Monday 25 February 2019

WHICH BOOK WOULD YOU LIKE TO TAKE HOME???

20% OFF ALL LISTED TITLES FOR A LIMITED TIME

We Own The Sky – Luke Allnutt Was £7.99 now £6.39
“We looked down at the cliff jutting into the sea, a rubber boat full of kids going under the arch, and then you started running and jumping through the grass, dodging the rabbit holes, shouting at the top of your voice, so I started chasing you, trying to catch you, and we were laughing so hard as we ran and ran, kicking up rainbow showers in the leaves.” 
Rob Coates feels like he’s won the lottery of life. There is Anna, his incredible wife, their London town house and, most precious of all, Jack, their son, who makes every day an extraordinary adventure. But when a devastating illness befalls his family, Rob’s world begins to unravel. Suddenly finding himself alone, Rob seeks solace in photographing the skyscrapers and clifftops he and his son Jack used to visit. And just when it seems that all hope is lost, Rob embarks on the most unforgettable of journeys to find his way back to life, and forgiveness. 
We Own the Sky is a tender, heartrending, but ultimately life-affirming novel that will resonate deeply with anyone who has suffered loss or experienced great love. With stunning eloquence and acumen, Luke Allnutt has penned a soaring debut and a true testament to the power of love, showing how even the most thoroughly broken heart can learn to beat again.

Entanglement – Katy Mahood   Was £8.99now £7.19
On a hot October day in a London park, Stella sits in her red wedding dress opposite John. Pregnant and lost in thoughts of the future, she has no idea that lying in the grass, a stone's throw away, is a man called Charlie. From this moment, Stella and Charlie's lives are bound together in ways they could never imagine. But all they have is a shared glance and a feeling: have we met before? Entanglement is a bewitching novel of love and sacrifice which explores how our choices can reverberate across the generations, and the sparks of hope they can ignite.

The Woman In The Window – A.J.Finn  Was £8.99 now £7.19
What did she see? It's been ten months since Anna Fox last left her home. Ten months during which she has haunted the rooms of her old New York house, lost in her memories, too terrified to step outside. Anna's lifeline to the real world is her window, where she sits, watching her neighbours. When the Russells move in, Anna is instantly drawn to them. A picture-perfect family, they are an echo of the life that was once hers. But one evening, a scream rips across the silence, and Anna witnesses something horrifying. Now she must uncover the truth about what really happened. But if she does, will anyone believe her? And can she even trust herself?

The Life Of Stuff – Susannah Walker  Was £9.99 now £7.99
What do our possessions say about us? Why do we project such meaning onto them? Only after her mother's death does Susannah Walker discover how much of a hoarder she had become. Over the following months, she has to sort through a dilapidated house filled to the brim with rubbish and treasures, in search of a woman she'd never really known or understood in life. This is her last chance to piece together her mother's story and make sense of their troubled relationship. What emerges from the mess of scattered papers, discarded photographs and an extraordinary amount of stuff is the history of a sad and fractured family, haunted by dead children, divorce and alcohol. The Life of Stuff is a deeply personal exploration of mourning and the shoring up of possessions against the losses and griefs of life, which also raises universal questions about what makes us the people we are.

Boy Erased – Garrard Conley Was £8.99now £7.19
The son of a Baptist pastor and deeply embedded in church life in small town Arkansas, as a young man Garrard Conley was terrified and conflicted about his sexuality. When Garrard was a nineteen-year-old college student, he was outed to his parents, and was forced to make a life-changing decision: either agree to attend a church-supported conversion therapy program that promised to "cure" him of homosexuality; or risk losing family, friends, and the God he had prayed to every day of his life. Through an institutionalised Twelve-Step Program heavy on Bible study, he was supposed to emerge heterosexual, ex-gay, cleansed of impure urges and stronger in his faith in God for his brush with sin. Instead, even when faced with a harrowing and brutal journey, Garrard found the strength and understanding to break out in search of his true self and forgiveness. By confronting his buried past and the burden of a life lived in shadow, Garrard traces the complex relationships among family, faith, and community. At times heartbreaking, at times triumphant, this memoir is a testament to love that survives despite all odds.

The Debatable Land – Graham Robb  Was £9.99 now £7.99
The Debatable Land was an independent territory which used to exist between Scotland and England. It is the oldest detectable territorial division in Great Britain. At the height of its notoriety, it was the bloodiest region in the country, and preoccupied the monarchs and parliaments of England, Scotland, and France. After most of its population was slaughtered or deported, it became the last part of Great Britain to be conquered and brought under the control of a state. Today, it has vanished from the map and no one knows exactly where and what it was. When Graham Robb moved to a lonely house on the very edge of England, he discovered that the river which almost surrounded his new home had once marked the Debatable Land's southern boundary. Under the powerful spell of curiosity, Robb began a journey - on foot, by bicycle and into the past - that would uncover lost towns and roads, shed new light on the Dark Age, reveal the truth about this maligned patch of land, and lead to more than one discovery of major historical significance. For the first time - and with all of his customary charm, wit and literary grace - Graham Robb, prize-winning author of The Discovery of France, has written about his native country. The Debatable Land is an epic and energetic book that takes us from 2016 back to an age when neither England nor Scotland could be imagined to reveal a crucial, missing piece in the puzzle of British history.

