Pongkhi, a high-spirited and inquisitive Bangladeshi boy, regularly went fishing with his much older and wiser friend Abdul. When Pongkhi discovers Abdul's boat discarded on a beach one day, he can't resist taking it out on his own to try and catch fish and impress his elders. However, a storm ensues and terrified Pongkhi is left braving the elements to then be confronted with a scary and giant fish. A charming and timeless tale, written in verse in both English and Bengali and beautifully illustrated by the now-acclaimed artist Rafiqun Nabi. The author, Tim Bridges, originally wrote the book in weekly instalments for his two young sons Edward and Andrew in the 1990s whilst he was working in Bangladesh and they were living in the UK. In collaboration with his friend Akkhu Chowdhury, Bengali translator Hayat Mamud and Rafiqun Nabi, it was first published in Bangladesh in 1992 to much acclaim. Twenty-five years later, the author is happily settled back in the UK. Edward and Andrew now have families of their own and Tim has republished the book for his grown-up sons, his five grandchildren and for children around the rest of the world to enjoy.

On the verge of World War I, author Rudyard Kipling's son, John, like his father before him, wanted to fight for his country. But when John's military application was threatened, Rudyard took matters into his own hands, applying all his influence to allow his son to fight in the Great War. And the teenager who had lived his life in comfort and whose greatest concern had been pleasing his father now faced a much greater challenge--staying alive in his first battle.

Do you want to take your fiction writing to the next level?
LEARN FROM THE MASTERS

"Adam Sexton taught me how to read like a writer--and, in a way, how to write like a reader. For without first considering the experience of reading stories--seriously, thoroughly, the way Sexton does--you can't possibly write one worth reading."
--Tara McCarthy, author of "Love Will Tear Us Apart"

Many writers believe that if they just find the right teacher or workshop, their writing will reach new heights of skill. But why not learn from the best? In his popular workshops in New York City, creative writing instructor Adam Sexton has found that the most effective way for any writer to grasp on the elements of fiction is to study the great masters. "Master Class in Fiction Writing" is your personal crash course in creative writing, with the world's most accomplished fiction writers as your guides.

You will learn: The art of characterization from Jane Austen Style and voice from Ernest Hemingway Dialogue from Iris Murdoch Description from Vladimir Nabokov The timeless techniques of plotting in the work of Joseph Conrad The ingenious structure of James Joyce Point of view from Toni Morrison

Over the course of just ten chapters you can master all the components of great short story and novel writing. These are the most important lessons any writer can learn--a truly "novel" approach to writing that will enrich, inform, and inspire.

Join in with engines old and new in this year's Thomas Annual! Packed full of activities, stories and posters of your engine friends. The Thomas and Friends Annual 2023 iincludes stories from classic Thomas as well as the brand new series, All Engines Go! Full of mazes, spot the differences, colouring pages, quizzes, character facts and posters, this Annual is the perfect Christmas gift for little train lovers! Thomas has been teaching children lessons about life and friendship for 75 years. He ranks alongside other beloved characters such as Paddington Bear, Winnie-the-Pooh and Peter Rabbit as an essential part of our literary heritage.

This book forms part of the colourful Smart-Kids write & wipe series created by practising South African Early Childhood Development educators. The books are designed to help preschoolers (3 - 5 years) develop key concepts and to make sure children learn to write and draw in the correct way to support their learning later on.

The founding father of modern Russian literature, Alexander Pushkin has exerted - through his novel in verse Eugene Onegin, his plays, his short stories and his narrative poetry - a long-lasting influence well beyond the borders of his motherland. A slightly lesser-known, but by no mean less important aspect of his writing is his vast production of shorter verse, a genre at which he excelled and arguably still remains unsurpassed. This volume, part of Alma's series of the complete poetic works of Alexander Pushkin, collects the poems Pushkin wrote during his time in St Petersburg as a young intellectual and his subsequent stay in the Caucasus and the Crimea, and includes many signifi cant poems of his early maturity, such as 'My Homeland', 'Something or Nothing?' and 'A Storm', each presented in a verse translation opposite the original Russian text. Enriched with notes, pictures and an appendix on Pushkin's life and works, this will be essential reading for anyone wishing to delve deeper into the Russian bard's genius.

