New Titles Children’s September 2015 (arrived in August 2015)

• Audio Visual
• Into Reading
• Non-Fiction
• Older Fiction
• Picture Books
• Younger Fiction

Audio Visual

Annie, directed by Will Gluck.

Annie is a young, happy foster kid who's also tough enough to make her way on the streets of New York in 2014. But everything's about to change when the hard-nosed tycoon and New York mayoral candidate Will Stacks — advised by his brilliant VP, Grace, and his shrewd and scheming campaign advisor, Guy — makes a thinly-veiled campaign move and takes her in.

Fairy tales. Collection 1, Hans Christian Andersen.

An exciting new compilation of Hans Christian Andersen's world-famous fairy tales.

Fairy tales. Collection 2, Hans Christian Andersen.

An exciting new compilation of Hans Christian Andersen's world-famous fairy tales.

Dragon Nest. Warriors' dawn, directed by Soong Yuefeng.

Join the young warrior Lambert in his quest to free the land of Altera in a perilous journey. Lambert must unite a small team of humans and elves to defeat the evil beasts loyal to the Black Dragon. Can Lambert summon the confidence and skill needed to defeat the Black Dragon?

Home, directed by Tim Johnson.

A lovable misfit from another planet meets a girl named Tip. The two unlikely friends embark on the greatest journey of all time.

Looney Tunes. Rabbits run : original movie, produced and directed by Jeff Siergey.

Everyone's favourite rascally rabbit, Bugs Bunny, gets into all sorts of trouble when Lola Bunny accidentally invents an invisibility spray in this hilarious new adventure that takes Bugs and friends from New York to Paris and beyond!

Night at the museum. Secret of the tomb, produced and directed by Shawn Levy.

Get ready for the wildest and most adventure-filled night as Larry spans the globe, uniting favourite and new characters while embarking on an epic quest to save the magic before it is gone forever.

Russell madness, directed by Robert Vince.

Russell is an undersized but big-hearted terrier who dreams of having a family of his own. After running away from his pet store, Russell gets taken in by The Ferraros, a family desperate to revive their grandfather's pro wrestling arena. That's when they discover their new pet pooch has incredible wrestling skills.

Shaun the Sheep movie, written and directed by Mark Burton, Richard Starzak.

When Shaun decides to take the day off and have some fun, he gets a little more action than he bargained for. A mix up with the Farmer, a caravan and a very steep hill lead them all to the Big City and it's up to Shaun and the flock to return everyone safely to the green grass of home.

Skippy the bush kangaroo. The intruders, written and directed by Lee Robinson.

This rarely seen 1969 stand-alone production takes place in the famed Waratah National Park and continues the intrepid adventures of young Sonny Hammond alongside his ever-reliable marsupial friend. The Intruders arrive in the form of two suspicious divers seeking a park permit to carry out regulation abalone fishing. When Sonny, Clancy and Skippy discover the truth behind the divers' duplicity and uncover a complex smuggling ring in the process they are captured and summarily locked up.

Sneezing baby panda : the movie, written & directed by Jenny Walsh and Lesley Hammond.

An Australian zoologist's quest to save her struggling zoo by travelling to China to find the Internet sensation, the sneezing baby panda.

The SpongeBob movie: Sponge out of water, directed by Paul Tibbitt.

On a mission to save his world, SpongeBob SquarePants is headed to ours for the first time ever. When pirate Burger Beard steals the secret recipe for the beloved Krabby Patty, SpongeBob and friends must team up to bring it back. But they soon realise that to defeat a supervillain, they must unleash their inner superheroes.

Tinker Bell and the legend of the NeverBeast.

Tinker Bell and her friend Fawn must convince their fairy friends to rescue the NeverBeast.

Tom and Jerry. Spy quest : original movie, produced and directed by Spike Brandt and Tony Cervone.

Get set for intrigue, thrills, suspense and high-action as the animated duo get wrapped up in a top secret, spy-tacular, fun-filled mission the whole family can enjoy together.

Esio Trot, directed by Dearbhla Walsh.

The film follows Mr Hoppy as he tricks his neighbour, and love interest, Mrs Silver into believing her frustratingly slow-growing pet tortoise Alfie has been cured by the powers of a made-up magic chant. However, unbeknown to Mrs Silver, Mr Hoppy has been replacing Alfie with increasingly larger tortoises as time passes.

Diary of a wimpy kid. 2, Rodrick rules, directed by David Bowers.

Having rid himself of the Cheese Touch, Greg enters the seventh grade with his confidence and friendships intact, and an eye on the new girl in town, Holly Hills. Back at home, Greg is still at war with his older brother Roderick, and he is about to learn that there may be something scarier than middle school — his own family.

The Wiggles meet the orchestra!.

Avengers assemble. Destroyers.

And there came a day unlike any other — when Earth’s Heroes were united against a common threat! On that day The Avengers were born!

Dora the Explorer. Dora's ice skating spectacular!.

Get ready for a spectacular ice-skating adventure! Dora and Boots must skate to the rescue of the Snow Princess, Snow Fairy, and all their Snowy Forest friends when a mean Ice Witch takes everyone's ice skates! Plus, help Dora catch a runaway Shape Train, and join her brave puppy Perrito and Scooter as they race to rescue Boots.

In the night garden. Ombliboo Tombliboo.

Unn, Ooo and Eee live in an extraordinary bush in the garden, filled with endless levels, interconnected by staircases and slides. Their trousers tend to fall down at unexpected times, so much so they don't even bother to wear them inside their bush at all.

PAW patrol. Marshall and Chase on the case!.

Chase is on the case and Marshall is all fired up for these eight PAW Patrol adventures! Join the team as their police pup and firedog lead them on some "ruff-ruff" rescues.

Shaun the sheep. The loony tic.

In these episodes Bitzer and the flock can't keep still and they don't know why, Shaun is mistaken for the crazed chicken thief of Mossybottom Farm, and Shaun takes charge while the Farmer and Bitzer head out for a bit of Man & Dog time.

Shaun the Sheep. Washday.

Shaun is a sheep who doesn't follow the flock — in fact, he leads them into all sort of scrapes and scraps, turning peace in the valley into mayhem in the meadow. Shaun and his pals run rings around their poor sheepdog Bitzer, as he tries to stop the Farmer finding out what's going on behind his back.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. S3, v1, Retreat!.

The Turtles are run out of the city by Shredder and the Kraang and retreat to April's farmhouse upstate. As they get used to their new environment, they'll encounter new mutants and creatures within the wild woods!

Tree Fu Tom. Tree Fu snow.

Zigzoo invents a new machine to create the perfect weather for each of his friends, but trying to keep everyone happy soon ends in catastrophe. Whether it's hot, cold, icy or back to normal, Zigzoo just can't please anyone for long!

Ultimate Spider-Man. Dynamic duos.

From learning to team up with fellow Super Heroes (including The Avengers), to fighting baddies from across the Marvel Universe, to remembering to pick up groceries for Aunt May, Spider-Man thought he had things all webbed up. Now, his world's been turned upside down as his teammates become roommates and they're left to face foes without the help of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Ultimate Spider-Man. Super villains unleashed.

When iconic Marvel villains like The Lizard, Kraven, Electro, the Rhino and Doctor Octopus team up to take on the young heroes, it's time for Spidey to discover the "great responsibility" of being a leader in Season 2 of Marvel's Ultimate Spider-Man.

Ultimate Spider-Man. The spider and the goblin.

On his journey to become the Ultimate Hero, Peter Parker has handled tough challenges. Now, his world's been turned upside down as his teammates become roommates and they're left to face foes without the help of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Ultimate Spider-Man. Venom army.

Peter Parker has handled tough challenges from learning to team up with fellow Super Heroes, to fighting baddies from across the Marvel Universe. Now, his world's been turned upside down as his teammates become roommates and they're left to face foes without the help of S.H.I.E.L.D.

Guess how much I love you. More than all the snowflakes : the adventures of Little Nutbrown Hare.

This animated series is set in a timeless watercolour landscape of grassy fields, mossy forests, lazy rivers and sunny green valleys. This is the idyllic home of Litle Nutbrown Hare and his father, Big Nutbrown Hare. The series follows their adventures as they explore their beautiful surrounds, play with their friends and delight in the love between them.

The Iron Trial, Holly Black, Cassandra Clare.

Most people would do anything to get into the Magisterium and pass the Iron Trial. Not Callum Hunt. Call has been told his whole life that he should never trust a magician. And so he tries his best to do his worst but fails at failing.

Framed, Frank .

Dylan Hughes is more interested in Ninja Turtles than the Renaissance artists they are named after, even when he discovers priceless artwork has been stashed down the disused slate mines of his tiny Welsh village. Then Dad leaves home and nine-year-old Dylan must become man of the household; a masterpiece worth a mint might be just what they need.

Millions, Frank .

After their mother dies, two brothers find a huge amount of money which they must spend quickly before England switches to the new European currency, but they disagree on what to do with it.

Project Venom, Simon Cheshire.

The Secret Intelligence Agency has a new weapon: SWARM — artificially intelligent robotic bugs that act as undercover agents. At the country's top research laboratory, SWARM suspect that one of the scientists has gone rogue. They uncover a sinister underworld and a deadly poison about to be unleashed.

Zero tolerance, Michael Fry.

Simone, a new student, seems intent on stealing Molly away from Nick and the only way Nick can think to stop her is by teaming with his old anti-bullying ally, but that will require Nick using himself as bait both as the bullied and bullier.

The complete chronicles of Narnia, C.S. Lewis.

The magician's nephew: When Polly and Digory discover some magic rings, they begin the most exciting and dangerous journey of their lives — and encounter the mighty lion Aslan.

The great gold robbery, Jo Nesbo.

When a Russian billionaire robs the Norwegian Gold Reserve and melts the last remaining gold bar into the Premier Soccer League trophy, it's up to Doctor Proctor, Nilly and Lisa to get the trophy and save Norway. But with a failed break-in attempt into the billionaire's subterranean gold-melting lab and the Norwegian Gold Reserve Inspection only three days away, the only way to retrieve the trophy is to win it back.

Missing, presumed evil, Garth Nix and Sean Williams.

The Wardens have devised a plan to get rid of The Evil once and for all. The only problem is that destroying The Evil may also mean abandoning some innocent people, including one of the twins.

Barry Loser and the holiday of doom, Jim Smith.

My best friend Bunky is sort of like my pet dog, so it was weird when he suddenly started fancying a cat one day.

Brer Rabbit's a rascal!, Enid Blyton.

Brer Rabbit will never learn! He loves to play jokes, tricks and set traps for his friends — but once in a while, they beat him at his own game!

The Brer Rabbit book, Enid Blyton.

Brer Rabbit will never learn! He loves to play jokes, tricks and set traps for his friends — but once in a while, they beat him at his own game!

Little lost hedgehog, Jill Hucklesby.

Grace is out in the garden feeding her rabbits when she hears a rustle in the flower bed. She sits very still by the kitchen door, peering out into the dark. And then she sees some little paws, two shiny eyes, a twitching nose…it's a tiny hedgehog!

Princess Ellie's moonlight mystery, Diana Kimpton.

Princess Ellie is pony-mad! And she hates boring royal rules. She can't wait to go camping with her best friend, Kate, and her ponies, Moonbeam and Rainbow. There'll be no servants, no governess and — best of all — no rules!

Henry Hunter and the Beast of Snagov, John Matthews.

When schoolboy super-sleuth Henry Hunter uncovers a clue about the legendary Beast of Snagov, the origin of all vampires, he and friend Dolf travel to Whitby and Romania on its trail.

The muddleheaded wombat, Ruth Park.

Meet Wombat and his inseparable friends, the motherly and practical Mouse, and Tabby Cat whose pride, along with his tabby coat, is always being ruffled.

Into Reading

The bike lesson, Stan and Jan Berenstain.

The Bike Lesson is a perfect story for beginning readers, who will delight in spotting the dangers of the road before Father Bear does. And beginning bicylists will want to find out whether Small Bear will get a chance to ride his new bike.

Star Wars. Star pilot, written by Laura Buller and Tori Kosara.

Describes the space vehicles and the pilots who use them in the Star Wars galaxy.

The little green drum, Taghreed Najjar ; retold by Lucy Coats ; illustrated by Hassan Manasrah.

Samia's dad is very important. Every Ramadan he wakes the whole village up in time for breakfast. But this year, things are different and Samia must show everyone how strong and brave she can be. Originally published in Arabic, but now retold for a English-speaking audience, this is a charming and empowering story about Ramadan, fasting and the ability of girls to do any job they put their mind to.

