Every day, eight-year-old Christine's walk to school takes her past a talking alley cat. Christine stops and feels its warm head beneath her hand, and the cat's insights invariably give her something to ponder. One day her teacher asks her why she's always late for school. Frightened, she reveals her secret. Her punishment: she must write 200 lines stating repeatedly, "There are no talking cats, and from now on I will arrive at school on time." However, the cat is real, no matter how many lines Christine writes.. . .and she might just as well leave out the "no" -- the headmaster won't even notice, says the clever cat. That's what the cat always says -- that life is all about being clever and looking out for yourself, first and foremost. Christine isn't so sure, and she is a little scared of the cat, too. There must be more to life than self-interest, surely? Beautiful illustrations by Rotraut Susanne Berner and thoughtful, vivid prose by Jutta Richter, winner of the German Youth Literature Award and the Hermann Hesse Prize, bring Christine and the talking cat to life in this award-winning book.

"An accessible and engaging exploration of the mysteries of time." -Brian Greene, author of The Elegant Universe Twenty years ago, Stephen Hawking tried to explain time by understanding the Big Bang. Now, Sean Carroll says we need to be more ambitious. One of the leading theoretical physicists of his generation, Carroll delivers a dazzling and paradigm-shifting theory of time's arrow that embraces subjects from entropy to quantum mechanics to time travel to information theory and the meaning of life. From Eternity to Here is no less than the next step toward understanding how we came to exist, and a fantastically approachable read that will appeal to a broad audience of armchair physicists, and anyone who ponders the nature of our world.

Who wants to settle for fleeting treasures on earth . . . when God offers everlasting treasures in heaven? It’s time to rethink our perspectives on money and possessions. In this thoroughly researched classic, Randy Alcorn shows us how to view these things accurately—as God’s provision for our good, the good of others, and his glory. Alcorn presents a biblical and comprehensive view of money and possessions, including the following: Why is money so important to God? Is prosperity theology right or wrong? How can we be liberated from materialism? What should we do about debt? How much does God want us to give? How can we best help the poor and reach the lost? What about gambling? Investing? Insurance? Saving? Retirement? Inheritance? How can we leave our children a true heritage? How can we use money in ways that God rewards? This practical and refreshing theology of money contains topical and Scripture indexes, a study guide, and five helpful appendices.

Based on Bible Scripture, There Is Eternal Life For Animals presents Animal Afterlife from a Christian Perspective. All animals go to heaven. How do we know? We look in the book that God left us, the Bible. This book takes you through the Bible and proves through the scriptures that there is life after death for all the animals. It covers: -- God's relationship with the animals; -- The current life of the animal kingdom; -- The future life of the animals and its restoration; -- What animals are currently in heaven; -- Whether animals have souls and spirits; -- Praying for animals. There Is Eternal Life For Animals includes numerous Bible scriptures, opinions and commentaries from Bible Theologians, visions, stories, near-death experiences of children, and personal experiences. It also reviews many of the original Greek and Hebrew words and their translations. Excellent, Outstanding and Life Changing! -- Rev. Shirley Johnson, Florida It is a privilege to recommend There Is Eternal Life For Animals. -- Rev. Dr. Peter Hammond, South Africa I have just finished reading the book and feel that it was well done. -- Rev. Dr. Jack Van Impe, Michigan Table of Contents: Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: God's Relationship With The Animals Chapter 3: How Much Do The Animals Know? Chapter 4: Animals In Heaven Chapter 5: Animals Have Souls And Spirits Chapter 6: Restoration, Restitution, And Eternal Life Chapter 7: Eye Witnesses Of Animals And Pets In Heaven Chapter 8: Noah, A Foreshadowing Of Jesus Chapter 9: Misinterpretations Chapter 10: Praying For Animals Chapter 11: Personal Experience Chapter 12: Eternal Life For People

