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Vanity Fair
by William Makepeace ThackerayThis classic story of two nineteenth-century social climbers is the basis for countless films and TV series, and one of the UK’s “Best-Loved Novels.” Before the Real Housewives, there were Becky Sharp and Amelia Sedley. Ruthless and cunning, Becky may have been born in a lower class, but now that she’s graduated from school, she’s ready to climb up to a better life—and do whatever it takes to get there. Her friend Emmy, however, is the opposite. She may have mastered music, dancing, and embroidery like any young woman of her class, but she utterly lacks a backbone. Together these friends navigate the perils of Regency society as they search for love and happiness. Social battles are waged against the backdrop of the Napoleonic Wars, and when the smoke finally clears, there’s no telling who will come out victorious. A satirical masterpiece, Vanity Fair was #14 on The Guardian’s list of the 100 Best Novels and #122 in the BBC’s “Big Read” poll for the UK’s best-loved novel. It has inspired numerous adaptations, from early silent films to a 2004 movie by Mira Nair starring Reese Witherspoon as Becky.
The Semi-Attached Couple
by Emily EdenThe worst thing to happen to the season’s perfect couple: marriage When the young and gorgeous Helen Eskdale met the wealthy aristocrat Lord Teviot, everything clicked. This was a couple that was meant to be—the match of the year, if not the ages. But in the rush to the altar, there was no time for bride and groom to actually get to know each other. Now the question is: Can they keep their marriage from falling apart?The Semi-Attached Couple explores the upstairs-downstairs intrigues and comic misunderstandings central to the classic English romance with all the wit, style, and charm of a Jane Austen novel. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen
by Rudolph Erich RaspeThe fantastic story of the semimythical folk hero who has delighted generations of readers all over the world Published anonymously in 1785, The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen defies logic, the laws of physics, and even rational thought. Karl Friedrich von Munchausen, also known as the Baron of Lies, was a retired army captain famed for his outlandish accounts of his war and hunting exploits. In this “memoir,” Munchausen regales readers with stories of dancing in the belly of a whale and riding on a horse cut in two. Other escapades include a balloon expedition to the moon, an encounter with the goddess Venus, a fiery battle with the Turkish army, and the experience of being swallowed up by a monstrous creature in the South Seas. It was not until 1824 that Rudolf Erich Raspe was revealed as the book’s author. Although most of Munchausen’s tales sprang from Raspe’s imagination, the author is reputed to have known the notorious baron personally. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
The Roald Dahl Treasury
by Roald Dahl Quentin BlakeThe Roald Dahl Treasury is a delightful collection by and about the World's Number One Storyteller.Four exciting sections - ANIMALS; MAGIC; FAMILY, FRIENDS AND HEROES; and MATTERS OF IMPORTANCE - introduce some of Roald Dahl's most popular characters, from the Enormous Crocodile to the Twits, from the Witches to the BFG, from James to Matilda.Throughout this book, you can delve into stories, poems, memoirs and letters galore all wonderfully illustrated by Quentin Blake as well as other well-known artists, including Raymond Briggs, Babette Cole, Posy Simmonds and Ralph Steadman.This book is the perfect gift for Roald Dahl fans and for all those yet to discover his magic.
The Vicar of Nibbleswicke (Bestseller Collection Ser.)
by Roald Dahl Quentin BlakeThe Reverend Lee is suffering from a rare and acutely embarrassing condition: Back-to-Front Dyslexia. It affects only his speech, and he doesn't realize he's doing it, but the parishioners of Nibbleswicke are shocked and confused by his seemingly outrageous comments. At last a cure is found and the mild-mannered vicar can resume normal service. Or at least as normal as is possible for a man who must walk backwards to be sure of talking forwards!A highly comic tale in the best Dahl tradition of craziness, written for the benefit of the Dyslexia Institute.
80: Poems by Roger McGough
by Roger McGoughThere are eighty of Roger McGough's favourite poems in this hugely enjoyable collection, gathered together into a new volume to celebrate Roger's 80th birthday! Sometimes funny, sometimes sad, but always inventive, the enormous variety of poems from this hugely popular poet will never cease to amaze and delight children of all ages.
