From the series that inspired the hit London Weekend Television sitcom Bless Me, Father: At St. Jude’s, silent nights are rare indeed The holiday season is among the most hectic times at St. Jude’s, and this one is no exception. As always, Father Neil has his hands full with the gleefully domineering, scheming Father Duddleswell, who has devised a fresh plan for this coming Christmas: invite all the other sects of Christianity to celebrate with them. The plan quickly unravels when two religious leaders from another denomination try to convert Father Neil and a clock goes missing from the mantelpiece. When the church collection disappears, it becomes abundantly clear that this will be no ordinary Christmas. Taken from the author’s actual experiences after completing seminary, A Father Before Christmas is a fun and family-friendly romp through a bygone era with a winning cast of characters you will want to visit again and again. Boyd’s well-crafted vignettes of the Christmas season make this a holiday present worth opening early.

This compendium showcases EVERY character ever mentioned in the Harry Potter books, films and play: the good, the bad and the misunderstood. With more than 700 entries, this book is packed from cover to cover! J.K. Rowling’s collection of mystical multitudes is what makes the wizarding world so enchanting. To dive into Harry’s story is to immerse yourself in the richness of a magical universe filled with wizarding history, culture and lore. A world of witches, wizards, owls, elves, non- magical people, anti-non-magical-people people, folks who can talk to snakes and snakes who used to be folks. There are mind-readers, shape-shifters, centaurs, giants, ghosts (nearly headless and fully formed) and one enormous, extremely ill- tempered tree. This massive tome details every character created by J.K. Rowling and appearing in the official Harry Potter canon of books, movies and plays. Each entry highlights one character, where you will find details of when the character was first mentioned, appearance, wizard school, house, patronus, wand, related family members, skills and achievements, personal history and more. The Compendium also include genealogical charts and family trees for the major characters, world maps detailing important locations, homes and schools, as well as charts detailing alliances between characters.

Hurled back in time, a London police detective struggles to solve a nineteenth-century murder mystery in Golden Age master John Dickson Carr’s thrilling mystery novel A woman is killed in a well-lit corridor, dying before the eyes of three witnesses who, impossibly, detect no foul play. For more than a century, this baffling murder lies cold in the files of Scotland Yard until it is discovered by Detective-Superintendent John Cheviot, who yearns to apply modern scientific policing to the grisly old case. He is about to get his chance. Taking a cab to Scotland Yard, Cheviot steps out in front of Old Scotland Yard and sees a beautiful woman beckoning him. Suddenly it is 1829 and Cheviot is a member of the newly organized London police force. He might now have an opportunity to solve the most puzzling murder in the Yard’s history, but in a time before fingerprints and ballistic analysis, he will find police work to be far more baffling and brutal than he is used to.

'And when I shall die, Take him and cut him out in little stars.' This collection of Shakespeare's soliloquies, including both old favourites and lesser-known pieces, shows him at his dazzling best. One of 46 new books in the bestselling Little Black Classics series, to celebrate the first ever Penguin Classic in 1946. Each book gives readers a taste of the Classics' huge range and diversity, with works from around the world and across the centuries - including fables, decadence, heartbreak, tall tales, satire, ghosts, battles and elephants.

Shakespeare in Modern English breaks the taboo about Shakespeare’s texts, which have long been regarded as sacred and untouchable while being widely and freely translated into foreign languages. It is designed to make Shakespeare more easily understood in the theatre without dumbing down or simplifying the content. Shakespeare’s ‘As You Like It’, ‘Coriolanus’ and ‘The Tempest’ are presented in Macdonald’s book in modern English. They show that these great plays lose nothing by being acted or read in the language we all use today. Shakespeare’s language is poetic, elaborately rich and memorable, but much of it is very difficult to comprehend in the theatre when we have no notes to explain allusions, obsolete vocabulary and whimsical humour. Foreign translations of Shakespeare are normally into their modern language. So why not ours too? The purpose in rendering Shakespeare into modern English is to enhance the enjoyment and understanding of audiences in the theatre. The translations are not designed for children or dummies, but for those who want to understand Shakespeare better, especially in the theatre. Shakespeare in Modern English will appeal to those who want to understand the rich and poetical language of Shakespeare in a more comprehensible way. It is also a useful tool for older students studying Shakespeare.

'The Phoenix and the Turtle' is an allegorical poem about the death of ideal love by William Shakespeare. It is widely considered to be one of his most obscure works and has led to many conflicting interpretations. The poem describes a funeral arranged for the deceased Phoenix and Turtledove, respectively emblems of perfection and of devoted love. Some birds are invited, but others excluded. It goes on to state that the love of the birds created a perfect unity which transcended all logic and material fact. It concludes with a prayer for the dead lovers.

This evocative, beautifully illustrated picture book celebrates one girl's limitless imagination, perfect for fans of the Fan Brothers. Anything is possible and nothing's as it seems . . . In a town by the seaside, Marianne is often seen digging for buried treasure on the beach. One day, she finds the most wonderful treasure of all--a dinosaur skeleton! That night, Marianne makes a wish upon a star that her dinosaur will come to life. She wishes it with all her heart--and it comes true. Together, Marianne's adventures with her new friend are limited only by their imagination. This enchanting picture book will take you on a magical journey far beyond the page.

A fascinating exploration of Shakespeare's legacy, told through a selection of one hundred objects from the Victoria and Albert Museum.