Aaron is cool, P.D. Eastman.

Aaron the alligator gets stuck in a snowball, falls through the ice, and sleeps through the New Year celebration.

Lucky escape, written by Jill Eggleton ; illustrated by Richard Hoit.

Scientists are in the jungle looking at footprints. There are lots of animals in the jungle and they have a lucky escape

Where's Gilbert?, Tony Ross, Wendy Finney.

Rosie the Not-so-Little-Princess has always loved Gilbert, her royal teddy bear. But she feels she's a bit too old for him now and decides to stop playing with him. But then Gilbert goes missing and has a very strange adventure indeed. Will Rosie ever get her teddy back?

Weird sports day, Alan, Rachel and Megan Gibbons ; illustrated by Jane Porter.

It's Katie Cat's Sports Day. She and her friends must race faster than cheetahs, bounce better than kangaroos and climb higher than monkeys! A delightful story from million copy selling author Alan Gibbons writing with his daughters, Megan and Rachel.

Just a teacher's pet, Mercer Mayer.

Tiring of a bossy teacher's pet in his class, Little Critter discovers that his classmate can actually be a good friend and a worthy contributor during a big baseball game.

Tilly and the blue pearl, Angela McAllister ; illustrated by Maxine Lee.

Tilly is a mermaid, and it's her best friend Marina's birthday soon. Tilly wants to find her the perfect present. When she sees a beautiful blue pearl in the spooky Seaweed Forest, she knows exactly what to give Marina a necklace! But getting the pearl is more difficult than it seems will Tilly be brave enough to do it?

The stepmonster, Joanna Nadin ; illustrated by Eglantine Ceulemans.

Tom knows all about stepmothers from the books he's read. They do all sorts of horrible things. They are Step Monsters! So when his dad's new friend Lulu comes to tea, Tom is convinced she will turn out to be a stepmonster.

Let's explore!, written by Catherine Saunders.

Summer has arrived in Heartlake City! Stephanie, Andrea, Emma, Mia and Olivia have exciting plans for the holidays. Summer is best when you share it with friends!

Star Wars. The story of Darth Vader, written by Catherine Saunders and Tori Kosara.

Uncover the mystery behind Darth Vader's mask. Discover the story of a talented young Jedi who turns to the dark side.

Richard Scarry's Smokey the fireman.

The adventures of a fire fighter at work and on his day off.

What this story needs is a pig in a wig, Emma J. Virjan.

Illustrations and rhyming text introduce an increasing, then decreasing, cast of characters sharing a boat in a moat with a pig in an enormous wig.

I will take a nap!, Mo Willems.

Gerald is tired and cranky and wants to take a nap, but Piggie is not helping.

Non-Fiction

Assess and select your sources, Valerie Bodden.

Offers information to students on how to find credible, relevant, and trustworthy information at the library and online.

The wacky & wonderful world through numbers, written by Steve Martin, Clive Gifford and Marianne Taylor ; illustrated by Andrew Pinder.

A collection of number-related facts include the number of wheels on the longest stretch limousine, the weight of a Komodo dragon, the height of a newborn giraffe, and the price of the most expensive dress ever made.

Biggest, baddest book of ghosts, Aaron DeYoe ; consulting editor, Dian Craig.

Provides information on ghosts, including spirit orbs, poltergeists, and haunted houses.

Seeing is believing, Dr. Gareth Moore.

Can your eyes deceive you? Try these amazing optical illusions to find out. Look hard, then look again to see spinning patterns (but the page isn't moving!), colours that change (but do they?), big and small shapes (spot the difference!), and lots more. Devised by an expert on brain training, these visual tricks and challenges are huge fun and quite an eye-opener! There are handy tips if you need help, plus an answer key at the back!

Maia and the worry bug, written by Julie Burgess-Manning ; illustrated by Jenny Cooper.

Uses a story format to introduce ways for children to identify and manage anxiety. A worry bug moves in to Maia's house and grows larger and larger as it feeds on the worries and fears of Maia and her family. Will the family find a way to get rid of the bug? Includes notes and exercises for parents.

Wild ideas, Elin Kelsey ; artwork by Soyeon Kim.

A new book that celebrates the 'nature' of creative problem solving.

Underground abductor : an abolitionist tale, text and illustrations, Nathan Hale.

Araminta Ross was born a slave in Delaware in the early 19th century. Slavery meant that her family could be ripped apart at any time, and that she could be put to work in dangerous places and for abusive people. But north of the Mason-Dixon line, slavery was illegal. If she could run away and make it north without being caught or killed, she'd be free. Facing enormous danger, Araminta made it, and once free, she changed her name to Harriet Tubman and spent the rest of her life helping slaves run away like she did.

Tiketike ngahuru, hakahaka raumati, kaituhi: Teanau Tuiono ; kaiwhakamaori: Hohepa Isaac-Sharland ; kaituhi aratohu ma te pouako: Wawaro Te Whaiti.

Ka tuhura tenei rauemi i ta te Maori whai i te wa, na to ratou mohio ki te taiao me te marama, ki nga panga, ki nga mahinga kai o uta, o tai. Ka tipu te maioha o nga akonga ki te ahua o te hononga o nga matauranga o nehera ki te taiao. Ka whanui ake tenei maiohatanga i nga ringa raupa e mahi nei i te whenua me te moana. Ka timata hoki ta ratou whawha i nga take e tirohia ana i te rauemi nei e marama ake ai ratou ki o ratou ake taiao. — Links to Putaiao, Taumata 4 of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

Analyze and define the assignment, Valerie Bodden.

Provides tips and techniques for choosing a topic, conducting research, and writing a report.

Write and revise your project, Valerie Bodden.

Offers information on writing a research paper or preparing a presentation, including how to create a convincing argument, support opinions using facts and figures from reliable sources, and edit and revise drafts of the work.

Tiketike ngahuru, hakahaka raumati : he aratohu ma te pouako, kaituhi aratohu ma te pouako: Wawaro Te Whaiti.

Ka tuhura tenei rauemi i ta te Maori whai i te wa, na to ratou mohio ki te taiao me te marama, ki nga panga, ki nga mahinga kai o uta, o tai. Ka tipu te maioha o nga akonga ki te ahua o te hononga o nga matauranga o nehera ki te taiao. Ka whanui ake tenei maiohatanga i nga ringa raupa e mahi nei i te whenua me te moana. Ka timata hoki ta ratou whawha i nga take e tirohia ana i te rauemi nei e marama ake ai ratou ki o ratou ake taiao. — Links to Putaiao, Taumata 4 of Te Marautanga o Aotearoa.

Wahapu : he aratohu ma te pouako, ko nga korero na Stephanie Tibble.

Teachers' resource with activities to support science achievement objectives for year 4-6 students, working at levels 2-3. Aligns with the Wahapu set of books from the Puao series. Incorporates traditional Maori knowledge about coastal and estuarine plants and fishes.

Meariki : he aratohu ma te pouako, he mihi tenei ki a Hone Morris nana nga ngohe o roto i tenei pukapuka i waihanga.

Te huinga pukapuka o Koiri 3 : he aratohu ma te pouako, he mihi tenei ki a Stephanie Tibble nana nga ngohe o roto i tenei pukapuka i waihanga.

Teacher's resource to support the "Koiri" series of Maori language readers. This is a guide to Te whatukura o Tangaroa, Te kainga o te taniwha, and Te awa ki te rangi. Includes plot summaries, exercises in preparation for reading each story and comprehension exercises.

Nga uri a Kamaka, na Hana Pomare i tuhi ; na Ellie May Logan nga whakaahua ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

Creation story in which Tawhaki and Hinemurutoka give birth to Kamaka, the personification of rocks which produce crayfish.

Te orokohanga ake o te tangata : e ai ki te iwi Maya, na Hana Pomare i tuhi ; na Ellie May Logan nga whakaahua ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

He korero paki mo te takenga mai o te kanga, e ai ki te iwi Maya.

Te whatukura o Tangaroa, na Tamati Waaka i tuhi ; na Vaitoa Baker nga pikitia.

Traditional story about the sacred relic and fishing talisman 'Te whatukura o Tangaroa', treasured by Te Whanau-a-Apanui, which was brought to New Zealand from Hawaiiki.

Have you ever seen a sheep dance? Poems and action rhymes, Judi Billcliff.

A collection of poems and action rhymes that will delight young children who are guaranteed to have fun while learning. Some of the rhymes introduce the young reader to simple Maori words as an introduction to the language.

Usborne nursery rhymes, collected by Felicity Brooks ; illustrated by Richard Johnson.

A luxury gift edition of some of the best known nursery rhymes including Humpty Dumpty, The Grand Old Duke of York and Hey Diddle Diddle.

French-English picture dictionary, Catherine Bruzzone and Louise Millar ; illustrations by Louise Comfort and Steph Dix ; French adviser: Marie-Therese Bougard.

Key discoveries in Earth and space science, Christine Zuchora-Walske.

Explore the fascinating history of earth and space science! What are Earth's systems, cycles, and resources? What are the solar system, lunar phases, and gravity? Who first studied these concepts? And who later used those early theories to develop these ideas further?

How big is big? How far is far?, illustrated by Jan Van Der Veken ; texts by Dorothee Soehlke-Lennert ; translation from German by Jen Metcalf.

Distance, weight, and size are difficult to grasp until contrasted with other quantities. How Big is Big? How Far is Far? renders measurements and dimensions more comprehensible through amusing comparisons.

The Usborne big book of colours, written by Felicity Brooks ; illustrated by Sophia Touliatou ; designed by Claire Ever.

A vivid introduction to colour, from primary colours and the colour wheel, through to the moods and meanings of different colours. Pages dedicated to each colour are packed full of shades and tones, and an acetate page shows the effects of mixing colours. Introduces the basics of art theory, and specialist words to enrich children's vocabulary.

Extreme Earth.

Engaging text, detailed facts, and impressive statistics give children exciting scientific insight into hurricanes, volcanoes, caves, glaciers, and other jaw-dropping natural wonders.

Dirtmeister's nitty gritty planet Earth : all about rocks, minerals, fossils, earthquakes, volcanoes, and even dirt!, Steve Tomecek, aka The Dirtmesiter, illustrated by Fred Harper.

Part graphic novel, part fun guidebook, this very cool, rocky journey introduces both eager and reluctant readers to the basic geologic processes that shape our Earth.

Avalanches, Patrick Merrick.

Looks at avalanches, examining their causes and their results.

Biggest, baddest book of caves, Alex Kuskowski ; consulting editor, Diane Craig.

Introduces caves, describing how they are formed, where they are found, and the unusual creatures that live in them, with examples of some the world's most famous caves.

Water is water : a book about the water cycle, Miranda Paul ; illustrations by Jason Chin.

A spare, poetic picture book exploring the different phases of the water cycle in surprising and engaging ways.

Droughts, Patrick Merrick.

Looks at droughts, examining their causes and their results.

Questions and answers about dinosaurs, written by Katie Daynes ; illustrated by Marie-Eve Tremblay.

If you know a child who is obsessed with dinosaurs and constantly asking about these prehistoric creatures, this engaging, interactive book will answer lots of their questions. With entertaining and informative illustrations and over 50 flaps to lift and look beneath.

Key discoveries in life science, Christine Zuchora-Walske.

Explore this fascinating timeline history of life science! What are cells, heredity, evolution, ecosystems, and photosynthesis? Who first studied these concepts? And who later built on and expanded the work of those early thinkers?

My first book about how things grow, Felicity Brooks and Caroline Young ; illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet ; designed by Francesca Allen.

This is an accessible, informative first reference book that helps young children learn about trees, plants, and fungi, what each of these things is, how to tell them apart, what each needs to survive and thrive, and their life cycles, including information about how they reproduce.

Bloomin' rainforests, Anita Ganeri ; illustrated by Mike Phillips.

Where in the world can you hide from vicious vampire bats? Get the earth-shattering facts here.

Rainforests.

Engaging text, detailed facts, and impressive statistics give children exciting scientific insight into the mysteries of the rainforest as revealed through the plants and animals that live deep within its canopy. A glossary at the end of each book helps reinforce the information.

Te manawa, ko nga korero na Francene Wineti ; na Hone Morris nga korero i whakamaori.

Describes the habitat, life cycle, physical characteristics, ecology, benefits, and traditional uses of mangroves. Emphasizes the importance of caring for the environment. Includes whakatauki relating to the mangrove.

How do flowers grow?, illustrated by Christine Pym ; designed by Suzie Harrison ; written by Katie Daynes.