The Colour Of Bee Larkham’s Murder – Sarah J. Harris  Was £7.99now £6.39
There are three things you need to know about Jasper. 1. He sees the world completely differently. 2. He can't recognise faces - not even his own. 3. He is the only witness to the murder of his neighbour, Bee Larkham. But uncovering the truth about that night will change his world forever... An extraordinary and compelling debut which will make you see the world in a way you've never seen it before


Dear Mrs Bird – AJ Pearce  Was £7.99 now £6.39
London, 1941. Amid the falling bombs Emmeline Lake dreams of becoming a fearless Lady War Correspondent. Unfortunately, Emmy instead finds herself employed as a typist for the formidable Henrietta Bird, the renowned agony aunt at Woman's Friend magazine. Mrs Bird refuses to read, let alone answer, letters containing any form of Unpleasantness, and definitely not those from the lovelorn, grief-stricken or morally conflicted. But the thought of these desperate women waiting for an answer at this most desperate of times becomes impossible for Emmy to ignore. She decides she simply must help and secretly starts to write back - after all, what harm could that possibly do?


The Melody – Jim Crace  Was £8.99 now £7.19
Alfred Busi, famed in his town for his music and songs, is mourning the recent death of his wife and quietly living out his days in the large villa he has always called home. Then one night Busi is attacked by a creature he disturbs as it raids the contents of his larder. Busi is convinced that what assaulted him was no animal, but a child, `innocent and wild', and his words fan the flames of old rumour - of an ancient race of people living in the bosk surrounding the town - and new controversy: the town's paupers, the feral wastrels at its edges, must be dealt with. Once and for all. Lyrical and warm, intimate and epic, The Melody by Jim Crace tracks the few days that will see Busi and the town he loves altered irrevocably. This is a story about grief and ageing, about reputation and the loss of it, about love and music and the peculiar way myth seeps into real life. And it is a political novel too - a rallying cry to protect those we persecute


Where’s Mr Duck?  Was £6.99 now £5.59
A fabulous new title in this brilliant board book series for pre-schoolers. With easy-to-grasp, shaped felt flaps, a repetitive refrain and beautiful artwork from Swedish homewares designer, Ingela Arrhenius.



All Are Welcome – Penfold and Kaufman Was £6.99 now £5.59
No matter how you start your day, What you wear when you play, Or if you come from far away, All are welcome here. Follow a group of children through a day in their school, where everyone is welcome. A school where children in patkas, hijabs, baseball caps and yarmulkes play side by side. A school where students grow and learn from each other's traditions. A school where diversity is a strength. Warm and inspiring, All Are Welcome lets young children know that no matter what, they have a place, they have a space, and they are welcome in their school. Engaging lyrical text and bright, accessible illustrations make this book a must for every child's bookshelf, classroom and library.

The Cook And The King – Julia Donaldson  Was £6.99 now £5.59
A deliciously funny cooking adventure from the stellar picture-book partnership of Julia Donaldson and David Roberts. There once was a very hungry king Who needed a cook like anything . . . . . . but the king is very fussy; he tries all the cooks in the kingdom, but no one is good enough. Then he spots Wobbly Bob. Maybe Bob can whip up his favourite dinner? But how will Bob be able to cook for the king when he's scared of . . . well, everything?! Discover how the hungry king helps Wobbly Bob face his fears on a cooking adventure across the land and sea. The Cook and the King is a brilliantly funny story from the award-winning picture book duo Julia Donaldson and David Roberts, creators of Tyrannosaurus Drip. With fun rhyming verse and richly detailed illustrations, this is sure to become a firm favourite with children and adults alike.

Stephen Hawking – Isobel Vegara  Was £9.99 now £7.99
New in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series, discover the life of Stephen Hawking, the genius physicist and author. When Stephen Hawking was a little boy, he used to stare up at the stars and wonder about the universe. Although he was never top of the class, his curiosity took him to the best universities in England: Oxford and Cambridge. It also led him to make one of the biggest scientific discoveries of the 20th century: Hawking radiation. This moving book features stylish and quirky illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the brilliant physicist's life. 


The Day I Was Erased – Lisa Thompson  Was £6.99 now £5.59
The brand new read-in-one-sitting mystery from the author of unforgettable bestseller The Goldfish Boy. Maxwell is always in trouble. He's a total menace to his teachers and big sister, but has a soft side, too: he rescued his dog, Monster, from being run over and checks on his elderly neighbour after school. One day, while looking through a mysterious cabinet of curiosities, Maxwell finds himself erased from his life: it's as if he's never been born. At first, being able to walk around without being yelled at is great, but Maxwell starts to miss his old life. And, if he'd never existed, then he wouldn't have swooped Monsterout of the path of that car... A story of family, friendship and finding your place in the world.


