Written in rhyme, this is a children book for all ages, telling the story of longing for a child who has gone on her way and left the old tree behind. The tree gives voice to love and loss, fear and hope, death and rebirth in a new form, as it is transformed first to pulp and then to paper, the very paper from which the child reads this story. Sensually told, it brings forth the sounds and smells of the forest.

I remember: a gentler sound,
The forest rustling in the rain
Leaves were swirling all around
I heard soft footsteps up the lane...

The paintings for the cover and interior pages are watercolor on paper, done by the author. She drew the text for each verse by hand, in a ‘Gothic’ font that is as flowery as the tree used to be in its prime. Children would love the highly decorative style of the writing, and the sudden long strokes that express the emotions in this story.


Each verse appears on a paper leaf that floats over transparent paper in the shape of an ellipse, which symbolizes a puddle of tears at the foot of the tree.

Girls Gone Great is a collection of magical tales written for girls ages two to ten. These fable-like stories were inspired by real girls, girls taking a magical journey of self-discovery where doing the right thing turns into something great. When you believe in yourself and have confidence to face obstacles, then any girl has the ability to “go great” and surprise herself just like the heroines in these tales.

Neesa was a klutz. She couldn’t even do the simplest of tasks all pixies needed to learn to become… well, pixies. And in a land where completed tasks were rewarded with beautiful gems for their shoes, Neesa had no hope of her plain shoes becoming adorned like the other pixies.

Cordelia, Neesa’s teacher and mentor, didn’t know what to do. Until it came upon her that maybe, just maybe, Neesa was special. Very special. Even in the world of pixies, there are some who are misunderstood -- until their true purpose is revealed.

Can Cordelia help Neesa find her place even without jeweled shoes?

After receiving a magic sword from his new found love, Sir Dudley must complete a dangerous quest to kill the evil King of the Cyclops. Unfortunately for Dudley, things aren't always what they seem.

After a hundred years of standing tall and alone, tomorrow the House on Hollow Hill will be bulldozed. Yet the owner, Mr. Goosen, is giving you one last chance to explore inside and take one treasure of your choosing!

With your friends Jake and Emma, you have one final chance to explore the house and find the best treasure from one of Mr. Goosen's many adventures. But you quickly learn the House on Hollow Hill has a secret. Can you survive the house's ghastly occupants? Or will you fall victim to their tricks?

YOU choose your own path in this haunted house adventure! Ultimate Ending lets YOU pick the story. YOU make the decisions, solve the riddles, avoid the traps and gather the clues. It's a mystery and adventure book that YOU control!
 

About Ultimate Ending

Welcome to Ultimate Ending, where YOU choose the story!

That's right - everything that happens in this book is a result of decisions YOU make. So choose wisely!

But also be careful. Throughout this book you'll find tricks and traps, trials and tribulations! Most you can avoid with common sense and a logical approach to problem solving. Others will require a little bit of luck. Having a coin handy, or a pair of dice, will make your adventure even more fun. So grab 'em if you got 'em!

Along the way you'll also find clues, tips, and even items that can help you in your quest. You'll meet people. Pick stuff up. Taking note of these things is often important, so while you're gathering your courage, you might also want to grab yourself a pencil and a sheet of paper.

Keep in mind, there are many ways to end the story. Some conclusions are good... some not so good. Some of them are even great! But remember: there is only ONE

ULTIMATE ENDING!

Terry should never have been in the middle of Crow Wood that night - then the Torus couldn't have taken him. But he was, and it did. Now he finds himself in a strange new world, with no hope of getting home again unless he can find the seven tumblestones. New friends Gwen, Meeshka and Polka will help him solve the riddles, left by the mysterious Stranger - but the Baron's secret police are closing in fast. The key to the mystery lies in the mountains of the far north, where the 'Watcher' is waiting. The friends set out on their desperate quest, but it soon becomes clear that there is a deeper mystery behind the hiding of the stones, and an even deadlier enemy is just waiting for its chance...

Pirates on a treasure hunt. An ancient weapon lost long ago. One girl determined to save us all.

Trish never saw herself as a hero. She lives in a quiet village and spends most of her time happily crafting. But when a gang of pirates throws her life upside down while searching for a legendary weapon called The Blade of the Sea, she ventures outside of the safety of her village to find it before they do.

With only her wits and crafting skills to help her, Trish fights zombies and creepers, explores secret temples, battles pirates, and solves mind-boggling puzzles. Even after befriending a wolf, she's in way over her head. She soon learns that the Blade of the Sea protects an even bigger secret. According to legend, it is the key to an ancient treasure with the power to bring the world to its knees.

Fans of the Elementia Chronicles and the Gameknight999 series will be drawn to Jesse Nethermind's epic tale of treasure hunts, pirates, ninjas, and the quest for a magical place rumored to contain the ultimate power. Filled with action, humor, and monsters galore, Blade of the Sea is the perfect adventure story for children and adults alike!

Fangs aren’t everything…

Life in the coven isn’t easy for new vampire Adlan. Physical training, competitions, strange food and mean kids; Adlan wonders what will become of him when he doesn’t quite fit in.

However when he discovers a mysterious power that sets him apart from everyone else, he draws the attention of the fearsome coven Mistress.

He soon embarks on an adventure that reveals more about himself than he could have imagined. What’s in store for him? And will he survive?

For paranormal fantasy lovers aged 9 - 14.
 

