Through the use of humour, fun exercises, and a plethora of innovative and interesting selections from writers such as Dave Barry, Al Franken, J.R.R. Tolkien, as well as from the film 'The Matrix', this text hones students' critical thinking skills.

Think like Britain's greatest living Olympian: Ten steps to push your limits and achieve the impossible from the one of the world's greatest swimmers 'The most dominant sportsperson in Great Britain today - and perhaps ever' Telegraph From one of the best elite athletes on the planet comes a book bursting with no-nonsense advice on how to locate your inner gladiator, and first-hand wisdom to help you push yourself beyond what you thought was possible. We are all capable of locating greatness within us and achieving hitherto unimaginable feats. Whether you are old and wise or young and bursting with energy, there are limits you are imposing on yourself that this book will help you reconsider. Adam Peaty shows you how to take more control of your life and helps you both discover and develop your talents. He shares his own ten secrets to a winning mental attitude, whether it be at home, at work, on the sports field, or within ourselves. This is an inspirational handbook for personal achievement and positive living. THE GLADIATOR MINDSET will inspire you to find and develop your talent and have the confidence to believe in yourself. Let's be better than we were yesterday. "Hopefully, this is a catalyst for not only Team GB but also the people back home to go to another gear, to say: 'We've been through a tough time, there's been a lot of complaining, a lot of excuses, a lot of negative things, but now we've got to switch our mindset.'" - Adam Peaty

The tiny town of Chewandswallow was very much like any other tiny town except for its weather which came three times a day, at breakfast, lunch and dinner. But it never rained rain and it never snowed snow and it never blew just wind. It rained things like soup and juice. It snowed things like mashed potatoes. And sometimes the wind blew in storms of hamburgers. Life for the townspeople was delicious until the weather took a turn for the worse. The food got larger and larger and so did the portions. Something has to be done in Chewandswallow...and in a hurry.

A true classic with a timeless message! All the other bulls run, jump, and butt their heads together in fights. Ferdinand, on the other hand, would rather sit and smell the flowers. So what will happen when Ferdinand is picked for the bullfights in Madrid? The Story of Ferdinand has inspired, enchanted, and provoked readers ever since it was first published in 1936 for its message of nonviolence and pacifism. In WWII times, Adolf Hitler ordered the book burned in Nazi Germany, while Joseph Stalin, the leader of the Soviet Union, granted it privileged status as the only non-communist children's book allowed in Poland. The preeminent leader of Indian nationalism and civil rights, Mahatma Gandhi—whose nonviolent and pacifistic practices went on to inspire Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr.—even called it his favorite book. The story was adapted by Walt Disney into a short animated film entitled Ferdinand the Bull in 1938. Ferdinand the Bull won the 1938 Academy Award for Best Short Subject (Cartoons).

Intended to provide elementary school language arts teachers with new and interesting teaching activities, this book contains over 100 teacher-tested classroom activities that are based on the whole language approach to learning. Chapters discuss the following: (1) a world of language in use; (2) literature points the way (including themes and organization, literature and experience, and extended literature); (3) making sense by reading (including predictions and expectations, reading awareness and control, invitations to read, and music, drama, and reading); (4) writing for self-expression; (5) learning to write by writing; (6) writing for an audience (including developing a sense of audience, and messages, notes, and letters); (7) reading, writing, listening, and speaking across the curriculum (including language arts across the curriculum, and reading and writing newspapers); (8) kids helping other kids: the collaborative effort (including cooperative learning, and games and holiday activities); (9) home is where the start is; and (10) valuing and evaluating learners and their language. The 15-page bibliography contains sections on read-aloud books, wordless books, extending literature and reading leading to writing, predictable language, predictable life experience books for upper elementary children, sing-along books, children's magazines, and publishers of children's writing. A list of teaching activities in the book is included. (SKC)

A powerful memoir from the Saturday Night Live cast member Cecily Strong about grieving the death of her cousin—and embracing the life-affirming lessons he taught her—amid the coronavirus pandemic. Cecily Strong had a special bond with her cousin Owen. And so she was devastated when, in early 2020, he passed away at age thirty from the brain cancer glioblastoma. Before Strong could attempt to process her grief, another tragedy struck: the coronavirus pandemic. Following a few harrowing weeks in the virus epicenter of New York City, Strong relocated to an isolated house in the woods upstate. Here, trying to make sense of Owen’s death and the upended world, she spent much of the ensuing months writing. The result is This Will All Be Over Soon—a raw, unflinching memoir about loss, love, laughter, and hope. Befitting the time-warped year of 2020, the diary-like approach deftly weaves together the present and the past. Strong chronicles the challenges of beginning a relationship during the pandemic and the fear when her new boyfriend contracts COVID. She describes the pain of losing her friend and longtime Saturday Night Live staff member Hal Willner to the virus. She reflects on formative events from her life, including how her high school expulsion led to her pursuing a career in theater and, years later, landing at SNL. Yet the heart of the book is Owen. Strong offers a poignant account of her cousin’s life, both before and after his diagnosis. Inspired by his unshakable positivity and the valuable lessons he taught her, she has written a book that—as indicated by its title—serves as a moving reminder: whatever challenges life might throw one’s way, they will be over soon. And so will life. So make sure to appreciate every day and don’t take a second of it for granted.

5,000 words an hour. Total BS, right? Check the reviews and you'll see that some people exceed that. Those that don't still write faster and more consistently after reading this book. It really works. The fastest way to succeed as an author is to write more books. How do you do that with a day job, family, school or all your other time commitments? The secret is efficiency. 5K WPH will help you maximize your writing time by building effective habits that both measure and increase your writing speed. Create an effective writing habit. Track and improve your Words Per Hour. Stop the endless editing and tinkering so you can finish your draft. Use voice dictation software to dramatically increase words per hour. It's time to shift your writing into high gear. Write Faster, Write Smarter! "A lot of people talk about writing faster. Chris Fox takes action. His new book will help you to train yourself up to finish your first draft copy in less time. It's such a helpful tool that could really change the game for authors. I just wish I'd thought of it first!"- Bryan Cohen, best-selling Author of Ted Saves the World, and co-host of the Sell More Books Show

In 2012, the first Ukulele Club Songbook was published and was immediately embraced by ukulele clubs and players around Australia. The original book owed its existence to Steve Roberts of The Blue Mountains Ukulele Club who approached Hal Leonard Australia with the concept of publishing a book especially for Ukulele Clubs, containing a vast range of popular songs that everyone knows, in Uke friendly keys