Discover our collectable Puffin Clothbound Classic edition of The Tale of the Nutcracker.

Puffin Clothbound Classics are stunning collectable hardback editions of some of the best-loved classics in the world-including this charming edition of The Tale of the Nutcracker.

Enter a world of magic and enchantment with Dumas's timeless adaptation of the Nutcracker story.

"You foolish child, how can you imagine that this doll, which is composed of wood and cloth, can have life, motion and reflection?"

When little Marie receives a rather ugly doll for Christmas, she isn't sure what to make of him. His head is far too large, his legs far too small; but he's certainly excellently dressed! Things take a strange tum on Christmas Eve when, as the clocks strike midnight, the odd little Nutcracker cornes to life to do fierce battle against the malevolent Mouse King and his armies.

Full of wonder, weirdness and fantasy, this famous adaptation, which inspired Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet, is a celebration of childhood imagination, full of talking toys, candy kingdoms and dastardly mice.

Alexandre Dumas was a French playwright, historian and prolific novelist, penning a string of successful books including The Three Musketeers (1844), The Count of Monte Cristo (1845), and Twenty Years After(1845). His novels have been translated into a hundred different languages and inspired over two hundred films. In his day Dumas was as famous for his financial iresponsibility and flamboyant lifestyle as for his writing. Dumas died in 1870.

- With over 100K books sold across the series, Puffin Clothbound Classics continue to be highly coveted and collectable editions.
- Bound in high-quality cloth complete with bold new designs and dazzling foils, gift the best-loved classics to a new generation with Puffin's coveted Clothbound Classics collection.
- With over 780,000 books sold across the collection, Puffin Classics continue to be the best in class, bringing the best-loved classics to a new generation.

Unabridged and illustrated in glorious full-colour throughout, this exquisite gift edition of the original story of everyone’s favourite bear, Paddington, is truly to be treasured! Paddington is now a major movie star. “A bear? On Paddington station?� Mrs Brown looked at her husband in amazement. “Don’t be silly, Henry. There can’t be!� Paddington Bear had travelled all the way from Darkest Peru when the Brown family first met him on Paddington station. Since then their lives have never been quite the same… for ordinary things become quite extraordinary when a bear called Paddington is involved.

Purchase one of 1st World Library's Classic Books and help support our free internet library of downloadable eBooks. Visit us online at www.1stWorldLibrary.ORG - - When Mary Lennox was sent to Misselthwaite Manor to live with her uncle everybody said she was the most disagreeable-looking child ever seen. It was true, too. She had a little thin face and a little thin body, thin light hair and a sour expression. Her hair was yellow, and her face was yellow because she had been born in India and had always been ill in one way or another. Her father had held a position under the English Government and had always been busy and ill himself, and her mother had been a great beauty who cared only to go to parties and amuse herself with gay people. She had not wanted a little girl at all, and when Mary was born she handed her over to the care of an Ayah, who was made to understand that if she wished to please the Mem Sahib she must keep the child out of sight as much as possible. So when she was a sickly, fretful, ugly little baby she was kept out of the way, and when she became a sickly, fretful, toddling thing she was kept out of the way also. She never remembered seeing familiarly anything but the dark faces of her Ayah and the other native servants, and as they always obeyed her and gave her her own way in everything, because the Mem Sahib would be angry if she was disturbed by her crying, by the time she was six years old she was as tyrannical and selfish a little pig as ever lived. The young English governess who came to teach her to read and write disliked her so much that she gave up her place in three months, and when other governesses came to try to fill it they always went away in a shorter time than the first one. So if Mary had not chosen to really want to know how to read books she would never have learned her letters at all.

With Britain facing chaos, the mysterious Merlin takes Prince Arthur into hiding. Years later, the boy is shocked to discover that he is the rightful ruler Alongside his brave Knights of the Round Table, the newly crowned King Arthur must fight to keep his kingdom intact. Swords and sorcery come together in this action-packed graphic adventure.

