There's all sorts of monsters in your room at night; even once Mum's checked, you can never be quite sure. It's still likely that the Ankle Grabber is hiding under the bed just waiting for the chance to pull you down into his sticky, slimy swamp.

How Wall Street, Chinese billionaires, oil sheiks, and agribusiness are buying up huge tracts of land in a hungry, crowded world. An unprecedented land grab is taking place around the world. Fearing future food shortages or eager to profit from them, the world’s wealthiest and most acquisitive countries, corporations, and individuals have been buying and leasing vast tracts of land around the world. The scale is astounding: parcels the size of small countries are being gobbled up across the plains of Africa, the paddy fields of Southeast Asia, the jungles of South America, and the prairies of Eastern Europe. Veteran science writer Fred Pearce spent a year circling the globe to find out who was doing the buying, whose land was being taken over, and what the effect of these massive land deals seems to be. The Land Grabbers is a first-of-its-kind exposé that reveals the scale and the human costs of the land grab, one of the most profound ethical, environmental, and economic issues facing the globalized world in the twenty-first century. The corporations, speculators, and governments scooping up land cheap in the developing world claim that industrial-scale farming will help local economies. But Pearce’s research reveals a far more troubling reality. While some mega-farms are ethically run, all too often poor farmers and cattle herders are evicted from ancestral lands or cut off from water sources. The good jobs promised by foreign capitalists and home governments alike fail to materialize. Hungry nations are being forced to export their food to the wealthy, and corporate potentates run fiefdoms oblivious to the country beyond their fences. Pearce’s story is populated with larger-than-life characters, from financier George Soros and industry tycoon Richard Branson, to Gulf state sheikhs, Russian oligarchs, British barons, and Burmese generals. We discover why Goldman Sachs is buying up the Chinese poultry industry, what Lord Rothschild and a legendary 1970s asset-stripper are doing in the backwoods of Brazil, and what plans a Saudi oil billionaire has for Ethiopia. Along the way, Pearce introduces us to the people who actually live on, and live off of, the supposedly “empty” land that is being grabbed, from Cambodian peasants, victimized first by the Khmer Rouge and now by crony capitalism, to African pastoralists confined to ever-smaller tracts. Over the next few decades, land grabbing may matter more, to more of the planet’s people, than even climate change. It will affect who eats and who does not, who gets richer and who gets poorer, and whether agrarian societies can exist outside corporate control. It is the new battle over who owns the planet.

Four more characters from Sunflower Valley are ready to help build your Bob Story Library - add them to your collection now! Gripper, Grabber and the Sports Stadium: Sunflower Valley is holding its first sports day. But the new stadium won't be ready unless Bob's new machines learn that working in a team can be fun, too.

Operate Your Rifle Like a Pro U.S. Army Official Manual is a comprehensive guide that covers all aspects of rifle operation, from basic handling to advanced marksmanship techniques. Written in a clear and concise manner, this manual serves as a valuable resource for military personnel looking to enhance their shooting skills. The text is accompanied by detailed illustrations and diagrams, making it easy for readers to understand and apply the concepts discussed. This manual is a must-have for anyone looking to improve their proficiency with a rifle. The book is written in a straightforward and instructional style, reflecting its primary purpose of providing practical guidance to soldiers in the field.

There's a burglar on the loose in Scrubbley! What will happen when he steals one of the Wayward Crescent dragons? Will Grabber become a robber too?

When the shoe grabber steals their shoes, the children and the teacher run in bare feet to get their shoes back. Suggested level: junior.

Presents a dark fantasy set in a parallel London stalked by demons. Wych-hunters such as Thaniel Fox keep all kinds of demons at bay. One night he rescues a young woman, the beautiful and vulnerable Alaizabel. But Alaizabel is nursing a dark secret, one that even she does not understand, a secret that could unleash the most terrible evil of all.

"Is it possible to get better grades! ABSOLUTELY! You are the best reason for your success. You have the power to transform your life - beginning now! Unlock your own inner success strategies. Discover essential learning tips, tricks and tactics that work like magic. Uncover secrets that top students use and maximize your grade-earning power." -- Publisher.

Written by two well-known experts in the field with input from a broad network of industry specialists, The ROV Manual, Second Edition provides a complete training and reference guide to the use of observation class ROVs for surveying, inspection, and research purposes. This new edition has been thoroughly revised and substantially expanded, with nine new chapters, increased coverage of mid-sized ROVs, and extensive information on subsystems and enabling technologies. Useful tips are included throughout to guide users in gaining the maximum benefit from ROV technology in deep water applications. Intended for marine and offshore engineers and technicians using ROVs, The ROV Manual, Second Edition is also suitable for use by ROV designers and project managers in client companies making use of ROV technology. - A complete user guide to observation class ROV (remotely operated vehicle) technology and underwater deployment for industrial, commercial, scientific, and recreational tasks - Substantially expanded, with nine new chapters and a new five-part structure separating information on the industry, the vehicle, payload sensors, and other aspects - Packed with hard-won insights and advice to help you achieve mission results quickly and efficiently