Dark dragons, ghostly pipers, rude goblins and sly wizards -- discover the legends that dwell within the ancient castles of Scotland. This highly anticipated book is the latest volume of much-loved Scottish tale treasuries by Carnegie-award-winning children's author Theresa Breslin and Kate Greenaway Medal-longlisted artist Kate Leiper. Explore secret passages beneath Edinburgh Castle, search for the mysterious monster of Glamis, capture the faery flag of Dunvegan, joust with knights at Stirling Castle and swim with the selkie of Eilean Donan in this sumptuous collection of tales from iconic Scottish castles. Read much-cherished and little-known legends, each illuminating the character and history of its castle, all brilliantly retold and beautifully illustrated to amuse, thrill and enchant. A wonderful gift, this is a stunning book to be treasured for a lifetime, bringing history, place and story alive for children, parents and grandparents alike.

"The Great Gatsby vividly depicts a high-spending, decadent society on the brink of the Great Depression. Learners will enjoy this story of Jay Gatsby's ill-fated love for Daisy Buchanan. This is the best edition for use in the classroom because of its excellent guidelines for answering exam questions. Understanding the text An informative introduction gives learners a comprehensive background to the text to facilitate their study. Clear summaries enable learners to understand the whole text quickly and easily. Stimulating activities consolidate learners' understanding and develop learners' ability to comment on language and style. Useful glossaries of difficult vocabulary and literary terms give learners the tools to answer exam questions more effectively."

From Allie Esiri, editor of the bestselling A Poem for Every Day of the Year and A Poem for Every Night of the Year, comes this beautiful gift anthology of Shakespeare's works. Shakespeare For Every Day of the Year is a magnificent collection of 366 extracts from Shakespeare's plays and poems. Each page of this unique book features an extract - which might be a famous poem, quote or scene - matched to the date it sits on - and an introductory paragraph which gives readers a new window into the work, time and life of the greatest writer in the English language. The book also includes synopses of each play, a comprehensive timeline covering Shakespeare's life, major historical events and offering context for his works, and an index of works which gathers the extracts under the title of the work they come from. Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year is perfect for reading or sharing and brings you Shakespeare's best-known and best-loved classics alongside lesser known extracts. Esiri's entertaining and insightful thoughts on each entry will fill your year with wonder, laughter, wisdom and wit. 'Shakespeare for Every Day of the Year is not just for Christmas, but for all time.' - Helena Bonham Carter

A very special anthology that's a must for all fans of the Shadowhunter novels! Featuring characters from Cassandra Clare's international best-selling novels from the Shadowhunters world including The Mortal Instruments, The Infernal Devices and The Dark Artifices, this anthology showcases beautifully illustrated portraits from Cassandra Jean - creator of The Shadowhunter Tarot - alongside never-before-known details from Cassandra Clare about all your favourite characters.

Stevie is eleven and loves reading and sea-creatures. She lives with her mum, and she's been best friends with Andrew since forever. Stevie's mum teases her that someday they'll get married, but Stevie knows that won't ever happen. There's a girl at school that she likes more. A lot more. Actually, she's a bit confused about how much she likes her. It's nothing like the way she likes Andrew. It makes her fizz inside. That's a new feeling, one she doesn't understand. Stevie needs to find out if girls can like girls - love them, even - but it's hard to get any information, and she's too shy to ask out loud about it. But maybe she can find an answer in a book. With the help of a librarian, Stevie finds stories of girls loving girls, and builds up her courage to share the truth with her mum. Written in accessible verse `chapters' and in a warm and reassuring style, The Deepest Breath will be of special relevance to young girls who are starting to realise that they are attracted to other girls, but it is also a story for any young reader with an open mind who wants to understand how people's emotions affect their lives.

Clement C. Moore's much-loved classic Christmas poem The Night Before Christmas is brought to life in this gorgeous picture book, which includes a three song CD recorded by award-winning performers Peter, Paul and Mary. The magical artwork by Eric Puybaret is sure to bring visions of sugarplums to everyone's head. With a fabulous foiled cover, this is the perfect Christmas present for any child.