My Magical Life: Tom Fletcher Book Club Title 2018
by Zach King Beverly ArceSelected as a title in Tom Fletcher's Book Club 2018! -------------A debut series from the mega-talented Zach King, full of laughs, zany action and more than a hint of magic.Eleven-year-old Zach has magical powers, just like everyone in his family, but he's having trouble harnessing his abilities... Obviously being magical, but not being able to use his abilities isn't exactly great for ZachSo, his parents decide he needs to be around real people. No more home schooling- it's time to go to the scary world of secondary school! But Zach can't resist a bit of magic... A simple spell ends with him and his best friend stuck in a vending machine. Someone filmed it and by the next day he's gone viral on YouTube, getting the attention of Rachel, the prettiest girl at school. With everyone wondering how Zach does his tricks, and with head mean girl Trisha plotting to bring him down, Zach's got his work cut out if he's going to survive year 7 and keep his dreams of becoming a master magician intact.Get the app! With the My Magical Life app, you can bring the book to life in front of your eyes!
The House with Only an Attic and a Basement
by Kathryn Maris'But back to the summer day the spikegrazed my brother's scalp: I slept beside himin his racing car bed and my father woke meand slapped my face, thinking, I assume, of sex,whereas I was already thinking about death.'Urban, suburban, sharply observant, now obsessive and now urbane, the poems in Kathryn Maris's third book range with a dry wit over such subjects as parenthood, marriage, adultery, the politics of children's sports contests, female prison and psychoanalysis. The House with Only an Attic and a Basement is that rare thing: a darkly funny collection of poems that courses with keen intelligence, yet wears its learning lightly so that it is a pleasure to stride along with every poem.
Mumbo Jumbo: A Novel
by Ishmael ReedIshmael Reed's inspired comic fable of the ragtime era - hailed by Harold Bloom as one of the five hundred greatest books of the Western canonAmerica, 1920s. A plague is spreading, and it's spreading fast, from New Orleans to Chicago to New York. It's an epidemic of freedom, joy and self-expression, being spread by Black artists, that makes anyone who catches it desperate to dance, sing, laugh and jive. It's the outbreak of Jazz, Ragtime and Blues onto the world scene; the spirit of Blackness overtaking America and the world. And it's threatening to dismantle the whole social order. Working to root out the plague by any means possible - even murder - are the members of The Wallflower Order, an international conspiracy dedicated to puritanism and control. But, deep in the heart of Harlem, private eye and Vodun priest Papa LaBas is determined to defend his flourishing ancient culture against their insidious plans. And so, he finds himself locked in a race against the Order to find an ancient Egyptian text which might just be the key to keeping the virus of freedom alive.Caustic, badass, comic, Mumbo Jumbo is an exuberant explosion of magic, conspiracies, music and myth. It's a novel of outrage, intrigue, and wonder - an anarchic spiritual classic, and a satire for our times.
The Magical Mix-Up (My Magical Life Book #2)
by Zach King Beverly ArceThe second book in Zach King's magical stories - Download the app for free and see the book come to life in 3D!Things are going pretty well for Zach since his last escapades. He's gone from zero to hero in no time. He's got great friends and a fast-growing reputation - he's just missing his magical power.He's about to ask Rachel to the upcoming school dance, when Hogan, the new kid from Australia, ruins his plans. But Zach learns that Hogan is plotting something even worse...Now Zach's on a mission to recover his magical powers and stop Hogan before it's too late!
Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator (Puffin Modern Classics Ser.)
by Roald Dahl Quentin BlakeIllustrations by Quentin Blake in full colour for the very first time!WHOOSH! Inside the Great Glass Elevator, Willy Wonka, Charlie Bucket and his family are cruising a thousand feet above the chocolate factory.They can see the whole world below them, but they're not alone. The American Space Hotel has just launched. Lurking inside are the Vernicious Knids - the most brutal, vindictive murderous beasts in the universe.So grab your gizzard! Hold your hats! Only Charlie and Willy Wonka can stop the Knids from destroying everything!
