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Demons Of The Body And Mind: Essays On Disability In Gothic Literature
by Ruth Bienstock AnolikThe Gothic mode, typically preoccupied by questions of difference and otherness, consistently imagines the Other as a source of grotesque horror. The sixteen critical essays in this collection examine the ways in which those suffering from mental and physical ailments are refigured as Other, and how they are imagined to be monstrous. Together, the essays highlight the Gothic inclination to represent all ailments as visibly monstrous, even those, such as mental illness, which were invisible. Paradoxically, the Other also becomes a pitiful figure, often evoking empathy. This exploration of illness and disability represents a strong addition to Gothic studies.
The Accidental Time Traveller
by Janis MackayWinner of the Scottish Children's Book Award 2013 Younger Readers (8-11 years) categoryOne ordinary day, Saul is on his way to the corner shop when a girl appears suddenly in the middle of the road. She doesn't understand traffic, or the things in shops, and she's wearing a long dress with ruffled sleeves. Her name is Agatha Black. Agatha Black is from 1812, and Saul needs to find a way to get her back there. With help from his mates Will and Robbie, he tries to work out how to make time travel happen. This pacy, time-travelling adventure from Janis Mackay, author of the Magnus Fin series, is full of funny misunderstandings and gripping action. Shortlisted for a Scottish Children's Book Award 2013
The Invention Of Hugo Cabret (PDF) (400MB+)
by Brian Selznick400MB+ File Request - email bookshare@rnib.org.uk to request this title by WeTransfer. Orphan, clock keeper, and thief, Hugo lives in the walls of a busy Paris train station, where his survival depends on secrets and anonymity. But when his world suddenly interlocks - like the gears of the clocks he keeps - with an eccentric, bookish girl and a bitter old man who runs a toy booth in the train station, Hugo's undercover life, and his most precious secret, are put in jeopardy. A cryptic drawing, a treasured notebook, a stolen key, a mechanical man, and a hidden message from Hugo's dead father form the backbone of this intricate, tender, and spellbinding mystery. With more than three hundred pages of original drawings, and combining elements of picture book, graphic novel, and film, Brian Selznick breaks open the novel form to create an entirely new reading experience. Here is a stunning, cinematic tour de force from a boldly innovative storyteller, artist, and bookmaker.
Of Mice and Aliens: An Asperger Adventure
by Kathy HoopmannThe sequel to Blue Bottle Mystery, this is a science fiction novel for kids, with a difference. Ben is learning to cope with his newly diagnosed Asperger Syndrome, but when an alien crash-lands in his back yard, things really get complicated. The alien, Zeke, knows nothing about Earth's rules and norms and it is up to Ben and his friend Andy to help Zeke survive. The humorous parallels between the alien's inability to relate to humans and Ben's own idiosyncrasies highlight the difficulties Aspie kids face every day. Of Mice and Aliens is not just another kids' book. As well as being a delightful read for anyone who loves adventure, it is a valuable teaching tool that demystifies children with Asperger's, justifying their individuality as valid and interesting.
Zog (PDF)
by Julia Donaldson Axel SchefflerZog is the keenest dragon in school. He's also the most accident-prone. Luckily, a mysterious little girl always comes by and patches up his bumps and bruises. But will she be able to help him with his toughest test: capturing a princess? A wonderfully funny new story from the creators of The Gruffalo and Stick Man.
Flying Fergus 4: The Championship Cheats (PDF)
by Chris Hoy Joanna Nadin Clare ElsomThe District Championships are coming up and the Hercules' Hopefuls are nervous. Their hard work and training are about to be put to the test. But that's not the only thing on Fergus's mind. Mum has been acting oddly, and when rival coach Choppy Wallace turns up with an offer that's just too good to be true, Fergus is suspicious. It's high time he got Dad back from Nevermore, but he'll need a little help from his friends Princess Lily and Unlucky Luke . . . Written with award-winning author Joanna Nadin, with brilliant illustrations by Clare Elsom.
George's Dragon Goes to School (PDF)
by Claire FreedmanFollowing on from the success of GEORGE'S DRAGON comes a brand-new adventure by the author of ALIENS LOVE UNDERPANTS. "Bring your pet to school" week is approaching, and George cannot wait to show off Sparky, his pet dragon. But Mum's worried because Sparky is not only huge but also unbelievably clumsy. Sparky's mishap gets the school fire alarm going and everyone is evacuated to the swimming-pool building where the children are supposed to have their swimming lesson next. But the heating is off and the water is freezing cold. It looks like only a dragon with impressive fire-breathing skills can save the day now! 9781407132051
Oliver and the Seawigs (PDF)
by Philip ReeveOliver grew up in a family of explorers - but his biggest adventure is about to being!Along with his new friends, a grumpy old albatross, a short-sighted mermaid, and a friendly island called Cliff, Oliver goes off in search of his missing parents. But before he can put his rescue plan into action there's the evil Stacey de Lacey and an army of greasy, green sea monkeys to contendwith . . . 9780192734556
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone
by J. K. Rowling Mary GrandpréHarry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy until he is rescued by an owl, taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, learns to play Quidditch and does battle in a deadly duel. The Reason: HARRY POTTER IS A WIZARD!