The Boy Who Flew With Dragons – Andy Sheperd   Was £5.99 now £4.79
Tomas can't imagine life without his little dragon Flicker. He's become more than a pet - he's a friend like no other. And growing dragons on the dragonfruit tree in the garden with his friends Ted, Kat and Kai is the most amazing thing ever. But Tomas has promised Grandad something - that he and his friends will let their dragons go back to where they belong. The only problem is - that isn't such an easy thing to do. Not when they are still having so much fun with dragons Flicker, Sunny, Crystal and Dodger. Not when they still have to work out where the dragons' home is, and how to get the dragons to leave. And not when Tomas is so close to uncovering the true story of the mysterious dragonfruit tree ...

The Diary Of A Wimpy Kid; The Getaway – Jeff Kinney  Was £6.99 now £5.59
With the cold weather setting in and the stress of the Christmas holiday approaching, the Heffleys decide to escape to a tropical island resort for some much-needed rest and relaxation. A few days in paradise should do wonders for Greg and his frazzled family. But they soon discover that paradise isn't everything it's cracked up to be. Sun-poisoning, stomach troubles and venomous creatures all threaten to ruin the family's vacation. Can their trip be saved, or will this island getaway end in disaster?



When We Were Warriors – Emma Carroll  Was £6.99 now £5.59
A body washed up on the beach... Evacuation to an old house with forbidden rooms and dark secrets... An animal rescue service... 
Set in World War Two, Emma Carroll explores the resilience, resourcefulness and inventiveness of children when their lives fall to pieces. Introducing some compelling new characters, as well as revisiting some familiar settings, these adventures are sure to win over new readers, as well as fans of old favourites such as Letters from the Lighthouse and Frost Hollow Hall.



Bad Dad – David Walliams  Was £6.99 now £5.59
Dads come in all sorts of shapes and sizes. There are fat ones and thin ones, tall ones and short ones. There are young ones and old ones, clever ones and stupid ones. There are silly ones and serious ones, loud ones and quiet ones. Of course, there are good dads, and bad dads . . . A high-speed cops and robbers adventure with heart and soul about a father and son taking on the villainous Mr Big - and winning!
 This riches-to-rags story will have you on the edge of your seat and howling with laughter! Bad Dad is a fast and furious, heart-warming story of a father and son on an adventure - and a thrilling mission to break an innocent man into prison!
The Whispers – Greg Howard  Was £6.99 now £5.59
A coming-of-age tale that will make you laugh and cry, perfect for fans of Time Travelling With a Hamster and The Goldfish Boy. Before she disappeared, Riley's mama used to tell him stories about the Whispers, mysterious creatures with the power to grant wishes. Riley wishes for lots of things. He wishes his secret crush Dylan liked him back. He wishes the bumbling detective would stop asking awkward questions. But most of all he wishes his mother would come home . . . Four months later, the police are no closer to finding out the truth - and Riley decides to take matters into his own hands. But do the Whispers really exist? And what is Riley willing to do to find out?

Our Castle By The Sea – Lucy Strange  Was £6.99 now £5.59
England is at war. Growing up in a lighthouse, Pet's world has been one of storms, secret tunnels and stories about sea monsters. But now the clifftops are a terrifying battleground, and her family is torn apart. This is the story of a girl who is small, afraid and unnoticed. A girl who freezes with fear at the enemy planes ripping through the skies overhead. A girl who is somehow destined to become part of the strange, ancient legend of the Daughters of Stone ...



The Twisted Tree – Rachel Burge  Was £7.99 now £6.39
Martha can tell things about a person just by touching their clothes, as if their emotions and memories have been absorbed into the material. It started the day she fell from the tree at her grandma's cabin and became blind in one eye. Determined to understand her strange ability, Martha sets off to visit her grandmother, Mormor - only to discover Mormor is dead, a peculiar boy is in her cabin and a terrifying creature is on the loose. Then the spinning wheel starts creaking, books move around and terror creeps in . . . Set in the remote snows of contemporary Norway, The Twisted Tree is a ghost story that twists and turns - and never takes you quite where you'd expect.


The Dog Who Saved The World – Ross Welford  Was £6.99 now £5.59
When eleven-year-old Georgie befriends an eccentric retired scientist, she becomes the test subject for a thrilling new experiment: a virtual-reality 3D version of the future. But then a deadly disease threatens the life of every dog in the country and Georgie's beloved dog, Mr Mash, gets sick. And that's only the start of her troubles. Soon, Georgie and Mr Mash must embark on a desperate quest: to save every dog on earth, and maybe even all of humanity... without actually leaving the room. An extraordinary quest with the biggest stakes of all, and a huge idea at its heart, this is time travel - but not as you know it.