Meet Zezé - Brazil's naughtiest and most loveable boy, his talent for mischief matched only by his great kindness. When he grows up he wants to be a 'poet with a bow-tie' but for now he entertains himself playing pranks on the residents of his family's poor Rio de Janeiro neighbourhood and inventing friends to play with. That is, until he meets a real friend, and his life begins to change... My Sweet Orange Tree is a worldwide classic of children's literature - never out of print in Brazil since it was first published in 1968, it has also been translated into an astonishing number of languages and won the hearts of millions of young readers from Korea to Turkey, Poland to Thailand and in many other countries too.

Canadians have enjoyed a long history of encounters with Shakespeare, from the visual arts to creative new adaptations, from traditional and nontraditional interpretations to distinguished critical scholarship. We have in over two centuries remade Shakespeare in ways that are distinctly Canadian. The Oxford Shakespeare Made in Canada series offers a unique vantage on these histories of production and encounter with attention to accessibility and presentation. These editions explore how a given country can inform the interpretation and pedagogy associated with individual plays.
Canadians, or more properly British North Americans from both Upper and Lower Canada, have been interacting with Shakespeare since no less than the 1760s in a tradition that is at once rich and robust, indigenous and international. The Canadian Adaptations of Shakespeare project at the University of Guelph has created a multimedia database of hundreds of adaptations, developed from Guelph's world-class theatre archives and a host of independent sources that reflect on a long tradition - from pre-Confederation times and heading vibrantly into the future - of playing Shakespeare in Canada. These are the first editions of the plays of William Shakespeare to place key insights from the world's best scholarship alongside the specific contexts associated with a dynamic Canadian tradition of productions and adaptations. Specially research images, never printed before, from a range of Canadian productions of Shakespeare will be featured in every play
In additional to a scholarly edition of the playtext complete with original new annotation, these books will include both short introductions by noted scholars and prefaces by well-known Canadians who have experience with Shakespeare. In addition, each play will include act and scene summaries, dramatis personal, and recommended reading/resources.

Penguin Readers is an ELT graded reader series for learners of English as a foreign language. With carefully adapted text, new illustrations and language learning exercises, the print edition also includes instructions to access supporting material online. Titles include popular classics, exciting contemporary fiction, and thought-provoking non-fiction, introducing language learners to bestselling authors and compelling content. The eight levels of Penguin Readers follow the Common European Framework of Reference for language learning (CEFR). Exercises at the back of each Reader help language learners to practise grammar, vocabulary, and key exam skills. Before, during and after-reading questions test readers' story comprehension and develop vocabulary. Visit the Penguin Readers website Exclusively with the print edition, readers can unlock online resources including a digital book, audio edition, lesson plans and answer keys. Victor Frankenstein wants to make his own creature from stolen body parts. But when the creature is finished, Frankenstein is shocked by his creation and runs away. Lonely and angry, the creature plans to kill his maker and all the people that Frankenstein loves.

The seven Chronicles of Narnia are brought together in this beautifully presented slipcase. The books and the slipcase feature the original artwork by Pauline Baynes. Enjoy the full majesty of the Chronicles of Narnia with this slipcased set featuring all seven novels.

One of the world's greatest writers is introduced to a new audience through this accessible retelling with lively illustrations. Marcia Williams first introduced a generation of children to the works of Charles Dickens through her masterful comic-strip retellings in Oliver Twist and Other Great Dickens Stories, with lifetime sales of over 125,000 copies. Now, she brings Dickens' beloved characters to a fresh audience with a new series of short novels. Meet Pip, Joe, Estella and Miss Haversham in this splendidly accessible adaptation of Great Expectations, illustrated throughout in Marcia's lively style.

Stories From Moominvalley is a beautiful collection of three classic Moomin stories, based on Tove Jansson’s original works.

Join Moomintroll, his charming family and his eclectic band of friends on a series of adventures in a picturesque land where anything can happen: a father can be washed away in a flood, electric Hattifatteners can appear on a desert island, and a hat with magical powers can transform a house into a jungle! Moomin lovers of all ages will delight at the stunning artwork that accompanies the lively, witty writing, and become fully immersed in the beautiful Moominvalley.

Sensitively adapted for a younger audience by Alex Haridi and Cecilia Davidsson, Stories From Moominvalley is both perfect as a gift and is a must-have for fans of Tove Jansson’s enchanting world.

