A chilling message. A family secret. A tragic crime. All bring danger. Forbidden by her father to explore the unusual happenings that are part of her life, Katie,15, has always hidden within the shadow of her true self. But when her family moves to England to care for her grandad, her future becomes terrifyingly uncertain and the shadow too menacing to ignore. Can she break free from the shadow by delving into the past, or will there be devastating consequences? And if she goes too far can she ever make it back?

When Emily, Tess, Cam and Dylan decide to ignore the new town curfew during their Friday-night game of hide-and-seek, they get more than they bargained for. Down by the river, they witness a shady deal go down involving some criminal types who recently moved into their neighborhood. When the teens are discovered, they are hunted through the dark streets and back alleys. They will have to use all their hide-and-seek skills to save each other. Ultimately, Emily, the youngest of the group and the best hider, discovers that sometimes staying hidden is the best way to escape.

Flynn hates the outdoors. Always has. He barely pays attention in his Outdoor Ed class. He has no interest in doing a book report on Lost in the Barrens. He doesn't understand why anybody would want to go hiking or camping. But when he gets lost in the wilderness behind his parents' friends' house, it's surprising what he remembers—insulate your clothes with leaves, eat snow to stay hydrated, build a shelter, eat lichen—and how hopelessly inept he is at survival techniques.

Through twenty-six letters to her friend Nina, twelve-year-old Kasey chronicles the often humorous observations and impressions of her unexpected, month-long stay in a geriatric ward for the treatment of a rare but treatable bone disease ("osteo-something-something-itis"). Kasey tries to make her life less dull by wearing her own nightgowns, surrounding herself with her favorite stuffies and developing an unusual exercise routine. Hospital food, insomnia and the germy communal bath are enduring sources of dread, but some new (and unexpected) friends make her life bearable.

When grade-eight science-project time rolls around, J.J. Murphy skips the beakers and the papierm�ch� and dives into research about jerks. And idiots. But mostly jerks. By his own estimation, his science project, On a Scale from Idiot to Complete Jerk, is groundbreaking, exhaustive, highly scientific and seriously worthy of bonus marks. Beginning with the dawn of humankind and concluding conclusively with a very cool pie chart, the project dissects the elements of jerkosity through extensive case studies and scientific illustrations. It explores the who, what, when, why and how of jerks and, more important, peppers the lively research with sciencey-looking graphs and charts that reveal a lot about J.J., his family and friends, and the jerks of this world.

Twelve-year-old Luke "Spin" Spinelli is sick of fake running, fake laughing and fake pointing. Sure, he once made the cover of Baby Show magazine, but now his secret modeling career is making him miserable. He dreams of using nonwhitening toothpaste. He can't wait to stop styling his hair. And he really wants to stop worrying that the school bully will discover he was once the face of Dribbleez Diapers. After all, Spin's just a normal boy looking for a hockey game and some pizza with extra cheese.

Beatrice More is no average third-grader. She is a list-making, hyperorganized perfectionist whose laid-back parents and messy little sister consistently frustrate her high standards. And when a new house, a new neighborhood and new friends are thrown into the mix, Beatrice sends the family into a comic tailspin, all in the name of "professionalism." Despite her most feverish organizational efforts, Beatrice ultimately discovers that some of the best experiences are the ones you can't control.

When the Gladiators basketball team's nasty coach finally gets turfed midseason, things couldn't possibly get worse. The team hasn't won a game yet, and morale is at rock bottom. Sameer, who announces the games and keeps score, and Vijay, the team mascot, have their hands full keeping the team's spirits up. When they get promoted to assistant coach and manager, can they help a small, unathletic, Shakespeare-quoting drama teacher coach the team to victory, or at least to dignity? Or will the courtside drama eclipse even the school play?

Sixteen-year-old Dee and her seven-year-old brother, Eddie, have been on their own for six weeks. Their father has seemingly vanished into the baking Arizona desert. Their money is drying up and the rent is coming due, but it's a visit from a social worker and the prospect of being separated from Eddie that scares Dee enough to flee. She dupes her brother into packing up and embarking on the long road trip to Canada, their birthplace and former home. Lacking a driver's license and facing a looming interrogation at the border, Dee rations their money and food as they burn down the interstate in their ancient, decrepit car.