An electrifying one-woman play inspired by the true story of a woman who served as a political assassin during South Africa’s transition to democracy. As the protagonist confronts her past, she becomes a powerful symbol of defiance and compassion in a story of resistance and survival in a conflict-torn country.

Isidlamlilo/ The Fire Eater is an electrifying one-woman play inspired by the true story of a woman who served as a political assassin in the build-up to South Africa’s first democratic elections. Zenzile Maseko, the protagonist, is a 60-year-old Zulu grandmother living in a women’s hostel in Durban. Falsely declared dead by the Department of Home Affairs, she finds herself cast into a Kafkaesque nightmare that forces her to confront her past.

Flown in on the wings of the Impundulu (the lightning bird), Zenzile’s story weaves a magical and terrifying tapestry. She draws on myth, religious symbolism and traditional beliefs as she shares the realities – at times brutal, at times forgiving – of survival in South Africa. Her story touches on what it means to live through political violence, the transition to democracy, the brutality of inequality, health epidemics like HIV/AIDS, patriarchy, and the apathetic bureaucracy of government departments.

Ultimately, Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater offers a critical and unflinching look at the eddying cycles of violence and revenge that play out across generations. Yet it is most of all a story about regeneration and redemption that speaks to both the country’s haunted past and its present-day complexities.

Isidlamlilo / The Fire Eater will appeal to teachers, high school learners, and tertiary students in theatre, drama and English studies.

'The Wimbledons were sleeping. It was very, very late, When Wilma heard a spooky sound, Which made her sit up straight. "That's very odd," said Walter. "I don't recognize the tune..." "It's only Stanley," Walter said. "He's howling at the moon."' Whoever heard of a dog who can sing, cook and do DIY around the house? He makes a lot of noise and mess, but he's forgiven as does mend the TV. Not until the very end do we, or the hapless Wimbledon family, see just exactly what Stanley the dog has been planning all along!

From forgotten jellybeans to sparking daydreams, Alex's poems, written for primary school age children, are both funny and thoughtful, and aim to spark familiarity and inclusion. And the illustrations from Katy Riddell will focus on the fun and dreamlike quality of the poems' engagement with the natural world. These poems use rhyme, rhythm and free verse and are ideally suited to performance in a school setting, nurturing a love of language, reading, confidence and self-expression.

I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree, named after the first line of Judith Nicholls' poem 'Windsong', is a lavishly illustrated collection of 366 nature poems - one for every day of the year, including leap years. Filled with familiar favourites and new discoveries, written by a wide variety of poets, including -

John Agard, William Blake, Emily Bronte, Charles Causley, Walter de la Mare, Emily Dickinson, Carol Ann Duffy, Eleanor Farjeon, Robert Frost, Thomas Hardy, Roger McGough, Christina Rossetti, William Shakespeare, John Updike, William Wordsworth and many more.

This is the perfect book for children (and grown-ups!) to share at the beginning or the end of the day, or just to dip into.

"I Am The Seed That Grew The Tree is a magical book for children and adults to enjoy together. A beautiful and unusual selection of poems boldly illustrated. It is a new favourite!" - Sarah Crossan, Irish Children's Laureate and CILIP Carnegie Medal Winner

"'A real Hymn to nature.' says Nosy Crow of this outstanding poetry anthology and I wholeheartedly agree. Award-winning anthologist Waters has selected a nature poem for every day of the year, spanning over 400 years of poetry. Each page is illustrated in full colour by rising star Preston-Gannon, stylish and distinctive but with real child appeal. My preview copy has enthusiastically been claimed by my daughter who is reading a poem each night. A book to share, educate, entertain and to treasure." - The Bookseller

"Stylish and distinctive but with real child appeal. This will make a gorgeous gift; a book to share, educate, entertain and treasure." - Fiona Noble, The Bookseller's Buyers Guide

"I am besotted with I am the Seed. It's the kind of book every household should own." - Florentyna Martin, Children's Book Buyer for Waterstones

A stunning, highly illustrated poetry collection containing a festive flurry of classic and modern Christmas poems chosen and illustrated by Chris Riddell. This is the perfect Christmas selection for poetry lovers of all ages. Includes much loved traditional verse: The Night Before Christmas, The Twelve Days of Christmas, Deck the Halls, We Wish You a Merry Christmas and We Three Kings and poems by: Neil Gaiman, William Wordsworth, Thomas Hardy, Hollie McNish, Sue Hardy Dawson, Roger Stevens, Benjamin Zephaniah, Clare Bevan, Sara Teasdale, A.F. Harrold, Alfred, Lord Tennyson, Sylvia Plath, Ogden Nash, Robert Burns and Jackie Kay.

