Don your Lincoln green and prepare for merriment! What could be merrier than joining Robin Hood's band of Merry Men for adventures in the English countryside? Pirates of the trees rather than the seas, Little John, Friar Tuck, Will Scarlet, and many others ensure that Robin's clever schemes relieve the rich of their excess treasures and redistribute the wealth to those most in need. Howard Pyle was an accomplished author and illustrator; his original images, published with the stories in 1883, appear throughout the book. You will leave no leaf unturned in this latest addition to the Word Cloud Classics series.

Ernest Hemingway was one of the most controversial and admired writers of his time. This biography covers his life from his childhood in Oak Park, Illinois, to his suicide in 1961. It offers a sympathetic portrait of a brilliant artist and a complex individual-a private man who led a very public life. Hemingway's formal education ended after high school when the ambitious young writer went off to work for The Kansas City Star. Eager to see the war, he volunteered for ambulance corps duty in Italy during World War I. Some of his most exciting and productive years were spent in postwar Paris, living among a group of writers and artists from around the world. In the 1930s Hemingway became as famous for his personality as for his writing, and he spent more of his time hunting and fishing competitively. But when war broke out in his beloved Spain, he went to serve as a correspondent on the loyalist side. In 1940 his novel For Whom the Bell Tolls, based on his wartime experiences, was published to critical acclaim and financial success. World War II found Hemingway working as a correspondent once again, and prone to fighting and drinking. Despite this decline, he wrote The Old Man and the Sea, which celebrated the courage of an aged Cuban fisherman, and went on to win the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954. Keith Ferrell conveys the scope of Hemingway's achievement as a writer and gives a vivid portrait of one of America's finest authors.

Born as Eric Blair in India in 1903, George Orwell was a sickly child who was sent away to boarding school at age eight. Later he won a scholarship to Eton, where he was not a good student and earned a reputation as a rebel. Following Eton, he returned to Burma as a police officer, deliberately postponing his dream of becoming a writer. Orwell moved to Paris in 1928. He was concerned with the plight of the poor and was determined to find his own literary voice and themes. In the following years, he traveled and lived among the poor and unemployed. Orwell published several books and novels about his experiences, but success and recognition seemed slow in coming. In England, Orwell became known as an angry political writer and crusader for the left. He stood up for his convictions and fought in the Spanish Civil War, despite ill health. After this disillusioning experience, Orwell became an enemy of any form of totalitarianism. He tried to do his part for England under the Nazi siege through his journalism and broadcast scripts. Orwell completed Animal Farm during the war but was unable to find a publisher until the war was over. After the book s enormous success in 1946, Orwell planned another novel set in the future ina totalitarian society. Writing from his house on the island of Jura in the Scottish Hebrides, he created the story of Winston Smith, who lived in a world where Big Brother was always watching. This was his masterpiece, Nineteen Eighty-Four. Orwell died soon after its publication, but not before witnessing its success. In a special epilogue, Ferrell deals with Orwell s impact as a political moralist and the way in which the year 1984 has come to stand as a fearful symbol."

John Steinbeck was born in 1902 in California's Salinas River Valley. Although he worked briefly as a reporter in New York, it was in the Salinas Valley that he spent the Depression years, and his experiences and the people he met became the basis for his books. Of Mice and Men opened the eyes of the public to the desperate lives of the migrant workers. The Grapes of Wrath told the story of the destitute Oklahoma dust bowl farmers who flocked to the Valley in search of work, Cannery Row painted the rough and tumble lives of the cannery workers in nearby Monterey. And East of Eden, his most personal novel, revolved around the lives of two families from the Valley whose story was a tragic metaphor for the suffering humans needlessly cause one another. Steinbeck was the recipient of both the Nobel and Pulitzer Prizes for Literature and was named to the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the National Institute of Arts and Letters. His books were likewise embraced by the public-many reached the top of the bestseller lists; four of them were made into Broadway shows; and six were made into movies. Despite these successes, he often doubted his abilities. The critics were seldom kind to him, making his doubts grow. But at the end of his life he realized that by championing the causes of the underprivileged, he had made a lasting impression on the social consciousness of America. He died in New York in 1968. Keith Ferrell gives us a fascinating account of John Steinbeck, a writer who continually struggled to awaken America's social conscience. Steinbeck's ability to incorporate the dark side of life in rich stories of human strength has captured the souls of millions of readers everywhere.

Peppa's starting a book club! Mummy and Daddy Pig are reading the same book and Peppa finds out it's for their very exciting book club. Peppa loves reading and wants one too! Mummy and Daddy Pig make a few phone calls and soon, Peppa and George's friends arrive for their very own book club!

"We cannot stay home all our lives, we must present ourselves to the world and we must look upon it as an adventure." - Beatrix Potter Join Beatrix Potter, one of the most beloved children's authors of all time, in a journey through her fascinating life. Aside from her career as a children's author, discover how Beatrix Potter protected our countryside and even started her own farm! Packed with beautiful illustrations, original photographs and tales of the creatures that inspired her bestselling stories, this is the perfect gift for any Beatrix Potter fan! The latest title in the popular V&A Introduces series, celebrating icons from the world of art and design in collaboration with the V&A Museum.