In a stifled and oppressed United Kingdom, nothing can be achieved without the approval of the dictatorial Sponsors, at whose head is the malevolent and cruel Lord William St Benedict. In Britain's cities the Sponsored live narrow, if privileged, lives, while the Unsponsored are confined to menial roles and to the 'less desirable' districts. Among the Sponsors' many victims is Lord William's own son, the forthright and charismatic Theodore – 'Dory' – held captive by his father since he was a boy.In the unassuming town of Applethwaite, in the depths of the Cumbrian countryside, however, an unlikely revolution is brewing. Albino gymnast Louis Trevelyan and his motley group of friends are fiercely proud of their Unsponsored status and gradually forge a plan not only to liberate the beleaguered Theodore but the whole of the United Kingdom.Alison Jack has turned her attention to writing after a long career in book publishing and distribution. She is a keen...

Violet runs the fastest, sings the highest, looks the fanciest, and talks the loudest. Everyone agrees that she's the best.Except Rosie. Rosie isn't fast, or loud, or fancy, but she's tired of hearing that Violet is the best. When their class grows pea plants, Rosie's and Violet's are the first to sprout! But Violet's is a little taller. So Rosie pushes some soil over Violet's sprout to slow it down. And for a moment, Rosie's plant is the best--but she feels terrible. And she feels even worse when she learns that Violet has the chicken pox.So for the next two weeks, Rosie waters her plant--and Violet's too. She turns them in the sun, and sings them quiet growing songs. And her teacher says that Rosie is the best gardener she's ever had. Definitely the best.This empathetic story captures every child's desire to be noticed and praised, and the subtle competitions that go on in a classroom. It's a book to swell every shy child's...

When Joules and Kevin Rockman's parents drop them off at Camp Whatsitooya on their way to an International Spamathon, the twins expect a summer of marshmallows, campfires, and canoe trips. What they do not expect is to defend the earth from an invasion of sugar-addicted, murderous, seven-foot-tall rabbits from another galaxy. Happily, the Rockman twins, veteran watchers of the Late, Late, Late Creepy Show for Insomniacs, are unusually well-prepared for dealing with monstrous beings from outer space. If only their fellow campers were so lucky.Andrea Beaty, author of several very funny picture books and a mysterious novel, here reaches new heights of hilarity and verbal dexterity in a novel sure to become a camp—ba-dum-dum—classic.

Can Chief Inspector Howcroft and DS Williams solve the murder of a middle-aged woman found on a cold frosty winter's morning? It would seem the murder was of a sexual attack, wrists bound, and the body is found in Bournemouth, a coastal town where murders are few and far between, to say the least.As the investigation progresses they find themselves battling the powerfull Special Operations team at 'New Scotland Yard' and in the dangerous mind games of a high profile Judge. But the biggest uncertainty affecting the murder being solved, is the role of 'The Chess Player'...'The Chess Player' was a nickname given to Rafael Rojas who operates a Colombian money-laundering cartel and manipulates people as 'pawns' in his game. This rivetting short story will keep you guessing and takes you from London to Bogota in an attempt to unravel the murder.A gripping action thriller that you won't want to put down.

As Henry finishes fifth grade, his biggest concern is facing a summer with nothing to do. With his best friend, Max, away at summer camp, it's looking so bad he can feel himself "being pulled by the gravitational force of nothingness." But then Henry does something irresponsible, something with real consequences. And suddenly he'd give anything to go back to the nothingness. Has Henry turned into the dingus Max told him not to be? A classic coming-of-age story told with humor and heart.

Robbie Darko is a magician. An old-school, pull-a-rabbit-out-of-your-hat-style magician. Robbie loves magic and he's good at it—sort of. Despite his best efforts, passion, and practice, something always goes wrong with his tricks, landing Robbie in trouble. Enter crotchety Grandma Melvyn, who calls everyone “Trixie" and complains about everything. When Grandma Melvyn moves in and takes over his room, Robbie discovers that she was once an internationally renowned magician and learns about the heartache that turned her into a bitter woman. Against all odds, Robbie and Grandma Melvyn form an uneasy alliance to show the world—or at least the kids of Hobson Elementary School—that he is a true magician. Shortly after a successful talent show, Grandma Melvyn performs a final disappearing act, and Robbie learns a little about the true meaning of magic.Written with pitch-perfect middle-grade humor and unforgettable characters, this gem of a novel will stay with...

