An atmospheric, chilling page turner from rising star Martin Stewart, reminiscent of Stand by Me and Stranger Things.

Sep, Arkle, Mack, Lamb and Hadley: five friends thrown together one hot, sultry summer. When they discover an ancient stone box hidden in the forest, they decide to each make a sacrifice: something special to them, committed to the box for ever. And they make a pact: they will never return to the box at night; they'll never visit it alone; and they'll never take back their offerings.

Four years later, the gang have drifted apart. Then a series of strange and terrifying events take place, and Sep and his friends understand that one of them has broken the pact.

As their sacrifices haunt them with increased violence and hunger, they realise that they are not the first children to have found the box in their town's history. And ultimately, the box may want the greatest sacrifice of all: one of them.

Stranger Things meets Fake Blood in this deliciously charming and spooky debut novel about one girl's choice to save her vampire parents or do what's right for the greater good.Twelve-year-old human Sophie Dawes lives a good life in Hopetown. There, vampires and humans live in harmony and Sophie and her adoptive vampire moms are living (or unliving) proof. There are a lot of rules that vampires must follow to keep the humans they live around feeling safe, but if regular visits from child protective services and abiding by a nightly curfew keeps their family together, Sophie will do anything to stay with her loving vampire parents. But then, normal, law-abiding vampires begin to go rogue. After Sophie's own mother- the sweetest person she knows- goes rogue, Sophie decides it's up to her to find a cure. But taking matters into her own hands might be way more than she bargained for if it means braving a secret council of vampires, executing epic heists, and facing the true bad guys head on. With her best friend by her side, Sophie will fight for hope, freedom and a family bonded by a love that's thicker than blood.

A laugh-out-loud, read-aloud picture-book guide to the wildest and wackiest unicorns you can imagine, from the author of the Oi Frog and Friends series, Kes Gray, and illustrator of The Dinosaur that Pooped series, Garry Parsons. Dive into this delightfully silly unicorn Who's Who and get ready to discover: - spooky BOO!nicorns - polite AFTERYOUnicorns - floating BALLOONincorns - smelly POOnicorns - clumsy BUMPINTOnicorns - and so many more! This funny and surprising new take on the unicorn craze is jam-packed with joyful wordplay and hilarious illustrations. It's also a brilliantly inventive way to encourage children's creativity and imagination. *A fully illustrated version of Daisy and Gabby's story from the bestselling Daisy and the Trouble with Unicorns*

The newest book in the best-selling, award-winning A Child's Introduction series explores the popular and captivating world of Norse mythology. Organized into two parts, part one introduces characters like Odin, the leader of the Norse gods; Thor and his mighty hammer Mjollner; Frigg, weaver of the destinies of humans and gods; frost and fire giants; cunning dwarves like Brokk and Eitri; and many more. Part two tells the stories of the suspenseful myths themselves including The Creation of the Cosmos, The Aesir-Vanir War, Loki Bound, Thor's Hammer and many more. Full of charming and witty illustrations from Meredith Hamilton, a Norse name pronunciation guide, and a removable Norse Family Tree poster, A Child's Introduction to Norse Mythology is the perfect way for kids to learn the historic stories behind today's popular mythical characters.

Vlad has to keep his vampire urges under control while dealing with the pressures of middle school.

Thirteen-year-old Vladimir Tod really hates junior high. Bullies harass him, the principal is dogging him, and the girl he likes prefers his best friend. Oh, and Vlad has a secret: His mother was human, but his father was a vampire. With no idea of the extent of his powers, Vlad struggles daily with his blood cravings and his enlarged fangs. When a substitute teacher begins to question him a little too closely, Vlad worries that his cover is about to be blown. But then he faces a much bigger problem: Heas being hunted by a vampire killer.

Based on true accounts of hauntings, and told with a master storyteller's eye for detail, these collections will scare, astound and intruct kids of all ages. Young readers will enjoy this fascinating debut in which kids encounter all manner of animal ghosts. some envlolve pets, others involve wild animals, but all are very scary!

An illustrated collection of stories and activities to celebrate traditional Pagan festivals and the changing of the seasons * Shares original stories, based on traditional folktales and designed to be read out loud, for each festival, such as Samhain, Yule, Imbolc, Beltaine, Lughnasad, the solstices, and the equinoxes * Includes traditional games, hands-on projects special to each holiday, and seasonal recipes to enjoy the tastes and smells of each feast day * Discusses the sacred symbolism, magical lore, and cultural practices within each story and the healing and magical uses for the trees and flowers featured Once upon a time, when only candles lit the inside of homes and people traveled on foot or by horse, the family would finish their supper, wash and dry the dishes, and sit down before the hearth to hear a tale. These tales were not only entertaining but also passed down both history and tradition to the next generation. And as the wheel of the year turned, these tales also served to teach the children about holy days and festivals and the Gods and Goddesses who reigned over the changing seasons. In this beautifully illustrated book, Ellen Evert Hopman shares rich stories drawn from traditional folktales, hands-on crafts, and seasonal recipes to help families and classrooms learn about and celebrate traditional holy days and festivals of the sacred earth year. Designed to be read out loud, the stories are complemented with pronunciation guides and translations for foreign words. You will learn of the Cailleach, the ancient Goddess of Winter; La Befana, the Italian new year's witch; Eostre, the Goddess of Spring; Kupalnocka, the Polish feast of wreaths at midsummer; Yule among the Vikings; and many other deities and celebrations. For each story, the author includes hands-on projects special to the holiday--from crafting magical wands and brooms to flower crowns and Brighid's Crosses--as well as seasonal recipes, such as Magical Peppermint Chocolate Tea, Beltaine Bannock, and La Befana Cake, allowing families to enjoy the tastes, smells, and sounds associated with the feast days and celebrations.

This book explores thrilling legends about the centaur. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with eye-catching images to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading.

This book explores thrilling legends about the Sphinx. Short paragraphs of easy-to-read text are paired with eye-catching images to make reading engaging and accessible. The book also includes a table of contents, fun facts, sidebars, comprehension questions, a glossary, an index, and a list of resources for further reading.

This book introduces readers to tales of goblins, from ancient myths to modern stories. The book also includes a table of contents, one infographic, informative sidebars, a "Story Spotlight" special feature, quiz questions, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. This Focus Readers title is at the Beacon level, aligned to reading levels of grades 2-3 and interest levels of grades 3-5.