A full-colour short story taken from the world of the Magic Faraway Tree. Perfect for new readers. Discover the magic!

It's Beth's birthday, so everyone is delighted when the Land of Birthdays arrives at the top of the Faraway Tree. It's time for the most magical party they've ever had!

The stories about the Magic Faraway Tree have been entertaining children for more than 80 years. Now these colour short stories offer a great way for young new readers to discover the adventures of Silky, Moon-Face, the Saucepan Man and all of their friends in the Enchanted Wood.

Itty prepares a royal tea party for her best friend, Luna Unicorn, in this ninth Itty Bitty Princess Kitty chapter book. Itty and her best friend, Luna Unicorn, are picking ruby red berries when they meet some pegasuses! The pegasuses are honored to meet the princess and prepare her some delicious tea. Itty has such a good time that she goes to visit them again the next day. And the day after that. Pretty soon, Luna starts feeling left out. When Itty finally notices, how can she make it up to Luna? Then she has an idea...tea for two! With easy-to-read language and illustrations on every page, the Itty Bitty Princess Kitty chapter books are perfect for emerging readers.

Fire up young readers' imagination and creativity with this classic story featuring added STEAM activities. This beloved children's adventure is retold with vivid and engaging new illustrations – and at the end of every chapter, there are exciting new science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics activities, themed around the events in the book. The activities range from simple puzzles to fun, dynamic experiments, so there's something for every enquiring mind. It's the ideal combination of enchanting story and stimulating science fun.

THE SILVER SWORD by Ian Serraillier is an unforgettable World War II survival story. Although the silver sword was only a paper knife, it became the symbol of hope and courage which kept the Balicki children and their orphan friend Jan alive through the four years of occupation when they had to fend for themselves. And afterwards it inspired them to keep going on the exhausting and dangerous journey from war-torn Poland to Switzerland, where they hoped to find their parents. Based on true accounts, this is a moving story of life during and after the Second World War.

A fun and engaging Mr Men Little Miss story about the power of kindness and the happiness it brings. Lots of the Mr Men and Little Miss are kind. Mr Happy loves making his friends happy by doing kind deeds. But it can be easier to do what you want without thinking of others. Have you ever found it difficult to be kind? Mr Mean probably finds it the hardest to be kind. Can Mr Happy and Little Miss Giggles help him to learn that small acts of kindness bring much happiness? The Mr Men and Little Miss are the perfect characters to help children understand a bit more about their own emotions and how to manage them. With engaging questions to encourage conversations and some helpful tips from favourite characters to help children develop their emotional intelligence.

Available now in a Yearling edition by the author of Indian in the Cupboard. This is a fascinating autobiography of a hamster who fancies himself a great escapologist in his quest to explore the great outdoors. One family's household has been in a state of disarray because of one small furry problem. Meet Houdini, an extraordinarily brilliant escapologist. No, not that Houdini. This one is a hamster. Once you meet him, you will understand that his owners just couldn't name him anything else, for his name is quite fitting. He can escape from anything--a cage or the clutches of a mean cat. While on his escapades, he causes all kinds of trouble from chewing through wires to causing a flood. But Houdini thinks it's all worth it, because he is desperate to explore the great Outdoors. But once he gets out, will he ever come back--or will this be his final escape?

