Take a fascinating journey through time ­to explore a world full of ideas, inventions, discoveries and many, many ... things! Have you ever wondered how us humans came to have so many 'things'? Starting with the early humans who had very few things, through to the jam-packed world we live in today, discover how from the very beginning we humans have had the urge to invent and create! From the creation of Stone Age tools and the first handwritten book through to amazing inventions including the steam engine and the laptop computer, find out how things have transformed our world. With fun illustrations and witty text by award-winning author and illustrator Neal Layton.

Each night as the sun goes down and the sky grows dark, STARS come out. But what are stars? Where are they? And what role have they played throughout history? Over thousands of years humans have gazed up curiously at the stars, wondering why the sky looks the way it does. Step back in time and see how these theories have changed over the years, and what we now know about these sparkling celestial objects. From the stars, to solar systems to galaxies and beyond, this bold and funny book from Neal Layton tells you everything you've ever wanted to know about the night sky.

Everything is made of stuff. Some things are made of paper, like this book. And some things are made of PLASTIC. If you look around you, plastic is everywhere. Even in places where it's not meant to be. If it drops to the ground, it doesn't rot away - it sticks around for ever.

Our world is drowning in plastic, and it's a big problem. Award-winning author-illustrator Neal Layton is here to explain where plastic comes from, why it doesn't biodegrade, and why that's dangerous for animals and humans alike. But he's also FULL of ideas for how you can help! From giving up straws in juice cartons to recycling all we can and taking part in a beach clean, A Planet Full of Plastic will get young readers excited about how they can make a difference to keep Planet Earth happy.

This brilliant non-fiction picture book, illustrated in Neal's trademark collage style, is perfect for readers aged 4-7 who love nature and want to help the environment.

Discover the mind-blowing story of how everything came to be with award-winning illustrator and author Neal Layton. With a unique collage art style, and quirky, engaging text, The Story of Everything explores big ideas in a way that will grip even the most reluctant reader. From the Big Bang theory and the beginnings of life on Earth, through to the evolution of humans, the Ice Age and the building of towns and cities, children will be gripped by the real-life action adventure that is EVERYTHING!

Welcome to the weird, wild and wonderful world of James Carter! Expect to hear the moon speak, explore a magic wood and play air guitar. You'll meet wolves, elephants and a dung beetle; you'll get close to a gorilla and sing a lullaby to a woolly mammoth; you might even meet an alien in a library.  Packed with James Carter's most popular and requested poems, plus 8 brand new poems, this is an important collection from one of the top children's poets writing today.

Jingle bells, Jingle bells, smelly poo and bum!

You can wait for Christmas but it's never going to come!

When a miniature reindeer named Percy falls down the chimney of the Trubshaws' holiday cottage, the last thing they expect is to be whisked away to the distant planet of Yule-1 - the REAL home of Father Christmas, the elves, and his intrepid reindeer delivery teams. And what an amazing place it is - nobody minds being stuck there until the computer system has been mended.

But the festive season is in danger! One rogue reindeer has teamed up with the evil Krampus to sabotage everything. Unless Percy and his new friends can track them down, there will be no Christmas this year - or EVER AGAIN!

Illustrated in black and white by Neal Layton, this is destined to become a holiday favourite.

Stanley's Stick is a teaming-up of hefty talents - glorious poet John Hegley and award-winning illustrator Neal Layton. Stanley's stick is not just a stick. With a stick in hand, Stanley's options are endless - he flies to the moon, writes in the sand, goes fishing, plays a whistle and rides a dinosaur - and his imagination takes over and the magic begins. Hegley's lyrical prose captures the free-wheeling expressiveness of childhood, and Layton's deceptively simple illustrations are full of wit and character. Sweet, magical and thoroughly entertaining, this is Hegley and Layton's first collaboration.

Every animal and plant on earth is part of an incredible WEB OF LIFE. But living things are disappearing all over the world, and it's a big problem. Award-winning author-illustrator Neal Layton is here to introduce the concept of biodiversity to younger readers, explaining what it is, why it's so important, and how the actions of humans are hurting it. But he's also FULL of ideas for how you can help! From building a bug hotel to growing flowers on a windowsill and eating more organic food, A World Without Wildlife will get young readers excited about how they can make a difference to keep the web of life bursting with energy. This brilliant non-fiction picture book is perfect for readers aged 5-7 who love nature and want to help the environment. Also available in this series: A Planet Full of Plastic A Climate in Chaos

There's trouble on the planet of Yule-1, the real home of Father Christmas . . . The Trubshaw family are flown back from Earth to help out! Once again Jake and Sadie are transported to a place where elves and reindeer are their friends and everything is about getting ready for Christmas, the best holiday of the year. Hysterically funny, wonderfully bonkers, it's Christmas like you've never seen it before. With knock-out illustrations throughout from Super Star, Neal Layton.