This stylish, highly illustrated, interactive book is perfect for sharing with little children, and introduces nature and science using a friendly lift-the-flap format. A brilliant introduction to one of the fundamental themes of biology, perfect for curious young minds.

8 : an animal alphabet, Elisha Cooper.

Discover hundreds of animals, great and small. Lion and lizard, whale and wombat. Learn one wild fact about each animal. (Did you know that gorillas yawn when they are nervous?) Look carefully, because for each letter of the alphabet, one animal is pictured eight times. Why 8? Come inside and find out.

The ultimate animal criminals, Clive Gifford ; illustrated by Sarah Horne ; consultancy by David Burnie.

Features all sorts of criminal creatures, including mischievous monkeys, looting lemurs and tyrant toads. This book also includes artwork and photographs to give an intriguing and scientific look at the more extreme aspects of the animal world.

Horrid Henry's crazy creatures : a Horrid factbook, Francesca Simon ; illustrated by Tony Ross.

What's the only animal in the world to produce cube-shaped poo? What kind of lizard looks as though it has two heads? And what happens when a tarantula loses a leg? Bursting with foul facts and twisted trivia, this is the perfect guide to everything a Horrid Henry fan has ever wanted to know about animals. Gross out your family and amaze your friends with your nasty new knowledge!

Predators.

Engaging text, detailed facts, and impressive statistics give children exciting scientific insight into some of the world's most fearsome hunters, whether they walk, fly, swim, or crawl.

A nest is noisy, Dianna Hutts Aston + Sylvia Long.

Introduces the world of nests, revealing the variety created by the world's birds, animals, and insects.

A day and night in the rain forest, written and illustrated by Caroline Arnold.

Highlights the activities of animals in the Amazon rain forest during one average 24-hour period.

A day and night in the desert, written and illustrated by Caroline Arnold.

Highlights the activities of animals in the Sonoran Desert during one average 24-hour period.

Ocean life.

Engaging text, detailed facts, and impressive statistics give children exciting scientific insight into amazing life forms, some that look more alien than anything else. A glossary at the end of each book helps reinforce the information. Parents, teachers, and librarians will want to collect all of the books in this series to create a very cool first encyclopedia to build early research skills.

When crabs cross the sand : the Christmas Island crab migration, Sharon Katz Cooper ; illustrated by Christina Wald.

Every winter, a small island turns read with Christmas Island crabs as millions of them leave their burrows. Crawl, climb and dance along with one particular crab as she makes a life-changing journey.

Te ahua o te koura, na Ra Pomare i tuhi ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

Introduces the biology of a number of lobster species found in New Zealand waters, including the whakapapa of the koura, traditional fishing methods, different species of crayfish, their habitat, morphology, life cycle, migrations, and regulations around crayfish pots.

Sharks have six senses, John F. Waters ; illustrated by Bob Barner.

Combines engaging facts with colorful mixed-media artwork in an introduction to the world of sharks that challenges popular misconceptions, reveals the shark's powerful sixth sense and describes ongoing conservation efforts.

Te whai, ko nga korero na Francene Wineti ; na Hone Morris i whakamaori.

Describes the whakapapa, physical characteristics, lifecycle, ecology, habitat, predators, and how to catch the three species of stingrays found in New Zealand waters.

Te ahua o te inanga, na Ra Pomare i tuhi ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

An introduction to the biology of the types of freshwater fish commonly known as whitebait.

Te patiki, ko nga korero na Francene Wineti ; na Hone Morris i whakamaori.

Describes the whakapapa, physical characteristics, lifecycle, ecology, habitat, and predators of flounders found in New Zealand waters. Discusses fishing and cooking methods, and emphasizes the importance of caring for the environment. Includes whakatauki relating to the flounder.

Te ahua o te kanae, na Ra Pomare i tuhi ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

Introduces the biology of some of the species of mullet common in New Zealand, including the whakapapa of the mullet, its habitat, food, predators, and life cycle.

Te tamure, ko nga korero na Francene Wineti ; na Hone Morris nga korero i whakamaori.

Describes the whakapapa, physical characteristics, lifecycle, ecology, habitat, and predators of snapper. Also describes fishing and cooking methods, and emphasizes the importance of caring for the environment. Includes whakatauki relating to the snapper. Suggested level: primary.

Mission: sea turtle rescue : all about sea turtles and how to save them, Karen Romano Young with National Geographic explorer, Daniel Raven-Ellison.

Inspiring young animal lovers to get up close to sea turtles and the real-life challenges they face is what "Mission: Sea Turtle Rescue" is all about. Kids can connect their love of animals with their passion to help save them, discovering amazing true adventure stories, gorgeous photography, hands-on activities, fascinating information, and more.

When whales cross the sea : the gray whale migration, Sharon Katz Cooper ; illustrated by Tom Leonard.

Follows a single gray whale on its annual migration journey.

Mission: tiger rescue : all about tigers and how to save them, Kitson Jazynka with National Geographic explorer, Daniel Raven-Ellison.

This compelling narrative combines fun and amazing adventure stories, gorgeous photography, hands-on activities, fascinating information, and more, connecting the reader in-depth with the animal's real world. Meet real-life tigers and learn about their habitats, challenges, and successes, plus learn how YOU can take action and save these amazing endangered creatures.

Monkeys & apes, Camilla de la Bedoyere ; consultant, Barbara Taylor.

We should learn as much as we can about our closest relatives in the animal world: apes, monkeys, and other primates. Throughout this comprehensive book, readers will discover the differences and similarities among different species of primates through 100 facts grouped by topic and their accompanying fun-fact boxes, diagrams, activities, and quizzes.

Genius! : the most astonishing inventions of all time, Deborah Kespert

Genius! tells the stories behind the amazing inventions that helped shape our modern world. Young readers are introduced to the technologies developed by thinkers and inventors such as Archimedes, Leonardo da Vinci, Gutenberg, James Watt, the Wright brothers, and Tim Berners-Lee, and the creativity and determination behind their discoveries. The book is divided into five key thematic sections: Pioneers, Communication, Technology, Transport, and Into Space.

The way things work, David Macaulay with Neil Ardley.

Text and numerous detailed illustrations introduce and explain the scientific principles and workings of hundreds of machines including a lawn sprinkler, pneumatic drill, electric guitar, and a smoke detector.

Inventions, written by Oldrich Ruzicka, Silvie Sanza ; illustrations, Jan Klimes.

Provides an introduction to the most important inventions throughout history, in a book that allows the reader to use a time traveler's dial to choose the time period they wish to investigate.

Key discoveries in engineering and design, Christine Zuchora-Walske.

What smaller scientific discoveries led up to major breakthroughs such as the assembly line, computers, or the Internet? Who first proposed ideas to solve problems? And how did the solutions change over time? Trace the history of key discoveries in engineering and design as you investigate timelines and gather key details from the text.

Random body parts : gross anatomy riddles in verse, written by Leslie Bulion ; illustrated by Mike Lowery.

Of course you have a body, but do you have a clue where all the body parts you've got are found and what they do? You think you have a handle on your anatomy, but can you handle tricky riddle poems?

Growing up book for boys : what boys on the autism spectrum need to know!, Davida Hartman ; illustrated by Margaret Anne Suggs.

The Growing Up Book for Boys explains the facts behind the growth spurts, body changes and mood swings of adolescence for boys aged 9-14 on the autism spectrum. Most importantly, it explains that every body is amazing and unique and encourages young boys with autism to celebrate difference!

Brain twisters : the science of thinking & feeling, Clive Gifford ; consultant, Anil Seth.

Trick your senses and baffle your brain with this crazy book of mind tricks and neuroscience information. This astonishing science book presents a wide range of brain games and mind tricks, and explains how these reveal the working processes of the brain.

The brain : journey through the universe inside your head, Carla Mooney ; illustrated by Tom Casteel.

An introduction to the world of the human brain and its effect on behaviour covers such topics as brain anatomy, the science of memory, and the latest understanding about the role of lifestyle choices on brain health.

Gluten-free diets, Mari Schuh ; consulting editor, Gail Saunders-Smith ; consultant, Amy L. Lusk.

Simple text and full-colour photographs give an overview of a gluten-free diet.

Simple machines : wheels, levers, and pulleys, David A. Adler ; illustrated by Anna Raff.

Kids use simple machines every day without realising it. Two appealing kids and their comical cat introduce levers, wheels, pulleys, inclined planes, and more, and explain how they work.

My first guide to military vehicles, Kathryn Clay.

Simple text and large, colourful photographs introduce young readers to various military vehicles.

Extreme watercraft, Ian F. Mahaney.

Ocean liners, massive oil tankers, floating factories, cruise ships, and underwater fortresses are just a few of the extreme machines covered in this text, which takes an in-depth look at the worlds most extreme watercraft.

Extreme submarines, Ian F. Mahaney.

Readers enter the underwater world of extreme submarines with this text, which offers a high-interest take on the career, technology, and engineering curricula in elementary classrooms. Readers learn the basics of submarine technology and how submarine crews live inside the machine.

Extreme unmanned vehicles, Ian F. Mahaney.

How can cars drive, labs float, underwater vehicles navigate, and aircraft fly without anyone behind the wheel? Readers learn this and more through this text, which explores the engineering and technology behind extreme unmanned vehicles. Drones, military ROVs, CUSVs, The Gladiator, and unmanned automobiles manufactured by Toyota, Lexus, and Google are given an in-depth treatment and are accompanied by full-color photographs that bring these extreme vehicles to life.

Extreme aircraft, Ian F. Mahaney.

This text takes readers into the world of extreme airborne machines, covering such equipment as Boeing 777, the Airbus A380, The Globemaster, and more. Readers learn what aircraft are and understand how they assist extreme task forces and the military in carrying out their duties.

On the road, Deborah Chancellor.

Beep, beep! Roads are busy places. Find out all about the different vehicles on the road, from cars and scooters to trucks and lorries. A series of differentiated text books on topics that children really want to read about.

Extreme off-road vehicles, Ian F. Mahaney.

Off-road vehicles add an extreme element to driving, and readers will see why through this text's in-depth look at the technology and engineering behind some very extreme machines.

Extreme snow vehicles, Ian F. Mahaney.

When snow hits and roads become impassible, its time to break out the snow vehicles that add an extreme element to winter. Readers learn about the awesome technology behind snow busters, snowmobiles, snow cats, plows, and more, discovering how these machines are engineered to operate in extreme weather circumstances.

Powerful muscle cars, Cheryl Blackford ; consultants, Sammy and Marsha Allen.

Discusses American muscle cars, including their history, how they are restored and customized, the most popular models, and how muscle car owners enjoy their cars with shows and races today.

Scorching supercars, Steve Goldsworthy ; consultant, Paul Wallace.

Discusses supercars, including what defines a supercar, models that made their mark on the supercar world, and how manufacturers continue to bring speed and performance to the next level for these exclusive sports cars.

Thrilling sports cars, Karen Latchana Kenney ; consultant, Lisa Noble.

Discusses sports cars, including their history, popular models past and present, and how sports car owners can enjoy their cars in shows and races.

Blazing hot rods, Craig Sodaro ; consultants, Sammy and Marsha Allen.

Discusses hot rods, including their history, how they are built and customized, as well as how hot rod owners enjoy their cars with shows and races.

My first guide to robots, Kathryn Clay.

Simple text and large, colourful photographs introduce young readers to robots.

Robots : explore the world of robots and how they work for us, Rick Allen Leider.

Robots exist for so many different reasons. Many robots replace humans, whether it's because a situation is dangerous or just tedious. There are rover robots to explore space and drone robots that play a part in our military today, but then there are also vacuum robots available for the average household's chores.

Animal robots, Erika L. Shores ; consulting editor, Gail Saunders-Smith ; consultant, Seth Hutchinson.

Simple text and full-colour photographs describe eight different robots that mimic animals and the work these robots do.

Fire birds : valuing natural wildfires and burned forests, written and photographed by Sneed B. Collard III.

Focusing on the work of University of Montana professor Richard Hutto, this book tells the story of how dozens of species of birds use the burn areas of wildfires. At least 15 bird species prefer burned forests to all other habitats.

Te whakatipu kanga, na Ra Pomare i tuhi ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

Kei konei te korero o Amerika ki te Raki mo nga Kohine etoru — he teina tuakana ka whakatokia ngatahitia i nga mara tuturu o taua whenua, e tiaki ai, e kauawhi ai tetahi i tetahi. Kua takoto ano he whakamarama mo te whakatipu kanga.