This fable-like novella about a homeless boy’s quest to make it to the beach offers “a darkly poetic, masterfully crafted view of life on the streets” (Publishers Weekly). From the celebrated author of The Cat: Or, How I Lost Eternity comes a tale of adventure, suspense, and friendship. Cosmos and Niner have adapted to being homeless, but they decide to set out on a journey to the beach where they can enjoy the summer weather year-round. Their plan has one hitch: they need money to make the trip. When a potential patron asks what the pair might be willing to sell, Niner and Cosmos offer their only item of value—Niner’s guardian angel. Once they’ve set out, Niner takes a turn for the worse, and Cosmos realizes he needs that guardian angel back to save his friend. An arresting tale for readers young and old, Beyond the Station Lies the Sea is a terrific addition to Jutta Richter’s beloved body of work. “Weaving together the spare symbolism of fable and the magical high stakes of fairy tale, this skillfully written novella by an award-winning German author offers much food for reflection. While the subject matter is difficult, the story is universal; not tied to place or culture, it remains open to broad interpretation. A good choice for discussion.” —Kirkus Reviews

In Crossover Fiction, Sandra L. Beckett explores the global trend of crossover literature and explains how it is transforming literary canons, concepts of readership, the status of authors, the publishing industry, and bookselling practices. This study will have significant relevance across disciplines, as scholars in literary studies, media and cultural studies, visual arts, education, psychology, and sociology examine the increasingly blurred borderlines between adults and young people in contemporary society, notably with regard to their consumption of popular culture.

"Our enemies are prepping for the culmination of their plans, we have powerful allies in multiple realms, my magic is stronger than ever, and we're in a position to cross worlds and find the girl that's key to all of this. Seems like a good time for a finale, don't you think?" In this epic conclusion to the nine-book fantastical series known for its soulful storytelling, exceptional world building, and heroic, inspiring characters, join Crisanta Knight and her allies as they fight for happily ever after---for themselves, the ones they love, and the many realms they have impacted. Returning from her harrowing experience on Earth as a more powerful and more dangerous version of herself, Crisa must redefine her role as a hero, princess, leader, and human girl amidst realms on the brink of chaos and a slew of story arcs about to collide in climax. So put your dragon in park, holster your wand, and strap in for an adventure worthy of the term FINALE. The stakes have never been higher as the antagonists move to execute the final phase of their plan for the realm of Book and greater magical universe. Crisa and company will face them head on and attempt to conquer external and internal adversity as they push to truly live up to the role that started it all---Protagonist. What Fans Say: "A beloved series is hard to find, but this author has most definitely written one that should be granted a prominent place on every bookshlf around the globe." "This series is one of the best I've read in quite some time. I can hardly wait until the next book is published. The story line is amazing and keeps you entertained throughout the book. This is a great twist on old classics." "A brilliantly written story, easily ready for the TV or movie screen! As good as Game of Thrones, but written for a younger audience, this book will pick you up on its very first page, wrap you in its arms, and carry you all the way to the end."

This is the fourth volume sponsored by the United States Board on Books for Young People, following Children's Books from Other Countries (1998), The World Through Children's Books (2002), and Crossing Boundaries (2006). This latest volume, edited by Linda M. Pavonetti, includes books published between 2005 and 2009. This annotated bibliography, organized geographically by world region and country, with descriptions of nearly 700 books representing more than 70 countries, is a valuableresource for librarians, teachers, and anyone else seeking to promote international understanding through children's literature. Like its predecessors, it will be an important tool for providing stories that will help children understand our differences while simultaneously demonstrating our common humanity.

The last thirty years have witnessed one of the most fertile periods in the history of children's books. A fascinating reference guide to the world of children's literature, this volume covers every genre from fairy tales to chapbooks; school stories to science fiction; comics to children's hymns

Viewing fluency as a bridge between foundational skills and open-ended learning, this book guides teachers through effective instruction and assessment of fluent reading skills in the primary grades. Fluency’s relationship to phonological awareness, phonics, and print concepts is explained, and practical methods are shared for integrating fluency instruction in a literacy curriculum grounded in the Common Core State Standards (CCSS). Classroom examples, weekly lesson plans, and extensive lists of recommended texts add to the book’s utility for teachers.