Harry Potter And The Philosopher's Stone
by J. K. Rowling Mary GrandpréHarry Potter thinks he is an ordinary boy until he is rescued by an owl, taken to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, learns to play Quidditch and does battle in a deadly duel. The Reason: HARRY POTTER IS A WIZARD!
Witch on a Broomstick (Large Print)
by RnibThis is an image of a witch on a broomstick and two bats flying high in the air with a full moon just above the horizon in the distance. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. The picture is surrounded be a dashed line image border. The witch can be found in the centre of the page, seen from the side and facing to the right. At the top centre of the page is the witch's pointed hat. Down the page is her hair with her face to the right with only one of her eyes visible. She has her mouth open and has a big nose with a wart on it. Further down the page she has one arm stretched out to the left and the other, to the right, holds the broomstick. The witch wears a long black dress and black shoes with high heels. The witch is sat on an old-fashioned broom called a besom. Its head, made from twigs, is in the bottom left of the page. Its handle stretches diagonally right up the page to the centre right. Part of the stick is hidden by the witch's legs and bottom. There is a bat to each side of the page, in the centre left and top right. They are seen from the front flying with their big ears pointing up, and their leathery wings outstretched. The circular shape of the full moon is in the centre right and top right of the page. Parts of it are hidden by the witch's hand, part of the broomstick and one of the bats.
Ursa Major (Big Bear) (UEB Uncontracted)
by Adrian FarnsworthThis is an image of the star constellation Ursa Major (Big Bear). The stars are represented by dots. They are connected by lines to make an image vaguely resembling a bear.
Witch on a Broomstick (UEB Uncontracted)
by RnibThis is an image of a witch on a broomstick and two bats flying high in the air with a full moon just above the horizon in the distance. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. The picture is surrounded be a dashed line image border. The witch can be found in the centre of the page, seen from the side and facing to the right. At the top centre of the page is the witch's pointed hat. Down the page is her hair with her face to the right with only one of her eyes visible. She has her mouth open and has a big nose with a wart on it. Further down the page she has one arm stretched out to the left and the other, to the right, holds the broomstick. The witch wears a long black dress and black shoes with high heels. The witch is sat on an old-fashioned broom called a besom. Its head, made from twigs, is in the bottom left of the page. Its handle stretches diagonally right up the page to the centre right. Part of the stick is hidden by the witch's legs and bottom. There is a bat to each side of the page, in the centre left and top right. They are seen from the front flying with their big ears pointing up, and their leathery wings outstretched. The circular shape of the full moon is in the centre right and top right of the page. Parts of it are hidden by the witch's hand, part of the broomstick and one of the bats.
Medusa (Head and Neck only) (UEB Uncontracted)
by RnibThis is an image of Medusa. She was a Gorgon, a terrifying female creature with hair of live snakes on her head. Any person that looked at her turned to stone. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. This is a close-up of Medusas head and shoulders. She is facing you so all her facial features can be found. Medusa looked like a regular woman except, instead of hair; she had live snakes growing out of her head. Six snakes are shown from the side. On each one, an eye and a tongue can be found.
Witch on a Broomstick (UEB Contracted)
by RnibThis is an image of a witch on a broomstick and two bats flying high in the air with a full moon just above the horizon in the distance. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. The picture is surrounded be a dashed line image border. The witch can be found in the centre of the page, seen from the side and facing to the right. At the top centre of the page is the witch's pointed hat. Down the page is her hair with her face to the right with only one of her eyes visible. She has her mouth open and has a big nose with a wart on it. Further down the page she has one arm stretched out to the left and the other, to the right, holds the broomstick. The witch wears a long black dress and black shoes with high heels. The witch is sat on an old-fashioned broom called a besom. Its head, made from twigs, is in the bottom left of the page. Its handle stretches diagonally right up the page to the centre right. Part of the stick is hidden by the witch's legs and bottom. There is a bat to each side of the page, in the centre left and top right. They are seen from the front flying with their big ears pointing up, and their leathery wings outstretched. The circular shape of the full moon is in the centre right and top right of the page. Parts of it are hidden by the witch's hand, part of the broomstick and one of the bats.