You've probably heard about climate change. At least I hope you have - because it's REALLY IMPORTANT. It affects all of us living on Planet Earth right now, and everyone and everything that will live on our planet in the future. Our world is warming up, and it's a big problem. Award-winning author-illustrator Neal Layton is here to explain what climate change is, what's causing it and why it's dangerous for animals and humans alike. But he's also FULL of ideas for how you can help! From eating lots more veggies to walking and cycling and thinking carefully about what we need to buy, A Climate in Chaos will get young readers excited about how they can make a difference to keep Planet Earth happy. This brilliant non-fiction picture book, illustrated in Neal's trademark collage style, is perfect for readers aged 5-7 who love nature and want to help the environment. Also available in this series: A Planet Full of Plastic.

A stunning reissue of this classic picture book. When the Queen steals Emily Brown's favourite toy and erstwhile companion, a toy rabbit called Stanley, Emily sets out to get him back and teach that naughty queen a valuable lesson! Winner of the 2006 Nestle Gold Award, chosen for the Richard & Judy Christmas book party, a Bookaboo Book Club book as seen on CITV and read by Amanda Holden. 'Charming, funny and gets my vote as the best picture book of the year.' - Financial Times Written by Cressida Cowell, the bestselling author of the How to Train Your Dragon series. http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/ Illustrated by award winning Neal Layton, creator of Stanley's Stick. http://www.neallayton.co.uk/

Malcolm is in all ways an ordinary ten-year-old. This is a perfectly ordinary story featuring one perfectly ordinary ten year old, his very bossy uncle, some baked beans, a school which tries to make interesting things BORING, the famed Italian city of Ponky, and a genie who appears when you rub your nose. It also includes lots of very useful facts, many of which are untrue.

Learn everything you ever wanted to know about poo in this exciting new edition of a bestselling book. Hippos navigate by it, sloths keep in touch through it, rabbits eat it ... and most grown-ups prefer not to mention it at all! But however you look at it, poo is probably the most useful stuff on Earth. It comes in all shapes and sizes, and every animal has its own special sort. Find out what it's for, where it goes, what we can learn from it and lots more in this book, one of six in the Animal Science series - the best biology series ever!

The fifth animal in the hilarious AWESOME ANIMALS series - awesome adventures with the wildest wildlife. From the author of the hilarious WORLD OF NORM series comes the first of two crazy koala capers. You might think that koalas are boring, just because all they do is eat eucalyptus leaves and sleep. For 19 hours a day. But you'd be wrong. They're not boring. They're just LAZY. They're chilling, basically, kicking back and catching some rays in the treetops, and staying out of trouble. At least, that's what our cool koala buddies Dude and Bro, and little brother Squirt WERE doing, till one day they wake up to find they've missed their transfer from the koala sanctuary to the zoo across town, and will now have to find their own way there before Mum and Dad find out they're missing. Can they make it across town in their stolen zoo buggy or will the day end in one great big koala calamity?

Wherever you go, there are lots of people and no one looks quite the same. But they are all ALIVE. YOU are alive too. But what actually makes something ALIVE? There are three things that all living things have in common: they GROW, they REPRODUCE and they are made of trillions of tiny, but mightily important, organisms called CELLS. Find out all about them in this fresh, funny and fact-filled book from author and illustrator Neal Layton, you'll discover why being alive is totally AMAZING.

The third uproarious adventure from the comic pairing of Michael Rosen and Neal Layton sees Malcolm and his awful Uncle Gobb return, each with a cunning plot ...

This time, there is a plot. That's the plot of the story. Or is it? The plot of the story could also be that Uncle Gobb has an evil plot. And his plot is about a plot. A plot of land. Are you following? Good! The plot of land is behind Malcolm's school and it is where Uncle Gobb wants to set up his own rival Dread Shed School of Facts. Oh no! Malcolm is going to need to come up with his own plot to stop Uncle Gobb's plot. So maybe that, in fact, is the actual plot of this story. You'll just have to read this book to find out!

A bonkers book about standing up for yourself, from two crazily creative people. Sure to delight fans of Andy Stanton and Tom Gates.

Meet the animal kingdom's most competent killers in this fascinating natural history book. Stabbing and strangling, poisoning and drowning, electrocuting, exploding, dive-bombing and even death by glueing! Throughout the animal kingdom, creatures great and small have evolved to become masters of murder: from dive-bombing peregrine falcons to exploding carpenter ants, from electric eels to spitting cobras. The ingenious and often hilarious means of survival that both predators and prey employ are entertainingly explored in this celebration of all things deadly. With fantastically funny illustrations by Neal Layton and highly original explanations and advice on how we can all peaceably share our world, this book cannot fail to enlighten and engross. This is one of six books in the Animal Science series - the best biology series ever!

