It's 1985 and Brian Jackson has arrived at university with a burning ambition — to make it onto TV's foremost general knowledge quiz. But no sooner has he embarked on 'The Challenge' than he finds himself falling hopelessly in love with his teammate, the beautiful and charismatic would-be actress, Alice Harbinson. When Alice fails to fall for his slightly over-eager charms, Brian comes up with a foolproof plan to capture her heart once and for all. He's going to win the game, at any cost, because — after all — everyone knows that what a woman really wants from a man is a comprehensive grasp of general knowledge... Starter for Ten is a comedy about love, class, growing-up and the all-important difference between knowledge and wisdom. Are you up to the challenge of the funniest novel in years?

A terrorist doesn't let strangers in her flat because they might be undercover police or intelligence agents, but her children bring their mates home and they run all over the place. The terrorist doesn't know that a kid has bugged every room in her house, cloned the hard drive on her PC, and copied all the numbers in her phone book. The kid works for CHERUB. CHERUB is not James Bond. There are no master criminals or high-tech gadgets. CHERUB kids live in the real world. They slip under adult radar and get information that sends criminals and terrorists to jail. For official purposes, these children do not exist.

This is dark humour at its best — a collection of hilarious and outrageous cartoons which will appeal to anyone in touch with their evil side.

Absolute Friends is a superbly paced novel spanning fifty-six years, a theatrical masterstroke of tragicomic writing, and a savage fable of our times, almost of our hours. The friends of the title are Ted Mundy, British soldier's son born 1947 in a shining new independent Pakistan, and Sasha, refugee son of an East German Lutheran pastor and his wife who have sought sanctuary in the West. The two men meet first as students in riot-torn West Berlin of the late Sixties, again in the grimy looking-glass of Cold War espionage and, most terribly, in today's unipolar world of terror, counter-terror and the war of lies. Deriving its scale from A Perfect Spy and its passion from The Constant Gardener, Le Carre's new novel presents us with magical writing, characters to delight, and a spellbinding story that enchants even as it challenges.

Katie visits the Natural History Museum. Entering a door marked No Admittance, Katie finds herself in the world of the dinosaurs and befriends a little hadrosaurus who cannot find his way home.

The Teach Yourself History series offers an alternative to academic historical books, its content being extensive yet extremely accessible and the approach refreshingly different. The books are informative and compelling, and engage the reader from beginning to end. They assume no prior historical knowledge, and are full of anecdotes and details that provide a very personal appeal. Teach Yourself Nazi Germany is an accessible introduction to one of the most controversial periods in modern history. It looks at the wider picture surrounding it, from the creation of the German nation to Hitler's rise to power and his motives. Before destroying himself and his nation in a bitter world war, the Nazi leader, Adolf Hitler, was adored by the mass of the German people. This book attempts to explain this paradox by involving the reader in the remarkable story of the Third Reich and in the controversies that still surround it. The engaging narrative looks at many different aspects, including the economy and working conditions, the structure of the country (politics, society, culture), Hitler's instruments of terror, treatment of Jews, the role and treatment of women, concentration camps, and, of course, Germany in the Second World War.

Girls Only! focuses on the practicalities of periods, the social and personal implications of starting your period, and the physical and emotional developments in puberty. It tells you what happens and when, what you need to know and how to prepare. It answers all the questions girls are dying to ask, but daren't, in a clear, friendly way, using real-life examples. It's the perfect first book about periods for girls of primary school age as it provides information at the right level. The tone is positive and reassuring and complemented by quirky illustrations throughout.

Requiring no prior knowledge of book keeping or accounting, this is a complete, step-by-step course in elementary accounting. It gives clear and concise explanations of accounting principles and practice including PAYE, cashflow statements, accounting for share capital, accounting standards and non-financial reporting. Clear explanation, diagrams and worked examples enable the student to master the basic principles then apply them to example problems.

A bonkers book of rib-tickling rhymes and loopy limericks. Warning: You'll laugh your socks off!

