Tired of the same old tale of Santa in his jolly red suit? Then read a story unlike any other about a boy and his friends. It begins just six days before Christmas. 11-year-old Jakob's friends are convinced their Christmas is in danger. Why? Because they told the neighborhood bully that they do not believe in Santa and are effectively cursed no more Christmas presents FOREVER That is, unless they lift the curse. Things quickly take a turn for the weird when live snowmen strangely appear and confirm the curse. But Jakob is unwavering and quickly dismisses the bizarre event as an elaborate hoax created by the neighborhood bully. But when the bully turns into smoke, Santa's rogue assistant, SR, appears as the mastermind behind the mayhem demanding that Jakob catch Santa...or he will turn everyone Jakob cares for into coal Now it is up to Jakob and his friends to set a trap to catch Santa and lure SR out into the open. Will Jakob and his friends succeed?

Midsummer’s Eve is about to get a whole lot more magical! Someone is misusing magic. Curses have been cast and terrifying creatures are on the move … Twelve-year-old Pinch Perkins lives on Tricky Dragon Lane, deep in the heart of London’s magical quarter. But when her mum is struck by a curse, and nobody seems to have a clue what to do, Pinch knows it’s down to her to find a cure. Racing the clock on Midsummer's Eve, Pinch will face the terrifying boss of the Thames Mudlarks, dance with the devious fairy king and queen and share a burger with King Arthur's knights – all the while trying to avoid the clutches of two most fearsome villains …

In the faraway kingdom of Laviersa, known as the Lands of the Ancients, thirteen-year-old Princess Agatha loves to run on her garden path. But one day, she and her friend Jose discover something odd. The path's curve is gone, and Jose sees a mysterious shape lurking nearby.

They soon realize that Crisis, a villain intent on causing mayhem in the kingdom, has stolen the curve. In a dream, Agatha sees what Crisis is using the curve for: a shield that will protect his entire camp and keep him from being defeated. Agatha and Jose decide to set out on an adventure and take back her stolen path piece from the hateful Crisis.

The two friends encounter allies and enemies, and sometimes it's difficult to tell them apart. The further they go, the more danger they find themselves facing. With Crisis following their every move, Agatha and Jose even have gods helping them on their quest.

But they are about to encounter another, more dangerous threat to the kingdom. Can Agatha and Jose save the ones they love in time?

Aria lives on a well-ordered planet whose people have eradicated illness and even death. Earth is their ‘shadow planet’ which they populated with humans centuries ago so they could study them and learn from their experiences.  Now the experiment is coming to an end and Aria must go to Earth with her scientist father to set off a train of events which will destroy its people. Brought up to believe that humans are inferior, Aria is shocked to discover that she is herself half human, and amazed to find that Earth-dwellers live life to the full and feel love for each other, even though they are mortal.  But once she understands this, how can she save them, and herself, from destruction?

Welcome to real life 2.0. Are you ready to play?

There are no screens. There are no controls. You don’t just see and hear it – you taste, smell, and touch it too. In this new reality there are no rules to follow, no laws to break. You can live your best life. It’s a game so addictive you’ll never want it to end. Until you realize that you’re the one being played. Step into Otherworld. Leave your body behind.

The frightening future that Jason Segel and Kirsten Miller have imagined is not far away. Otherworld asks the question we'll all soon be asking: if technology can deliver everything we want, how much are we willing to pay?

Embark on a Spooky Quest! A Thrilling Journey Through Ghostly Realms!

Step into the mysterious world of Ghosts and Ghouls! Young readers will take a thrilling guided tour through a haunted forest, an eerie castle, and even… their very own bedroom as they meet a cast of creepy characters, from terrifying basilisks to light-footed nymphs, see-through spooks and rattling skeletons! Each page is a brand new, surprise-filled journey, whether you're racing bogeys in a cellar or joining a wild monster ball. With its fantastically detailed illustrations and a super fun, immersive story, Ghosts and Ghouls will have kids excitedly exploring the mysterious and spooky realms hiding just around the corner – and maybe even under their beds!

Get Ready for Goosebumps: Embark on a thrillingly fun adventure through a haunted forest, creepy castle, and even your own bedroom! Meet the Wackiest Monsters Around: Encounter basilisks, nymphs, werewolves, unicorns, zombies, spooks, skeletons, and more! Endless Fun and Surprises on Every Page: From bogey races to enchanted staircases to monster dances, each scene offers a new and exciting escapade.

Perfect for Little Adventurers (Who Aren't Too Scared): Encourages exploration of the fantastical and the slightly spooky in a playful way. A Fun Read-Aloud for Storytime: Adults and children will enjoy the thrills and imaginative scenarios, enjoying the spooky season together.

For over 75 years, Albatros Media has been crafting original and innovative children's books that are both playful and educational, fostering curiosity and a thirst for knowledge in young minds. We deliver the highest quality children’s books from novelty, picture, pop-up, and how-to books, to non-fiction, and fairy tale books.