The second uproarious adventure from the comic pairing of Michael Rosen and Neal Layton sees Malcolm and the peculiar Uncle Gobb go to America, each with a cunning plan ...

Even though Malcolm managed to bamboozle and confuzle Uncle Gobb in the last book (hooray!), it was only temporary (boo!). Uncle Gobb is still living with him and still roaring at him about peas and poetry and Peter Parker.

This time the plan to get rid of Uncle Gobb has to be mega. It has to be epic. It has to involve America, the Jumblies, the Genie (of course), Aunty Brenda the Mender and Malcolm's long-lost dad. But Malcolm doesn't know that Uncle Gobb also has a plan. A plan to get rid of Malcolm once and for all ...

A bonkers book about standing up for yourself, from two crazily creative people. Sure to delight fans of David Walliams, Andy Stanton and Tom Gates.

Stinking, rubbish-infested rivers to swim in, nature walks minus the nature and Giant Sloth cooking dinner. This can only mean one terrible thing for the Academy students on their school trip. Humans are about! And now Oscar's gone missing. Professor Snout and the other students are about to embark on a rescue mission which goes swimmingly!

Emily Brown and her side-kick rabbit, Stanley, are back and this time they're on a mission to cheer up one very unhappy teddy bear. But, no matter what they try, the teddy bear is STILL miserable. Emily Brown has had ENOUGH! With an important message that children will understand, this is storytelling at its best, from an exciting creative team in children's books. 'Will both delight fans, and give them something to reflect on. Layton's illustrations are a joy, matching the text perfectly.' - Bookseller Written by Cressida Cowell, the bestselling author of the How to Train Your Dragon series. http://www.cressidacowell.co.uk/ Illustrated by award winning Neal Layton, creator of Stanley's Stick. http://www.neallayton.co.uk/

The fifth animal in the hilarious AWESOME ANIMALS series - awesome adventures with the wildest wildlife. From the author of the hilarious WORLD OF NORM series comes the second crazy koala caper. Dude, Bro and Squirt are pros at doing...nothing. They can do nothing all day long - nothing but munch on their favourite treat, lie in the sunshine and think about moving. Their little sister, baby Squeak, is not quite so good at doing nothing. In fact she's got more energy than her brothers know what to do with! She's so lively that when the boys lose track of her they soon discover she's no longer in the tree tops...she's heading for the beach! Can they find Lil before the dingos do? What if she's swept off to sea? Or is little Lil a bit more like her brothers than they thought? Find out in a brand new KOALA CALAMITY!

Emily Brown and Stanley are back in this fun-filled Christmas picture book. By the author of the bestselling How to Train Your Dragon series.

It's Christmas Eve, and who's that outside the window? It's Father Christmas! In his shiny new turbo-charged sleigh, complete with sat-nav. But things aren't going quite to plan...

Can Emily Brown and Stanley save the day? They'll just need some emergency reindeer, a star map and ... MAGIC!

A charmingly funny adventure about cherishing traditions, this is classic Christmas storytelling at its best. *With a shiny gold cover!*

Written by Cressida Cowell, the bestselling author of the How to Train Your Dragon series.

Illustrated by Neal Layton, the artist behind Stanley's Stick and Danny McGee Drinks the Sea, shortlisted for the Laugh Out Loud Picture Book Award.

A classic Emily Brown bedtime story about being scared of the dark. From Children's Laureate, Cressida Cowell. Emily Brown and her rabbit, Stanley, are trying to sleep. But a Splish-Splosh noise is keeping them awake... It's a Thing! And this Thing just won't go to sleep. Emily Brown and Rabbit try everything, but nothing works. Just what could be the matter? This warm and witty picture book is perfect for sharing with children who may be afraid of the dark. With a gentle message that things are never quite as scary as they first seem. "It's funny, it's got twists and turns, and shows us, among other things, that we can spend too much time nurturing our fears rather than trying to conquer them." The Guardian

Malcolm is in all ways an ordinary ten-year-old. This is a perfectly ordinary story featuring one perfectly ordinary ten year old, his very bossy uncle, some baked beans, a school which tries to make interesting things BORING, the famed Italian city of Ponky, and a genie who appears when you rub your nose. It also includes lots of very useful facts, many of which are untrue.

All aboard for Kalamazoo! One ticket will let you… ride on an elephant, stay in a bug hotel, travel by train boat and plane, mingle with bears and minibeasts – and even meet an alien!  All this and more, in 19 zippy poems to read aloud. This is a fantastic and eagerly awaited poetry collection for young children, from the author of bestselling Zim Zam Zoom!, which was shortlisted for the CLiPPA Award and longlisted for the UKLA Award