The Manasa Story (SEB Contracted)
by Rnib2005. Bengal. Scroll-painting by Gurupada Chitrakar, paint on paper. Size: 108 cm long and 56 cm wide, the whole scroll is 168 cm long and 56 cm wide. Museum number 2006. 2-9. 01. This scroll tells the story of the snake goddess Manasa, Lakhindar and his wife Behula. Manasa kills Lakhindar to punish his father, her sworn enemy. Here, Behula takes Lakhindar’s body down the river on a raft. After a number of narrow escapes with the fish of the deep and humans on the river banks, she arrives at the court of the gods. The gods are so enchanted by her devotion that they agree that Lakhindar should return to life. The cobra in the centre of the painting suggests the power of Manasa. This is a brightly coloured, busy picture in vivid pink, blue, green yellow with black, brown and white is surrounded by a decorated border of pink flowers with green foliage on a yellow background. The snake goddess Manasa, who is depicted as a huge cobra, dominates the picture. The cobra is shown on a background of a blue river and is looking directly at the viewer with its body twisted first to the right and then to the left of the picture. The patterning on the body of the cobra is brown with alternate black and white markings with a strip of bold black and white horizontal stripes running down the centre. The snake has two small eyes and two short fangs. In the river, several animals (a crab, a turtle, a prawn and several fish) are shown on either side of Manasa. Half way down on the left-hand side, Lakhindar is shown fishing on the river bank, In front of him, depicted in the river, is his wide Behula, who is kneeling with the skull of a twisted skeleton in her lap. In the first twist of the cobra, Behula is shown kneeing with the head of her dead husband in her lap. In the top right-hand corner, the faces of six people are shown on the river bank. These people are looking down on Behula with her dead husband. The tactile image concentrates on the cobra with some detail on the right-hand side of the picture ie Behula sitting with her dead husband Lakhindar and a turtle. The rest of the images have been omitted but a braille label has been added to the image to explain their position. A key at the bottom of the page explains the labelling. Two parallel lines showing the decorative border edge the tactile image. The river is shown as parallel wavy lines. The banks of the river are shown as plain areas. The snake is outlined with a thick line, the head is solid texture with hollows for the eyes, the fangs are thick lines, the brown patterning is a light texture and the black and white stripes are alternating solid texture with plain between. The turtle is shown as a solid texture. Behula and Lakhindar are shown in outline with a rough texture with solid texture for their hair and the arms and feet of Behula. Braille labels: see key at the bottom of the tactile image.
Medusa (Head and Neck only) (UEB Contracted)
by RnibThis is an image of Medusa. She was a Gorgon, a terrifying female creature with hair of live snakes on her head. Any person that looked at her turned to stone. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. This is a close-up of Medusas head and shoulders. She is facing you so all her facial features can be found. Medusa looked like a regular woman except, instead of hair; she had live snakes growing out of her head. Six snakes are shown from the side. On each one, an eye and a tongue can be found.
Medusa (Head and Neck only) (Large Print)
by RnibThis is an image of Medusa. She was a Gorgon, a terrifying female creature with hair of live snakes on her head. Any person that looked at her turned to stone. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. This is a close-up of Medusas head and shoulders. She is facing you so all her facial features can be found. Medusa looked like a regular woman except, instead of hair; she had live snakes growing out of her head. Six snakes are shown from the side. On each one, an eye and a tongue can be found.
Kali (SEB Contracted)
by RnibEarly 20th century. Santal region of eastern Bihar/western Bengal. Scroll - paint on recycled paper. Size: 107 cm long and 20 cm wide. Museum number: 1988. 7-3. 06. Although crudely executed this picture shows Kalis true nature: fascinating but frightening and attended by terrifying goblins. The scroll comes from the tribal Santal zone in western Bengal. Here scrolls are used both for storytelling and for death rituals. This one is part of a group of seven that was acquired by a British school-teacher stationed in this then remote area. The dominate colours on this painting are black and red, along with tones of blue and brown. The image of Kali fills the top two thirds of this long, narrow picture. She is shown facing the viewer with her feet turned slightly to her right. Kali is standing on the left arm of a male figure, her husband Shiva, who is lying on his back. Two black goblins are shown below Shiva. Kali is depicted naked with a black body. Two areas of her body appear transparent, a strip around her hips and the upper half of her body extending a short way down her arms, as the background of the painting can be seen through these areas. The black areas of the body also have small red patches on the knees, elbows and feet. Her head is black with white eyes and black pupils, white teeth, a red moustache and long red protruding tongue. She has large ears with three holes in each with hoop earrings through the lower holes. Her hair is beaded and pulled upwards into spikes which looks like a crown. Kali has four arms, two are down by her side and two are held above her head. Each arm has a wide bangle at the wrist and bands on the upper arm. In her lower left hand, she is holding a severed head. Around her neck and descending down to her knees is a large garland that is made up of more severed heads. There are thick anklets around each ankle. The tactile image focuses solely on Kali. The black area of her body and head are shown with solid texture along with her crown-like hair and the hand-held severed head. The eyes, holes in the ears, teeth, protruding tongue, bangles, arm bands and anklets are shown as hollows in the solid texture. The garland of severed heads is shown as a rough texture with hollows for individual heads. Braille labels: upper right arm, upper left arm, letter p (for protruding tongue), lower right arm, lower left arm, garland of severed heads, severed head, arm band, wrist band and anklet on left leg."
