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The Railway Children
By E Nesbit. 2012
'"Stand firm'" said Peter, "and wave like mad!"' They were not railway children to begin with. When their Father mysteriously…
leaves home Roberta (everyone calls her Bobbie), Phyllis and Peter must move to a small cottage in the countryside with Mother. It is a bitter blow to leave their London home, but soon they discover the hills and valleys, the canal and of course, the railway. But with the thrilling rush and rattle and roar of the trains comes danger too. Will the brave trio come to the rescue? And most importantly, can they solve the disappearance of their Father?BACKSTORY: Find out all about steam trains and learn what it was really like to be a child in Edwardian times.Private - Keep Out!
By Gwen Grant. 1999
A forgotten classic brought back into print for the first time in decades - the missing literary sister to Anne…
of Green Gables and Tracy Beaker, a tough and spirited girl's adventures growing up in a northern post-war mining town.‘I told our Lucy I’m going to be a writer when I grow up and she said, ‘You should be a good one then. You tell enough lies.’Psst! We know you shouldn’t really read something labelled ‘private’ but this book is special. It’s written by young girl growing up in a mining town in 1948 who is practising to become a writer when she grows up…possibly. It’s hard work being a writer. There’s no privacy in a house with six kids and there’s no time, especially if you have to go to school and to dancing class (and wear frilly knickers) and Sunday school (and sing about being a sunbeam). You’re supposed to write about what you know, which means this book is about annoying sisters with no sense of humour and brothers who think they know everything, and bullies and chicken spots and being run over. Sometimes you can write about good things that happen, like going to the seaside or Christmas Eve, but mostly the stories end with being sent to bed early in disgrace. But when the writer is a tough, spiky and funny as this one, her adventures will always be worth reading.The Penguin Book of Dutch Short Stories (Penguin Modern Classics)
By Joost Zwagerman. 2016
'The stories here will provoke, delight and impress. Joost Zwagerman's selection forms a fascinating guidebook to a landscape you'll surely…
want to wander in again.' Clare Lowden, TLS'There is a lot of northern European melancholy in the collection, though often tinged with wry humour...an excellent book' Jonathan Gibbs, Minor Literatures'We were kids - but good kids. If I may say so myself. We're much smarter now, so smart it's pathetic. Except for Bavink, who went crazy'A husband forms gruesome plans for his new fridge; a government employee has a haunting experience on his commute home; prisoners serve as entertainment for wealthy party guests; an army officer suffers a monstrous tropical illness. These short stories contain some of the most groundbreaking and innovative writing in Dutch literature from 1915 to the present day, with most pieces appearing here in English for the first time. Blending unforgettable snapshots of the realities of everyday life with surrealism, fantasy and subversion, this collection shows Dutch writing to be an integral part of world literary history.Joost Zwagerman (1963-2015) was a novelist, poet, essayist and editor of several anthologies. He started his career as a writer with bestselling novels, describing the atmosphere of the 1980s and 1990s, such as Gimmick!(1988) and False Light (1991). In later years, he concentrated on writing essays - notably on pop culture and visual arts - and poetry. Suicide was the theme of the novel Six Stars (2002). He took his own life just after having published a new collection of essays on art, The Museum of Light.Passing (The Penguin English Library)
By Nella Larsen. 2020
Clare Kendry has severed all ties to her past. Elegant, fair-skinned and ambitious, she is married to a white man…
who is unaware of her African-American heritage. When she renews her acquaintance with her childhood friend Irene, who has not hidden her origins, both women are forced to reassess their marriages, the lies they have told - and to confront the secret fears they have buried within themselves. Nella Larsen's intense, taut and psychologically nuanced portrayal of lives and identities dangerously colliding established her as a leading writer of America's Harlem Renaissance.The Penguin English Library - collectable general readers' editions of the best fiction in English, from the eighteenth century to the end of the Second World War."This is an anthology to contemplate, revisit and relish" - LoveReading4Kids'It's time we told our story too. The melanin speaks…