Read about Grace's trip to Paris from her cousin's point of view! Sylvie's excited that her American cousin is coming to Paris. But Grace's summer visit is just one of many changes for Sylvie. Her maman is having a baby soon, and Sylvie isn't sure how she'll fit into her family once le bébé is born. Papa is so busy at their bakery, La Pâtisserie, that he doesn't have much time for her—even when she helps him decorate pastries. When Grace arrives, Sylvie discovers that her cousin doesn't speak French, and Sylvie's too shy to try speaking English. What can Sylvie do to fix her family troubles?

An accomplished young scientist solves one of the greatest mysteries of evolution: What caused the dramatic explosion of life half a billion years ago?

A young girl's life changes forever when she investigates a mystery with the help of writers, artists, and musicians in 1920s HarlemBessie Coulter has no idea why her father spirits her and her brother, Eddie, away from their home in Burlington, North Carolina, in the middle of the night, leaving their sick mother behind. But from the moment she steps off the train at Grand Central Station, she's captivated by this teeming, colorful city that's both scary and exciting. Although Harlem is a thrilling place, Bessie misses her mother and can't get used to living with her two aunts. She's lonely and homesick, especially when her father begins going out with a beautiful, well-dressed woman. Desperate to find out what's going on, Bessie launches an investigation that takes Eddie and her into a world of artists, jazz musicians, and writers, in search of a strange place called the Dark Tower. With the help of their next-door neighbor Lillian Moore and a...

Rosie Revere is no stranger to flops and fails, kerfuffles and catastrophes. After all, engineering is all about perseverance! But this time, Rosie has a really important project to tackle—one that feels much bigger than herself.Rosie's beloved Aunt Rose and her friends, the Raucous Riveters—a group of fun-loving gals who built airplanes during World War II—need help inventing something new. And Rosie is just the engineer for the job!After one flop . . . then another . . . and another . . . Rosie starts to lose hope. But thanks to some help from her fellow Questioneers Iggy Peck and Ada Twist, Rosie gets the job done. And, along with the Riveters, she rediscovers the meaning of home.

Cécile loses her aunt's precious cameo necklace as she leaves a circus performance on a New Orleans showboat. Her search to find out who may have taken it leads her back to the wharf, to the French Market and Congo Square, to a high-society tea, and even into the cypress swamps outside the city. It also opens her eyes to the worsening challenges for people of color in the 1850s.

When film-loving twins Joules and Kevin Rockman left their summer camp, they thought their days of fighting evil bunnies from outer space were over. Surely there won't be giant rabbits bent on world domination at their school, right? Wrong. Luckily, these bunnies aren't FLUFFS (Fierce, Large, Ugly, and Ferocious Furballs)—sugar-addicted giant rabbits out to hypnotize and kill. Unluckily, they're worse: the FOOFS (Fierce, Obnoxious, Odoriferous Furballs)—seemingly normal-size rabbits (with extra-large noses) out to take over the world! Can Joules and Kevin save themselves, and their school, from the Schnoz of Doom? Seriously funny New York Times bestselling author Andrea Beaty raises the stakes in this sequel to her zany, pulpy sci-fi farce. And, not to use Famous Last Words, but with illustrations by the great Dan Santat (The Guild of Geniuses, Sidekicks), what could possibly go wrong?

A scoundrel whose fame as an artist, libertine, and notorious seducer of beautiful women is ongoing fodder for the ton, Mallory Claeg has a secret obsession-Brook Meylan, Lady A'Court, a beautiful widow who abandoned London two years earlier, deliberately severing all ties to her past. Under the pretense of his interest in the primitive landscape of the Cornish coast, Mallory watches her, fascinated and utterly mesmerized by her beauty...Brook tried to escape the gilded cage of the ton's merciless gossip, the memory of a cruel husband, and the pity of well meaning friends. But meddling relatives and unwanted suitors shatter her peace. At first, Mallory Claeg was another intrusion. Yet his sinfully handsome face and irresistible charm bring both temptation and torment. Now Brook must choose between opening her heart-or sealing it off forever...

