Debi Gliori's delightful The Tobermory Cat was one of the most popular children's books of 2012. Based on a real cat known to local inhabitants as well as thousands of visitors to Mull, the island's ginger tom and his extraordinary antics have now become world famous. Young children will love this counting book in which the Tobermory Cat wakes up hungry and explores the town in search of something to eat.

Tobermory is a short story by Saki. Hector Hugh Munro (18 December 1870 - 13 November 1916), better known by the pen name Saki, and also frequently as H. H. Munro, was a British writer whose witty, mischievous and sometimes macabre stories satirised Edwardian society and culture. He is considered a master of the short story and often compared to O. Henry and Dorothy Parker. Influenced by Oscar Wilde, Lewis Carroll, and Kipling, he himself influenced A. A. Milne, Nol Coward, and P. G. Wodehouse.Beside his short stories (which were first published in newspapers, as was customary at the time, and then collected into several volumes), he wrote a full-length play, The Watched Pot, in collaboration with Charles Maude; two one-act plays; a historical study, The Rise of the Russian Empire, the only book published under his own name; a short novel, The Unbearable Bassington; the episodic The Westminster Alice (a Parliamentary parody of Alice in Wonderland), and When William Came, subtitled A Story of London Under the Hohenzollerns, a fantasy about a future German invasion of Britain.

Born in Burma in 1870, Scottish writer H. H. Munro adopted the pseudonym Saki to satirize the social conventions, cruelty, and foolishness of the Edwardian era. His highly readable blend of flippant humor and outrageous inventiveness is often overlaid with a mood of horror. After Munro's untimely death in action during World War I, Christopher Morley wrote: "the empty glass we turn down for him is the fragile, hollow-stemmed goblet meant for the finest champag≠ it is of the driest." Readers can sample Munro's special brand of well-plotted satiric fiction in this inexpensive collection of his best tales. In addition to the title story, selections include "Tobermory," "Laura," "The Open Window," and "The Schartz-Metterklume Method." With its biting wit and vein of cruelty, Munro's work has sometimes been compared to early Evelyn Waugh; admirers of Waugh and other discerning readers are sure to savor this stimulating taste of vintage Saki.

In the final novels of his ten-book Amber series, Roger Zelazny rewarded readers with several startling revelations about his fantasy universe. Fans discovered for the first time that Amber is not the one true world of which all others are but Shadows. Rather, the mysterious Courts of Chaos preceded the creation of Amber. It was also revealed that the mad mage Dworkin was the father of Oberon, founder of Amber’s ruling dynasty, and that Dworkin’s origins go further back in time than the founding of Amber itself. The Dawn of Amber is a prequel series, exploring events that precede the first novel in the series, that answers these intriguing questions. Here, in Book One, you’ll meet the young soldier known as Obere as he’s whisked away from the kingdom and world he has known and defended his entire life, and placed on a knife’s edge of turmoil, intrigue, domination and death. He must learn what he can on the fly, unwilling to let friend and foe alike know how little he understands of this strange universe and the dangerous creatures that rule it. His life is in jeopardy, as is the entire House of Dworkin—the result of an ages-old blood feud that threatens to destroy Obere’s new-found family and any hope for a universe of light to balance and oppose the forces of Chaos and darkness. To achieve his legacy of power and become a player rather than a pawn in this deadly game whose rules he is yet to discover, Obere must journey into the serpent’s lair, the home of his enemies . . . the Courts of Chaos.

This early work by H. H. Munro was originally published in 1911 and we are now republishing it with a brand new introductory biography. 'The Chronicles of Clovis' is a collection of short stories, including 'The Great Weep', 'Tobermory', 'Adrian', and many more. Hector Hugh Munro was born in Akyab, Burma in 1870. He was raised by aunts in North Devon, England, before returning to Burma in his early twenties to join the Colonial Burmese Military Police. Later, Munro returned once more to England, where he embarked on his career as a journalist, becoming well-known for his satirical 'Alice in Westminster' political sketches, which appeared in the Westminster Gazette. Arguably better-remembered by his pen name, 'Saki', Munro is now considered a master of the short story, with tales such as 'The Open Window' regarded as examples of the form at its finest.

Which US president did Washington Irving once unflatteringly refer to as a “withered little apple-john?” What reduplicative word refers to a Siamese three-wheeled taxi? In which city is Charlemagne's octagon? These and other fiendishly difficult questions have stumped pupils at King William's College as part of its annual General Knowledge Papers for more than a century—along with Guardian readers, for whom the test has been reprinted in its entirety since 1951. Here, for the first time, is a compendium of the wonderfully obscure questions—and their often unexpected answers—that have appeared on the test over the past thirty years. Guaranteed to challenge even the most ardent trivia enthusiast, this exhaustive compilation is organized thematically and chronologically and includes a set of previously unpublished questions by current quizmaster Pat Cullen. For history hotshots, fountains of fact, and perennial powerhouses of pub trivia, The World's Most Difficult Quiz lives every bit up to its superlative name, offering an addictive assortment of intriguing questions.

Cats, be they much loved pets or inscrutable creatures, lend themselves to stories and literary invention. Part of the Macmillan Collector’s Library; a series of stunning pocket size classics. These beautiful books make perfect gifts or a treat for any book lover. This edition is edited by anthologist, editor and literary agent Becky Brown. Classic Cat Stories is a beautiful anthology that includes fairy tales and fables from the likes of Rudyard Kipling and Charles Perrault as well as comic tales from Saki and E. F. Benson. Cats, of course, have always had a dark and mysterious side which is explored to chilling effect by the likes of Edgar Allan Poe in The Black Cat and H. P. Lovecraft in The Cats of Ulthar. But above all, we love them and you’ll find here stories about all kinds of cats that tug at the heartstrings and which celebrate their curious ways.

NOMINATED FOR THE KATE GREENAWAY MEDAL _______________ 'Gently introduces pre-schoolers to global warming ... It ends with the reassuring hope that we can change and make our world better' - National Geographic 'Delightfully illustrated' - The Sunday Telegraph _______________ From the author of the bestselling No Matter What comes a cautionary tale for readers young and old about the use and misuse of the planet - featuring dragons! The world is populated by some beastly dragons who care nothing for how much they pollute the oceans, chop down the trees, gobble up all the food and use everything up without stopping to think. Those dragons need to wake up to what they are doing to their world before it is too late ... An energy-filled picture book that addresses concerns about the environment in the most child-centric and delightful way possible. _______________ 'Tackles global warming for pre-schoolers: no easy task but beautifully done as an allegory of wasteful dragons who heat the world by breathing fire' - Sunday Express magazine Brilliantly read by Emilia Fox. Please note that audio is not supported by all devices, please consult your user manual for confirmation.