for itself.' - George the PoetPart of a Story That Started Before Me is an extraordinary new collection of poems chosen by acclaimed spoken-word performer and social commentator George the Poet.Taking readers on a thought-provoking poetical journey through Black British history, the anthology brings together some of the most exciting wordsmiths from across the diaspora and fascinating era-by-era notes from historian Dr Christienna Fryar.From Africans in Roman Britannia to the first Black actor to play Othello on stage, from Malcolm X's visit to the West Midlands to highlighting an organizer of the UK's first Gay Pride, this important collection reveals unsun people and events from our past to recognize the intrinsic impact they've had on Britain today.Featuring: Abi Simms, Adesayo Talabi, AFLO. the poet, Amina Jama, Anu Balofin, Ashley Hickson-Lovence, Becksy Becks, Benjamin Zephaniah, Bridget Minamore, Cara Thompson, Casey Bailey, Deanna Rodger, Derek Walcott, Dorothea Smartt, Dzifa Benson, Edward Kamau Brathwaite, Eno Mfon, Evan the Poet, Fred D'Aguiar, FULAANI onda 3s, George The Poet, Grace Nichols, Henry Stone, Highwater Ell aka Elliott Henry, Ife Grillo, Inua Ellams, Irenosen Okojie, Isaiah Hull, Jade LB, Jeffrey Boakye, Jenny Mitchell, Jeremiah Brown, John Agard, Joseph Coelho, Jude Yawson, Kat Francois, Keith Jarrett, Kelechi Okafor, M. NourbeSe Philip, Malika Booker, Michael Groce, Miles Chambers, Muneera Pilgrim, Nick Makoha, Nii Ayikwei Parkes, Nile Faure-Bryan, Olaudah Equiano, Olivette Otele, Patience Agbabi, Peter deGraft-Johnson aka The Repeat Beat Poet, Phillis Wheatley, Priss Nash, Rakaya Fetuga, Raymond Antrobus, Reece Williams, Safiya Kamaria Kinshasha, Samuel King, Sophia Thakur, Stretch the Top Boy, Thembe Mvula, Theresa Lola, Tré Ventour, Vanessa Kisuule, Wretch 32 and Zena Edwards.Outbreak: Code Red (Code Red #3)
By Chris Ryan. 2008
Thirteen-year-old Ben Tracey is looking forward to spending the summer in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where his father has…
been hired to examine the valuable mineral Coltan that's being mined there. They soon realise that the people living in the village near the mine are frightened and it doesn't take long for Ben and his father to discover why: behind the door of every hut there is at least one person dying or seriously ill, and no one seems to be doing anything to help.As Ben's father falls ill, it's up to Ben and his new friend from the village, Halima, to try and tell the government what's going on so the village can be isolated before the sickness spreads further. Will they be able to prevent disaster?Been There, Done That: A Novel
By Darrien Lee. 2003
In Darrien Lee's sequel to All That and a Bag of Chips, readers meet up again with Craig Bennett, who…
is still wary of love even years after his affair with Venice Taylor.This compelling continuation of the Craig Bennett and Venice Taylor saga reveals Craig to be still smarting from Venice's decision to marry her high school sweetheart despite the passion she and Craig shared during their college romance. Devastated by the loss, Craig has dedicated himself to building his company, Bennett Architectural, Inc., into a multimillion-dollar empire and rising to career success.Unfortunately, his personal life is not quite as fruitful—even though he has had several meaningless flings with beautiful, intelligent women—due to the impenetrable wall of regret preventing him from reaching out to another woman. As fate would have it, Craig finds himself faced with a challenge that tests his will, trust, and capacity to love and forces him to confront the issues that have been plaguing him for the past seven years.In Been There, Done That, Darrien Lee crafts a fascinating novel complete with intricate relationships, life-changing decisions, and painful matters of the heart.When Hell Freezes Over: A Novel
By Darrien Lee. 2005
The unforgettable characters from the bestseller What Goes Around Comes Around are backin a smashingly suspenseful tale of love, trust,…