Danny, the Champion of the World (Scholastic Literature Guide Ser.)
by Roald Dahl Quentin BlakeIllustrated for the first time in full colour by Quentin Blake.Danny lives in a gipsy caravan with his father, the most marvellous and exciting father any boy ever had.All the land around them belongs to Mr Victor Hazell, a rich snob with a great glistening beery face and tiny piggy eyes. Nobody likes him, not one-little bit.So one day, Danny and his father concoct a daring plot that will give the old blue-faced baboon Victor Hazell the greatest shock of his life - so long as they don't get caught ...
The Girl Who Thought She Was a Dog: World Book Day 2018
by Clare BaldingFennel and Twiglet are best friends. They do everything together, from curling up in their basket to playing fetch in the park. Twiglet understands Fennel like no one else, especially her life-long dream of winning Crufts. There's just one problem: Fennel isn't a dog. And a girl can't win a competition for dogs, no matter how much she acts like one. Can she?
Brain Freeze: World Book Day 2018
by Tom FletcherA little girl discovers that eating ice cream from her grandfather's old ice-cream truck gives her the power to travel through time, in this brilliant, funny and heartwarming story from bestselling author Tom Fletcher.
The Boggart And the Monster (A Puffin Book)
by Susan CooperEmily and Jess Volnik have returned for another Scottish adventure, joining their old friend Tommy and Mr Maconochie, the new owner of Castle Keep, on a trip to Loch Ness, where a new expedition is determined to find the fabled monster.The fun-loving Boggart - a mischievous shape-shifting spirit who has lived in the castle for centuries -comes along for the ride, but this time the Boggart has a serious mission. His cousin Nessie is trapped in the monster shape he took on long ago, and it's up to the Boggart to keep Nessie from being discovered by the expedition's high-tech equipment. Is modern science any match for the Boggart's ancient magic?
Five Children and It
by E. NesbitIn this classic tale of adventure and wish fulfillment, five city kids find the countryside to be filled with magic and wonder Be careful what you wish for. After two years cooped up in London, Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane, and their baby brother, “the Lamb,” are thrilled to be living in the country. The best thing about their new home is that there are no rules, no places that are off limits. One day while playing in a gravel pit, they uncover a fat, furry creature that has been asleep for thousands of years. The Sand-fairy, also known as It, grants them one wish a day, to be shared among them. At sunset, the wish will turn to stone. But every wish brings a disastrous result. When the children wish to be beautiful, no one recognizes them. When they wish to be rich, their gold doesn’t buy them anything. When they wish to be able to fly, they end up stuck on top of a church tower with no way to get down. Other wishes lead to a confrontation with Indians, a scuffle with kidnappers, and accusations of thievery. When the children beg the Sand-fairy for more wishes to set things right, It agrees—on the condition that they never ask for another wish again. E. Nesbit’s pioneering fantasy novel continues to delight new generations of young readers. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
Gulliver's Travels
by Jonathan SwiftFrom the world’s greatest satirist, the classic adventures of the intrepid Gulliver Broken into four parts, Gulliver’s Travels marks the progress of a gallant explorer as he sails into the unknown, visiting surreal worlds like Brobdingnag, a realm filled with gigantic men; Lilliput, a diminutive land filled with pint-size people; Laputa, a floating island in the sky; and even the fabled land known as Japan. Along the way, Gulliver solves problems, starts and ends wars, and gets into—and back out of—one hot pot after another. Just beneath the surface of Jonathan Swift’s dashing novel is a devastating satire of the world in the early eighteenth century, and few institutions escape critique. Swift calls into question the worthiness of human society, where the greedy and the wicked thrive. In the end, however, Gulliver’s Travels remains, at its heart, a dramatic adventure filled with the curiosities and feats of daring that have thrilled readers for centuries. Seldom have audiences enjoyed such a balanced mixture of humor, satire, thrills, and philosophy. This ebook has been professionally proofread to ensure accuracy and readability on all devices.