Nowhere On Earth – Nick Lake £7.99 now £6.39
It starts with a plane crash. There are survivors: a teenage girl and her little brother. They are running from something. But what? Then the men arrive. They are hunting the girl and boy. And- And that's all we can tell you ... A thrilling story of survival, hope and a love beyond all understanding, from the award-winning author of Satellite.


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Saturday 19 January 2019

January 2019's Book Reviews




Call For The Dead - John le Carre


George Smiley, overweight and of a quiet disposition, an intelligence officer who has seen too much and done too much, is one of Le Carre’s most famous characters and is featured in many of his novels, including Smiley’s People and The Spy Who Came In From The Cold (the book that secured Le Carre’s worldwide reputation). In Call For The Dead, Smiley is a weary agent and ready for retirement, yet he cannot refuse one last desperate call for his services. He returns one more time to solve a baffling case involving a murdered colleague, a twisted former hero of Germany and a once-beautiful, tortured woman with a terrifying secret.

A cross between Fleming’s Bond and Christie’s Poirot, Smiley is a lovable character with a complicated past. His wife left him for a suntanned Cuban lover, his apprentice is now working for the enemy and his only joy is his profession, which provides him with colleagues as equally obscure in character and origin as he is. Previously an Oxford student of 17th Century German literature, his tutor knew George  was not destined to a future in academia, and encourages him to join the Secret Service. Now a few decades later, Smiley, sick of office work and much younger agents taking over all the work, is on the brink of retirement, when a colleague is found dead in his house. A type-written note and pistol accompanies his former colleague and the department call it in as a suicide, but Smiley trusts his gut instinct and interviews the widow. He leaves the house, unsettled, and so begins a cat-and-mouse chase, leaving him in hospital, his associates in danger and a former agent of his trying to silence him.


John Le Carre himself studied at Oxford, taught at Eton and then later joined the British Foreign Service. His real name is, in fact, David Cornwell and he is often described as the best spy novelist of the last century.






Goddess - Kelly Gardiner


Based on the true story of a woman known as La Maupin, this is an fascinating account of a sword-fighting, opera-singing girl from the courts of 17th Century Versailles. The whole story is written from the perspective of Julie confessing to all her escapades and adventures to a young priest who’s been tasked with writing down her last confession as she lies in her convent deathbed.

Julie-Emilie d’Aubigny, known as Mademoiselle de Maupin, is taught to fence at the court of the Sun king. At 13 she is taken mistress by the King’s Master Of Horse. Tempestuous and swashbuckling, after two years she has run away from court carving out a name for herself with her fencing skills across France. After taking a nun for a lover, facing exile and duelling with some of France’s most powerful men (not to mention winning of course), she returns to the convent to where she followed her lover all those years ago. Only in her thirties, she is fever-ridden and dying but has had such a marvellous life, packed with fights, opera and balls.

Although a work of fiction, Goddess is an interpretation of the life of the very real Julie. Her adventures were documented by diarists, chroniclers and eighteenth-century theatre historians. Gardiner has compiled all the account with evidence and compiled them into a fantastic book of romance and feminism in a time where France was ruled by men.





The Silent Companions - Laura Purcell


A book I didn’t want to pick up. Yes you read that correctly. I was so tense with anticipation and fear I was so scared to turn another page. The Silent Companions is a sinister tale of newly married, newly widowed Elsie, who is sent to see out her pregnancy at her late husband’s eerie manor, The Bridge. The maids ignore her, the villagers resent her, and so she finds herself with only her husband’s shy cousin for company… or so she thinks. Inside The Bridge, hidden in the rat-infested attic are the Silent Companions, wooden figures with eyes painted so well that they literally follow Elsie around the room. When the cousin discovers a diary in the attic, written by a past lady of the manor, Elsie starts to suspect the contents of the attic aren’t just decorations and slowly realises how close a resemblance the figures have to the past occupants of the cursed manor from the diary. A year later she awakes in a psychiatry hospital, covered in severe burns. Charged for murder and delirious on morphine, she must recount her tales to a young doctor, the only one willing to prove her innocence.

As the book neared the end, the mystery and terror seemed to calm down and I finally let out the breath I didn’t know I was holding. Dear me was I wrong, with only a few pages to go I got  the breath knocked out of my body with one final twist, making sure that I wouldn’t sleep that night.

Through a combination of first and third person, this book builds tension in such a way I was too scared to turn the next page. The book switches between present tense in the 19th Century, to the diary of a woman. Every draught, every movement round a corner, every creek of wood in that old manor, I felt from the safety of my cosy bed. Any lovers of Weeping Angels or The Woman in Black are sure to love this fantastic piece by Purcell. She is a former bookseller from Colchester, and her first novel The Silent Companions was published to widespread critical acclaim and was a BBC Radio 2 Book Club choice. I am certainly looking for her next book The Corset, another Victorian-gothic novel, which came out recently.

