A collection of short stories and excerpts from Michael Morpurgo's most famous children's novels.

    Like most small towns in America, Starlight has seen better days. Once known for its tobacco fields and rural Southern charm, the stores on Main Street are now boarded up, and many of the residents have left town for good.Logan Shaw, a down and out used-car salesman living in Wilmington is convinced that the letter he has received from a small law firm in Starlight has to be a mistake. The letter states that Logan has been named the sole beneficiary in the last will and testament of one of Starlight’s residents, a reclusive old woman recently found dead in her home on the outskirts of town.After arriving in town, Logan meets an attractive young woman named Colby who has lived in Starlight all of her life. No one knows better than Colby about the stories passed down through the years of a vengeful ghost that can return from the dead when the harvest moon rises over the tobacco fields outside of town – a ghost that kills in such a fit of rage that the bodies of the victims are left unrecognizable. For nearly a hundred years, no one in Starlight has ever seen the ghost and lived to tell about it.With Colby by his side, Logan struggles to comprehend the unspeakable evil that has entered his life, and to understand how he is strangely connected to it. Under the light of the harvest moon he will learn of the dark secret that Starlight holds, and of the legend the locals refer to as “the ghost of tobacco road”.

    The four children, their mother, and their two cats are transformed into mermaids! Well... the cats are turned into mercats. Join their adventure as they encounter sharks, octopuses and even sea dragons as they journey to Mermaid Kingdom. Best-selling author, Celesta Thiessen, wrote this book with her daughters, Keziah and Priscilla Thiessen. Keziah, who is thirteen, enjoys writing stories, sketching and dragons. Priscilla, who is seven, loves playing with cats, daydreaming and drawing inventions. Celesta, Keziah and Priscilla all love adventures!

    His first clue to the contrary is the faceless monsters in suits and bowler hats that crash into his family’s cottage. It’s not until he wakes up alone in the unfamiliar village of Hobbes End that his true identity is revealed: his mother’s a demon, his dad’s an angel, and his grandfather Gabriel is the village’s angel-turned-clockmaker. As Jonathan’s one-of-a-kind angel-demon powers start to kick in, he wonders if he can prevent the archdemon Belial from taking over Heaven and Hell . . . let alone round up his parents. A swashbuckling fantasy debut!

    There are between 6 and 10 lessons.Activities in this lesson include Fill in the Blank, Multiple Choice, True and False, Comprehension, Encyclopedia Skills Activity, Journal Activity, Vocabulary, Sequencing, Handwriting, Main Idea, Prediction, ComparisonLiterature Skills Activities including: Main Character, Main Setting, Main Problem, Possible Solutions, Character Traits, Character Interaction, Cause and Effect, Description, Pyramid of Importance, Villain vs. Hero.Creative Writing Activities including: Letter, Fairy Tale, Mystery, Science Fiction, Fable, Dream or Nightmare, Tall Tale, Memoir, Newberry Award, A Different Ending.Writing Skills Activities including: Description, Expository, Dialogue, Process, Point of View, Persuasion, Compare and Contrast, Sequel, Climax and Plot Analysis.Poetry Skills Activities including: Couplet, Triplet, Quinzain, Haiku, Cinquain, Tanka, Diamanté, Lantern and Shape Poem.Create a Newspaper Layout Activities including: Editorial, Travel, Advice Column, Comics, Society News, Sports, Obituary, Weddings, Book Review, Want Ads, Word Search.Poster Board Activities including: Collage, Theater Poster, Wanted Poster, Coat of Arms, Story Quilt, Chalk Art, Silhouette, Board Game Construction, Door Sign, Jeopardy.We also offer an extended version of this unit which comes in a PDF format and offers Lapbook instructions, Hands on Art and Creative Art activities. If you purchase this unit study and let us know by sending us proof of purchase, we will download the extended version of this full unit with the additional activities in PDF version to you for $1 more.