I'm Going To Eat This Ant
by Chris Naylor-BallesterosThere are so many scrumptious ways to eat this ant. Seared like steak or squished in a sausage ... sundried, salted or sliced ...But watch out, anteater! While you're salivating, this sneaky ant has got an escape plan up its sleeve ...Take one starving anteater and one slippery ant, and you have the super ingredients for a hilarious, stylish story. Perfect for fans of Jon Klassen, Chris Haughton and Steve Antony – minimalist illustrations with tonnes of humour.
The Boggart (A Puffin Book)
by Susan CooperThe first in the funny and poignant adventures of the mischievous Boggart.Accidentally transported from his remote Scottish castle to the bright, fast-moving, hi-tech city of Toronto, the highly mischievous Boggart simply can't resist the opportunity for pranks, and wreaks havoc for the Volnik family, inheritors of his distant castle home. But the Boggart doesn't mean any real harm, and when he begins to pine for the rolling Scottish mists and the sound of bagpipes, he turns to his two young friends, Emily and Jessup Volnik, for help.Written by Susan Cooper, award-winning author of The Dark Is Rising sequence.
Ivy and Abe: The Epic Love Story You Won't Want To Miss
by Elizabeth Enfield'If you liked David Nicholls' One Day or Jojo Moyes' Me Before You, you'll love this uplifting read' Take a Break_________Ivy is always destined to meet Abe. But when is the RIGHT time? At school, as a free spirit in her twenties or when she is married . . . to someone else? Perhaps they meet when she is a widow in her sixties? Or maybe he remains a stranger, glimpsed only fleetingly. Ivy and Abe are soulmates. But what if they meet at the WRONG time, and fate and circumstance stand in Ivy's way? Told over Ivy's lifetime, across a series of alternate realities, Ivy & Abe is a story for anyone who has ever wondered 'what if?'_________'Think 'Sliding Doors' meets One Day and wonder if there's a right person for everyone or just a right time' Red'An epic love story' Araminta Hall
The Place We Met
by Isabelle BroomLake Como, Italy, New Year's Eve. The perfect place to fall in love? Or the perfect place for everything to fall apart?'Utterly romantic' Adele ParksLucy may have suffered her fair share of bad men, but now she has Pete. Finally, a man worth sharing her favourite place with, Lake Como. That's if she can put mysterious phone calls and glamorous ex-girlfriends out of her mind.Taggie is rushed off her feet, but distraction is exactly what she needs to forget why she fled England and the sadness she left behind. She certainly doesn't have time for infuriating stranger Marco. A man is the last thing she needs right now.Lucy and Taggie might not know it, but their lives are about to collide. The New Year might begin with fireworks - but how will it end?Praise for The Place We Met'A writing powerhouse' Carrie Hope Fletcher'Heart-warming and wonderfully romantic' Rosanna Ley'The perfect getaway read' Red'Fresh, intelligent, sparklingly escapist' Sunday Mirror'A beautiful and satisfying romantic book . . . I couldn't put it down' Netgalley Reviewer
Love by the Book: A Novel
by Melissa Pimentel*PREVIOUSLY TITLED AS AGE, SEX, LOCATION*A hilarious take on modern dating, Love by the Book is Bridget Jones's Diary for HBO's Girls generation.***Can a single girl really have no-strings sex minus the heartache?Lauren moves to London looking for fun, not commitment. So why do the men she dates assume she's searching for The One and run for the hills?It's time for drastic action. Lauren turns her love life into an experiment, vowing to obey the advice of a different dating guide each month. She'll follow The Rules and play The Game to discover the science behind being a no-strings siren.But modern dating is more complicated than swiping right - and Lauren's about to discover that the things you run from tend to catch up with you . . .'Great fun - a gripping read and very touching' Marian Keyes'Laugh-out-loud funny' Elle'If you loved Girls you'll love this!' Katy Regan
On the Bright Side: The New Secret Diary Of Hendrik Groen, 85 Years Old