Criminals and their crimes have fascinated us for many years and sometimes it is hard not to be impressed by the sheer brilliance of their intellectual capabilities. The title evil genius springs to mind when one thinks of the way they plan their complex crimes down to the very last detail. This book recounts the stories of more than fifty of the most ruthless, devious and notorious criminals of all time and describes the way they masterminded their crimes.Contents:Ancient Evil including Attila the Hun, Genghis Khan and Marquis de SadeFemale Fiends including Countess Bathory and Lucretia BorgiaOrganised Crime including The Mafia, Triads, The Krays, The Medellin Cartel, Lucky Luciano and Al CaponeSpies and Double Agents including Mata Hari, Klaus Fuchs and The Cambridge SpiesMurderers, Outlaws and Thieves including Bonnie and Clyde, Machine Gun Kelly and Pretty Boy FloydTerrorists including Abu Nidal, Baader Meinhof, Carlos the Jackal and Osama Bin...

Beauty is a sweet kitty who loves to sleep, snuggle, and play with her best friend, Princess Aurora. Kids will love getting to know one of the Disney princesses' new friends in this book, the first in a series of early chapter books featuring the Palace Pets!

Meet Mallika Jay, the girl who has to die in order to save our world.

Girls ages 2 to 5 will love this exciting full-color Little Golden Book retelling of the new Barbie® spring 2014 direct-to-DVD movie: BarbieTM The Pearl Princess.

Girls ages 2-5 will love this exciting full-color Little Golden Book retelling of the new Barbie spring 2013 direct-to-DVD movie.

Young girls will love to read about Barbie's newest direct-to-DVD movie: Barbie™ in A Mermaid Tale™, retold in the classic Little Golden Book format!From the Hardcover edition.

In Barbie's latest holiday direct-to-DVD movie, Barbie and her sisters learn the true meaning of Christmas. Girls will love this exciting new full-color storybook with punch-out ornaments based on Barbie(TM): A Perfect Christmas!

Finn wants to be a Viking warrior, and seek adventure and glory in far-off lands, not become chieftan of a farming village like his father. But then, when his father has been summoned away to another island, Finn is left in charge, and danger strikes. With the village under siege and only Finn and his friends to protect it, can he save the day and learn what it really means to have the blood of a Viking?

Silke Dyson is a sculptor who is dealing with impaired vision as a result of a physical assault. Kirin Foster is a pragmatic travel magazine writer with wonderful opportunities to see the world. Their lives collide at thirty-thousand feet during a tropical storm and they strike up a friendship under the Belize sun. Much to their delight, they discover they both live in Milwaukee and, back home, they develop an easy rapport amidst common interests and friends. Sometimes a random spark of kindness or caring can spark a small flame. With patience and opportunity, this small flame can grow into a balefire, a beacon of hope to guide a pair of souls to their true home.

As the march of boots echoes from overseas, all nations that border the Pacific and beyond are invited to build pavilions on Treasure Island at the Golden Gate International Exposition, an event dedicated to the pursuit of world peace and brotherhood. Meanwhile, Lily Nordby, smart, strong-willed, and feisty, lands a job at the Examiner and is given a once-in-a-lifetime assignment covering the Exposition. There she meets Tokido Okamura, the host of the Japanese Pavilion—and despite being highly suspicious of his true purpose on the island, she’s swept up in a whirlwind of powerful emotions that lead her into unknown territory. Brilliant and enigmatic Woodrow Packard, a Mayan art scholar at the Expo, prefers remaining aloof and alone. But his infatuation and deepening relationship with Lily thrusts him into the limelight. He asks himself, could someone as smart and beautiful as she return the love of a man who is a dwarf? In an attempt to prevent Lily from spiraling into danger, Woodrow intercedes to help her uncover her family’s past—but when fate intervenes, they are both pulled into a destiny they could never have imagined. Mixing fact and fiction with a dash of noir, Beautiful Illusion is a story of love and deception that explores what happens when human hearts collide as the world is plotting war.**About the Author Christie Nelson is a third generation San Franciscan, longtime Marin resident, and the author of Woodacre, Dreaming Mill Valley, and My Moveable Feast. She lives in the 1880s brewmeister’s home of the San Rafael Brewery with her husband. 