and the secrets that have the power to control our lives.The dashingly handsome Keaton Lapahie has watched many of his friends do the one thing he has vowed he will never do: get married. His plan is to enjoy his retirement, open a restaurant, and remain a bachelor for life. But when he is unexpectedly put on mandatory medical leave, he decides to visit his sister and her family, not realizing fate is about to take him on a trip—not just out of town, but toward his own heart.In Philadelphia, Keaton is reacquainted with Dr. Meridan St. John, his sister's pediatrician. Meridan is seemingly the perfect woman—smart, bold, and beautiful. But why can't Keaton attract her attention? He soon learns that Meridan is haunted by something in her past—and though Keaton can read her better than anyone else, he cannot figure out the cause of her nightmares and fears. Things become even more complicated when Jacob, her jealous childhood friend, arrives in Philadelphia and threatens to expose all the dark secrets of her past. Worried that Keaton will not believe she was innocent in her situation, she does the only thing she can—run. Thus, Keaton must decide: does he follow her and get to the truth, or does he leave the woman he loves to her own dark nightmares?Penetrating in language and powerful in meaning, When Hell Freezes Over is a remarkable story about how accepting the past is the only way to make a future.Shark Dialogues: A Novel
By Kiana Davenport. 1995
A Hawaiian grandmother and seer gathers her estranged granddaughters from around the world in this “compelling” saga spanning generations of…
history (Publishers Weekly).“Beginning in the nineteenth century with the dramatic meeting of a young Yankee sailor and a beautiful Tahitian princess, this expansive and engrossing multigenerational saga details the history of Hawaii through the experiences of one family. Their descendants . . . are four cousins named Vanya, Ming, Rachel, and Jess who have been brought up by Pono, a kahuna, or seer, who has never talked about her mysterious past to her four granddaughters. [The author] incorporates folklore, history, and myth in a vivid, lush prose style. . . . Entertaining and educational.” —Library Journal“Complex, resonant . . . handles the sweep of history and the nuance of the personal equally well . . . Sensuous.” —San Francisco Chronicle“Compares with Toni Morrison.” —Glamour“An epic . . . as enduring as the pearls [Davenport’s] extraordinary women pass down through the generations.” —Isabel Allende, New York Times–bestselling author of The Wind Knows My NameZara's Rules for Record-Breaking Fun (Zara's Rules Ser. #1)
By Hena Khan. 2022
From the beloved author of Amina&’s Voice comes the first book in a humor-filled middle grade series starring a young…
Muslim girl with an endless list of hobbies who searches for ways to maximize fun for her family and neighborhood friends. Meet Zara Saleem, the queen of the neighborhood.Zara&’s in charge of it all: she organizes the games, picks the teams, and makes sure everyone has a good time…and they always do.When a new family moves in across the street, suddenly Zara&’s reign is threatened by Naomi, who has big ideas of her own about how the neighborhood kids can have fun. To get everyone to notice her again, Zara decides she&’s going to break a Guinness World Record—if her little brother Zayd doesn&’t mess things up.But when she finds herself increasingly alone in her record-breaking quest, Zara starts to wonder if sharing the crown and making a new friend might end up being the best rule of all.Kantika: A Novel
By Elizabeth Graver. 2023
A dazzling Sephardic multigenerational saga that moves from Istanbul to Barcelona, Havana, and New York, exploring displacement, endurance, and family…
as home.A kaleidoscopic portrait of one family’s displacement across four countries, Kantika—“song” in Ladino—follows the joys and losses of Rebecca Cohen, feisty daughter of the Sephardic elite of early 20th-century Istanbul. When the Cohens lose their wealth and are forced to move to Barcelona and start anew, Rebecca fashions a life and self from what comes her way—a failed marriage, the need to earn a living, but also passion, pleasure and motherhood. Moving from Spain to Cuba to New York for an arranged second marriage, she faces her greatest challenge—her disabled stepdaughter, Luna, whose feistiness equals her own and whose challenges pit new family against old.Exploring identity, place and exile, Kantika also reveals how the female body—in work, art and love—serves as a site of both suffering and joy. A haunting, inspiring meditation on the tenacity of women, this lush, lyrical novel from Elizabeth Graver celebrates the insistence on seizing beauty and grabbing hold of one’s one and only life.The Mystery Across the Secret Bridge (Greetings from Somewhere #7)
By Harper Paris. 2015
Ethan and Ella find a mystery atop Machu Picchu in the seventh book of Greetings from Somewhere, an exciting series…
