Explore the wonders of our solar system — a corner of the universe that astronomers understand more fully every day. Starting at the sun, the center of it all, we move outward, planet by planet, and then beyond. From Mercury's prehistoric cataclysm to Uranus's uncommon axial tilt, the superb research and stunning images will captivate both keen stargazers and newcomers alike. The gorgeous photographs — which include newly taken photos of Mars from Curiosity along with others from recent satellites, manned spaceflights, the International Space Station, and the Hubble telescope — bring the night sky to life.

With over 1,200 reproductions and photographs, timelines, maps and concise text and captions, this volume offers a very accessible and visually exciting introduction to art, from the Venus of Willendorf and the Lascaux cave paintings of prehistory to modern times.

Wonderful new version of the classic poem every family should own. Lavishly illustrated by renowned artist Charles Santore, the critically acclaimed illustrator of The Wizard of Oz, Snow White, The Little Mermaid, and others. A mini heirloom edition with a four-page gatefold. Includes embossed and foil cover. Since it was first published anonymously in 1823, the poem “The Night Before Christmas” has enchanted children with the story of St. Nicholas climbing down the chimney and filling all the stockings before springing back to his sleigh. Many families read the poem every year, and now they have an edition to treasure. The poem, faithfully reproduced here, is accompanied by Charles Santore’s lavish illustrations.

A playful book of opposites filled with bugs of all shapes, sizes, and colors with a massive pop-up on the last spread! With lively oversized illustrations, BIG BUG, LITTLE BUG is a book of opposites, focusing on bugs of all different shapes, sizes, and colors as they creep, crawl, and fly through the sturdy pages, culminating in a tremendous pop-up on the last spread!

«The New York Trilogy is perhaps the most astonishing work by one of America's most consistently astonishing writers. The Trilogy is three cleverly interconnected novels that exploit the elements of standard detective fiction and achieve a new genre that is all the more gripping for its starkness. It is a riveting work of detective fiction worthy of Raymond Chandler, and at the same time a profound and unsettling existentialist enquiry in the tradition of Kafka or Borges. In each story the search for clues leads to remarkable coincidences in the universe as the simple act of trailing a man ultimately becomes a startling investigation of what it means to be human. The New York Trilogy is the modern novel at its finest: a truly bold and arresting work of fiction with something to transfix and astound every reader. «Marks a new departure for the American novel.» (Observer). «A shatteringly clever piece of work...Utterly gripping, written with an acid sharpness that leaves an indelible dent in the back of the mind.» (Sunday Telegraph). «The New York Trilogy established him as the only author one could compare to Samuel Beckett.» (Guardian).»

In this enchanting story, the King and Queen of Poshtonia are coming for a visit to Olivia’s town. Olivia is thrilled, most of all because she can’t wait to meet their daughter, a real princess! When Olivia and Princess Stephanie meet, they can’t help but notice that they look alike . . . so much so that they trade places. Princess Stephanie will go home to Olivia’s house and Olivia will spend the day in the castle! Come along for the royal treatment with Olivia in this beautiful storybook with glitter on the cover and intricate pop-up windows and pull-tabs that allow readers to interact with the story.

The newest book in Black Dog's best-selling, award-winning series explores the fascinating world of Greek mythology from the myth of Narcissus to Odysseus versus the Cyclopes. Includes a Gods and Goddesses Family Tree Poster, Stickers, and Temporary Tattoos Packed with action, adventure, tragedy, and triumph, A Child's Introduction to Greek Mythology acquaints kids ages 9-12 with all the fantastic and memorable classic Greek myths. The book is organized into two main parts. The first section introduces the gods and goddesses, from Apollo to Hades, as well as nymphs, satyrs, centaurs, and the mortal descendents of Zeus, such as Hercules and Midas. Part two is dedicated to the myths themselves: Pandora's Box, Prometheus' Discovery of Fire, the Trojan Horse and many more. Sidebars feature word definitions and fun facts, as well as games and projects. As with all of the other books in the Child's Introduction series, Meredith Hamilton's witty and charming illustrations add yet another dimension to the excellent and absorbing text.