(Warning: Don’t read just before bed time!)









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Tuesday 13 November 2018




This year there are soooooo many wonderful books available to choose as Christmas gifts. 

Here's a selection... all titles listed are available with 20% off!



RRP £12.99 OUR PRICE £10.40

Get lost in your creativity with 365 Days of Drawing, a thoughtful and inspiring art journal designed to help you carve out moments of self-expression. Lorna shows you that drawing does not have to be scary - it can be done with any materials, in any colour, in any style and can be done anywhere. Each activity has been given a loose category: imagination, tutorial, relaxation, colour theory and observational, so that you can practice a broad range of drawing skills. Each 'theme' is designed to expand your creative skills and spark the artist within. With helpful prompts and pages that encourage you to try new materials to draw with, 365 Days of Drawing is guaranteed to stir your imagination and put a little creativity into every single day.



RRP £12.99 OUR PRICE £10.40
For 13 years the BBC's Springwatch and its sister programmes, Autumnwatch and Winterwatch, have been bringing the best of Britain’s wildlife into our homes. Now Springwatch: The 2019 Almanac offers the perfect guide for anyone looking to get out and explore the wonders of nature just outside their back door. 

Taking you month by month through the coming year, the almanac combines compelling stories with practical guidance that will inspire anyone to start exploring. It has all the information you need to discover the natural wonders around you, from how to identify animal tracks and bird nests to the best time to witness starling murmurations and mayflies hatching. Complete with monthly daylight and rainfall charts and beautifully illustrated with black and white line drawings, The Springwatch Almanacis the ideal companion for every nature lover.


RRP £20.00 OUR PRICE £15.99

In 45 beautiful, unique maps and with evocative photography, Atlas of the Unexpected is a journey to far-off lands, obscure discoveries and unimaginable locations.   

From the fortuitous discovery of the Dead Sea scrolls by a stray goat, to the wonderfully bizarre beginnings that led to the aptly named Just Enough Room Island and even the royal romance that led shipwrecked lovers to discover Madeira, Travis Elborough takes you on a voyage to some of the world’s most wondrous, improbable and – most of all – unexpected of places.


RRP £9.99 OUR PRICE £7.99
An ornithological quiz book packed with challenging questions for birders, based on the popular ‘Bird Brain of Britain’ contest at the annual BirdFair.
The British Birdwatching Fair, held every August at Rutland Water Nature Reserve, attracts over 30,000 visitors every year. One of the most popular attractions in the events marquee is the ‘Bird Brain of Britain’ contest. Each of the four contestants must answer a set of questions on their nominated specialist subject, and a second set on general (ornithological) knowledge. The participants have included popular presenters and experts throughout the years, including Stephen Moss, Chris Harbard, Mark Andrews, Nigel Redman, Mike Dilger and David Lindo, among many others.
The book will feature the questions asked in the contest over its 30-year lifespan. Many seemingly simple questions turn out to have complex answers, and some that seem difficult have a very simple explanation. The questions are difficult and varied enough to test any birder’s knowledge, and will provide many hours of challenging entertainment. Be they trivial, idiosyncratic, baffling or strange, the varied bird trivia included makes this compilation as entertaining and enlightening as it is educational.




RRP £25.00 OUR PRICE £20.00

A richly illustrated and wonderfully eclectic collection of THE WORLD'S GREATEST SPEECHES - THE OLD, THE NEW AND THE UNSPOKEN - from the author of the international bestseller, Letters of Note.

Discover speeches that altered the course of history, like NELSON MANDELA’s on the day he became South Africa’s first black President, and outpourings of much-needed change, such as the impassioned, impromptu appeal for women’s rights from SOJOURNER TRUTH, an African-American woman born into slavery. Expect the gloriously unexpected, as KERMIT THE FROG takes to the podium, and celebrate lives well-lived, including TILDA SWINTON’s tribute to ‘every alien’s favourite cousin’, DAVID BOWIE.

While some speeches are heard by millions, some remain unspoken: the secret draft prepared for QUEEN ELIZABETH II during a military exercise for World War III, and PRESIDENT NIXON’s chilling public announcement should NEIL ARMSTRONG and BUZZ ALDRIN become stranded on the Moon.

Surprising, inspiring and shocking; moving, comforting and enlightening. 


RRP £8.99 OUR PRICE £7.20

'The oak is the wooden tie between heaven and earth. It is the lynch pin of the British landscape.' 

The oak is our most beloved and most common tree. It has roots that stretch back to all the old European cultures but Britain has more ancient oaks than all the other European countries put together. More than half the ancient oaks in the world are in Britain. 