Cymbeline is a play by William Shakespeare, set in Ancient Britain (part of the play is set in the area corresponding to Wales) and based on legends concerning the early Celtic British King Cunobeline. Although listed as a tragedy in the First Folio, modern critics often classify Cymbeline as a romance. Like Othello and The Winter's Tale, it deals with the themes of innocence and jealousy. While the precise date of composition remains unknown, the play was certainly produced as early as 1611. Imogen (or Innogen), daughter of the British king Cymbeline, is in love with Posthumus Leonatus, a man raised in her father's court who is described as possessing exceeding personal merit and martial skill. The two have secretly married, exchanging jewellery as tokens: a ring from Imogen, a bracelet from Posthumus. Cymbeline has discovered the affair and banishes Posthumus for his presumption, for Imogen is currently Cymbeline's only child and so her husband is heir to the British throne. Cymbeline did have two sons before Imogen, Guiderius and Arviragus, but they were stolen twenty years before as infants by Belarius, a courtier banished as a traitor for supposedly conspiring with the Romans. Cymbeline is a vassal king of Caesar Augustus, and Caius Lucius, a Roman ambassador, is on his way to demand the tribute that Cymbeline, under the influence of his wife the Queen, has stopped paying. The Queen is conspiring to have Cloten, her cloddish and arrogant son by an earlier marriage, married to Imogen. The Queen also is plotting to murder both Imogen and Cymbeline to secure Cloten's kingship, and to that end has procured what she believes to be deadly poison from the court doctor, Cornelius; Cornelius, however, suspects the Queen's malice and switches the "poison" with a drug that will cause the imbiber's body to mimic death for a while before reviving. Imogen meanwhile secludes herself in her chambers, resisting entreaties that she come forth and marry Cloten. Posthumus flees to Italy to the house of his friend Philario/Filario, where he meets Iachimo/Giacomo. Posthumus waxes at length on Imogen's beauty and chastity, and Iachimo challenges him to a bet that he, Iachimo, can seduce Imogen and bring Posthumus proof of her adultery. If he wins, Iachimo will get Imogen's ring from Posthumus's finger. If Posthumus wins, not only must Iachimo pay him but also consent to a sword duel so that Posthumus may avenge his and Imogen's affronted honour. Iachimo heads to Britain where he aggressively attempts to seduce the faithful Imogen, who sends him packing. Iachimo then hides in a chest in Imogen's bedchamber and, when the princess falls asleep, emerges to steal from her Posthumus's bracelet. He also examines the room and Imogen's partly naked body for further proof. Returning to Italy, Iachimo convinces Posthumus that he has successfully seduced Imogen. In his wrath, Posthumus sends two letters to Britain: one to Imogen, telling her to meet him at Milford Haven, on the west coast of Wales; the other to Pisanio, Posthumus's servant left behind at court, ordering him to murder Imogen at the Haven. On the way the anguished Pisanio instead shows his letter to Imogen, revealing Posthumus's plot. He has Imogen disguise herself as a boy and continue to Milford Haven to seek employment. He also gives her the Queen's "poison," believing it will alleviate nausea from distemper and motion sickness. Imogen adopts the name "Fidele," meaning "faithful."

When suburban Claudia Kincaid decides to run away, she knows she doesn't just want to run "from" somewhere she wants to run "to" somewhere--to a place that is comfortable, beautiful, and preferably elegant. She chooses the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City. Knowing that her younger brother, Jamie, has money and thus can help her with the serious cash flow problem she invites him along.

Once settled into the museum, Claudia and Jamie, find themselves caught up in the mystery of an angel statue that the museum purchased at an auction for a bargain price of $250. The statue is possibly an early work of the Renaissance master Michelangelo, and therefore worth millions. Is it? Or isn't it? Claudia is determined to find out. This quest leads Claudia to Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, the remarkable old woman who sold the statue and to some equally remarkable discoveries about herself.

'Dat gold bug was a vicious bug. Massa caught it first but it bit him. I think da bite has made Massa poorly. It has affected him in da head.' William Legrand has found a new type of bug, a golden bug, unusually heavy. His servant, Jupiter, is worried. Why is Legrand behaving so oddly? Has the bug's bite made him mad? When Legrand shows his friend a drawing of the gold bug, it looks more like a skull. What can this mean? The arrival of the gold bug leads the three men on an exciting adventure towards skeletons, a skull and a hunt for buried treasure. Should we believe Jupiter's superstitious fears, or is there a more logical explanation of events? If there is, can you, the reader, discover it? Real Reads are accessible texts designed to support the literacy development of primary and lower secondary age children while introducing them to the riches of our international literary heritage. Each book is a retelling of a work of great literature from one of the world's greatest cultures, fitted into a 64-page book, making classic stories, dramas and histories available to intelligent young readers as a bridge to the full texts, to language students wanting access to other cultures, and to adult readers who are unlikely ever to read the original versions.