Four novels from the grandfather of science fiction are collected here in one package. In the Days of the Comet is a 1906 story in which the vapors of a comet bring about a profound and lasting transformation in the attitudes and perspectives of humankind. The 1923 novel Men Like Gods features a journalist who finds himself in a utopian parallel universe, and as the utopian attitudes begin to have their effect on him, he finds that he and his fellow travelers may be having their own effect upon the utopia. The 1910 dystopian tale The Sleeper Awakes centers on a man who sleeps for 203 years, waking up in a completely transformed London, where he has become the richest man in the world. Lastly, The War in the Air, from 1907, is notable for its prophetic ideas, images, and concepts, in particular the use of the aircraft for the purpose of warfare and the coming of World War I.

Tools for Living is a book all about ultimates — the ultimate things designed for the home — from chef knives and pots and pans, to door handles and bathroom taps, to home-office furniture and garden tools. Well-designed objects not only have superior performance but also look better and last longer, which ultimately means that they are more sustainable and provide better value for money. They also give the user a satisfying sense of reliability — they are the household tools that we use on a daily basis, which enhance life. Many of the objects included in Tools for Living are famous design classics, which are still in production. This comprehensive sourcebook features them beautifully, with full descriptions of their historic relevance and design excellence. Manufacturers' web addresses are shown for each product, so readers can easily find where to buy them. The introductory essay explains why Good Design for the home should be an important feature of our daily lives and how it makes sense not only for aesthetic and functional reasons, but also for economic and environmental reasons too. It is an essential sourcebook for all design lovers!

The inimitable wombat who shared her adventures (eating, scratching, digging, sleeping) in the wildly successful Diary of a Wombat is back-with a baby! This time, it's the baby who tells the story. And a perfect wombat story it is, featuring eating, scratching, digging, sleeping, and playing, as well as the important task of finding a new underground home big enough for baby and Mum. Wry, understated humor and gorgeous, funny illustrations make this new picture book a brilliant next chapter in the wombat saga.

One of the most successful and beloved of Victorian fairy tales, George Macdonald's The Princess and the Goblin tells the story of young Princess Irene and her friend Curdie, who must outwit the threatening goblins who live in caves beneath her mountain home. Macdonald's pioneering use of fanstasy as a literary medium had a great influence on Lewis Carroll, J. R. R. Tolkien, and Madeleine L'Engle, all great admirers of his work, which has remained popular to this day. I write, not for children, he wrote, but for the child-like, whether they be of five, or fifty, or seventy-five.

Welcome to Kittur, India. Of its 193,432 residents, only 89 declare themselves to be without religion or caste. And if the characters in Between the Assassinations are any indication, Kittur is an extraordinary crossroads between the brightest minds and the poorest morals, the up-and-coming and the downtrodden, and the poets and the prophets of an India that modern literature has rarely addressed. A series of sketches that together form a blinding, brilliant, and brave mosaic of Indian life as it is lived in a place called Kittur, Between the Assassinations, with all the humor, sympathy, and unflinching candor of The White Tiger, enlarges our understanding of the world we live in today.

This compact journal — just 3 1/2 x 5 1/2 inches closed, in a flexible black cover — is perfect for tucking away in a pocket or purse, yet can still accommodate a copious amount of information. With a sewn binding, ledger stock paper, and super-thin rules (about four lines to the inch), as well as an expanding pocket, elastic closure band, and ribbon marker, this journal encourages industrious, no-fuss writing.

Presented in a large picture-book format with moving features — opening flaps, pull-tab actions, miniature books and hidden documents — this retelling of Treasure Island, for readers 7 to 10, captures the excitement and adventure of Robert Louis Stevenson's immortal pirate tale. The book also includes a game board and play pieces, so youngsters can make their own pursuit of Captain Flint's fabulous treasure.

«When a hungry fox spies a crow with a piece of cheese in her beak, in this classic fable, he flatters the silly bird until she opens her mouth to sing — and drops the cheese to the ground. One of the best-known tales attributed to Aesop, «The Fox and the Crow» is presented in this board book for prereaders with Martha Lightfoot's simple and charming painted cartoons and her humorous retelling, ideal for reading aloud.»

