artificial and human intelligence while fighting for your life against a legion of furry puppies or a battalion of drones? A lot— if you live to tell about it. The Proto Project Designed to be read independently by young readers, boys and girls, ages 8-12 (3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th grade) Best for kids who have outgrown chapter books / leveled readers and are ready for middle-grade books A wonderful gift for anyone looking for fun and funny reading with content that is age-appropriate for kids at home and in school Best for kids who ... Adore contemporary realistic fiction combined with fantasy and science fiction, told with humor and tall-tale flair Love fast-paced novels filled with humor, mystery, suspense, and adventure Ideal for readers who enjoy popular series books like I Survived, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Encyclopedia Brown, Hardy Boys, Babysitters Club, Mysterious Benedict Society, National Geographic Kids and love books by top authors like James Patterson, Kate Dicamillo, and Dav Pilkey. Great for gift-givers, parents, and educators looking for ... An entertaining and educational novel for upper-elementary and middle school tweens Upholds strong values, encourages intellectual curiosity with a growth mindset, and inspires social and global responsibility Encourages interest in STEM careers (science, technology, engineering and math) Incorporates potential real-world applications of modern developments in Artificial Intelligence in concert with Biology, Chemistry, and Physics Emphasizes collaboration and teamwork to benefit the greater good Available in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle. "Johnson (Code 7, 2017) offers a well-calculated balance of suspense and humor for middle school readers .... Action sequences are exciting and dramatic. The novel also provides food for thought in considering how AI could help or hurt humanity. Although the villains are over the top, they do give voice to some of the forces that might want to use AI for selfish, grandiose reasons. A well-written, fast-paced and thoughtful adventure.

    Valerie reads George Eliot to get to sleep – just to take her mind off worries over her patients, her children, their father and the next family dinner. Elena is so obsessed with health, traditional food, her pregnancy and her blog she doesn’t notice that her partner, Malcolm the ethicist, is getting himself into a moral dilemma of his own making. Evie wants to save the world one chicken at a time. Meanwhile her boyfriend, Michael is on a quest to reconnect with his Māori heritage and discover his own identity. Rosa is eight years old and lost in her own fantasy world, but she’s the only one who can tell something’s not right. Crisis has the power to bring this family together, but will it be too late?

    All the central characters are spirited females—decisive heroes of extraordinary courage, wit, and achievement who set out to determine their own fate. Some of their stories are comic, some adventurous, some eerie, and some magical. The Chicago Sun-Times writes: "A sparkling gathering of traditional, yet little-known, tales from all parts of the globe. The female characters. . . manage to outsmart, outdo, and over-power the villains with nerves of steel, cunning minds, and disarming senses of humor."

    Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them is an indispensable introduction to the magical beasts of the Wizarding World. Scamander's years of travel and research have created a tome of unparalleled importance. Some of the beasts will be familiar to readers of the Harry Potter books - the Hippogriff, the Basilisk, the Hungarian Horntail ... Others will surprise even the most ardent amateur Magizoologist. This is an essential companion to the Harry Potter stories, and includes a new foreword from J.K. Rowling (writing as Newt Scamander) and six new beasts!

    One night the stepmother sends Vasilisa to visit Baba Yaga, an errand from which the gentle girl has little chance of returning alive. "An engaging text and accomplished paintings set this version apart....A stylized and classy offering."--School Library Journal.

    In addition to traditional dot-to-dots, there are unique innovations and variations for those who can count into the hundreds and follow simple instructions. Readers will appreciate the fact that they can't tell what the images are before they start, as well as the twists and playful challenges that maintain excitement throughout the book. The final pictures cover a broad subject range, adding to the surprise element. This is a relaxing and fun book that will entertain young and old alike. Ages 8 to adult.

    Robin Hood is the best-loved outlaw of all time.In this edition, Henry Gilbert tells of the adventures of the Merry Men of Sherwood Forest - Robin himself, Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, and Alan-a-Dale, as well as Maid Marian, good King Richard, and Robin's deadly enemies Guy of Gisborne and the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.