After the storm of the century rips apart New Orleans, sixteen-year-old Adele Le Moyne and her father are among the first to return. Adele wants nothing more than to resume her normal life, but with the silent city resembling a war zone, a parish-wide curfew, and mysterious new faces lurking in the abandoned French Quarter, normal needs a new definition. Strange events-even for New Orleans-lead Adele to an attic that has been sealed for three hundred years. The chaos she accidentally unleashes threatens not only her but also everyone she knows. Caught in a hurricane of myths and monsters, Adele must untangle a web of magic that weaves the climbing murder rate back to her own ancestors. But who can you trust in a city where everyone has secrets and keeping them can mean life or death? Unless...you're immortal.

"Utterly unique and movingly memorable, a wonderful story about what happens when we take control of our own narrative, and find ways to communicate across the gaps in language. Clever, brilliantly written, and thought-provoking, it will stay with you." – Sinéad O’Hart, author of The Time Tider Set in a world where words appear physically when people speak, AWAY WITH WORDS explores the importance of communication and being there for those we love. Gala and her dad, Jordi, have just moved from home in Cataluña to a town in Scotland, to live with Jordi’s boyfriend Ryan. Gala doesn’t speak much English, and feels lost, lonely and unable to be her usual funny self. Until she befriends Natalie, a girl with selective mutism. The two girls find their own ways to communicate, which includes collecting other people's discarded words. They use the words to write anonymous supportive poems for their classmates, but then someone begins leaving nasty messages using the same method – and the girls are blamed. Gala has finally started adapting to her new life in Scotland and is determined to find the culprit. Can she and Natalie show the school who they really are? An intriguing, thoughtful and lyrical exploration of how we express ourselves, for fans of Katya Balen, A POCKETFUL OF STARS and Lisa Thompson. PRAISE FOR AWAY WITH WORDS: "One of the most beautiful explorations of language, the power of words, and communication in general I've ever had the pleasure of reading. Brave, clever, and innovative, Away With Words demonstrates the very best of what children's fiction can do – it's pure, lyrical magic from start to finish." – Zoe Markham, Netgalley “It has been fantastic to read this novel. As someone who is a communication specialist and spends a lot of time helping children and young people to adapt and learn how they can better interact, this is a book that might go some way to helping the wider world understand the challenges those with selective mutism face and how we can better support them.� – Eimear Monahan, Paediatric Speech and Language Therapist "A page-turning book about finding your place & your voice, it’s about the power & the pain & the colour of language too. I loved it." – Perdita Cargill, author of Diary of an Accidental Witch "Sophie Cameron wrote another beautiful book, so full of meaning and emotion. I adored it and I will be recommending it non-stop." – Caleb P., librarian

REBORN is the gripping sequel to the apocalyptic thriller REMADE, by bestselling author of the Timeriders series, Alex Scarrow. Eighteen months have passed since the events of REMADE. Leon and Freya have seen no sign of the virus, clinging on to the hope that two hard winters may have just killed it off. When news of a rescue ship arriving off the coast comes in, the pair are on the move once again. But all is not as safe as it seems. The virus has been busy. It has learned and evolved. And now it is reborn . . . This book has also been published in paperback as Plague Nation.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory meets A Night in the Museum in this the action-packed New York Times bestseller from Chris Grabenstein, coauthor of I Funny and other bestselling series with James Patterson! Kyle Keeley is a huge fan of all games - board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most famous and creative gamemaker in the world, is the genius behind the town's new library that is as much a home for tech and trickery as it is for stories. Kyle wins a spot at a puzzle-packed lock-in on the library's opening night. But when morning comes, the doors stay locked. Kyle and the other kids must solve every clue and figure out every secret riddle to find the hidden escape route . . . !

This volume contains two short children's stories by Louisa May Alcott: "The Candy Country" and "How They Ran Away."

Sixth grade is just out of this world!

Susan Simmons can tell that her new substitute teacher is really weird. But she doesn't know "how" weird until she catches him peeling off his face -- and realizes that "Mr. Smith" is really an alien!

At first no one will believe her except Peter Thompson, the class brain. When Peter and Susan discover Mr. Smith's horrible plans for their classmates, they know they have to act fast. Only they can get rid of their extraterrestrial visitor -- and save the rest of the sixth-grade class from a fate worse than math tests!

This first book in the Last Dragon Charmer series is packed with adventure and wit, perfect for fans of Soman Chainani's School for Good and Evil series and Chris Colfer's Land of Stories series. All his life, Prince Caden has dreamed of slaying a dragon. But before he has the chance, he is ripped from his home in the Great Winterlands of Razzon and finds himself in Asheville, North Carolina-a land with no magic and no dragons. Or so he thinks. The longer Caden spends in Asheville, the more he comes to realize that there is unexpected and dangerous magic in this strange land. There just may be dragons here too. But what if Caden's destiny isn't to slay a dragon, after all?