This is an authoritative book from the word experts at Oxford to get budding writers crafting brilliant stories. It will help you think about how to develop an idea into a gripping and powerful story, with examples and tips from the best known authors to show you how it's done. For children aged 11 and over, it covers all the key elements of plot, characterization, building a believable world, thinking about tone and style, weaving description into stories, through to endings and editing your work. Practical tips will get any struggling writer to beat the fear of the blank page and inspirational advice will help young authors to achieve their creative writing goals. It includes information on sharing stories and how to get people reading your work.

Find out how a journalist and sportsman became one of the most famous American novelists of the twentieth century in this new addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series! Ernest Hemingway wasn't just a novelist. He was a hunter and a fisherman; he became an ambulance officer in Paris, France, during World War I; and he worked as a reporter during the civil war in Spain in the 1930s. All of these experiences had such an important impact on Ernest's life that he used them as inspiration for some of his most notable works of fiction, including The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls. He wrote short stories, novels, and articles in an understated, direct style, that is still beloved by readers today. Hemingway is remembered as much for his fiction as he is for his adventurous lifestyle.

In Poems to Fall in Love With Chris Riddell has selected and illustrated his very favourite classic and modern poems about love.

This gorgeously illustrated collection, Chris's follow-up to one of the Bookseller's best poetry books of the last 25 years, Poems to Live Your Life By, celebrates love in all its guises, from silent admiration through passion to tearful resignation. These poems speak of the universal experiences of the heart and are brought to life with Chris's exquisite, intricate artwork.

This perfect gift features famous poems, old and new, and a few surprises. Classic verses sit alongside the modern to create the ultimate collection. Includes poems from Neil Gaiman, Nikita Gill, Carol Ann Duffy, E. E. Cummings, Shakespeare, Leonard Cohen, Derek Walcott, Hollie McNish, Kate Tempest, John Betjeman and Roger McGough and many more.

"Delightful, relatable, and eye-catchingly illustrated." --School Library Journal "Deelytful and iloominaating for noo and seesuned reeders alyk." --Kirkus Reviews "Thought-provoking and entertaining." --School Library Connection "Engaging...A comprehensible, lively read." --Publishers Weekly Do you ever wish English was eez-ee-yer to spell? Ben Franklin and Noah Webster did! Debut author Beth Anderson and the New York Times bestselling illustrator of I Dissent, Elizabeth Baddeley, tell the story of two patriots and their attempt to revolutionize the English alphabet. Once upon a revolutionary time, two great American patriots tried to make life easier. They knew how hard it was to spell words in English. They knew that sounds didn't match letters. They knew that the problem was an inconvenient English alphabet. In 1786, Ben Franklin, at age eighty, and Noah Webster, twenty-eight, teamed up. Their goal? Make English easier to read and write. But even for great thinkers, what seems easy can turn out to be hard. Children today will be delighted to learn that when they "sound out" words, they are doing eg-zakt-lee what Ben and Noah wanted.

Published in collaboration with the National Trust, this is a moving and inspiring picture book based on the life of Beatrix Potter. Beatrix loves the countryside, but lives in a big, lonely house in London - if only she had a friend. Then she meets Benjamin Bunny and everything changes! They spend every day together playing chase and follow my leader. But when Benjamin dies, Beatrix is heartbroken. She decides to write about Benjamin's adventures and about her new bunny, Peter, who plays the tambourine and jumps through hoops. If she can publish her stories, she knows children will fall in love with Benjamin and Peter, and her bunnies will live forever. This is the perfect gift for fans of Peter Rabbit, for young environmentalists and for animal lovers everywhere. Rebecca Colby effortlessly entwines the fascinating threads of Beatrix Potter's life: her deep connection with animals, her development as a writer and artist, her determination to be published and her role as a pioneering conservationist. A biography of Beatrix Potter's life is included, and the book is written in consultation with experts from the National Trust. Every Nosy Crow paperback picture book comes with a free 'Stories Aloud' audio recording - just scan the QR code and listen along!

An engaging, easy-to-use and informative biography of Shakespeare with humorous illustrations. So what was it like to live in Shakespeare's time? What do we actually know about him? And how does someone become that famous? These are just a few of the questions addressed in this lively and accessible book on the life and works of William Shakespeare by award-winning author Michael Rosen. Ideal for browsing, the text is divided into clear sections and includes studies of four of Shakespeare's plays, intriguing facts and information about Shakespeare himself and the world at this time, accompanied by a useful timeline.

This witty, refreshing treatise from a celebrated author and seasoned teacher is a passionate defense of reading -- just for the joy of it.
First published in 1992 and even more relevant now, Daniel Pennac's quirky ode to reading has sold more than a million copies in his native
France. Drawing on his experiences as a child, a parent, and an inner-city teacher in Paris, the author reflects on the power of story and reminds us of our right to read anything, anywhere, anytime, so long as we are enjoying ourselves. In a new translation with a foreword and illustrations
by Quentin Blake, here is a guide to reading unlike any other: fresh,
sympathetic, and never didactic, it is a work of literature in its own right.