Many of our ancestors - the Angles, the Saxons, the Norse - came to the British Isles in longships made of oak. For centuries the oak touched every part of a Briton's life - from cradle to coffin It was oak that made the 'wooden walls' of Nelson's navy, and the navy that allowed Britain to rule the world. Even in the digital Apple age, the real oak has resonance - the word speaks of fortitude, antiquity, pastoralism.

The Glorious Life of the Oak explores our long relationship with this iconic tree; it considers the life-cycle of the oak, the flora and fauna that depend on the oak, the oak as medicine, food and drink, where Britain's mightiest oaks can be found, and it tells of oak stories from folklore, myth and legend.



RRP £10.99 OUR PRICE £8.79

In Poems to Live Your Life By, Chris Riddell, political cartoonist for the Observer, has selected his very favourite classic and modern poems about life, death and everything in between. 
This gorgeously illustrated collection includes forty-six poems and is divided into sections covering: musings, youth, family, love, imaginings, nature, war and endings. Chris Riddell brings them to life with his exquisite, intricate artwork in this beautiful anthology. 
This perfect gift features famous poems, old and new, and a few surprises. Classic verses from William Shakespeare, Lewis Carroll, W. B. Yeats and Christina Rossetti sit alongside poems from Nick Cave, Leonard Cohen, Carol Ann Duffy, Neil Gaiman and Roger McGough to create the ultimate collection.



RRP £18.99 OUR PRICE £15.20

'Charming, compelling and packed with information. I learned more about biology from this short book than I did from years of science lessons. A weird and wonderful readPETER FRANKOPAN 
We like to think of ourselves as exceptional beings, but is there really anything special about us that sets us apart from other animals? Humans are the slightest of twigs on a single family tree that encompasses four billion years, a lot of twists and turns, and a billion species. All of those organisms are rooted in a single origin, with a common code that underwrites our existence. This paradox - that our biology is indistinct from all life, yet we consider ourselves to be special - lies at the heart of who we are.
In this original and entertaining tour of life on Earth, Adam Rutherford explores how many of the things once considered to be exclusively human are not: we are not the only species that communicates, makes tools, utilises fire, or has sex for reasons other than to make new versions of ourselves. Evolution has, however, allowed us to develop our culture to a level of complexity that outstrips any other observed in nature.
THE BOOK OF HUMANS tells the story of how we became the creatures we are today, bestowed with the unique ability to investigate what makes us who we are. Illuminated by the latest scientific discoveries, it is a thrilling compendium of what unequivocally fixes us as animals, and reveals how we are extraordinary among them.



RRP £14.99 OUR PRICE £11.99

Bestselling author Marcus Chown explores some of the most profound and important science about us, our world and beyond by examining some astonishing facts that reveal the vast complexities of the universe.
There is much about our world that seems to make perfect sense, and important scientific breakthroughs have helped us understand ourselves, our planet and our place in the universe in fascinating detail. But our adventures in space, our deepening understanding of the quantum world and huge leaps in technology over the last century have also revealed a universe far stranger than we could ever have imagined.
With brilliant clarity and wit, bestselling author Marcus Chown examines the profound science behind fifty remarkable scientific facts that help explain the vast complexities of our existence. Did you know that you could fit the whole human race in the volume of a sugar cube? Or that the electrical energy in a single mosquito is enough to cause a global mass extinction? Or that, out there in the cosmos, there are an infinite number of copies of you reading an infinite number of copies of this?
Infinity in the Palm of Your Hand is a mind-bending journey through some of the most weird and wonderful facts about our universe, vividly illuminating the hidden truths that govern our everyday lives.



RRP £20.00 OUR PRICE £16.00

***The puzzle book of 2018***

Have YOU got what it takes to be an astronaut?

This book will help readers of all ages find out. Featuring 100 real astronaut tests and exercises from the European Space Agency’s rigorous selection process, ranging from easy to fiendishly hard, The Astronaut Selection Test Book goes where no puzzle book has gone before.

Including puzzles and tests on:

· visual perception and logic
· mental arithmetic and concentration
· psychological readiness
· teamwork and leadership
· survival, physical and medical skills
· foreign languages (every astronaut has to know Russian!)

and much more, this richly illustrated book draws on Tim Peake's first-hand experience of applying to be an astronaut in 2008, when he and five others were chosen – out of over 8,000 applications!

We’ve all dreamed of being an astronaut, though of the estimated 100 billion people who have ever lived, only 557 people have travelled to space. But with this unprecedented look into real astronaut selection, you might just find out your dreams can become reality…




RRP £25.00 OUR PRICE £20.00

David Attenborough’s unforgettable meeting with gorillas became an iconic moment for millions of television viewers. Life on Earth, the series and accompanying book, fundamentally changed the way we view and interact with the natural world setting a new benchmark of quality, influencing a generation of nature lovers.
Told through an examination of animal and plant life, this is an astonishing celebration of the evolution of life on earth, with a cast of characters drawn from the whole range of organisms that have ever lived on this planet. Attenborough’s perceptive, dynamic approach to the evolution of millions of species of living organisms takes the reader on an unforgettable journey of discovery from the very first spark of life to the blue and green wonder we know today.
Now, to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the book’s first publication, David Attenborough has revisited Life on Earth, completely updating and adding to the original text, taking account of modern scientific discoveries from around the globe. He has chosen beautiful, completely new photography, helping to illustrate the book in a much greater way than was possible forty years ago.
This special anniversary edition provides a fitting tribute to an enduring wildlife classic, destined to enthral the generation who saw it when first published and bring it alive for a whole new generation.