Dit is omrede sy fynbos – die smalblaar-, struikagtige plantegroei van die streek – dat die suidwestelike en suid-Kaap benoem is as een van die wereld se ses planteryke: Die Kaapse blommeryk. Met 'n opervlakte van minder as 90 000 vierkante kilometer is dit die kleinste planteryk ter wereld. Tog is dit die tuiste van 8 600 plantspesies, waarvan 5 000 nerens elders voorkom nie. Fynbos is 'n vermenging van vier plantsoorte: Protea-struike, heideagtige erikas, rietagtige restio’s en 'n verskeidenheid bolplante. In die Kaapse blommeryk groei 69 van die wereld se 112 proteas, 526 van sy 740 erikas en onder sy bolplante word 96 van die wereld se 160 gladiolusspesies aangetref. Op sy eie spog Tafeberg met byna 1 500 fynbosspesies. Met Fynbosfeetjies bring Antjie Krog en Fiona Moodie, wat albei gereeld op die hange van Tafelberg gaan stap, hulde aan een van die natuurwonders van die wereld. Antjie, geinspireer deur Cicely Mary Barker se A world of flower fairies, het die bal aan die rol gesit deur verse te skryf oor verskillende blomplante wat deur minstens een denkbeeldige wesentjie bewoon word. Fiona het elke plant, insek en gediertetjie wat in hierdie boek afgebeeld is, nagevors. Die feetjies en ander droomwesentjies is haar eie skepings, maar die blomme, gogas en diertjies het sy by die natuur afgekyk en noukeurig nageteken.

One of a series of fiction titles for schools. In Orwell's classic story the animals, led by the pigs Napoleon and Snowball, drive out Farmer Jones and set up an Animals' Republic in which all are to be free and equal. But the saviours turn out to be just as greedy, vain and oppressive.

This is a collection of nine short stories by one of Britain's best-loved writers. This edition is part of a series of pre- and post-1914 works chosen especially for 14-18 year olds. The series features fiction, anthologies, poetry, plays and non-fiction.

Here's a poetry collection by comedy performance poet Neal Zetter that takes you back to his time at school - and it looks as if not much has changed! Meet Mr Shoutyteacher, always getting in a STROP, as well as the school nose-picker (careful if he's sitting next to you!). What's your excuse for not doing your home-work? Who feels like maths is a number-filled mystery? What's your favourite sport - football in the playground or risk the dangers of roller-skating? Rap and rhyme your way around all the notable characters in school, not forgetting the members of your own embarrassing family. And look out for jokes as well as fascinating facts (true or false?).