A New York Times Bestseller and National Book Award Winner Jacqueline Woodson, the acclaimed author of Red at the Bone, tells the moving story of her childhood in mesmerizing verse. Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child's soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson's eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact that she struggled with reading as a child. Her love of stories inspired her and stayed with her, creating the first sparks of the gifted writer she was to become. A National Book Award Winner A Newbery Honor Book A Coretta Scott King Award Winner Praise for Jacqueline Woodson: Ms. Woodson writes with a sure understanding of the thoughts of young people, offering a poetic, eloquent narrative that is not simply a story . . . but a mature exploration of grown-up issues and self-discovery."-The New York Times Book Review

How we are motivated to imitate wanting what others desire—Girard’s theory primed for the social media age.

René Girard eludes easy categories, bridging the fields of literary criticism, anthropology, sociology, history, religion and theology. Influencing such writers as J. M. Coetzee and Milan Kundera, his insight into contagious violence looks ever more prophetic and relevant seven years after his death. In many ways he is the thinker for our modern world of social media and herd behavior.

In this newly selected collection of writings, Cynthia L. Haven has created an approachable anthology of his work, addressing Girard's thoughts on the nature of desire, human imitation and rivalry, the causes of conflict and violence, the deep structure of religion and cultural subjects like opera and theatre. Girard spoke in language that was engaging, accessible and often controversial.

A long-time friend and colleague, Haven shines a spotlight on his role as a public intellectual and profound theorist, inviting a new generation to his corpus.

An entertaining biography of the man behind Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web, two of the best loved children's books of all time. Learn about E.B. White's exciting life in this new addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series! Today, most people remember E. B. White as the beloved children's book author who gave us Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, but did you know that most of his career was spent writing for famous magazines like The New Yorker? His lifelong dream to write a children's book about a mouse would take years to get published before it became the classic book we know and love today. A few years later, White would publish yet another children's book inspired by a pig he had raised and a spider whose webs he loved to admire in his barn.

When Madeleine L'Engle was very small, she marvelled at the stars. They guided her throughout her life, making her feel part of a big and exciting world, even when she felt alone. They made her want to ask big questions - Why are we here? What is my place in the universe? - and let her imagination take flight. Books, too, were like stars - asking questions and proposing answers. Books kept Madeleine company, and soon, she began to write and share her own. But would other people see the wonder she found in the world?

Walt Whitman was a printer, journalist, editor, and school teacher. But today, he's recognised as one of America's founding poets, a man who changed American literature forever. Throughout his life, Walt journeyed everywhere, from New York to New Orleans, Washington D.C. to Denver, taking in all that America had to offer. With the Civil War approaching, he saw a nation deeply divided, but he also understood the power of words to inspire unity. So in 1855, Walt published a short collection of poems, Leaves of Grass, a book about the America he saw and believed in. Though hated and misunderstood by many at the time, Walt's writing introduced an entirely new writing style: one that broke forms, and celebrated the common man, human body, and the diversity of America. Generations later, readers can still find themselves in Whitman's words, and recognise the America he depicts. Who Was Walt Whitman? follows his remarkable journey from a young New York printer to one of America's most beloved literary figures.

Find out how a journalist and sportsman became one of the most famous American novelists of the twentieth century in this new addition to the #1 New York Times bestselling series! Ernest Hemingway wasn't just a novelist. He was a hunter and a fisherman; he became an ambulance officer in Paris, France, during World War I; and he worked as a reporter during the civil war in Spain in the 1930s. All of these experiences had such an important impact on Ernest's life that he used them as inspiration for some of his most notable works of fiction, including The Sun Also Rises, A Farewell to Arms, and For Whom the Bell Tolls. He wrote short stories, novels, and articles in an understated, direct style, that is still beloved by readers today. Hemingway is remembered as much for his fiction as he is for his adventurous lifestyle.

What would happen if you showed a T-Rex a book? Well, she wouldn't know what to do with it . . . would she? A madcap, super silly adventure story rooted in the transformative power of books, created by incredible new picture-book duo Rashmi Sirdeshpande and Diane Ewen

Celebrate 400 years of Shakespeare's legacy with this repackage of award-winning author Diane Stanley's tribute to the world-famous playwright William Shakespeare.

Nobody knows exactly when or why William Shakespeare left his boyhood home of Stratford-on-Avon for the great city of London, but it didn't take long for him to make a name for himself. His plays are now performed almost every day in just about every part of the world; even people who've never seen them use words and phrases he introduced into the English language.

How did a man from an unremarkable family create a legacy that the world, even 400 years after his death, has never forgotten? There will always be unsolved mysteries about Shakespeare, but what we do know of his life, his times, and his theater makes for a very dramatic story.

It's the handbook no half-blood should be without: a fully illustrated, in-depth guide to gods, monsters, and all things Percy. This novelty companion to the best-selling series comes complete with trading cards, full-color diagrams, and maps, all packaged in a handy, "manual-size" POB with a crisp, magnetic flap enclosure.