How to keep kids safe with dogs, Pauline Blomfield ; illustrations by Red.

Uses a story format to introduce seven important lessons to help keep children safe around dogs.

Puppy, Jinny Johnson.

Describes the life, features and habits of puppies and how to choose and care for them as pets.

How to look after your puppy, written by Helen Piers ; illustrated by Kate Sutton.

How do you choose a puppy? What sort of basket should you get it? What food will it like, and how much? How do you train it and keep it happy? What should you do if your dog looks ill? Find answers to all your questions in this guide to dog care written specially for young pet owners.

Kitten, Jinny Johnson.

Owning a new kitten can be great fun, but you need to know how to look after it properly. This book explains what a kitten eats and drinks, and the toys it likes to play with. It also describes what you need to do to make sure your kitten is comfortable and safe.

How to look after your kitten, written by Helen Piers ; illustrated by Kate Sutton.

How do you choose a kitten? What sort of basket should you get it? What food will it like, and how much? How do you train it and keep it happy? What should you do if your cat looks ill? Find answers to all your questions in this guide to cat care written specially for young pet owners.

Rabbit, Jinny Johnson.

Owning a rabbit can be great fun, but you need to know how to look after it properly. This book describes what a rabbit eats and drinks, and the things it likes to play with. it also tells you what you need to do to make sure your rabbit is comfortable and safe.

Te hao kanae, na Hana Pomare i tuhi ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

Introduces the history of mullet fishing in New Zealand, and explores a number of different ways that the fish is prepared and eaten.

Te whai i nga inanga, na Hana Pomare i tuhi ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

An introduction to the types of freshwater fish commonly known as whitebait, explaining both traditional and modern methods of catching them, and fishing restrictions.

Te koura unuhanga a Tama, na Hana Pomare i tuhi ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

Introduces how lobsters are caught in New Zealand, concentrating on commercial fishing.

My first book about food, written by Felicity Brooks and Hannah Wood ; illustrated by Rosalinde Bonnet ; designed by Francesca Allen and Kirsty Tizzard.

An accessible, informative first reference book that helps young children learn about the food we eat and where it comes from. Answers questions such as "What is pasta?", "Where does milk come from?" and "How do vegetables grow?"; explores concepts such as going shopping, life on a farm and cooking healthy meals.

He kanga te kai, na Hana Pomare i tuhi ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

Explains the history of corn as a food crop, from its origins in America to its spread through Europe and to New Zealand. Includes recipes.

Kids cook french = Les enfants cuisinent a la francaise, Claudine Pepin ; illustrations by Jacques Pepin.

Thirty simple, classic French recipes to cook and eat as a family. Recipes and tips are presented in English and French.

Creative kids complete photo guide to sewing, Janith Bergeron, Christine Ecker.

Are you looking for the perfect guide to teach your child to sew? Look no further! Creative Kids Photo Guide to Sewing starts with the absolute basics about stitching, beginning with simple hand sewing, then gradually introduces skills and techniques until kids are sewing safely and confidently at a sewing machine.

Disney Frozen fever hairstyles, Theodora Mjoll Skuladottir Jack ; photographer, Saga Sig.

Learn how to create beautiful hairstyles, including braids, updos, buns, and ponytails, inspired by Disney's Frozen Fever princesses, Anna and Elsa.

Identify and evaluate advertising, Valerie Bodden.

Provides tips and techniques for examining advertisements, including what it is, the various forms it can take, and how they persuade

The big book of color, written by Stephanie Meissner ; illustrated by Lisa Martin and Damien Barlow ; step-by-step artwork by Diana Fisher.

The Big Book of Colour introduces children to the art and science of colour through a fun and engaging, easy-to-understand approach. With The Big Book of Colour, young artists will be treated to an in-depth exploration of the wonderful world of colour through simple step-by-step projects and unique educational content.

The big book of art : draw! Paint! Create!, illustrations by Lisa Martin and 3 others.

Learn how to use crayons, markers, chalk, coloured pencils, watercolours, and acrylic paint to create a variety of colourful art projects perfect for little artists, such as scratch art, texture rubbings, mixed media creations, and more.

Origami animals, Matthew Gardiner.

Making paper animals is a fun way to practice the Japanese art of origami. Carefully numbered steps make each project easy for readers, and helpful illustrated diagrams are included for clarity.

Origami boxes, Matthew Gardiner.

Origami projects can be more than just pretty pieces of art. Sometimes theyre very useful, too. Origami can be used to make boxes, pouches, and even bookmarks. Readers learn to make these and other paper creations through a series of simple, clear steps.

Origami decorations and flowers, Matthew Gardiner.

Readers can decorate their homes or classrooms with beautiful paper creations after following these sets of clear, detailed guidelines for making their own origami figures. Step-by-step instructionsalong with helpful diagrams allow readers to create colorful flowers, vases, fans, and many other decorations out of pieces of paper.

Origami dinosaurs, Matthew Gardiner.

Its been million of years since dinosaurs walked the Earth, but readers can create their own origami dinosaurs with the help of the detailed instructions waiting for them on each page.

Origami toys, Matthew Gardiner.

From jumping frogs to puppets, some fantastically fun toys and games can be made with just a piece of paper. Simple illustrations are included with each step to give readers a visual aid as they work, and colourful examples of each finished product are shown to readers on each page.

Traditional origami, Matthew Gardiner.

Readers learn to make these traditional origami projects and more as they follow sets of simple instructions accompanied by helpful visual aids. Each step in the process is clearly presented to readers, and each finished product is shown to them in colourful detail.

Origami explosion : scorpions, whales, boxes, and more!, Christopher Harbo.

Provides instructions and photo-illustrated step diagrams for folding a variety of traditional and original origami models.

Origami folding frenzy : boats, fish, cranes, and more!, Christopher Harbo.

Provides instructions and photo-illustrated step diagrams for folding a variety of traditional and original origami models.

Origami papertainment : samurai, owls, ninja stars, and more!, Christopher Harbo.

Provides instructions and photo-illustrated step diagrams for folding a variety of traditional and original origami models.

Origamipalooza : dragons, turtles, birds, and more!, Christopher Harbo.

Provides instructions and photo-illustrated step diagrams for folding a variety of traditional and original origami models.

Creating horror comics, David Belmonte.

Readers explore the genre of horror comics as they learn the techniques used to make their drawings go from good to ghoulish. They follow step-by-step instructions to create a variety of horror characters, such as a terrifying swamp zombie.

Creating fantasy comics, Seb Camagajevac.

Fantasy is a very popular genre of comics, filled with wizards and warriors from other worlds. Detailed instructions help readers through each drawing project, and sketches provide visual examples of how each drawing should progress.

Creating manga comics, Leo Campos.

Manga characters can appear complicated to draw, but readers learn how to create these characters through helpful instructions that guide them through every step of the process. Readers are presented with a variety of characters to draw, including a martial artist and a monster trainer.

Creating funny comics, Moreno Chiacchiera.

Readers who dream of making people laugh with their comic creations will learn the skills they need to do so as they create their own funny comics. Readers discover helpful tips for drawing cartoon figures, heads, and expressions, as well as creating speech bubbles for their characters.

Creating science fiction comics, Nigel Dobbyn.

Aliens, robots, and spaceships can all be found in the pages of science fiction comics. They may seem difficult to draw at first, but readers discover that by following detailed instructions these complicated characters become fun projects for aspiring artists. Each step in the drawing process corresponds to a sketch, allowing readers to visually check their progress.

Crazy, zany cartoon characters, Dave Garbot.

Presents step-by-step instructions for drawing twenty wacky cartoon characters, including a pizza delivery bear, a juggling raccoon, and a flying pig, and includes tips on getting started and the equipment needed for drawing.

Mashup mania, Dave Garbot.

It's never been so easy and fun to learn how to draw silly, imaginative characters step by step.

Mean 'n' messy monsters, Dave Garbot.

Children will love learning how to reinterpret their favourite popular monsters in cartoon form, as well as design their own menacing characters, all with a colourful, silly touch.

Silly sports, Dave Garbot.

Silly Sports teaches young cartoonists to draw a range of sporty characters in true cartooning style. Along the way, tips and tricks from a professional cartoonist are included to guide their storytelling efforts, making this book an experience that is sure to create a new favourite pastime.

How to draw Batman and his friends and foes, Aaron Sautter ; illustrated by Erik Doescher ; Batman created by Bob Kane.

Batman has been fighting crime and stopping villains' evil plans for more than 70 years. Now fans of the caped crusader can discover their inner artist by learning to draw their favourite hero! Simple, step-by-step instructions teach readers how to draw Batman, his friends, and his main enemies.

How to draw Superman and his friends and foes, Aaron Sautter ; illustrated by Erik Doescher ; Superman created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster.

Superman has been fighting for truth and justice for more than 70 years. Now fans of the man of steel can discover their inner artist by learning to draw their favourite hero! Simple step-by-step instructions teach readers how to draw Superman, his friends, and his main enemies.

How to draw the Joker, Lex Luthor, and other DC super-villains, Aaron Sautter ; illustrated by Tim Levins.

What good are super heroes without some sinister villains to fight? Now super hero fans can discover their inner artist by learning to draw the villains they love to hate! Simple, step-by-step instructions teach readers how to draw super-villains such as Lex Luthor, Joker, Sinestro, and many others.

How to draw Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, and other DC super heroes, Aaron Sautter ; illustrated by Tim Levins ; Wonder Woman created by William Moulton Marston.

DC super heroes have been fighting crime and protecting the innocent for many years. Now fans can discover their inner artist by learning to draw their favourite super heroes! Simple step-by-step instructions teach readers how to draw super heroes such as Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, and many others.

500 kids art ideas : inspiring projects for fostering creativity and self-expression, Gavin Andrews.

Showcases 500 art ideas for parents, teachers and kids. Each project features an image and a list of materials.

The Chocolate Box secrets : perfect presents and cool fashion makes for all year round, Cathy Cassidy.

Welcome to the world of the Chocolate Box Girls! With ideas for every season there's a whole year of Chocolate Box inspired ideas waiting - which will you make first?

Spring-inspired arts & crafts, Marcelina Grabowska-Friday.

This book proposes 50 activities dealing with both spring and Easter themes. These fascinating activities will awaken creativity in children while developing manual dexterity.

Creative kids complete photo guide to bead crafts, Amy Kopperude.

Starts with the absolute basics about bead crafting, beginning with bead types - many you can make yourself, then gradually introduces skills and techniques until kids are creating fantastic projects like bubble wands, bug sculptures, and belts!

Awesome duct tape projects, Choly Knight.

With more than 50 original new duct tape activities for both guys and girls, you'll learn to make purses, belts, and flip flops, smartphone wallets, laptop cases, charging stations, and more.

My first guide to paper airplanes, Christopher Harbo.

Step-by-step photo-illustrated instructions show how to fold a variety of simple paper airplanes.

Totally awesome paracord crafts : quick and simple projects to make, Katie Weeber with Colleen Dorsey.

Totally Awesome Paracord Crafts takes you step-by-step through all the knots and wraps you need to know. It gives practical advice on tools and materials, and gets you started with handy tips and tricks. You'll be amazed by all ways you'll find to embellish sports gear, fashion accessories, electronics, and more.

Finger knitting fun : 28 cute, clever, and creative projects for kids, Vickie Howell ; photography by Cory Ryan.

Learning how to knit with your fingers is the best way to start crafting without cumbersome needles! All you need is some yarn and your hands to create modern and sophisticated knitted strands that you can use in any project around the house or everyday fashion.

Un dimanche a Kyoto : chansons, contes et comptines, de Gilles Vigneault ; illustrations de Stephane Jorisch.

Korero mai, written by Sharon Holt ; illustrated by Deborah Hinde.

A song about introducing yourself. Includes guitar chords.

Circuses, Liz Gogerly.

Roll up, roll up! Discover the fantastical world of the circus! Learn about the beginnings of the circus, circuses around the world and their incredibly skilled performers. Learn how to juggle, read an interview with an underwater performer and find out amazing circus facts and stats.

From the movie Disney Frozen : the enchanted guide, written by Julie Ferris.

Frozen: The Enchanted Guide takes you deep inside the magical world of Arendelle, featuring key scenes from the movie.

So, you want to be a dancer? : the ultimate guide to exploring the dance industry, Laurel van der Linde.

From ballet and contemporary to hip-hop and even Broadway, this book reveals what it really takes to build a career in dance today.

My first maze book, written by Kirsteen Robson ; illustrated by Emily Golden Twomey and Mattia Cerato ; designed by Laura Hammonds.