When Charlie's brother, Joe, is called up to fight in World War II, he promises to write letters to ten-year-old Charlie as often as he can. It won't make up for not being there to help Charlie out with the neighborhood bullies, but it's all Joe can do. Life is tough for a soldier, and Joe tells Charlie all about it, from long hikes in endless rain and mud to the stray dog his company adopts. But when Joe is sent on a secret mission with the one soldier he can't stand, he will have to face risks that place their mission — and their lives — in grave danger. Charlie knew his brother was strong, but he will discover that Joe is more of a hero than he lets on. Will Joe's letters give Charlie the strength to stand up for himself and be brave, too?

Beloved author Barbara Pierce sweeps readers back to the family and the saga that captivated our hearts---the Bedagraynes of London---in this unforgettable tale of a love that would not die. . .Brock Bedagrayne, the eldest son of the Bedagrayne siblings has secretly longed for Amara Claeg, the daughter of a baron, for what seems like an eternity. When he learns that Amara's parents have arranged for her to wed the wealthy, ruthless Lord Cornley, he is outraged but knows he cannot prevent the nuptials. One night changes Brock's life forever when he and Cornley engage in a druken brawl at a gaming hall, and Cornley is fatally wounded, forcing Brock to flee England.Several years have passed, and Amara is still haunted by memories of a night that shattered her world. Now her father has presented her with the man who is to be her new betrothed, and though she harbors no love for him, she must accept or she will be disowned. Then Brock returns, determined to claim her and she is drawn to a deep desire she cannot ignore---to a man who has vowed to win her heart no matter the cost. Yet surrendering to her forbidden dream is more perilous than she could have imagined for the past has returned with a vengeance, and it will take all the power of a man in love to save her. . .

The School of Secrets series of chapter books continues the story of Mal and her friends, plus new Villain kids and Auradon kids. Enjoy these all-new tales of mystery, magic and adventure from the world of the hit movie Descendants 2!

"It was an urge ... an evil urge, and the longer I let it go, the stronger it got", said Ed Kemper, the serial killer and cannibal.Fiendish, demonic, hellish – each one of these adjectives applies to the diabolical acts that the people in this book have committed. Gruesome killers such as Burke and Hare, who murdered people so that they could sell cadavers. Jack the Ripper, the world's most notorious serial killer of Victorian London, and Albert Fish, a man so fiendish that his story makes Hannibal Lecter's exploits seem tame by comparison. Cannibals such as Ed Gein the bizarre necrophiliac, and Andrei Chikatilo, the Rostov Ripper, who is said to have killed as many as fifty-three young girls and boys, eating his victims in the process. This book contains the shocking truth about the world's most horrifying killers – it is not for the squeamish.Contents: Cannibals, Serial Killers, Wicked Teams, Fiendish Women, Fiendish Doctors, Vampires, Child fiends, School...

What would you do for fame, money, success or a Gucci handbag? Would you lie, steal, cheat, blackmail, double-cross your best friend, sleep with a stranger, sleep with multiple strangers? Like it or not some people certainly would, many of whom live and work in the public eye receive adoration from devoted fans who would do anything for them in spite of their questionable, sometimes criminal actions.Infamous Scandals investigates the real-life stories that have rocked our perception of moral behaviour. Bill Clinton, Anna Nicole Smith, Gary Glitter and Mike Tyson are just some of the scoundrels included in this book for any fan of the celebrity 'kiss and tell'.

In this story that takes place after the events in Barrett's Damaged Series, Special Agent Zeke Cabot surprises Anne Reynolds with a much needed romantic Christmas trip to Chicago to celebrate Zeke's progress in recovering from PTSD and to re-affirm their growing relationship.

When a brilliant robotics prodigy named Hiro Hamada uncovers a plot by a high-tech villain in the city of San Fransokyo, he assembles a team of first-time crime-fighters to face the threat. Big Hero 6: The Junior Novelization retells the whole action-packed story and features eight-pages of full-color photos!

With a brand new cover and an all-new look inside, the second edition of this popular title features fairy tales and nursery rhymes starring popular Disney characters.

Blondie is a brave and loyal pony who loves being Princess Rapunzel's royal companion. Kids will love getting to know one of the Disney princesses' new friends in this book, the second in a series of early chapter books introducing the Palace Pets!