A crazy collection of ridiculous rhymes and laugh-out-loud limericks. Guaranteed to give you the giggles!

«The Booker Prize shortlisted novel from the acclaimed author of «Ghostwritten», one of the most original voices writing today.»

A novel spanning the history of Russia through the tumultuous 20th century, from the only writer ever to have won both the Prix Goncourt and the Prix Medicis.

A story of courage and survival in the face of great adversity.

This text is part of the Superphonics series of graded readers which use a phonic approach developed by reading expert Ruth Miskin. There are four levels in this series; Blue (the easiest), Green, Purple and Turquoise (the hardest). Each level is linked to one of the core Superphonics books. Green storybooks practise the sounds taught in Supersonics Book 3. A Bull in a China Shop focuses on the following sounds: double consonants, for example ll as in bull; blended conconants, for example ng as in rang; and two or three consonants together, for example lp as in help and sm as in smash.

This text is part of the Superphonics series of graded readers which use a phonic approach developed by reading expert Ruth Miskin. There are four levels in this series; Blue (the easiest), Green, Purple and Turquoise (the hardest). Each level is linked to one of the core Superphonics books. Blue storybooks practise the sounds taught in Supersonics Book 2. Hotdog! focuses on the following sounds: a as in cap, e as in bed, i as in tin, o as in nod and u as in gum.

Charles Carter, dubbed Carter the Great by Houdini himself, was born into privilege but became a magician out of need: only when dazzling an audience can he defeat his fear of loneliness. But in 1920s America the stakes are growing higher, as technology and the cinema challenge the allure of magic and Carter's stunts become increasingly audacious. Until the night President Harding takes part in Carter's act only to die two hours later, and Carter finds himself pursued not only by the Secret Service but by a host of others desperate to discover the terrible secret they believe Harding confided in him. Seamlessly blending reality and fiction, Gold lays before us a glittering and romantic panorama of our modern world at a point of irrevocable change.

Alongside the death of Elvis Presley and the assassination of John Lennon, Kurt Cobain's suicide in 1994 ranks as one of the generational milestones of American life — an epochal event in both rock 'n' roll and youth culture. This book is the story of Kurt Cobain's life, from abject poverty to unbelievable wealth, power and fame. It traces the journey from his humble origins in Aberdeen to becoming lead singer of Nirvana, the most popular rock band in the world from 1991 to 1994, and the most influential band of this decade. The beautifully written text is complimented by 16 pages of photographs. Based on over one hundred interviews, Charley Cross allows us to understand Kurt Cobain's personality. This is an incredible tale of a strange, tortured and very talented man.

The great events of British history are part of our shared heritage and it is important that children know the facts behind the famous dates from a young age. In this series, Gillian Clements tells the stories of some of these events through a lively combination of text and illustration (including some speech bubbles, labelled maps etc). In this way she makes history child-friendly and accessible but still manages to incorporate, wherever possible, primary source material (such as eyewitness accounts and documentary evidence). THE GREAT FIRE OF LONDON retells the events leading up to the fire of 1666 and its consequences. THE GUNPOWDER PLOT looks at the reasons for the plan to blow up the houses of Parliament in 1605, and the key figures involved including Guy Fawkes. Each book has been thoroughly checked by a history educationalist for accuracy, language levels and appropriate content, and a timeline and glossary are included. These simple, gently-humorous stories give readers the information they need and encourage the development of a real sense of history and how it works.

The life of Diana, Princess of Wales, has never before been told with such insight and authority. This book is a subtle, honest portrait, without the bias and exaggeration of the past. Drawing on new research and dozens of specially commissoned interviews — many with senior members of the royal household who have never spoken before — DIANA: STORY OF A PRINCESS explains how a shy teenager grew up to be the most talked-about woman in the world, and why she later became such a vigorous critic of the Royal Family. DIANA: STORY OF A PRINCESS is a tale of chicanery at the highest level, revealing in gripping detail how the Princess and her husband sought to influence how their failing marriage, and indeed their entire lives, were perceived by the outside world.