    Bumbling Inspector Cluesome is convinced that Kat is lost in Myrtle’s Mesmerising Maze, but Frankie isn’t buying it.He follows the evidence trail to a conniving concierge, a six fingered chef, a talking parrot, a mad maid and a shifty dwarf, and quickly finds himself in a desperate race to recover Kat before her time runs out…An exciting new illustrated middle grade mystery series for children aged 8-12

    "I just got caught in a downdraft and blown off course. Let me sit down for a moment, and then I'll be on my way. Speaking of way, by the way, there is such a thing as a tesseract."A tesseract (in case the reader doesn't know) is a wrinkle in time. To tell more would rob the reader of the enjoyment of Miss L'Engle's unusual book.

    Aegolius Academy. Once there, he must use his wits and bravery to escape his captors. Soren and his new band of orphans fight their way through many dangers, hoping to find refuge with a group of brave owls thought only to be a legend-the Guardians of Ga'Hoole! And so begins a magical journey in this stunning collection of the first three books from the bestselling Guardians of Ga'Hoole series. Together with the Guardians, the band will face a threat more terrible than any the Great Tree has ever encountered before. Soren must seek out the truth about his lost family, and with his friends behind him, become the stuff of legends.

    Surrounded by pegasi, dragons, and fairies, they discover new powers within themselves and a secret they have unknowingly been preparing for. A spellbinding tale of fantasy and fairy tale, lvor draws you into an enchanting world of all things magical.

    A lonely tree stands in an empty field on Christmas Eve. Will the Christmas star grant his only wish? Written for children, but enjoyed by all.  New for 2012: A fully illustrated version is now available.  Just search "The Lonely Christmas Tree (Illustrated)".

    The problem? Avis isn't evil. Not one bit. His magical wizarding family will do anything to make Avis's life a misery. Even the horses that pull the carriages don't like him.But he has a way out at last... “Hailing Hall School for Wizards,” a sanctuary, a place for good wizards, where he can make some nice, normal friends, learn magic and live a normal life, finally escaping the notoriety of the Blackthorn name... or so he thinks.That's where the real adventure — humorous, haunting and mysterious — begins.Come along with Avis as he tries desperately to prove he isn't evil like his family. And join tall, thin, be-speckled Robin and accident prone Hunter, Avis's friends from the Outside — the same world as yours in fact — as they discover Wizard's Spider Soap, the wizarding sport of Riptide and even the ghosts that do the laundry!Of course, in a magic school full of teenage wizards there will always be drama. But stranger things are brewing and Avis finds himself at the centre of it. After spotting Malakai — the most evil Sorcerer around and his parents employer — coming into the school in the dead of night. Avis wonders why? And why will no one believe him? The mysterious, beautiful Tina might know why. When Avis and Robin spot her creeping round in the dead of night, she tells them about the quest and a thrilling mystery unfolds. Yet, everything goes horribly wrong for Avis. After being accused of something terrible, he is ostracised from his friends and lives high up in the clock tower. Everyone thinks he's evil, just like his family...Avis must uncover the biggest of quests with the help of Tina and Robin and finally prove once and for all, that he is a good wizard. Avis has to make a big choice to make — his friends, or his family, and the choice... might just kill him.

    Would a dying dragon change her fate? On the outskirts of the capital, sixteen-year old Krea, is fighting to survive. She’s bullied, attacked, and some say she’s cursed. She doesn’t believe them. This girl is a fighter. In a meadow, surrounded by blue flowers, a dragon fights for her life and a chance at immortality. There’s just one problem, she needs a new twin soul. When Krea finds Wymarc, the dragon makes an offer. Is the dragon’s gift going to change her life for the better or send her to her doom? You’ll love this fantasy for its characters you care about, meddlesome gods, and the brilliant story craft. Get it now.

    After committing the story to memory as a child, life went on. Years were filled with work, children, and sushi; memories were made from adventuring, hobbies, and sailing.An animal lover from way back, Patty has never lost a shoe in the zoo! Have you?

    The source of their power has been hidden around the world in the form of 39 Clues. But the Cahills have shadow enemies, the Vespers, and they’re closer than the Cahills know. Will the power of the 39 Clues be used for good…or for the darkest evil?Seven stories reveal their never-before-told secrets of the Cahill family. Follow the Cahills from the chilling attack that caused Grace Cahill to launch an all-out hunt for the 39 Clues, to the rise of Vesper One and the first step in his terrifying plan for world domination. The Cahills are counting on you to keep their secrets. Remember: Trust no one.