Whether you've been presenting baby story times for fifteen years or fifteen minutes, you probably already know that the first five years of life are key for brain development and early literacy. Many public libraries have instituted baby and toddler programs, but finding exciting materials for baby story time that go beyond nursery rhymes can be a challenge. Baby Storytime Magic is a treasure trove of new and exciting ideas for programs, all of which revolve around themes from a baby's world. Inside this resource you'll find Finger plays, bounces, flannel boards, activities with props, songs, American Sign Language activities, and more, with items arranged by type of material Tips for planning story times, with advice on logistical issues such as age grouping, scheduling, formats, and physical setup Guidance on involving caregivers in baby story times, including suggested scripts for explaining the benefits of each activity and how to use it at home Age-appropriate book recommendations Information on the stages of early childhood development, plus an appendix of recommended additional resources A thematic index to find the right story time quickly Links to full-sized, downloadable flannel board patterns, craft patterns, and worksheets Packed with ready-to-use activities, reducing prep time substantially, this book is a valuable early literacy tool for every children's librarian.

Find out how a forest is made in this beautiful picture book written by Waterstones award-winning Sally Nicholls and illustrated by rising star Carolina Rabei. Who makes a forest? A wizard, a giant, an emperor? Come on a walk with Grandpa to discover how a forest is made, and see how a thousand tiny things can come together to change the face of the earth... Poetically written by award-winning Sally Nicholls and beautifully illustrated by Carolina Rabei, this gorgeous book features a non-fiction section about the different types of forests around the world, their importance to our ecosystem and the impact of deforestation on our planet.

Since children develop the critical language and early reading skills necessary to enter kindergarten between birth and age five, reading aloud is one of the most influential steps librarians, teachers, parents, and caregivers can take to foster pre-schoolers' literacy skills. Early exposure to books heavily influences vocabulary knowledge, which in turn improves later reading skills and helps foster lifelong literacy. Highlighting more than 300 birth-kindergarten titles, Bailey offers A hand-picked selection of quality books adeptly chosen to help develop crucial literacy skills such as expressive and receptive language, expanded vocabularies, narrative skills, print awareness, the ability to understand written language, awareness of story structure, alphabetic knowledge, and phonological sensitivity Thorough annotation of each title, including a full bibliographic record, a short summary, and journal reviews Chapters organised by type of book, from wordless picture books and toy books to rhyming books and finger plays A list of additional resources helpful for building a core collection Valuable for regular use by caregivers as well as for collection development, this book spotlights hundreds of titles that are engaging and fun for reader and pre-schooler alike.

"An absolute delight" - David Walliams "One of the best kids books I have ever had the pleasure of reading" - Pandora Sykes "Truly ace and answers every question your children may ever need answered" - Sophie Dahl A collection of 366 curious questions asked by children from around the world, based on the award-winning podcast by original QI Elf, Molly Oldfield. How much bamboo can a giant panda eat? Do aliens exist? What we would do if we didn't have a prime minister? Why do hammerhead sharks have such strange-shaped heads? Find out the answers to these curious questions and much, much more! Ponder where ideas come from with award-winning illustrator, Rob Biddulph. Find out why you taste things differently when you have a cold with Michelin star chef, Heston Blumenthal. Learn about everything from how astronauts see in the dark to what the biggest dinosaur was with experts from the Natural History Museum. Fascinating facts are accompanied by gorgeous illustrations making the perfect gift for Christmas. Whether you read a question a day, or dip into it whenever you are feeling curious, this is a book to treasure and share all year round. Illustrated by Momoko Abe, Kelsey Buzzell, Beatrice Cerocchi, Alice Courtley, Sandra de la Prada, Grace Easton, Manuela Montoya Escobar, Richard Jones, Lisa Koesterke, Gwen Millward, Sally Mullaney, and Laurie Stansfield. Praise for Everything Under the Sun: 'Trivia fans will relish Everything Under the Sun' - The Guardian "A wonderful gift for families" - Evening Standard "This is a book to treasure all year round" - My Baba "As cute as it is educational" - Babyccino Kids "A wonderful collection of 366 curious questions about everything from science to nature, dinosaurs to space" - Scottish Sun "Simply mesmerising compendium" - Waterstones "A beautiful gem of a book" - BookTrust "Fascinating for anyone who opens it" - Red magazine