A collection of simple but innovative mazes to solve, for very young children. It lets you help the squirrel find his way up the tree, along the branches and up to the nuts; the jellyfish to find its way out of a tangle of seaweed; a rocket to navigate a suitable route through the galaxy, and more.

My first guide to magic tricks, Norm Barnhart and Steve Charney.

Step-by-step photo-illustrated instructions show how to perform simple magic tricks.

The official Rugby World Cup 2015 fact file, Clive Gifford.

This official guide for younger readers contains everything they need to become true RWC2015 experts. There are easy-to-follow team and star player profiles, complemented by outstanding big-match photographs in what is the only official IRB-endorsed Rugby World Cup 2015 companion for kids.

Research and synthesize your facts, Valerie Bodden.

Offers to teach students how to organise information, including taking notes, refining guiding questions, crediting sources, and putting together a bibliography.

The Maine Coon's haiku : and other poems for cat lovers, Michael J. Rosen ; illustrated by Lee White.

In evocative haiku, Michael J. Rosen depicts twenty different breeds of cats whether mischievous or mysterious, comical or commanding.

A strange place to call home : the world's most dangerous habitats & the animals that call them home, Marilyn Singer & Ed Young.

Of all the miracles of life, it is life's persistence that astounds the most. The 14 animals in this book defy the odds and make their homes in the unlikeliest of places — under the weight of seas, in the belly of tar pits, in the sandstorm's mouth.

Changes : a child's first poetry collection, Charlotte Zolotow, Tiphanie Beeke ; introduction by Crescent Dragonwagon.

Offers children's poems about the seasons, including such topics as spring flowers, Halloween, and the first snowfall of the year.

Granny goes bungy jumping, Judi Billcliff.

Is Joe finally allowed a pet monkey? What happens when babysitting goes bad? What would you do if your Mum was a hen? Do you have crazy hair that drives you mad? The perfect book for teachers, parents, or grandparents to share with the children in their lives.

Shuffle and squelch : poems and rhymes for children, Julia Donaldson ; illustrated by Nick Sharratt.

Kick your boots off, everyone. Summer's here and so's the sun. Bright, bold and accessible, this collection of rhymes and poems for children is perfect for joining in.

The complete nonsense of Edward Lear, Holbrook Jackson.

Edward Lear was the greatest nonsensicalist of all time. This complete edition of Lear's nonsense verse including the limericks, longer verses, alphabets and his own illustrations is lovingly restored and beautifully presented, for adults and children to enjoy together.

When on Earth? : history as you've never seen it before.

Much more than an atlas or a history book, When on Earth? charts global historical events through stunning world maps.

How to babysit a leopard : and other true stories from our travels across six continents, Ted & Betsy Lewin.

From Africa to Asia Pacific, from Europe to the United States of America, acclaimed authors/illustrators Ted and Betsy Lewin have roamed the earth taking on snakes, tracking mountain gorillas, and generally trying to avoid being eaten by various jungle creatures. Packed with pencil drawings, full-colour illustrations, and captivating photographs, there is not a single dull moment as Ted and Betsy take the reader through their dramatic, funny, and often poignant stories — all true!

Pirates : the secrets of Blackbeard's world, as told by William Teach.

Blackbeard, his very name conjures up the glint of a razor-sharp cutlass, the menace of a sinister eye-patch, the creaking hinges of a discovered treasure chest. Back in the eighteenth century, no ship in the world was truly safe from Blackbeard and his fellow scoundrels. This book helps you discover the world of pirates in detail.

Neil Armstrong, Catherine Chambers.

This book traces the life of Neil Armstrong, from his early childhood and education through his sources of inspiration and challenges faced, early successes, and the moon-landing for which he is best known. A timeline at the end of the book summarises key milestones and achievements of Armstrong's life.

Thomas Edison, Kay Barnham.

This book traces the life of Thomas Edison, from his early childhood and education through his sources of inspiration and challenges faced, early successes, and the many inventions for which he is best known. A timeline at the end of the book summarises key milestones and achievements of Edison's life.

Small wonders : Jean-Henri Fabre & his world of insects, Matthew Clark Smith ; illustrated by Giuliano Ferri.

Meet Jean-Henri Fabre, one of the most important naturalists of all time, whose own life was as unusual as the lives of the creatures he studied.

First to the top : Sir Edmund Hillary's amazing Everest adventure, David Hill ; illustrated by Phoebe Morris.

Up on the world's highest mountain, the sky is tinged the black colour of space and the air is almost too thin to breathe. How did Ed, a small, shy boy from the tiny town of Tuakau in New Zealand, grow up to become the world's most famous mountaineer and adventurer? How did he climb Everest and do so many other astonishing things?

100 Pablo Picassos, art by Violet Lemay ; concept and text by Mauricio Velasquez de Leon.

Pablo Picasso is one of the most celebrated artists in the world, and this amusing book shows his life in a remarkably original way. By featuring 100 Pablo Picassos throughout the book, young readers will explore the artist life from his childhood, to his major contributions to modern art, and from his love for pets to his endless curiosity about life. The book also invites readers to count the Picassos all the way to a 100, adding an entertaining element to discover the life and work of the great Pablo Picasso.

Extraordinary people : a semi-comprehensive guide to some of the world's most fascinating individuals, written by Michael Hearst ; illustrated by Aaron Scamihorn.

Brief and humorous biographies of fascinating people.

Prehistory, written by Oldrich Ruzicka ; illustrations by Jan Klimes.

Provides an introduction to the earliest history of the Earth, in a book that allows the reader to use a time traveler's dial to choose the time period they wish to investigate.

Anzac sons : five brothers on the Western Front, Allison Marlow Paterson.

In the years of 1914-1918 over 330,000 Australians served their country in a war far from their homeland, more than 60,000 of them die. This is the story of the Marlow brothers. It is a tragic tale of mateship, bravery and sacrifice; a heartbreaking account of a family torn apart by a devastating war.

The story of England, Richard Brassey.

This is the history of England, told with Richard Brassey's typical humour and verve, and illustrated in full colour on every page. From the first settlements to the present day, through civil wars, great fires and mighty kings and queens, Richard explores the rich and exciting history of England with fun and fascinating facts and stories!

Te kimi utu a Te Aoniwaho : he korero tenei no Tuhourangi me Ngati Pikiao, na Hana Pomare i tuhi ; na Ellie May Logan nga whakaahua ; na Te Haumihiata Mason i whakamaori.

A retelling in graphic format of an incident between Tuhourangi and Ngati Pikiao. After a battle Te Aoniwaho, daughter of a Tuhourangi chief, is taken as a prisoner by Kotiora, a chief of Ngati Pikiao. Te Aoiniwaho mangages to escape back to her people and then they are able to take their revenge.

Te haere roa a Tohe : no Te Hiku o te Ika tenei korero — no nga iwi o Ngati Kuri, Ngai Takoto, Te Rarawa me Te Aupouri, na Hana Pomare i tuhi ; na Ellie May Logan nga whakaahua ; na Heni Jacob i whakamaori.

The story of Tohe, a chief of the Muriwhenua tribes, who makes a long journey from his home in Kapowairua Bay in order to see his only daughter, Raninikura, before he dies. As Tohe travels South toward the Kaipara, he names many places along the western coast.

Die honderdste Smurfie.

Bao bao dong li yi = Manners time, Yilishabai Wodike zhu ; Malika Haiyinlan hui ; Du Tianjiao yi.

1 2 3 xue shu zi, Yingguo tai pu le chu ban gong si bian wen ; Taikenqipu hui ; Rong xin wen hua bian yi.

Xie xie ni, lai zuo ma ma de bao bei, (Ri) Xiyuan Yang zhu ; (Ri) Heijing Jian hui ; Li Yi yi.

You er yuan de yi tian, Sami'er Se'nusi zhu ; Hengli Fei'erna hui ; Wu Yu'na yi.

Tiao wen ban dian hao mei li, Yingguo tai pu le chu ban gong si bian wen ; Taikenqipu hui ; Rong xin wen hua bian yi.

Heksje Mimi en de baby, Kathleen Amant.

Annemie Berebrouckx presenteert de avonturen van Berre en Fleur: Berre gaat op berenkamp, Annemie Berebrouckx.

Spook wil, Luk Depondt, Guido Van Genechten.

Zo groot als papa, Bettie Elias, Frow Steeman.

Vos en Haas : Vos schept op, Sylvia Vanden Heede ; met tekeningen van The Tjong-Khing.

Mijn opa en ik en het varken Oma, Marjolijn Hof ; met tek. van Judith Ten Bosch.

Wat is er zwart en wit?, Petr Horacek.

Molli, tekst & illustraties Katri Kirkkopelto.

Gezocht: Koen Konijn, boekenboef, Emily MacKenzie ; vertaald door Annelies Jorna.

De Hoofdstraat, tekst en illustraties door Alice Melvin.

Kleine Zevenslaper kan niet slapen, Kerstin Schoene ; Sabine Bohlmann ; Nederlandse tekst [uit het Duits] van Merel de Vink.

Dol op limonade, Mark en Rowan Sommerset ; vertaald [uit het Engels] door Annelies Jorna.

Kikker en een heel bijzondere dag, Max Velthuijs.

Dag lieve oma, Melanie Walsh ; vertaling [uit het Engels]: Loes Randazzo.

Petit Barbare : a la recherche de l'anneau de pouvoir, Vincent Cuvellier.

L'ecole d'Eliott, Francoise de Guibert, Olivier Latyk.

Le loup qui decouvrait le pays des contes, texte de Orianne Lallemand ; illustrations de Eleonore Thuillier.

Pixie Pinker, oder, Wie man kriegt, was man will, Jenny Alexander.

Falsch gedacht, Herr Katzendieb!, Bettina Belitz ; mit Illustrationen von Alexander Bux.

Conni reist ans Mittelmeer Julia Boehme ; mit Bildern von Herdis Albrecht.

Kai und die Weihnachtsdiebe, Robert Brack ; mit Bildern von Barbara Scholz.

Mercy Watson Wunderschwein, Kate DiCamillo ; mit Illustrationen von Chris van Dusen ; Deutsch von Sabine Ludwig.

Ich schenk dir eine Geschichte 2010 : Freundschaftsgeschichten, hrsg. von der Stiftung Lesen in Zusammenarbeit mit der Verl.-Gruppe Random House …

Supadupa-Schwein, Daniel Napp.

Der echte Nikolaus bin ich! : eine Nikolausgeschichte, von Ingrid Ostheeren ; mit Bildern von Christa Unzner.

Pippalabim! : Prinzessin Pippa kann zaubern, eine Geschichte von Katja Reider ; mit Bildern von Dagmar Geisler.

Gutenachtgeschichten am Telefon Gianni Rodar ; Aus dem Italienischen von Ulrike Schimming ; Mit farbigen Bildern von Anke Kuhl und einem Nachwort von Eva Kutter.

Die Paar Kroten!, Regina Rusch.

Flora Fox und das verflixte Vorgestern Kate Saunders ; Aus dem Englischen von Annette Hahn ; mit Vignetten von Nina Dulleck.

Superwurm, Axel Scheffler; Julia Donaldson ; aus dem Englischen von Salah Naoura.

Nie im Leben!, Dirk Schmidt & Barbara Schmidt.

Helen Schneider's Tiergeschichten fur Kinder, Helen Schneider, Linda Uruburu, Lilli Messina ; aus dem Englischen von Klaus Weimann.

Maximilian Schnecks wunderbarer Regentag, Helen Schneider, Linda Uruburu, Lilli Messina ; aus dem Englischen von Klaus Weimann.

Die kleine Hexe Hagetisse : erzahlt von Renate Schoof ; mit Bildern von Stefanie Linde.

Marko Simsas Weihnachts Hits, mit Illustrationen von Hans-Gunther Doring

Moyo : saisho ni miru ehon, e Fiona Rando.

Pokapoka, Arai Hiroyuki.

Ano hi no kujira, Davies Benji ; Murakami Yasunari.

Otomodachi no pu, Matsu Akinori.

Ssaum e kwanhan widaehan ch'aek, Tabidu K'alli kul ; Seruju Pullok'u kurim ; Chong Hye-gyong omgim.

Wae nae ka ch'iwoya twae, Chong Ha-yong kul, kurim.

Pyollan yorisa ui haengbok resip'i, kul, kurim Chong Sor-hui.

Yongki moja, Risa Deik'usut'ura ; Mak'u Yansen kurim ; Ch'on Mi-na omgim.