RRP £25.00 OUR PRICE £20.00

Following the success of the original Zoo Quest expeditions, in the late 1950s onwards the young David Attenborough embarked on further travels in a very different part of the world.
From Madagascar and New Guinea to the Pacific Islands and the Northern Territory of Australia, he and his cameraman companion were aiming to record not just the wildlife, but the way of life of some of the indigenous people of these regions, whose traditions had never been encountered by most of the British public before.
From the land divers of Pentecost Island and the sing-sings of New Guinea, to a Royal Kava ceremony on Tonga and the ancient art of the Northern Territory, it is a journey like no other. Alongside these remarkable cultures he encounters paradise birds, chameleons, sifakas and many more animals in some of the most unique environments on the planet.
Written with David Attenborough's characteristic charm, humour and warmth, Journeys to the Other Side of the World is an inimitable adventure among people, places and the wildest of wildlife.



RRP £16.99 OUR PRICE £13.59

Jenni Murray gives the lie to Thomas Carlyle’s infamous declaration that ‘the history of the world is but the biography of great men.’ Women have played just as great a role in the story of humankind, only for their own tales to be marginalised, censored and forgotten. Their names should be shouted from the rooftops.
Marie Curie discovered radium and revolutionised medical science. Empress Cixi transformed China. Frida Kahlo turned an unflinching eye on life and death. In A History of the World in 21 Women, Jenni Murray celebrates the lives, struggles and achievements of some of the most extraordinary people to have ever walked the Earth. They ruled empires, they led nations. They were pioneers in the arts and geniuses of science. They led while others followed, spoke truth to power and fought for change. All left behind an indelible mark.



RRP £18.99 OUR PRICE £15.19

**THE NUMBER ONE BESTSELLER**

Sapiens showed us where we came from. Homo Deus looked to the future. 21 Lessons for the 21st Century explores the present. 

How can we protect ourselves from nuclear war, ecological cataclysms and technological disruptions? What can we do about the epidemic of fake news or the threat of terrorism? What should we teach our children? 

Yuval Noah Harari takes us on a thrilling journey through today’s most urgent issues. The golden thread running through his exhilarating new book is the challenge of maintaining our collective and individual focus in the face of constant and disorienting change. Are we still capable of understanding the world we have created?



RRP £25.00 OUR PRICE £20.00

Family isn't just important. It's everything. 

From lions hunting as a pride to penguins huddling together to keep from freezing in the bitter Antarctic winter, many animals are dependent on complex social relationships for their survival. Powerful dynasties lay claim to vast swathes of territory, fighting off rivals and securing their hunting grounds for generations to come. 

Dynasties offers an immersive insight into the shifting hierarchies of animal families. Each chapter follows a different dynasty, from the Marsh Lions of the Masai Mara to rival packs of painted wolves, from a tiger protecting her newborn cubs to a chimpanzee troop and the penguin colonies of the Antarctic. Alongside tender moments when bonds are strengthened through grooming and play, the book charts the rivalries that tip the balance of power, when family members turn against each other and younger animals grow strong enough to challenge for control. 

With over 200 stunning photographs and insights from the crew of the BBC series, Dynasties reveals in astonishing detail the intricate social lives of our planet’s most fascinating animals.




RRP £9.99 OUR PRICE £7.99

After centuries of mystery, the mythical Magical Unicorn Society has published its official handbook.
These learned lovers of unicorns have created a treasure chest of unicorn lore - the facts, the fiction, the where, why and what of these elusive beasts. This is the ultimategift for anyone who truly believes. 
Discover the myth of the Gold and Silver Unicorns, and the legendary stories of the seven unicorn families. Find out about their unique powers, where they live around the world, what unicorns eat and how to have the best chance of spotting one. Learn about the history of the Magical Unicorn Society - from its foundation to the present day - and how to become a member. 


RRP £14.99 OUR PRICE £11.99

Jim Kay's dazzling depiction of J.K. Rowling's wizarding world has won legions of fans since the Illustrated Edition of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was published in hardback in 2015, becoming a bestseller around the world. This irresistible smaller-format paperback edition of J.K. Rowling's novel brings the magic of Jim Kay's illustration to new readers, with full-colour pictures, French flaps and a handsome poster pull-out at the back of the book. This edition has been beautifully redesigned with selected illustration highlights - the fully illustrated edition is still available in hardback.
When a letter arrives for Harry Potter on his eleventh birthday, a decade-old secret is revealed to him that apparently he's the last to know. An incredible adventure is about to begin!




