A selection of ever-popular Blyton short stories for the younger reader, with clear text and illustrated throughout.

Inspired by Frances Schultz’s popular House Beautiful magazine series on the makeover of her East Hampton house, Bee Cottage, what began as a decorating book evolved into a memoir combining the best elements of both: beautiful photos and a compelling personal story. Schultz taps into what she learned during her renovations of Bee Cottage—determining how each area in the house and garden would be used and furnished—to unravel the question of how a mature, intelligent, successful woman could have made such a mess of her personal life. As she figures out each room over a period of years, Frances finds a new path in life, also a continual process. She comes to learn that, like decorating a home, our lives must adapt to who we are and what we need at different points along the way. The Bee Cottage Story is part memoir, part home decorating guide. Frances discusses the kinds of useful, commonsense design issues that professionals take for granted and the rest of us just may not think of, prompting the reader to examine and discover her own “truth” in decorating—and in her life.

Christie Ryan inherits an old cottage full of secrets in a small seaside town. A damaged painting leads her to reclusive artist, Martin Blake, who was raised to protect the past. As Christie uncovers the truth of family lies and manipulation, her world crumbles and the one chance to make things right may destroy her own happy ending.

Is running away from your troubles the best path to a fresh start? Claire Perkins struggles with her past, even as a thirty-eight-year-old woman. While attending her abusive mother's funeral in the town where she grew up, Claire discovers a deeper emotional scar that challenges her definition of home. No longer willing to put on a facade, buried pain triggers Claire's only logical choice: escape to a quiet place, somewhere far away from the risk of any further disappointment and heartache. Pigeon Grove appears to be a sleepy southern locale in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. But there is a unique and underlying charm to this small town that has other plans for those looking to slip into the silence of a solitary life. With nothing but a desire to fade into the background, this close-knit community guides Claire along a different path, in a direction that encourages her deep-seated need to connect with others. Hank Charles is a produce shop owner full of quirky facts. Lizzie Perkins is the niece Claire hasn't seen in years because of a falling out with her brother. Jack Burgess is a sketch artist whose troubled past intersects with Claire's in serendipitous ways. If only she gives herself the chance to discover it. Can this small mountain town help Claire connect the dots to create a life she's always imagined? Will Pigeon Grove's beloved message answer her soulful call for guidance before the opportunity escapes her? It's never too late to come home.

Superb gift edition, featuring a bumper collection of Blyton's short stories of magic, mystery and adventure.

A novel based on the true story of a remarkable woman, her lifelong relationship with birds and the joy she drew from it Len Howard was forty years old when she decided to leave her London life and loves behind, retire to the English countryside and devote the rest of her days to her one true passion: birds. Moving to a small cottage in Sussex, she wrote two bestselling books, astonishing the world with her observations on the tits, robins, sparrows and other birds that lived nearby, flew freely in and out of her windows, and would even perch on her shoulder as she typed. This moving novel imagines the story of this remarkable woman's decision to defy society's expectations, and the joy she drew from her extraordinary relationship with the natural world.

An ordinary girl gets a dose of adventure when she goes to work for a witch who lives in a magical flying cottage.

"The Horse Stealers and Other Stories" by Anton Pavlovich Chekhov is a fascinating series of quick stories that gives a nuanced exploration of human nature and the complexities of Russian society. Originally penned within the past due nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Chekhov's narratives continue to resonate with readers for his or her insightful commentary and masterful storytelling. The identify story, "The Horse Stealers," unfolds with a mix of humor and irony, as Chekhov delves into the lives of characters concerned in a reputedly petty crime. Through this tale and others like "Ward No. 6" and "The Petchenyeg," Chekhov skillfully examines the human circumstance, revealing the fragility of sanity, the impact of societal norms, and the effects of moral picks. Chekhov's characters are vividly drawn, representing a pass-section of Russian society, every grappling with personal dilemmas and societal expectations. The collection is characterised by way of its exploration of the mundane and the profound, demonstrating Chekhov's keen know-how of the subtleties of human behavior. "The Horse Stealers and Other Stories" stands as a testament to Chekhov's literary genius, showcasing his potential to seize the complexities of lifestyles in concise but profound narratives. Each tale serves as a window into the human soul, making this collection a long lasting traditional within the realm of quick fiction.