The father of Communist Russia, Vladimir Ilych Lenin now seems to have emerged fully formed in the turbulent wake of World War I and the Russian Revolution. But Lenins character was in fact forged much earlier, over the course of years spent in exile, constantly on the move, and in disguise. In Conspirator, Russian historian Helen Rappaport narrates the compelling story of Lenins life and political activities in the years leading up to the revolution. As he scuttled between the glittering capital cities of Europefrom London and Munich to Vienna and PragueLenin found support among fellow migrs and revolutionaries in the underground movement. He came to lead a ring of conspirators, many of whom would give their lives in service to his schemes. A riveting account of Lenins little-known early life, Conspirator tracks in gripping detail the formation of one of the great revolutionaries of the twentieth century.

«From the authors of the bestselling «Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar», an uproarious new book on the meaning of death (and life, too) The new book by the bestselling authors of «Plato and a Platypus Walk Into a Bar» is a hilarious take on the philosophy, theology, and psychology of mortality and immortality. That is, Death. The authors pry open the coffin lid on this one, looking at the Big D and also its prequel, Life, and its sequel, the Hereafter. Philosophers such as Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Camus, and Sartre have been wrestling with the meaning of death for as long as they have been wrestling with the meaning of life. Fortunately, humorists have been keeping pace with the major thinkers by creating gags about dying. Death's funny that way-it gets everybody's attention. Death has gotten a bad rap. It's time to take a closer look at what the Deep Thinkers have to say on the subject, and there are no better guides than Cathcart and Klein.»

«A voyage of discoveries, a meeting of two remarkable women, and extraordinary time and place enrich bestselling author Tracy Chevalier's enthralling new novel From the moment she's struck by lightening as a baby, it is clear that Mary Anning is marked for greatness. On the windswept, fossil-strewn beaches of the English coast, she learns that she has «the eye» — and finds what no one else can see. When Mary uncovers an unusual fossilized skeleton in the cliffs near her home, she sets the religious fathers on edge, the townspeople to vicious gossip, and the scientific world alight. In an arena dominated by men, however, Mary is barred from the academic community; as a young woman with unusual interests she is suspected of sinful behavior. Nature is a threat, throwing bitter, cold storms and landslips at her. And when she falls in love, it is with an impossible man. Luckily, Mary finds an unlikely champion in prickly Elizabeth Philpot, a recent exile from London, who also loves scouring the beaches. Their relationship strikes a delicate balance between fierce loyalty, mutual appreciation, and barely suppressed envy. Ultimately, in the struggle to be recognized in the wider world, Mary and Elizabeth discover that friendship is their greatest ally. «Remarkable Creatures» is a stunning novel of how one woman's gift transcends class and social prejudice to lead to some of the most important discoveries of the nineteenth century. Above all, is it a revealing portrait of the intricate and resilient nature of female friendship.»

The novel begins when Max Carver's father — a watchmaker and inventor — decides to move his family to a small town on the Atlantic coast. They move into a house that was built for a prestigious surgeon, Dr Richard Fleischmann and his wife but was abandoned when the couple's son drowned in a tragic accident. Behind the house Max spies an overgrown garden full of statues surrounded by a metal fence topped with a six-pointed star. When he goes to investigate, Max finds that the statues seem to consist of a kind of circus troop. In the centre of the garden is the large statue of a clown set in another six-pointed star. Max has the curious sensation that the statue is beckoning to him. As the family settles in they grow increasingly uneasy: they discover a box of old films belonging to the Fleischmanns; his sister has unsettling dreams and his other sister hears voices whispering to her from an old wardrobe. But Max spends most of his time with his new friend Roland, who takes him diving to the wreck of a boat that sank close to the coast in a terrible storm. Everyone on board perished except for one man — an engineer who built the lighthouse at the end of the beach.During the dive, Max sees something that leaves him cold — on the old mast floats a tattered flag and on it is the symbol of the circle and six-pointed star. As they learn more about the wreck, the chilling story of a legendary figure called Prince of the Mists begins to emerge.