Green Man (UEB Uncontracted)
by RnibThis page shows an image of the Green Man, an ancient theme of carvings often found in church architecture all over Europe. It is said to symbolise Spring and rebirth, and may have originated in pagan religions. This example is from a church in Vendome, France. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. The image is surrounded by a dashed line image border. The image of the Green man is found filling the central part of the page. He shown here as green to aid reading, although the original is grey stone coloured. He is facing to the front so that both of his eyes, his nose and his mouth can be found. At the top of the image part of the carving goes across the page. Down from this are four leaves in a horizontal row on his forehead. Further down are his eyes, nose and mouth. There are crescent-shaped marks under each of his eyes that perhaps represent dark rings. There is an oak leaf growing from each of his cheeks, and two more with acorns, that grow from the corners of his mouth.
Green Wizard (Tactile)
by Adrian FarnsworthThis is a tactile image of a green wizard dressed in a star-decorated cloak, stirring a magic potion in a cauldron.
Green Man (UEB Contracted)
by RnibThis page shows an image of the Green Man, an ancient theme of carvings often found in church architecture all over Europe. It is said to symbolise Spring and rebirth, and may have originated in pagan religions. This example is from a church in Vendome, France. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. The image is surrounded by a dashed line image border. The image of the Green man is found filling the central part of the page. He shown here as green to aid reading, although the original is grey stone coloured. He is facing to the front so that both of his eyes, his nose and his mouth can be found. At the top of the image part of the carving goes across the page. Down from this are four leaves in a horizontal row on his forehead. Further down are his eyes, nose and mouth. There are crescent-shaped marks under each of his eyes that perhaps represent dark rings. There is an oak leaf growing from each of his cheeks, and two more with acorns, that grow from the corners of his mouth.
Green Man (Large Print)
by RnibThis page shows an image of the Green Man, an ancient theme of carvings often found in church architecture all over Europe. It is said to symbolise Spring and rebirth, and may have originated in pagan religions. This example is from a church in Vendome, France. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. The image is surrounded by a dashed line image border. The image of the Green man is found filling the central part of the page. He shown here as green to aid reading, although the original is grey stone coloured. He is facing to the front so that both of his eyes, his nose and his mouth can be found. At the top of the image part of the carving goes across the page. Down from this are four leaves in a horizontal row on his forehead. Further down are his eyes, nose and mouth. There are crescent-shaped marks under each of his eyes that perhaps represent dark rings. There is an oak leaf growing from each of his cheeks, and two more with acorns, that grow from the corners of his mouth."
Chinese Dragon's Head (Tactile)
by Adrian FarnsworthA tactile Chinese dragon's head, shown from the side.
Chinese Imperial Dragon (UEB Contracted)
by RnibThis is an image of a dragon. There is a locator dot shown, which will be at the top left of the page when the image is the correct way up. The dragons head is in the centre of the page facing to the right. Its mouth is open showing six large sharp yellow teeth. Up from the teeth are its nose and nostril. To the left is one of its two protruding eyes. Left from this is the back of its spiky head. Going left is a brown branching horn. Down from the head is the dragons neck. This flows into its snake-like wriggling body. At the bottom right of the image is one of its front legs. This ends in a five-toed foot with five sharp claws. At the bottom left of the image is the other front leg. This also ends in a five-toed foot with five sharp claws. From here the body curves up and left. There are sharp spines running along the top of its back to the right of the body. As the body curls to the right at the left centre of the page, the spines are to the left and top of the body. The body goes right and then up the page. One of the back legs can be found here to the right of the body. The leg goes horizontally right and ends in a five-toed foot with five sharp claws. At the top centre of the page the body goes horizontally right across the page. Where it bends to the right the other back leg goes horizontally left and ends in a five-toed foot with five sharp claws. The body ends in a double forked tail in the top right of the page.