«Exciting nonfiction books for kids just beyond the beginner stage can be hard to come by, and the story of the sinking of the «Titanic» and its subsequent rediscovery will be the ticket for both hard-to-please young 'real stuff' buffs and older reluctant readers.»

Spanning three generations, this novel of family and myth is told through a series of flashbacks that depict events of staggering horror set against a landscape of gemlike beauty as the Chinese battle both the Japanese invaders and each other in the turbulent 1930s. As the novel opens, a group of villagers, led by Commander Yu, the narrator's grandfather, prepare to attack the advancing Japanese. Yu sends his 14-year-old son back home to get food for his men but as Yu's wife returns through the sorghum fields with the food, the Japanese start firing and she is killed. Her death becomes the thread that links the past to the present and the narrator moves back and forth recording the war's progress, the fighting between the Chinese warlords and his family's history.

Bring your child's classroom with the wonderfully imaginative Step-Ahead series. Proven educational methods reinforce what is taught in preschool through the elementary grades. Simple instructions, delightful graphics, and fun-to-do activities, such as this book with peel-and-stick stickers, motivate your child to master skills and turn the page for more.

Elizabeth Bowen's account of a time spent in Rome between February and Easter is no ordinary guidebook but an evocation of a city — its hisotry, its architecture and, above all, its atmosphere. She describes the famous classical sites, conjuring from the ruins visions of former inhabitants and their often bloody activities. She speculates about the immense noise of ancient Rome, the problems caused by the Romans' dining posture, and the Roman temperament, which blended 'constructive will with supine fatalism'. She envies the Vestal Virgins and admires the Empress Livia, who survived a barren marriage. She evokes the city's moods — by day, when it is characterized by golden sunlight, and at night, when the blaze of the moon 'annihilates history, turning everything into a get together spectacle for Tonight.

Andalusia is a passion, and 15 years after his previous visit Laurie Lee returned. He found a country broken by the civil war, but the totems of indestructible Spain survive: the Christ in agony, the thrilling flamenco cry, the pride in poverty, the gypsy intensity in vivid whitewashed slums, the cult of the bullfight, the exultation in death, the humour of hopelessness — the paradoxes deep in the fiery bones of Spain. Rich with kaleidoscopic images, A Rose for Winter is as sensual and evocative as the sun-scorched landscape of Andalusia itself.

«The meanings of «up» are conveyed with merry verse and illustrations in a happy book that celebrates the joy of life.»

The Cat in the Hat takes Sally and Dick for an umbrella-vator ride through the understory, canopy, and emergent layers of a tropical rain forest, encountering a host of plants, animals, and native peoples along the way.

Bring home your child's classroom with the wonderfully imaginative 'Step Ahead' series of products. Proven educational methods reinforce what is taught in preschool through the elementary grades. In this workbook, children can learn about letters, listen for beginning sounds, and match pictures with letters.

Alone and fending for themselves in a Poland devastated by World War Two, Jan and his three homeless friends cling to the silver sword as a symbol of hope. As they travel through Europe towards Switzerland, where they believe they will be reunited with their parents, they encounter many hardships and dangers. This extraordinarily moving account of an epic journey gives a remarkable insight into the reality of life in war-torn Europe.

The cat has been with us since time began. Enigmatic, independent, surprising, single-minded, loving — cats too can be a man's best friend. The haiku is an ancient and honourable Japanese verse form — three lines, seventeen syllables — encapsulating a vision of the poem's subject; a person, place, even a cat... CAT HAIKU presents cats as you've never seen them before. In a series of brilliant vignettes, Deborah Coates gets inside the minds of our cats and comes up with some surprising revelations. You will never look at your (or anyone else's) cat the same way again.

Illus. in full color. Beginning readers can learn 100 different words in this story about a remarkable dog.

I see a nose on every face. I see noses every place! Noses come in all shapes, colors, and sizes and are handy to have for sniffling, smelling, and... playing horns? This simple, sometimes silly story offers little ones a first ode to the nose and all that it does.

Miss Bindergarten, the world's best kindergarten teacher, is getting ready for another milestone. Tomorrow she and her class will have been together for 100 days. To celebrate, each student must bring 100 of some wonderful, one-hundred-full thing! At night, while the students go to work assembling their projects, Miss Bindergarten is working, too, making special surprises for the class. The 100th day of kindergarten is bound to be unforgettable! Children will delight in hearing about this special event, a common cause for celebration in kindergartens today. Illustrated by Ashley Wolff.

Two Supreme Court Justices are dead. Their murders remain unsolved. Darby Shaw, a brilliant New Orleans legal student, draws up a speculative legal brief which links the deaths and uncovers an astonishing presidential conspiracy. When her boyfriend is atomised in a car bomb, it becomes clear that somebody is intent on silencing Darby for good.

First a story, and then a kiss from Mother Bear, and Father Bear carries Little Bear to bed. And that's when the fun begins. Father Bear gets to Little Bear's room, but Little Bear is missing! Little readers will see him hiding in the MOST obvious place but Father Bear cannot seem to find him. Is he under the stove? Is he in the garden? Is he in the woodbox? Only when Father Bear walks past the mirror does the silliness end, and in a very tasty way. With this, one of the most charming bedtime tales ever, Richard Scarry has once again proven his timeless appeal.

From tummy tickles and silly games, and wishes for sweet dreams. No matter what kind of kisses they are, all kisses come from love. Illustrated with family scenes of adorable animals, this charming book is perfect for Valentine's Day and beyond.

Let's hear it for mommies! The rhyming text in this delightful book thanks moms for all the fun things they do with their children. Lovingly illustrated scenes show moms and kids cheering at a ball game, exploring in a museum, and playing games at home.

Michel is a civil-servant at the Ministry of Culture. When his father is murdered, Michel takes leave of absence to go on a package tour to Thailand. Infuriated by the shallow hypocrisy and mediocrity of his fellow travellers, only the awkward Valerie attracts his attention. Too bashful to pursue her, Michel prefers the uncomplicated pleasures of Thai massage parlours and sex with local women. Back in Paris, he calls Valerie and they plunge into a passionate affair, which strays into S&M, partner-swapping and sex in public. Michel quits his job, and tries to help Valerie and her boss, Jean-Yves, in their ailing travel business, by offering travel packages based on sex tourism in the third world. When their project comes to fruition and the three return to Thailand, Michel discovers that sex is neither the most consuming nor the most dangerous of human passions...

The Handbook of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols is a portal into the rich, multifaceted, and profound symbolism of Tibetan sacred art. Robert Beer provides a deep and encompassing insight into the vast array of symbols and attributes that appear within the complex iconography of Tibetan Buddhism. The succinct descriptions that accompany his detailed line drawings reveal the origins, meanings, and functions of these symbols. Beer unravels the multiple layers of symbolism and meaning contained within the iconography, affording the reader a panoramic vision into the deeper dimensions of this sacred art. Drawn largely from Beer's monumental work The Encyclopedia of Tibetan Symbols and Motifs, the meticulous brush drawings in this book depict all of the major Buddhist symbols and motifs, including the various groups of auspicious symbols; cosmological symbols; natural and mythical animals, such as the dragon, garuda, and makara; the entire assembly of ritual tantric implements and weapons; magical and wrathful symbols; handheld emblems, attributes, and plants; esoteric Vajrayana offerings; and mudras, or ritual hand gestures.

Charles Highway, a precociously intelligent and highly sexed teenager, is determined to sleep with an older woman before he turns twenty. Rachel fits the bill perfectly and Charles plans his seduction meticulously, sets the scene with infinite care — but it doesn't come off quite as Charles expects.