Na nun chom tarun yuryong, kul, kurim Hido pan Henehut'en ; omgim Kim Hyon suk.

Nae ka oje uju e tanyo wannunde mariya, Sujanne Koerihui kul, kurim ; Kim Hyon hui omgim.

Hanbam ui sonmul, Hong Sun-mi kul, kurim.

Yuch'iwon posu ajossi ui pimil, Kawanoue Eik'o, Kawanoue L'en chium ; Kim Yun-jong omgim.

Anun tonghwa morunun iyagi, Kim Nam gyu kul ; Min A won kurim.

Honja chip ponun nal, Mori Yok'o kul, kurim ; Kim Yong-ju omgim.

K'odaran sagwa ka tegul tegul, Sim Mi a kul, kurim.

Na nun nuktae yeyo, Yi Hyon ; Pak Chae-hyon.

Huinbyolso, Yi Sun won.

Gospodin Kutsekhvost i podzemnoe chudovishche : skazochnaia povest, I. Naumova ; khudozhniki I. IAkimova, I. Zuev.

Older Fiction

Becca and the prisoner's cross, Tony Abbott.

Travel deeper into the mysterious world of the Copernicus Legacy with the Copernicus Archives: exciting, fast-paced novellas that get you close to the characters and the heart of the adventure. As Becca and her family race through London, it's up to Becca to make sense of the strange time blackouts she's experiencing before the evil Teutonic Order beats them to the next relic. Or worse, hurts the people she loves.

Nightborn, Lou Anders ; illustrations by Justin Gerard.

Karn Korlundsson must travel to the faraway city of Castlebriar, learn to play a new board game called Charioteers, decipher the Riddle of the Horn, and tangle with mysterious elves in order to rescue his best friend, Thianna Frostborn, facing great dangers at every step. Includes directions for playing Charioteers.

Old wolf : a fable, Avi ; illustrated by Brian Floca.

A wolf and bird must fight the starving time and find food, while a human boy learns to hunt.

The Wizard of Oz : and other books of Oz, L. Frank Baum ; edited with an introduction and notes by Jack Zipes.

This is the complete and unabridged story of "The Wizard of Oz", in which Dorothy, together with her companions the Tin Woodman, the Scarecrow and the cowardly Lion, makes her journey along the Yellow Brick Road in search of the wonderful wizard.

The wonderful wizard of Oz, L. Frank Baum.

After a cyclone transports her to the land of Oz, Dorothy must seek out the great Wizard in order to return to Kansas.

Lost, S. A. Bodeen.

Sarah Robinson and her family are shipwrecked on a remote and mysterious island. Their food is running out, and their fear is escalating — there is no sign of rescue. The mysterious girl they found unconscious at the beach is healing, and what she tells them about the strange island and especially about someone called the Keeper has the family on edge. When Sarah's dad and Marco's younger brother go missing, the mystery becomes dangerous.

Chasing secrets, Gennifer Choldenko.

Thirteen-year-old Lizzie and her secret friend Noah, who is hiding in her house, plan to rescue Noah's father from the quarantined Chinatown, and save everyone they love from contracting the plague that is spreading in 1900 San Francisco.

The bakehouse, Joy Cowley.

Bert is eleven and wants nothing more than to fight in the war. But he soon learns that the secrets and danger of war don't always stay at the front

The girl who rode the wind, Stacy Gregg.

When Lola's grandmother Loretta takes her to Siena, Italy, for the summer, Lola learns of her family's history of heartbreak and adventure, stretching back to the Second World War. In 1945, Loretta's nickname was 'The Daredevil' due to her fearless competing in the town's famous Palio horse races — until war broke out and led to sadness and loss for Loretta.

The detective's assistant, Kate Hannigan.

In 1859, eleven-year-old Nell goes to live with her aunt, Kate Warne, the first female detective for Pinkerton's National Detective Agency. Nell helps her aunt solve cases, including a mystery surrounding Abraham Lincoln, and the mystery of what happened to Nell's own father.

Whistling in the dark : a novel, Shirley Hughes.

Liverpool, 1940: thirteen-year-old Joan's home is under threat from the Nazi's terrifying nightly air-raids. It is not an easy time to be a teenager, especially with the sweet rationing, strict curfews and blackouts. As the Blitz worsens, Joan and her friends make a discovery that will tear the whole community apart.

The dragonfly effect, Gordon Korman.

Is it a gift or is it a curse? Jax Opus can use his colour-changing eyes to make people do what he wants. But soon Jax is pulled into a dangerous conspiracy devised by a mysterious group and now they're going to make Jax do what they want.

Mission Hindenburg, C. Alexander London.

The Cahills are the world's most powerful family, but their strength is being tested. A sinister man calling himself The Outcast has targeted the family and set them an impossible test. Now, with one disaster behind them, siblings Dan and Amy Cahill and their friends have just days to discover what the Outcast's next move will be.

White Fang, Jack London ; illustrated by Jim Madsen.

The story of one wolfdog's epic journey from cub to sled dog to fighting dog. Living in harsh surroundings with brutal owners, every day is a battle for survival for White Fang.

The Hero's Tomb, Conrad Mason ; illustrations, David Wyatt.

Azurmouth! In all the Old World there is no city so vast, so sprawling, or so dangerous. Half-goblin boy Joseph Grubb has come to find the truth about his parents. His friend Tabitha has followed him across the ocean, hoping to protect him from the deadly white-coated butchers of the League of the Light. But in Azurmouth nothing is as it seems.

School for sidekicks, Kelly McCullough.

Superhero geek Evan survives a supervillian's death ray, and is sent to the Academy for Metahuman Operatives. Unfortunately, instead of fighting bad guys, Evan finds himself blacklisted, and on the wrong side of the school's director.

The syndrome, Ridley Pearson with Brooke Muschott (as Jess) and Elizabeth Hagenlocher (as Mattie).

Amanda, Jess, and Mattie must use their special abilities to find a missing Kingdom Keeper.

Percy Jackson and the Greek heroes, Rick Riordan.

In this gripping follow-up to Percy Jackson and the Greek Gods, demigod Percy Jackson tells the stories of twelve of the original Greek heroes in all their gory, bloodthirsty glory. Want to know who cut off Medusa's head? Which hero was raised by a she-bear? Who tamed Pegasus, the winged horse? Percy has all the answers.

Fantastic beasts & where to find them, Newt Scamander.

Presents a facsimile edition of a book from the world of Harry Potter the text for Hogwarts' Care of Magical Creatures.

Fuzzy mud, Louis Sachar.

Two middle-grade kids take a shortcut home from school and discover what looks like fuzzy mud but is actually a substance with the potential to wreak havoc on the entire world.

Immortal guardians, Eliot Schrefer.

When an ancient dark force emerges from a centuries-long slumber, Conor, Abeke, Meilin, and Rollan must stop it from sweeping through Erdas and destroying their spirit animals and the world.

Chaos zone, Paul Stewart, Chris Riddell.

After their fierce battle with the zoids, York and Belle must journey down to the next level of the Biosphere, where all the plants and animals for the journey from Earth were kept. Since the zoid uprising this level has become a deadly mix of enormous carnivorous plants, mutated insects and animals that have evolved in terrifying ways.

The accidental afterlife of Thomas Marsden, Emma Trevayne.

At age twelve, grave robber Thomas Marsden discovers a boy who looks just like him in an unmarked grave and begins a journey of discovery as he learns of faeries trapped in London and their hope that he can return them to their realm.

Castle Hangnail, Ursula Vernon.

When little, twelve-year-old Molly arrives at Castle Hangnail to fill the vacancy for a wicked witch, the minions who dwell there have no choice but to give her the job and at first it seems she will be able to keep the castle open, but Molly has quite a few secrets that could cause trouble.

Dont mess with these kids, Doug Wilson.

The kids from Room 14 have had a brilliant week at school camp and are packed up and ready to go home. But the bus doesn't arrive. And then they find they can't contact anyone outside. They slowly discover that a strange group called the BERP Government of Waikato has taken control of the region, forbidding all movement in and out.

Picture Books

Animals.

Teach your baby their first animal words with this fun-to-touch board book. Add your own sound effects too! Squeak! Little fingers will love exploring this playful and interactive book, packed with bright, textured pictures and first words such as owl, dog, lion and more.

Things that go.

Beep beep! Teach your baby their first words about things that go, with this bright, interactive board book. Little fingers will love exploring this playful book, packed with glossy, textured pictures and first words such as train, bicycle, boat and more.

As big as you, Sara Acton.

Claude is a large elephant. Finlay is a small one. Claude can trumpet so loudly, the earth shakes! Finlay can only squeak and spurt tiny fountains with his trunk. Will he ever be as big as Claude?

Miss Dirt the dustman's daughter, Ahlberg & Ross.

Daisy Dirt's dad is a dustman on the dole, but her mum has remarried a Duke and is a filthy rich Duchess. Poor Daisy doesn't know whether she's coming or going, whether she's rich or poor until everything changes.

Mr Creep the crook, Ahlberg & Amstutz.

Mr Creep the Crook is a bad man, and all his family are bad too even Growler, his dog. But when he escapes from jail and heads to the seaside, he finds out that being bad is not such a good idea after all.

The marvellous Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty, Beatrice Alemagna.

Eddie knows her mum would love a Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty for her birthday. The only problem is that she doesn't know what a Fluffy Squishy Itty Bitty is, or where to find one! Join Eddie as she tours the whole town, trying to track down the perfect present.

Show me happy, Kathryn Madeline Allen ; photographs by Eric Futran.

Explores simple actions and concepts that children learn as they start to socialize and communicate.

The man with messy hair, Pamela Allen.

There was a man with messy hair. He liked the mess. He didn't care. But his messy hair soon got him into all sorts of trouble! Part cautionary tale, part wry observation of the quirks in us all, this is (as always) a delightful story that will make you laugh; and what child doesn't like to read about messiness?

Mad about mega beasts!, Giles Andreae ; illustrated by David Wojtowycz.

Have you ever seen a squid that weighs more than a car? Or a dinosaur that's as big as eighteen elephants? Discover these magnificent mega beasts and more in this bouncy rhyming romp from a bestselling, award-winning picture book team. From the cuddly St Bernard to the ferocious Siberian tiger, this bright rhyming picture book is packed with incredible creatures to delight animal fans everywhere.

Alpha, Isabelle Arsenault.

Alpha, Bravo, Charlie. Since 1956, whenever time and clarity are of the essence, everyone from fire fighters to air traffic controllers has spelled out messages using the NATO phonetic alphabet. Now, with equal precision infused with a singular wit and whimsy the award-winning Isabelle Arsenault, illustrator of Jane, the Fox, and Me, interprets this internationally recognized code and makes it her own.

The princess and the pony, Kate Beaton.

Princess Pinecone would like a real war horse for her birthday, instead of which she gets a plump, cute pony but sometimes cuteness can be a kind of weapon, especially in a fight with dodgeballs and spitballs and hairballs and squareballs.

Piri's big All Black dream, Jared Bell ; illustrated by Jimmy Diaz.

A true story about a young Kiwi boy who dared to dream big. The dream was to become an All Black, and one day the dream did come true.

Squid Kid the Magnificent, story by Lynne Berry ; pictures by Luke LaMarca.

When Oliver the squid transforms himself into Squid Kid the Magnificent, Master of Illusion, his older sister Stella is not impressed.

Captain Falsebeard in a very fishy tale, Fred Blunt.

Meet Captain Falsebeard and Admiral Swintoes Bitter enemies of the briny blue! When Captain Falsebeard discovers the legendary Crossbone treasure, he and his crew can't believe their luck!Until, that is, Falsebeard's arch enemy the dastardly Admiral Swinetoes determines to steal the booty by any means possible.

Rufus the writer, Elizabeth Bram ; illustrated by Chuck Groenink.

Rather than a lemonade stand, Rufus sets up a story stand one summer and makes a series of trades with his friends a story for a shell, for a kitten, for a surprise, and one more as a special birthday gift for his sister.

A scarf and a half, Amanda Brandon ; illustrated by Catalina Echeverri.

Granny Mutton loves to knit but her grandson, Little Lionel is not impressed by his overly long scarf.

Jingle! Jingle! : with big flaps to lift!, Sebastien Braun.

Five lavishly illustrated spreads, big, recessed flaps and a host of festive friends to spot, name and mimic combine in this delightful little board book for the very young. "Who's that behind the sleigh?It's happy reindeer!Jingle! Jingle!".

Twit! Twoo! : with big flaps to lift!, Sebastien Braun.