about mystery, travel, and adventure.The Briar family is off to Peru! They explore small towns within the Sacred Valley, go horseback riding up into ancient salt mines, help weave alpaca wool into blankets, and then travel to Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas.” While Ethan and Ella are exploring the incredible site, they come across a wooden bridge that leads them to a mysterious stone structure. What is it, why haven’t they heard about it—and why does it seem to look like a snake, a bird, and a puma at the same time?With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, the Greetings from Somewhere chapter books are perfect for beginning readers.Mindy Kim, Class President (Mindy Kim Ser. #4)
By Lyla Lee. 2020
Fresh Off the Boat meets Junie B. Jones in the adorable chapter book series following Mindy Kim, a young Asian…
American Girl—in this fourth novel, Mindy runs for class president!It&’s time to pick a class president, and Mindy really wants to win—and she&’s basing her entire campaign on snacks and being kind, so how could she NOT be chosen?But there is one big thing that Mindy is not sure she can do—make a speech to her class about why she would be the best pick for president. Can Mindy face her fears and show the class—and herself—that she can be the best class president ever?King's Courage (Blast to the Past #4)
By Stacia Deutsch, Rhody Cohon. 2006
The Blast to the Past gang gets the chance to impact civil rights when they meet Dr. Martin Luther King,…
Jr., and give him their vote of confidence in this fourth book in the Blast to the Past series.It’s another exciting Monday for Abigail, Zack, Jacob, and Bo—they are going to jump back to the past to meet Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.! The kids need to convince Dr. King not to get discouraged and to lead one of his famous voting rights marches. And they’ve got to do it with the twins’ baby brother, Gabe, in tow!This mission will be more challenging—and more surprising—than any that they’ve faced so far. Luckily, they’ll get some help from two very special people...The Viagra Diaries: A Novel
By Barbara Rose Brooker. 2012
A funny, fearless, and inspiring novel about dating after the age of sixty.THE NOVEL THAT PROVES THERE&’S PLENTY OF LIFE—AND…
HOT SEX—AFTER SIXTY!Just because Anny Applebaum qualifies for a senior discount doesn&’t mean she&’s ready for retirement. But if she wants to keep her job at the San Francisco Times, she&’ll have to find a way to spice up her lifestyle column. Even if it means posting her profile as an eligible single on JDate .com. Sure, Anny&’s a little out of practice. She hasn&’t been with a man since she found Viagra in her ex-husband&’s suit pocket, and he wasn&’t taking it for her. But she&’s got her friends to help her fumble her way through the strange and intriguing world of online dating.After hearing cautionary tales from the trenches—about &“boomer oldies&” who drag around pictures of their dead wives and fixed-income misers who wine and dine their dates at chain restaurants—Anny is relieved to meet Marv Rothstein, a charming . . . 75-year-old diamond dealer. Unfortunately, he&’s also a Digital Age Don Juan who prowls singles sites for younger women. Not be outdated by this &“Serial JDater,&” Anny realizes Marv is the perfect subject for her flagging column and chronicles his sexcapades for the reading public. But when the new column becomes an overnight hit, Anny can&’t help but feel conflicted—because now she&’s having sex with Mr. X . . . and it&’s nothing less than extraordinary.Home to Harlem (Dover Thrift Editions: Black History)
By Claude McKay. 1928
Claude McKay’s 1928 novel, Home to Harlem, is one of the most important works of the Harlem Renaissance. With raw,…
unflinching candor, McKay explores race, identity, love, and loss and gives voice to the plight of young Black men during the Jazz Age. Jake Brown, a Black American soldier and a World War I deserter, returns to Harlem and struggles to find his place in a vibrant working-class community that’s rife with poverty, crime, and racism. He meets various characters, including a displaced Haitian intellectual, prostitutes, hustlers, and jazz musicians, and he experiences everything from love and joy to despair and violence.Mrs van gogh
By Caroline Cauchi. 2023
"As intricate and absorbing as a Van Gogh painting...MRS VAN GOGH will stay with me for a long time." New…
