Lila dreams to become a firework-maker, just like her father. In order to become a true firework-maker, she sets off alone on a perilous journey to reach the terrifying Fire-Fiend. She travels through jungles alive with crocodiles, snakes, monkeys and pirates, and climbs up the scolding volcano. On finding the Fire-Fiend, she realises more is at stake than she ever imagined. Will Lila survive? Lila’s is the kind of magical adventure that all children dream of and the gripping story of the fleet-footed heroine will livelong in the memory of anyone who enters her world.

Welcome to Burden Hill — a picturesque little town adorned with white picket fences and green, green grass, home to a unique team of paranormal investigators. Beneath this shiny exterior, Burden Hill harbors dark and sinister secrets, and it's up to a heroic gang of dogs — and one cat — to protect the town from the evil forces at work. These are the Beasts of Burden Hill — Pugs, Ace, Jack, Whitey, Red and the Orphan — whose early experiences with the paranormal (including a haunted doghouse, a witches' coven, and a pack of canine zombies) have led them to become members of the Wise Dog Society, official animal agents sworn to protect their town from evil. This turns out to be no easy task, as they soon encounter demonic cannibal frogs, tortured spirits, a secret rat society, and a bizarre and deadly resurrection in the Burden Hill cemetery — events which lead to fear and heartbreak as our four-legged heroes discover that the evil within Burden Hill is growing and on the move. Can our heroes overcome these supernatural menaces? Can evil be bested by a paranormal team that doesn't have hands? And even more importantly, will Pugs ever shut the hell up? Adventure, mystery, horror, and humor thrive on every page of Beasts of Burden — a comic-book series that will capture readers' hearts and haunt their dreams. Award-winning comics creators Evan Dorkin (Milk and Cheese) and Jill Thompson (Scary Godmother) first introduced these very special investigators in The Dark Horse Book of Hauntings and the other Dark Horse Book of . . . anthologies, for which they won coveted Eisner Awards for Best Short Story and Best Painter. Those first tales are collected here, along with the comic series Beasts of Burden issues #1–#4.

It's October 1918 and the war is drawing to a close. Toussaint Caillet returns home to his wife, Jeanne, and the young daughter he hasn't seen growing up. He is not coming back from the front line but from the department for facial injuries at Val-de-Grâce military hospital, where he has spent the last two years. For Jeanne, who has struggled to endure his absence and the hardships of wartime, her husband's return marks the beginning of a new battle. With the promise of peace now in sight, the family must try to stitch together a new life from the tatters of what they had before.

The Firework Maker's Daughter I Was A Rat! Clockwork The Scarecrow and His Servant A devilish inventor, a girl who must face a Fire Fiend, a scarecrow brought to life by a bolt of lightning, and a boy who can only say the words 'I Was a Rat!' . . . Drawing on the rich tradition of fairytales, these are four incredible stories that will obsess and enchant readers. Includes a prologue and epilogue from the uniquely talented Philip Pullman, author of His Dark Materials

A relentlessly delightful princess and her choleric fairy imposter switch places for three turbulent days in this magical yarn from Edgar Award winning author Vivian Vande Velde. Princess Gabriella is accustomed to a certain kind of castle life. So when she wakes up one morning in a crowded hut, surrounded by squabbling fairy siblings, it takes all her princess training to maintain her poise and good manners.Meanwhile, across the kingdom, Fairy Phleg revels in Gabriella's luxurious lifestyle. As long as she can fool the castle into believing she's the real princess-with a little help from her magical disguise-then she's set to enjoy three glorious days of sweets and comfort. The mischievous fairies have placed a bet, and Gabriella is caught in the middle of it. Can she survive her time in the chaotic fairy household without failing the ultimate princess test and losing her temper? Phleg turns the castle upside down as she poses as Gabriella, but when an important guest arrives, will her antics unwittingly send the kingdom into war? An upbeat and hilarious fantasy from the masterful storyteller, Vivian Vande Velde.

“I Was a Rat!” So insists a scruffy boy named Roger. Maybe it’s true. But what is he now? A terrifying monster running wild in the sewers? The Daily Scourge is sure of it. A victim of “Rodent Delusion”? The hospital nurse says yes. A lucrative fairground freak? He is to Mr. Tapscrew. A champion wriggler and a budding thief? That’s what Billy thinks. Or just an ordinary small boy, though a little ratty in his habits? Only three people believe this version of the story. And it may take a royal intervention—and a bit of magic—to convince the rest of the world. Set against the backdrop of a Royal Wedding—and a playful parody of the press, I Was a Rat! is a magical weaving of humor, fairy tale, and adventure.

Sink your teeth into the plants that feed the world—flowers, fruits, seeds, and all! With its simple text and bright, appealing illustrations, this book is perfect for young readers learning about where their food comes from. Clearly-labeled diagrams show the different parts of plants we use and eat—leaves of spinach and cabbage, the roots of carrot plants, and the wide variety of fruits, such as apples, berries, and tomatoes. Plants Feed Me explores the different types of seeds we eat— beans, nuts, rice, and even how wheat is ground into flour and used to make many other types of food. Smiling children pick fruits and vegetables, and learn how plants grow from seeds, stretching toward the sky for sun and into the earth for nutrients. This celebration of fruits, vegetables, and more is sure to get kids interested in what's on their plates!

From Andrew Jennings (@VocabularyNinja), the bestselling author of Comprehension Ninja and Write Like a Ninja, this is an essential toolkit of strategies and resources to supercharge primary pupils and transform them into vocabulary ninjas! Vocabulary has to be the single most important aspect of a modern curriculum. Explicit and engaging vocabulary teaching has the power to promote independence in learners, ignite imaginations, deliver understanding and raise education standards in schools. With a focus on English and rich language banks associated with genres and topics, the ideas in this book can be applied to any National Curriculum area and are perfect for modelling and scaffolding writing. This practical guide also features theory, teaching approaches and photocopiable activities, as well as vocabulary, etymology and phrases to bring the primary curriculum to life. If you're searching for an exciting and captivating approach to bring vocabulary into the primary classroom and see a significant impact on pupil confidence, oracy and academic outcomes, look no further than Vocabulary Ninja.

Long ago in Germany, a storyteller's story and an apprentice clockwork-maker's nightmare meet in a menacing, lifelike figure created by the strange Dr. Kalmenius.

From Onjali Q. Rauf, the award-winning and best-selling author of The Boy at the Back of the Class, comes another incredible story, told with humour and heart. 'The boy's an absolute menace.' 'He's a bully. A lost cause!' 'Why can't he be more like his sister?' I've been getting into trouble for as long I can remember. Usually I don't mind 'cos some of my best, most brilliant ideas have come from sitting in detention. But recently it feels like no one believes me about anything - even when I'm telling the truth! And it's only gotten worse since I played a prank on the old man who lives in the park. Everyone thinks I'm just a bully. They don't believe I could be a hero. But I'm going to prove them all wrong... Told from the perspective of a bully, this book explores themes of bullying and homelessness, while celebrating kindness, friendship and the potential everyone has to change for the good.