by Hendrik Groen Hester Velmans'A funny but also touching diary praised for its wit and realism' BBC Radio 4 Front RowThe Old-But-Not-Dead Club return, in the sequel to the INTERNATIONALLY BESTSELLING The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen, 83 ¼ Years Old, bringing with them some life-affirming lawlessness. Chaos will ensue as 85-year-old Hendrik Groen is determined to grow old with dignity: to rise up against the care home director. NO more bingo. NO more over-boiled vegetables. NO more health and safety.85-year-old Hendrik Groen is fed up to his false teeth with coffee mornings and bingo. He dreams of escaping the confines of his care home and practising hairpin turns on his mobility scooter. Inspired by his fellow members of the recently formed Old-But-Not-Dead Club, he vows to put down his custard cream and commit to a spot of octogenarian anarchy.But the care home's Director will not stand for drunken bar crawls, illicit fireworks and geriatric romance on her watch. The Old-But-Not-Dead Club must stick together if they're not to go gently into that good night. Things turn more serious, however, when rumours surface that the home is set for demolition. It's up to Hendrik and the gang to stop it - or drop dead trying . . .He may be the wrong side of 85, but Hendrik Groen has no intention of slowing up - or going down without a fight.Praise for Hendrik Groen'A story with a great deal of heart, it pulled me in with its self-deprecating humour, finely drawn characters and important themes. Anyone who hopes to grow old with dignity will have much to reflect on' Graeme Simsion'There are many laughs in this book but it's so much more than just a comedy. It's a story about how friendship, selflessness and dignity lie at the heart of the human experience. When I'm an old man, I want to be Hendrik Groen' John Boyne'I laughed until I cried and then laughed and cried some more' David Suchet'Thoughtful, anxious and gruff... Laced with humour' The Best New Fiction Mail on Sunday'Amusing [and] wickedly accurate' ***** FIVE STARS Sunday Express'Highly entertaining ... a fiction so closely based on the observation of real life that it is utterly convincing' Daily Express'Full of off-beat charm and quirky characters' Cathy Rentzenbrink, Stylist'Hendrik pens an exposé of his care home. This geriatric Adrian Mole made me laugh and think. Terrific' Fanny Blake, Woman and Home
Me. You. A Diary: The No.1 Sunday Times Bestseller
by Dawn French*This is a special digital edition of Me You: A Diary, and does not include calendar pages. To keep a working diary alongside Dawn, we recommend the hardback edition of Me You: A Diary, or write personal entries inside a separate paper journal. * 'START A JOURNAL alongside Dawn's witty outlook on life. This will have you laughing about your year' Prima 'This book is inspired!!!' Nadiya Hussain '[It's] beautiful, like Dawn, and stuffed full of goodies' Jo Brand ----------------------------This special digital edition takes you on a year-long journey with Dawn, to read her honest, moving memoir, filled with photos and her very own musings about life. Dawn has just turned 60 and she has written a diary just for you. As Dawn writes about the four seasons you'll discover more about her life. This book is about the things she knows for certain, the things she is still questioning, and the things that have happened in her past. I can't count the amount of diaries I have crammed full with entries in January, that then fizzle out as the other months pile in. One of my teenage diaries has fulsome fizzing reports of every single conversation, thought and feeling about every friend, every crush, every meal, every argument until mid-March, when the entry on the 18th simply reads, 'Washed hair.' Thank god, this isn't that. This book is a way for us to tell the story of a year together. Written about age and life as I see it, through the seasons and the months, and there are some places for you to join me in some fun and some thinking.
War
by Roald DahlPERFECT for fans of Roald Dahl.Think you know Dahl? Think again. There's still a whole world of Dahl to discover in a newly collected book of his deliciously dark tales for adults . . . In war, are we at our heroic best or our cowardly worst? Featuring the autobiographical stories from Roald Dahl's time as a fighter pilot in the Second World War as well as seven other tales of conflict and strife, Dahl reveals the human side of our most inhumane activity.Among other stories, you'll read about the pilot shot down in the Libyan desert, the fighter plane that vanishes inside a mysterious thick white cloud and the soldier who returns from war but has been shockingly changed by his experiences.Featuring extraordinary cover art by Charming Baker, whose paintings echo the dark and twisted world of Dahl's short stories. Roald Dahl reveals even more about the darker side of human nature in seven other centenary editions: Lust, Madness, Cruelty, Deception, Trickery, Innocence and Fear.