York Times bestseller Hazel Gaynor "All the characters jump off the page...what we have here is a very fine novel." Historical Novel Society She's been painted out of history...until now Who tells her story? In 1890, Vincent Van Gogh dies penniless, unknown, a man tortured by his own mind. Eleven years later his work is exhibited in Paris and his unparalleled talent finally recognised. The tireless efforts of one woman gave the world one of its greatest creative minds. But twenty-eight year old Johanna Van Gogh-Bonger, Vincent's sister-in-law and the keeper of his immense collection of paintings, sketches and letters, has, until now, been written out of history. This beautiful, moving novel finally gives this extraordinary woman a voice... Praise for Mrs Van Gogh: "[A] brilliantly fictionalized account of the life of a woman who the world needs to know better" Lit Hub "What an exquisitely written book, I loved every moment! How lucky readers are going to be to read this utterly absorbing and deeply moving book for the first time. Such a treat!" USA Today bestseller Deborah Carr "A truly impressive book and a great talent." Sunday Times bestseller Caroline Corcoran "Brings to vivid life an extraordinary woman... will appeal to all lovers of historical fiction. A story that deserves to be told and widely known." Essie Fox ????? "This book is exquisite! Everything about Johanna's story is astoundingly beautiful and hers is a story that needed to be told, a voice that deserved to be heard" ????? "A beautifully done historical novel, it was so well written and did everything that I was hoping for" ???? "A beautifully written historical novel... Johanna was ahead of her time and the author portrayed her authentically" ????"Historical fiction at its best. A well-written story about a strong woman with a fascinating life" ???? "The author paints a beautiful picture...If you enjoy historical fiction and you like strong female characters, I highly recommend"The american daughters: A novel
By Maurice Carlos Ruffin. 2024
A gripping historical novel about a spirited girl who joins a sisterhood working to undermine the Confederates—from the award-winning author…
of We Cast a Shadow "A genius conceit . . . thoughtful, courageous, exciting . . . a splendid work."—Robert Jones, Jr., author of The Prophets Ady, a curious, sharp-witted girl, and her fierce mother, Sanite, are inseparable. Enslaved to a businessman in the French Quarter of New Orleans, the pair spend their days dreaming of a loving future and reminiscing about their family’s rebellious and storied history. When mother and daughter are separated, Ady is left hopeless and directionless until she stumbles into the Mockingbird Inn and meets Lenore, a free Black woman with whom she becomes fast friends. Lenore invites Ady to join a clandestine society of spies called the Daughters. With the courage instilled in her by Sanite—and with help from these strong women—Ady learns how to put herself first. So begins her journey toward liberation and imagining a new future. The American Daughters is a novel of hope and triumph that reminds us what is possible when a community bands together to fight for their freedomThe queen of dirt island: A novel
By Donal Ryan. 2023
“From its opening pages, this book exerts a quiet, propulsive hold over its reader. The three generations of Aylward women…
will break your heart and then put it back together again.” – Maggie O'Farrell "This is a generous mosaic of a novel about the staying power of love and pride and history and family." –C olum McCann, author of Apeirogon and Let The Great World Spin From the multi-award-winning and internationally bestselling author Donal Ryan, a searing, jubilant story about four generations of women and fierce love The Aylward women of Nenagh, Tipperary, are mad about each other, but you wouldn’t always think it. You’d have to know them to know that—in spite of what the neighbors might say about raised voices and dramatic scenes—their house is a place of peace, filled with love, a refuge from the sadness and cruelty of the world. Their story begins at an end and ends at a beginning. It involves wives and widows, gunrunners and gougers, sinners and saints. It’s a story of terrible betrayals and fierce loyalties, of isolation and togetherness, of transgression, forgiveness, desire, and love. Of all the things family can be and all the things it sometimes isn’t. The Queen of Dirt Island is an uplifting celebration of fierce, loyal love and the powerful stories that bind generations togetherUncle Jed's Barber Shop
By Margaree King Mitchell. 1993
Coretta Scott King Award winnerA young girl&’s beloved uncle is a talented barber without a shop who never gives up…
on his dream in this richly illustrated, stirring picture book.Everyone has a favorite relative. For Sarah Jean, it&’s her Uncle Jed. Living in the segregated South of the 1920s, where most people are sharecroppers, Uncle Jed is the only black barber in the county and has to travel all over the county to cut his customers&’ hair.He lives for the day when he could open his very own barbershop. But there are a lot of setbacks along the way. Will Uncle Jed ever be able to open a shiny new shop?