Five lavishly illustrated spreads, big, recessed flaps and a host of animals to spot, name and mimic combine in this delightful little board book for the very young. "Who's that in the trees? It's wise owl! Twit! Twoo!".

The find it book, written by Margaret Wise Brown ; illustrated by Lisa Sheehan.

Find the cow who jumped over the moon. Find Little Bo Peep's lost sheep. Find the Owl and the Pussycat. Look carefully as you turn each page! Find your favourite nursery rhyme characters hiding throughout this magical new title from Margaret Wise Brown, author of children's classics Goodnight Moon and Runaway Bunny.

Miffy at the seaside, Dick Bruna.

Describes a baby rabbit's day at the beach.

Miffy in the tent, Dick Bruna.

Miffy goes camping in her own backyard.

Cinderella, illustrated by Ed Bryan.

Cinderella works hard to clean the house and look after her nasty stepsisters, but when the rest of the family go to a Royal Ball, Cinderella is left behind. That's when the fairy godmother arrives and works her magic — Cinderella will go to the ball after all! Cinderella and the prince dance all night until midnight strikes, the magic stops working and Cinderella has to make a quick exit. Will the prince ever find her again?

Jack and the beanstalk, illustrated by Ed Bryan.

When Jack and his mother fall on hard times, they decide to sell their only cow. But Jack's mother is not impressed when her son comes home with a handful of magic beans. The beans go straight out of the window where they grow into an enormous beanstalk! At the top of the beanstalk, Jack finds a giant castle in the clouds. Inside, there are lots of people who need his help, there are lots of stolen treasures, and there's a very angry giant. Where will Jack's adventures lead him?

Little Red Riding Hood, illustrated by Ed Bryan.

Little Red Riding Hood sets out into the forest to take a basket of goodies to her poorly grandma. Along the way, she adds to her stores, picking beautiful flowers, gathering fallen acorns and receiving a gift of some nice, sticky honey. She thinks these treats will cheer up her grandma. But little does she know that they could just save her from the Big Bad Wolf.

The three little pigs, illustrated by Ed Bryan.

The three little pigs leave home to make their way in the world. The first little pig builds a house made of straw. The second little pig builds a house made of sticks. And the third little pig builds a house made of bricks. But it's not long before the Big Bad Wolf turns up.

Yikes, Ticklysaurus!, Pamela Butchart & Sam Lloyd.

Sometimes it can get a little boring being a dinosaur and hanging out around the swamp all day, but not when Ticklysaurus is around! Up jumped Ticklysaurus, and gave his arms a wiggle. "Quick run, it's time for tickle chase I'll make you dinos giggle." But there's someone that doesn't like being tickled at all — is Tickly brave enough to tickle a T-Rex?

Whose tools?, Toni Buzzeo ; illustrated by Jim Datz.

Explains how to build a house from the ground up features six kinds of craftsmen and the 24 tools they use, accurately labeled. The answer to each inquiring refrain is revealed under a gatefold, seven in all, engaging the reader in an informative guessing game.

Oh dear! : farm animal shapes, Rod Campbell.

Who has the eggs for Buster's breakfast? Not the pig, the sheep or the cow oh dear!

Love is my favourite thing, Emma Chichester Clark.

Plum has lots of favourite things: catching sticks, her bear, her bed but really love is her absolute favourite thing. She loves her family, and they love her. But trouble loves Plum too; sometimes she just can't help doing slightly naughty things. Will everyone still love Plum then?

Putting the monkeys to bed, Gennifer Choldenko ; illustrated by Jack E. Davis.

Sam is happy to play with his monkeys until way past bedtime, but he gets tired before them and has to find a way to get them to sleep.

Whatever happened to my sister?, Simona Ciraolo.

A young girl sets out to find out exactly what happened to her sister. Who is this new sister? Why does she never want to play anymore?

Zoom!, Trish Cooke ; illustrated by Alex Ayliffe.

Hurricane Kieron and Rusharound Ria are always in a hurry. They never walk anywhere. They always run! But when Hurricane Kieron falls over, he can't rush around any more. With paints and brushes, can he find another way to make hurricanes instead?

Maisy's digger, Lucy Cousins.

Have fun with Maisy in this digger-shaped board book from the multi-award-winning Lucy Cousins. Dig, dig, dig! Maisy loves being in her digger and today she is digging a pond in her garden! Eddie fills the huge hole with water, Cyril plants some flowers around the edge and all that's needed now is some fish. Plop, plop, plop! What a busy day!

Maisy's racing car, Lucy Cousins.

Have fun with Maisy in this car-shaped board book from the multi-award-winning Lucy Cousins. Today Maisy and her friends are going to have a race! Ready, steady, go! Maisy zooms out in front and around the first bend. But wait! Who's that up ahead? Slow down for Tortoise!

The remarkable cake shop, Joy Cowley ; Bruce Potter.

Follow the crazy antics of the mayor as he learns a lesson in humility from Mrs Delicious and her remarkable cakes.

The ride-by-nights, Walter de la Mare ; illustrated by Carolina Rabei.

Up on their brooms the witches stream, crooked and black in the crescent's gleam. It's Halloween and a family is preparing to go trick-or-treating. Little do they know that up above them a coven of witches flies unseen through the starry sky.

Sunday shopping, story by Sally Derby ; pictures by Shadra Strickland.

Every Sunday night a young girl and her grandmother go on an imaginary shopping trip using play money and the advertisements in the newspaper as a guide for their 'purchases'.

Edmond : the moonlit party, Astrid Desbordes, Marc Boutavant ; translated from the French by Claudia Zoe Bedrick.

Edmond the squirrel shares a tree with George, an owl who loves costumes, and Harry the bear, who throws wonderful parties that turn out even better when Edmond overcomes his shyness and joins in.

Wishes and worries, written by Sarina Dickson ; illustrated by Jenny Cooper.

Dan is anxious and always listening for the sounds of danger. Sometimes he's listening so hard he can't hear the people around him. One day Dan discovers a special place where he can recycle his worries and let them go.

Happy, Emma Dodd.

Little owl loves playing games, trying new things and singing, but what makes little owl happiest of all? Why, when he cuddles close with his mummy and whispers, "I love you".

Wish, Emma Dodd.

This brave little wolf has someone special who always wants the very best for him. Daddy wolf loves teaching his little one the ways of the world and, side by side, they make a super team! "Until you came into the world, I thought my life complete. But then I wished and it came true. I wished for you, my sweet."

Who lives here? : a lift-the-flap book, Julia Donaldson, Axel Scheffler.

Who's that behind the tree? Lift the flaps to find all your favourite characters from the Gruffalo.

A B see, Elizabeth Doyle.

Hidden in each graphic letter are tiny troves of ABC treasures waiting to be found by sharp-eyed readers. Can you find the apple, arrow, and armor in the letter A? Or the bear, banjo, and bike buried in the letter B?

Nobody's perfect, David Elliott ; illustrated by Sam Zuppardi.

Nobody's perfect. That's what everybody says. Like my sister. She's loud! Really loud! And that's only the beginning. Your best friend is a bit of a show-off. And Mum can be pretty stubborn. Not perfect! But sometimes they come pretty close and you do too.

Suri's wall, Lucy Estela and Matt Ottley.

Suri was different from the other children and the high wall that encircled their lives was Suri's only friend, her comfort and holder of whispered secrets. That was, until one day, when from the depths of human frailty, one small child's voice was enough to change Suri's view of their world inside the wall and that which lay beyond it.

Bob the railway dog, Corinne Fenton ; illustrated by Andrew McLean.

In the early days of the railway, when shiny new tracks were opening vast areas of Australia, there was an adventurous dog who was part of it all. As the tracks were being laid he was there on the train — riding in his favourite spot on top of the Yankee engine. Everyone knew him. He was Bob the Railway Dog.

Hey dad, you're great, Corinne Fenton.

Hey Dad, let me tell you how great I think you are. A board book to remind us to tell our dads just how great they are.

Monster Max's shark spaghetti, Claire Freedman ; illustrated by Sue Hendra and Paul Linnet.

Join Max and his monster friends as they head off on holiday for lots of stinky, smelly, gooey, gunky fun in the sun. All monsters fly with Queasy Jet, Max loves their in-flight meal moth mash with tapeworm sausages, washed down with pureed eel. The hotel is covered with snail trails, there are caterpillar croissants for breakfast and watch out for the shark spaghetti it might just bite you on the bottom!

On the move : trace the trails with your finger to get home, illustrated by Fhiona Galloway.

Each different scene includes a fun rhyme to encourage the child to trace the die-cut route with their finger. Tracing each route will encourage children to make the shapes present in very early letter formation.

Go to sleep, Monty!, Kim Geyer.

Every child wants a pet, right? Wouldn't it be great to have someone to play with, someone to share things with, and someone to care for? Max gets the dog of his dreams, but he soon realises that looking after a puppy, isn't as easy as it looks!

Zippo the super hippo, Kes Gray, Nikki Dyson.

Zippo doesn't want to be an ordinary hippo. He wants to be super! Being good at swimming and splashing in mud aren't really superpowers, though. Perhaps he can fly like his friend Roxi. But who's ever heard of a flying hippopotamus? Especially one with such a big bottom.

Who's hungry?, Dean Hacohen & Sherry Scharschmidt.

The animals are all hungry. Can you help them find something tasty to eat? Flip the flaps and feed them in this endlessly satisfying and scrumptious interactive flap book for very young children.

William heads to Hollywood, Helen Hancocks.

Someone has stolen the Gold Cuckoo Awards from the famous Cuckoo film studios, and only William is debonair enough to schmooze the stars and learn who the culprit is. But every cat has his own feline fatale to contend with, and our hero is no exception.

Katie McGinty wants a pet!, Jenna Harrington, Finn Simpson.

Katie McGinty really wants a pet. But she doesn't want an ordinary pet; hamsters, cats, and dogs are just yuck! What she wants more than anything else in the world is a zebra! A zebra who slurps spaghetti, sleeps in her bunk bed and bathes in the local swimming pool.

Around the world : trace the trail, Katie Haworth ; illustrated by Craig Shuttlewood.

Invites young readers to follow the trail to discover wonders in the mountains, under the sea, in the desert, and through the forest.

Very Little Cinderella, Teresa Heapy & Sue Heap.

Join Very Little Cinderella on her very important mission: to go to the party that her Ugly Sisters are off to and to wear the outfit of her choice however crazy it may be! With a Big Blue Scooter, an array of fabulous frocks and a Fairy Godmother for a babysitter what could go wrong? Find out in this fantastic fairytale twist.

R is for rocket : an ABC book, Tad Hills.

Rocket the dog, Bella the squirrel, Owl, and other friends discover the alphabet, from acorns and an angry alligator to a zigzag drawn by the Little Yellow Bird.

The mouse who reached the sky, Petr Horacek.

What is that beautiful red, shiny thing hanging from the tree? Little Mouse thinks it's a marble, but Mole is sure it's a balloon and Rabbit says it's a ball. None of them can reach it by themselves, so how will they discover what it really is? Enjoy lifting the flap to reveal the tasty surprise at the end.

The little gardener, Emily Hughes.

A little gardener who is not very good at gardening makes a wish for a little help.

Alfie outdoors, Shirley Hughes.

A book about growing, playing and sharing, in which Alfie gets out and about in the garden with Dad. Seeds are planted; the carrots are going to be a gift for a special friend of Alfie's. But there are suprises in store.

Go home, little one!, Cate James.

Florence loved spring. She loved summer, too, and autumn. But she didn't know if she loved winter because she always slept right through it. Florence goes on an adventure with her squirrel twin friends, to discover what winter is like and learns that it isn't for hedgehogs.

Lovely old lion, Julia Jarman, Susan Varley.

Lenny the lion loves his grandpa, King Lion. But when King Lion starts to forget things, Lenny begins to worry. Lenny doesn't know what to do, but with a little help from grandpa's old friends, perhaps he can find a way to help him remember.

I will chomp you!, Jory John wrote the words ; Bob Shea drew the pictures.

A monster tries to chomp any reader who wants to go past the first page of the book in order to keep his cakes

Are you the pirate captain?, Gareth P. Jones, Garry Parsons.

First mate Hugh has got the whole crew and the pirate ship ready, but they can't set sail until they find a captain! Come on this salty adventure as Hugh and his scurvy seadogs try to find the perfect pirate for the job.

Evermore dragon, Barbara Joosse ; illustrated by Randy Cecil.

Barbara Joosse tells another lyrical tale of friendship between a little girl and a loveable dragon who decide to play a game of Hide-and-seek.