The X-Kit Achieve! Literature series offers a unique series of visually attractive, high-quality exam preparation tools. The series has been written by top South African educationalists. The books cover all the knowledge and skills tested in the final English Home Language and First Additional Language literature exams for the FET phase. Plot, theme, character, style, symbolism and imagery are all discussed in detail, and thoroughly taught and tested. Study and exam preparation techniques are covered and exam questions provided. Answers are also provided for all the questions to allow learners to monitor their own understanding. This study guide aims to provide you with sufficient support for doing really well in your Grade 12 English examination. This study guide will provide: All the background information needed for a full understanding of Cry, the Beloved Country.; Summaries, including a precis of the whole play, plus details of acts and scenes.; Important quotes for use in exams.; An analysis of the play that will help you understand the plot and develop insight and appreciation.; Pointers about the characters for quick and easy revision.; A summary of the key themes.; Comprehensive exam preparation assistance, including test-yourself questions, sample contextual questions and full answers; and A glossary explaining literature terminology. About the author, Alan Paton: Born in Pietermaritzburg in 1903, Alan Paton attended Pietermaritzburg College and then studied science at the University of Natal. He graduated in 1922 and obtained his teaching certificate in 1923. In 1925, he went to teach at a school in Ixopo attended by black children. In 1928, he took a post at Pietermaritzburg College, a prestigious, whites-only boys' school, where he taught for seven years. He started writing poetry and novels, but was critical of his novel-writing efforts and destroyed these early stories. In 1935, he became principal of Diepkloof Reformatory. Here, he instituted a number of reforms and the reformatory succeeded in rehabilitating juvenile criminals into society. He felt that with greater freedom in the way the reformatory was run, the boys would be better adapted to life outside the reformatory when released. At the start of the Second World War, Paton wanted to join the army, but was asked to stay on at the reformatory instead. After the war, while travelling to study prisons and reform schools elsewhere in the world, Paton had the idea for his novel Cry, the Beloved Country, which he wrote most of while travelling abroad. Paton was convinced that young urban black people drifted into crime because of a lack of opportunities to make a living and as a result of broken families and tribes around the country. This lack of stability of home and culture left the young without an anchor, and the unfair laws of the time inhibited them from finding an honest way to make a living. In creating his characters for Cry, the Beloved Country, Paton drew on three major schools of thought at that time: There was a desire by white people to keep the black people in their place.; There was an opposite desire among black activists to demand equality more and more violently; and There was the attitude of "brotherly love" as embodied by the Christian churches predominant at that time. As a devout Christian, Paton seemed to conclude in his novel that having an attitude of brotherly love offers the only hope for the future, but this idea was fiercely opposed. Although Paton wrote this novel in 1946, the themes and issues he explores are still interesting and relevant now. This eBook is in ePDF format, which enables you to: View the entire book offline on desktop or tablet.; Search for and highlight text; and Add and edit personal notes directly in your eBook.

X-kit Literature Guides explains the history, environment and the story of the text in broad terms. It discusses every major character and theme in the text in detail using pictures and diagrams to explain concepts. X-kit Literature Guides provides plenty of practise questions and answers and tips on how to tackle your literature exam.

X-kit Achieve! Literature Study Guides make nationally prescribed novels and dramas accessible to learners to help them prepare for exams.

They provide insight into the author and context of the writing, analysis of critical themes, plots and characters and plenty of exercises for exam preparation.

This study guide concentrates on Life Of Pi, one of the most extraordinary and best-loved works of fiction in recent years. After the tragic sinking of a cargo ship, a solitary lifeboat remains bobbing on the wild, blue Pacific. The only survivors from the wreck are a sixteen year-old boy named Pi, a hyena, a zebra (with a broken leg), a female orang-utan -- and a 450-pound Royal Bengal tiger.

This book is a companion to The Unwinding. It contains within images that tell stories, but it reads like a silent film. Each of the images is an invitation to dream. The tales of this silent edition are not pinned to the page by words. Each dreamer will find their own path, perhaps a new one each time they return. The illustrations are intended to inspire: there is space to draw and write, to paint dreams and stories, thoughts and verse, in new worlds, wherever your pen may guide you.

A 'How to' book to encourage children to encounter enjoy and read poetry, whether by listening or reading. With practical suggestions on how to effectively and creatively teach poetry this guide is written by two poets with years of experience working with young people: its full of tried and tested ideas that are practical and fun. It's a cornucopia of advice on how to share, perform, publish and - most important - enjoy poetry. There are lots of suggestions - what kind of poems to choose, who best to read or perform them, how to get started writing a poem, where you might find a poem you like and want to share. Full of enthusiasm and excitement, this is a book for anyone who wants to spread their wings and convey their enjoyment of the written word. If you have ever wondered how best to use poetry in your classroom or library, this is the book for you.

A beautiful collection of 100 pieces of writing - poems, prose, letters, speeches, song lyrics, quotations, and more - from Shakespeare to Dr Seuss and from Oliver Jeffers to Rosa Parks, which are in turn powerful, funny, moving, wise, and thought-provoking - a perfect way to inspire a life-long love of reads, expertly curated and with accessible, thoughtful commentary by Nicolette Jones, children's book critic for The Sunday Times.