Who can be a writer? You can! Start the story machine, choose your heroes and villains, and you’re off – from brilliant beginnings and magnificent middles to excellent endings!

These fun activities and writing prompts will help to expand vocabulary and language skills. Find out how to set the scene, give your characters a voice, and guide them through the action. Top it off with a tremendous title, and by the end of this book you’ll have written your very own splendiferous story.

A hilarious collection of pet poems by wordplay wizard Brian Bilston. When you've got a bad case of the 'mews' and are in desperate need of a 'pup'-lifting read, this book is the 'ulti-mutt' remedy.

Please don’t think me lazy,
I’m not trying to slack –
it’s just that I’m stuck, you see,
under this cat.

This collection of poems focuses on the hilarious happenings in the lives of our furry - and not so furry - friends. Stars include Wilf, the hypnotist Labracadabrador, a philosophically inclined goldfish penning a profound haiku, a hen named Barbara receiving an adoring tribute, and an 'octopussy' cat that seems to have all its paws in plenty of odd little pies.

The perfect gift for a dog person, cat person and every pet lover in between.

One of the most popular series ever published for young Americans, these classics have been praised alike by parents, teachers, and librarians. With these lively, inspiring, fictionalized biographies -- easily read by children of eight and up -- today's youngster is swept right into history.

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.

Travel back 400 years to visit rowdy theatres and royal palaces to understand what it was like to live in Shakespeare's Elizabethan England and the influence it had on his ground-breaking work. This book charts Shakespeare's phenomenal talent and peeks behind the curtain at his most famous plays, from tragedies such as Romeo and Juliet and Hamlet to comedies such as A Midsummer Night's Dream and Taming of the Shrew.

The fifth and penultimate book in the bestselling bookwandering series for readers aged eight to twelve. As Tilly and Milo hurtle towards their final showdown with the Alchemist, the stakes are higher than ever - though there is always time for hot chocolate! Milo Bolt is ready to be the hero of his own story. With Uncle Horatio trapped in an enchanted sleep by the power-hungry Alchemist, he sets off with his new friend Alessia to find a cure and save them all. Their journey leads them to the magical treehouse - home of the Botanist, the Alchemist's sworn enemy. Against the clock, they hunt for the cure: foraging in the Secret Garden, challenging Robin Hood and confronting the mighty Jabberwock. But the Alchemist will stop at nothing to unlock the powerful secrets of The Book of Books, and Tilly, Pages & Co. and the whole world of imagination are under threat as a battle for the fate of bookwandering is set in motion . . .

Dear Reader, these poems are an introduction to the passionate words of some of the English language's most renowned poets. Inspired by today's greatest lyricist, Taylor Swift, this collection overflows with folklore, love, heartache, revenge and peace - the perfect balm for any tortured soul. Featuring poems by William Wordsworth, Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Barrett Browning, William Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll and many more, this moody and melancholy anthology celebrates the most famous - and tortured - poets. WARNING: These poems might make you cry!

Imagine someone told you that your dream could never come true. What would you do?

Meet Marie Curie. Shy and reserved, she loved science more than anything else in the world. But she lived at a time when women couldn't be scientists. Marie followed her passion and is now remembered for her game-changing discoveries. But while she tinkered away with test tubes and experimented with a glow-in-the-dark chemical elements, Marie became a mother. Irene and Eve grew up to be fiercely independent and determined women just like their mother, and had many adventures of their own.

Join these three incredible women in this gorgeously illustrated book as they save lives during WWI and WWII, win Nobel Prizes, overcome tragedies, travel all around the world and change the history of science forever. This uplifting and touching tale of strength, science and sisterhood, written and illustrated by two remarkable sisters Imogen and Isabel Greenberg, is a triumph of female empowerment.

In this book from the critically acclaimed, multimillion-copy bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Charles Dickens, the influential author. When Charles was a boy he made up his own adventures. But after a Dickensian twist of fate saw his father go to prison for debt, Charles ended up working in a factory with other children. He worked his way out, trying his hand in a law firm, and then as an actor, before making a name for himself as a reporter and gifted storyteller. Charles became one of the most beloved novelists of all time, aware of the power of a tale and of giving poor children a voice. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the writer's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

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.

New in the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the incredible life of Mary Shelley, the English novelist and creator of Frankenstein. When Mary Shelley was a little girl, she used to write stories beneath the trees in her garden. As an adult, Mary was inspired by this same imagination to create a ghost story, which became the famous novel: Frankenstein. This gripping book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the novelist's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

Discover the remarkable life of Jane Austen, the great British novelist, in this book from the critically acclaimed Little People, BIG DREAMS series. Little Jane was born into a large family with seven brothers and sisters. She grew up reading and writing stories in the English countryside. As an adult, she wrote witty commentaries about landed gentry in a way that no one had ever done before, portraying young women who bravely made their own choices. These novels made Jane one of the most loved British writers of all time. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical images and a detailed profile of the author's life. Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling series of books and educational games that explore the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream. This empowering series offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardback versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. Boxed gift sets allow you to collect a selection of the books by theme. Paper dolls, learning cards, matching games and other fun learning tools provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children. Inspire the next generation of outstanding people who will change the world with Little People, BIG DREAMS!

National Book Award finalist Ibi Zoboi illuminates the young life of the visionary storyteller Octavia E. Butler in poems and prose. Born into the Space Race, the Red Scare, and the dawning Civil Rights Movement, Butler experienced an American childhood that shaped her into the groundbreaking science-fiction storyteller whose novels continue to challenge and delight readers fifteen years after her death. An acclaimed and bestselling author Zoboi's work is familiar on both bestseller and awards lists. Her novel in verse Punching the Air was an instant bestseller and was honored with a Walter Award and the LA Times Book Prize. Zoboi has a unique connection with Butler. They share a birthday and she studied with Butler at Clarion Workshop near the end of Butler's life. Features Butler's own words and photos of documents from her childhood. Zoboi spent a week with Butler's papers at the Huntington Library in Los Angeles. Octavia Butler is more relevant than ever. Butler's work is ascendent in the popular imagination. Adaptations are in the works, including an FX series based on Kindred slated for 2022. Her most famous novels have been adapted into bestselling graphic novels.

Explore a cozy bookstore, visit a library, and learn all about books in this one-of-a-kind format by celebrated illustrator Ingela P Arrhenius. Each uniquely shaped page overlaps with the next to create a complete landscape when closed-and an immersive world to explore with each turn of the page when open. Simple text and jubilant illustrations introduce babies and toddlers to a word of books and usher in an early appreciation for reading! Delightfully petite, Bookscape Board Books' chunkiness and unique layers give them a tactile, toylike quality that begs to be picked up-making each book in the series a memorable and irresistible gift.