Ragweed's farm dog handbook, Anne Vittur Kennedy.

Being a farm dog is a tough job, but luckily, Ragweed's handbook will tell you everything you need to know. Step one: don't wake the farmer! You may really, really want to, but that's the rooster's job. Of course, if you do wake the farmer, you might just get a biscuit.

My dad's a giraffe, Stephen Michael King.

Is your dad big and tall, gentle and fun? Can you climb up his legs, over his head, slide down his neck and ride on his back? Maybe your dad is a giraffe.

Detective McWoof and the great Poodle Doodler mystery, Timothy Knapman, Holly Clifton-Brown.

Detective McWoof likes to think he's a great detective. He's always sniffing for cases to solve. The problem is that he sometimes misses the most obvious clues so it's a good job he has a trusty assistant, Wanda, to keep him scampering in the right direction! Together they will leave no case unsolved, and no bone unchewed.

Dinosaurs in my school, Timothy Knapman ; illustrated by Sarah Warburton.

"Who has squashed our bookshelf?" Our teacher asks us all. "Someone's bitten the board in two! There are claw marks on the wall!" For one little boy, a regular day at school is turned upside down. A band of dinosaurs are there to wreak havoc in the classroom, but the grown-ups can't see them! Can he convince the dinosaurs to behave?

I thought this was a bear book, written by Tara Lazar ; illustrated by Benji Davies.

Prince Zilch from Planet Zero crash lands in the Three Bears story, and it is up to baby bear to figure out a way to get him back to his own book.

What I think about when I think about swimming, written by Eleanor Levenson ; illustrated by Katie O'Hagan.

A small fish with a big imagination.

Dinosaurs, written by Clare Lloyd ; illustrated by Victoria Palastanga and Peter Minister.

Fright Club, Ethan Long.

As the monsters of the Fright Club prepare to scare children on Halloween, an adorable little bunny tries to join the club.

Underneath a cow, written by Carol Ann Martin ; illustrated by Ben Wood.

And for all the animals sheltering underneath Madge the cow, there's no better place to be when you are caught in a Great Big, Terrible, Awful Storm!

Little Critter fall storybook collection, Mercer Mayer.

Little Critter celebrates fall by going to the Fall Festival, experiences a big storm, takes a trip to the firehouse, builds a snowman and feeds him snowball soup, searches for a missing triceratops bone at the museum, and helps a neighbour.

Diver, based on the TV series by David McKee.

Mr Benn is an ordinary man who visits a fancy-dress shop where he tries on an outfit and enters a world of magical adventures! Mr Benn puts on a diving suit and plunges into the middle of an argument between two submarines. With the help of a mermaid, and even King Neptune himself, he resolves the row, by creating two sea monsters!

The conquerors, David McKee.

A mighty country with a powerful General and large army conquers all its neighbours one by one. But the last country has no army and offers no resistance and soon the power of peaceful influence conquers the invaders. A sophisticated picture book.

The crocodolly, Martin McKenna.

Adelaide doesn't have an ordinary dolly she has a very special dolly, a crocodolly. Everyone had better look out when they go out to play!

A guide to sisters, Paula Metcalf ; illustrated by Suzanne Barton.

A big sister explains all there is to know about little sisters.

Snow bear, Tony Mitton, Alison Brown.

Tired, cold, and lonely, little Snow Bear trudges through the woods seeking shelter and finally finds it in a house where a lonely young girl is wishing for a friend.

The tea party in the woods, Akiko Miyakoshi.

As Kikko goes through the woods to bring a pie to her grandmother, she happens upon a home full of animals and joins their tea party.

Herman's letter, Tom Percival.

What do you do when your best friend in the whole wide world has to move a long way away? Promise to write to each other all the time and to stay best friends forever, that's what. But it's easier said than done, especially when your best friend seems to be having much more fun than you are.

Pedro and George, words and pictures by Delphine Perret.

Pedro and George are fed up with the children of the world getting them confused. Pedro is a crocodile, and George is an alligator. There's a difference, you know. This determined pair decides to go on a mission to prove who's who, once and for all.

The colour thief : a family's story of depression, Andrew Fusek Peters & Polly Peters ; illustrated by Karin Littlewood.

The Colour Thief recounts a child's experience of losing his father to depression. As the illness takes hold his father disappears into a world of pain and confusion taking with it the once colourful life they both shared. The boy fears that he is somehow to blame for his father's condition despite reassurances to the contrary. As the father seeks help a mere glint of colour reappears and with it hope that they can be full of colour once again. An ideal book for parents and carers to share with children to help them make sense of the devastating effects that depression can cause.

Hungry Roscoe, David J. Plant.

Roscoe the raccoon longs to get into the zoo, where there's lots of food and regular feeding hours.

Tell me what to dream about, Giselle Potter.

At bedtime, a little girl asks her big sister to tell her what to dream about and together they imagine the possibilities.

What a hoot!, Frann Preston-Gannon.

Simple text and colourful illustrations explore opposites through the antics of a group of owls.

Creak! Said the bed, Phyllis Root ; illustrated by Regan Dunnick.

It's the middle of the night. Everyone's snoozing in bed when out of the darkness, squeak goes the door. Mama's eyes fly open. Who is awake? Evie? Ivy? Little Mo? On a stormy night in a little house, only Papa keeps snoring away, unaware of the wild weather outside and the growing number of nervous bedmates within. Can nothing wake him?

The ABC animal orchestra, Donald Saaf.

Aardvarks play accordions Butterflies strum banjos Chimpanzees crash cymbals Preschoolers can learn their ABCs with the fresh, alliterative text and the charming illustrations of animal friends playing music with instruments from around the world.

Your alien, Tammi Sauer ; illustrated by Goro Fujita.

When a little boy meets a stranded alien child, the two quickly become friends, but at bedtime, the alien suddenly grows very sad, and the boy tries to figure out what his new friend needs to be happy again.

What pet should I get?, Dr. Seuss.

A boy wants all of the pets in a pet store but he and his sister can choose only one. End notes discuss Dr. Seuss's pets, his creative process, and the discovery of the manuscript and illustrations for "What Pet Should I Get?"

Through the town : trace the trail, Craig Shuttlewood.

Die-cut grooves invite small fingers to follow the snake throughout the town.

I am Cat, written and illustrated by Melisa Sinclair.

Cat is happy to be different from the other animals. He likes who he is.

Noisy baby peekaboo!, written by Dawn Sirett ; special photography, Lol Johnson, Dave King.

Hear a baby chuckle, splash in the bath, this book will encourage your child to interact and get used to the sound of other children, as well as supporting their early learning.

Noisy farm peekaboo!, written by Dawn Sirett.

Featuring photographs, colourful pictures, and lots of friendly learning, this lift-the-flap book helps toddlers play and learn, as they lift flaps and set off sounds.

Remarkably Rexy, Craig Smith.

Everybody loves Rex. He is the most dazzling cat on Serengeti Street. The schoolkids who pass by are always impressed by his moves until one day, an interloper threatens to take all the attention away.

Honk, honk! Hold tight!, Jessica Souhami.

This very funny folktale tells about the princess who will not laugh. Her father says he will give her hand in marriage to the man who can make her laugh and one boy plus a golden goose set off to the palace to try their luck. As they go along, the animals and people they meet all try to steal one of the golden goose's feathers and they stick fast to the goose.

The Dappity Doofer, Kristina Stephenson.

Molly Maybe has a marvellous secret: she and her faithful sidekick, Waggy Burns, are the only ones who can travel to an amazing monster world which mirrors our own. Take a ride in the incredible mundervator with Molly and help her solve a crisis in Undermunder.

Ben, written and illustrated by Jack Townend.

Ben, a hard-working steam-roller in Upper Toddlington is lonely until he meets Matilda, another steam-roller, who becomes his companion.

Jenny the jeep, story and pictures by Jack Townend.

Jenny is a very pretty Jeep indeed, instead of being green like all the others, she is pink! Jenny is proud to be pink but her peers grow increasingly jealous and mercilessly tease and exclude her. When the troops head to Italy, disaster strikes and, when the soldiers ask for help, only brave Jenny can save the day.

In a village by the sea, Muon Van ; illustrated by April Chu.

Moving from the wide world to the snugness of home and back out again, Village by the Sea tells the story of longing for the comforts of home.

Stan the Van Man, written by Emma Vere-Jones ; illustrated by Philip Webb.

A rhyming story in which Miss Mickle, the boss of the local Post Office, urgently needs a van driver to deliver all her overflowing mail, and helpful Stan comes in to the rescue. There's just one problem — Stan can't read.

Billy and Goat at the state fair, Dan Yaccarino.

A visit to the state fair cements the friendship between a boy and a goat who are very different from one another.

Sun and Moon, Lindsey Yankey.

Sun and Moon have always held their own places in the sky, but after a lifetime of darkness all Moon wants is to spend just one day as Sun. Sun agrees, but only if first Moon takes a careful look at his night, before making his final decision. Follow Moon as he travels through the dark discovering enchanting animals and scenes unique to the nighttime, foxes hunting, children dreaming, lamplighters, and fireflies. Will Moon still wish to trade Sun places in the sky?

My autumn book, Wong Herbert Yee.

A young girl rushes outside when the air is crisp and the sky turns gray to observe all of the changes that autumn brings.

The stranded whale, Jane Yolen ; illustrated by Melanie Cataldo.

Sally and her brothers are walking home from school along the dunes in their Maine town when they come upon an enormous whale stranded on the beach. Her brother runs for help, and many people rally to respond, but the tide is going out quickly and the whale is just so big. Still, Sally is able to sit near the whale's massive eye and tell him he's beautiful and strong, and that she will miss him no matter what happens.

What is part this, part that?, Harriet Ziefert ; illustrations by Tom Slaughter.

Song-like rhyming text invites readers to guess what different components add up to. For example, a secret's part whisper, part keeping mum, and a certain kind of fruit is part peach and part plum (a nectarine).

Younger Fiction

The Hush treasure book, Hush Music Foundation.

This absorbing collection of stories, poems and artwork by a stellar cast of children's book creators has been specially commissioned by the Hush Foundation, producers of the popular music CDs used in hospitals around the world.

Te awa ki te rangi, na Megan Moeroa Patricia Chong i tuhi ; na Scott Pearson nga pikitia.

Pimiti the bee is displeased with his appearance which is dark like a fly's. He wants to be yellow like his friends the sunflowers, as he searches for nectar. On a miraculous day he finds his way by means of the river Awapiko to the sky home of all the colours in the world, where Atuatae, the guardian of the colours, fulfils his wish. Also discusses themes of independence versus community responsibility.

Sadie's story, Christine Heppermann and Ron Koertge ; illustrated by Deborah Marcero.

When her two best friends take a vacation without her, nine-year-old Sadie meets a witch who takes her on a bird-watching adventure.

Witch!, Kyle Mewburn & Donovan Bixley.

Merek is in trouble, he is covered in sores and locked in the stocks. The Magistrate wants him to admit that he has been in Granny Smith's garden, but that would mean big trouble for Granny Smith. If Merek tells the truth that would mean big trouble for him.

Louise Trapeze is totally 100% fearless, Micol Ostow ; illustrated by Brigette Barrager.

Six-year-old Louise Trapeze lives at the circus and can't wait to fly on the trapeze, until she discovers that she is afraid of heights.

Mrs. Noodlekugel and Drooly the bear, Daniel Pinkwater ; illustrated by Adam Stower.

In a wonderfully loopy third episode, Nick and Maxine are surprised to meet Captain Noodlekugel, back from the sea with a somewhat untrainable bear.

Alice's adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll ; retold & illustrated by Tony Ross.

Open the cover and step into Wonderland as you've never seen it before! This retelling of Lewis Carroll's classic tale has been carefully abridged and lavishly illustrated by Tony Ross, world-famous children's book author and illustrator.

Te kainga o te taniwha, na Tina Marino Tiakiwai nga korero ; na Josh Morgan nga pikitia.

Roka, Mere, Ana and Muri are sent to stay with Roka's elderly kuia for the weekend, where there is no computer or computer games. At first they are scared of her, but as she sleeps they have adventures and play games, and when she wakes she tells them stories. In the end, they don't want to leave when Mama comes to collect them.

The adventures of Alice Laselles, Alexandrina Victoria, aged 10 3/4 with an introduction by Jacqueline Wilson ; illustrations by Cristina Pieropan.

The young royal author tells the tale of Alice, a twelve-year-old girl who is sent away to boarding school after her father remarries. It reveals Princess Victoria's natural flair for writing, and tendency towards the dramatic.