RRP £14.99 OUR PRICE £11.99

Award-winning children's writer and former Children's Laureate Sir Michael Morpurgo has collected classic tales of heroism and adventure and put them all in one place. Here! From brave heroes and battling beasts to mighty gods and magic spells, these are timeless tales to treasure forever. Eye-catching colour illustrations bring the magic of these myths and legends to life. There are lots of stories to choose from, including MulanIcarus, and Hercules the Hero, plus a retelling of Gawain and the Green Knightwritten by Sir Michael himself, so whether you're looking for a quick read or a longer story to lose yourself in, something to read alone or a tale to share, there's an enchanting story within for everyone to find. 
A sumptuous gift edition for young readers to treasure, and a perfect companion to Greatest Animal Stories and Greatest Magical Stories.



RRP 18.99 OUR PRICE £15.20

Celebrate and explore the incredible story of the LEGO Group and its much-loved bricks, sets, minifigures, movies, games and more. 
Take a dazzling visual tour through all the groundbreaking moments in LEGO® history, from the company's humble beginnings in a carpenter's workshop to the invention of the iconic LEGO brick and LEGO minifigure, through to the stunning toys, video games and movies of today, including LEGO® Star Wars™, The LEGO® NINJAGO® MOVIE™, and LEGO® Dimensions. 
This special edition of The LEGO® Book has been fully updated and expanded with the latest LEGO sets and fascinating facts to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the LEGO brick and the 40th anniversary of the minifigure. Go behind the scenes to learn how LEGO bricks are made; find out how amazing fan creations become real-life LEGO sets, and marvel at how LEGO bricks made it to the computer screen and the big screen. 
Created in full collaboration with the LEGO Group, The LEGO® Book is a treasure trove for LEGO fans of all ages - and this very special edition comes with an exclusive 60th anniversary printed brick.

RRP £14.99 OUR PRICE £11.99

Calling all dinosaur experts! We need your help.
We have just received a crate of dinosaur fossils - and they need assembling! Fast! Can you find the right room for each skeleton and build them in time for the museum's big opening? There are five pop-up dinosaurs to put back together, including a Triceratops, Stegosaurus and T-rex. It's going to be roarsome!
Lonely Planet's Build Your Own Dinosaur Museum is an activity book with a difference, where you get to play chief paleontologist. The museum rooms are ready, but there aren't any skeletons to display. It's up to you to figure out which one is which and where they need to go.
Fun, interactive and with lots of facts to discover, this book is perfect for any dinosaur fan, budding biologist or model maker.


RRP £14.99 OUR PRICE £11.99

An exquisite exploration of the animal world with peep-through pages and amazing fold-out flaps. The perfect gift for animal lovers by the bestselling Julia Donaldson, author of The Gruffalo, and visionary illustrator Sharon King-Chai. 
Written as an interactive guessing game, with eye-catching artwork and an exotic array of animals to marvel over, this is a gorgeous book to treasure – can you guess who has more legs than a butterfly? And who is wrinklier than a hedgehog?
Each page draws you further into a beautifully vibrant world of huge elephants, slithery snakes and growling tigers, inviting you to compare one animal to another and learn comparison words and adjectives from the natural world.
Sharon King-Chai's sumptuous art and the cleverly designed shaped pages make Animalphabet a rich delight, while Julia Donaldson's rhythmic words are a pleasure to read aloud.


With breathtaking artwork from Helen Dardik and Harry and Zanna Goldhawk (Papio Press), and stunning design and production, this special book gallops through a history of these mythical creatures and looks at their magical future.



RRP £14.99 OUR PRICE £11.99

How Winston Delivered Christmas by Alex T. Smith is a festive book written in 24½ chapters – one to share every day leading up to Christmas.
Follow Winston the mouse as he sets out to deliver Oliver’s letter to Father Christmas on Christmas Eve. He has a lot of Very Exciting Adventures on this Very Important Mission and makes some wonderful friends along the way.
Like an advent calendar counting down to Christmas, each day also features festive things to make and do – you can write a letter to Father Christmas and make mince pies, Christmas cards, presents and decorations. 
It is a heart-warming tale to share every year in the run up to Christmas, and is full of gorgeous colour illustrations and activities to do together that will become festive family traditions.




RRP £11.99 OUR PRICE £9.59

Hector and his dog Hugo have made music together through good times, bad times and even some crazy times. But when Hugo learns to play the fiddle, and gets the chance to play with Bear’s Big Band, Hector’s jealousy gets the better of him. Can Hector swallow his pride and learn to be for happy for his friend? Set in New Orleans with a new cast of animal musicians, this big-hearted sequel to the best-selling The Bear and the Piano teaches that friendship, like good music, lasts forever.
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