Only four months left, then Dave Martinez is a free man.
Dave is an eighth-grader at Lakeville Boarding School, the school for boys with unexplored potential (aka losers). If he can control his impulse to steal, he can return home and attend regular public school. If he doesn’t, he will be sent to Birmingham High, the worst high school on the planet, and his life will be doomed forever. For just a few more months, he needs to stay out of trouble and keep a low profile. And he’s pretty good at that.
Then Dave gets a new roommate, Tom Grant. Tom is allergic to boring and doesn’t know how to listen to rules. His wild plans involve all of his roommates, especially Dave. They’re dragged along with Tom as he hunts animals (and teachers in pajamas), goes sledding on cafeteria trays, and drives bulldozers through the night. Dave’s chances of keeping a low profile are going down the drain.

Tommy Klopt is cunning and clever. Of course, he’s a pirate. The twelve-year-old, along with his brothers, Connor and Dillon, begin a life at sea when their distraught father, Hoody, hits hard times. After a couple of years of smooth sailing as Robin Hood-type pirates, the family encounters a typhoon in the form of 400-year-old pirate ghost, François l’Olonnais. To force Tommy to complete a task, l’Olonnais captures Hoody. In a race against time to free him, the boys go up against real pirates and the FBI. But even if they can save their father, will l’Olonnais, the most evil pirate in history, really hold up his end of the bargain?

Sam's Top Secret Journal - Book 1: Sam Spies by Sean Adelman. Join Sam as she embarks on her first big adventure in this middle-grade mystery full of fun, suspense...and just the right amount of spying! Sam is a middle school girl living a normal life-except when she is occasionally bullied for the differences kids perceive in her. Sam has Down syndrome. See how she and her brother John work together to find some stolen money, help a new friend and escape real danger in this exciting adventure!

Essie is a typical little girl who is excited about her birthday—she just can’t wait for her guests and presents to arrive. The day of the party is finally here, but things unfold for Essie in an unexpected way. In this charming story, Essie and her readers learn the value and importance of sharing, and they also see how learning to share is really the best gift of all. Based on a true life event, this story is sure to delight children and parents alike, for we all could learn to share just a little more.

Wilhelmina Snodgrass and her family move to the Willamette Valley, Oregon, against her express wishes. Not only is she sure her life is over, but she's convinced she won't make any friends. That is until she meet her eccentric blue-haired neighbor, Thomasina Andretti.

Willy and Tommy become involved in a conspiracy to reopen The Willamette Wig Factory, with their unsuspecting friend, Georgianna Carbunkle. The plot, however, is orchestrated by three of Willy's ancestors, from beyond the grave.

Scrapes, mishaps and the unforeseen occur; including becoming sworn enemies with Tiffany Peterson, the most popular girl in the seventh grade, a crush on super-stud, Jamie Armstrong and a mysterious carousel. Willy and Tommy have it all-mystery, revenge and romance. Monteith, Oregon, becomes the stage for adventures beyond their wildest dreams!

Two years ago, Ben Greenwood's parents walked out the door and never returned. The police have all but given up finding them when Ben stumbles upon a peculiar letter addressed to his dad. “You are the most wanted man in the Unseen Kingdoms. Unless you come to us, we cannot help. For your child's sake, tell us what you know.”

The letter is from an organisation called the Royal Institute of Magic and is dated a day before his parents disappeared. Like most people, fourteen-year-old Ben hasn't the faintest idea what the Royal Institute of Magic is, but he has his first clue: the logo on the letter.

Armed with nothing but his wits and the help of his good friend Charlie, Ben sets out to find the Institute and, through them, his parents. To succeed, he will have to navigate a land filled with fantastic creatures and Spellshooters, where magic can be bought and sold, to unravel an ancient family secret that could hold the key to defeating an evil the Institute has been fighting for the last five hundred years.

Summer vacation is almost here! And Pea O'Neil is stoked to try out the new local BMX track which is finally open. He and his gang of friends can ride all summer long!

But when Pea tries a back flip, he unwittingly opens a portal to another dimension and hordes of flying mutant zombie rats are unleashed upon the city. With the help of an otherworldly talking cat sent to help prevent the demise of humankind, Pea and his friends must hunt down the hungry mutants and send them back before the portal closes.

But when the zombie rats attack a neighbor man, the boys have to enlist the help of a graveyard looney and the city's stray cats. With time running out, Pea and his gang track the monsters to the city's sewer system. But in the city sewer of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, it’s eat…or get eaten.

Sam is a ninth grade girl trying to enjoy her first year of high school. Sam knows she has Down syndrome but she doesn't feel different; even though other kids sometimes treat her that way. Sam's new adventure involves a mini family reunion, exploring the interesting spaces of a retired military base and learning how hard it can be to "do the right thing". Challenges and new mysteries are all chronicled in Sam's private journal. In this book, Sam discovers that being yourself isn't just about what people can see; sometimes what you can't see is the most important part.

It’s not easy being eleven.

It’s not easy being the new kid, in a new town, especially in a house with so many strange memories.

When you’re different, when you see things that other people don’t see, what do you do? When you have no friends and everyone thinks you’re weird, who can you tell?

Iris uncovers her own strange past and learns that anything is possible if you believe in yourself.

Come with Iris and find yourself in the magical world of Fairalon.

Fairalon explores themes of trust, loneliness, friendship, and self-reliance with a sprinkle of budding romance.

Fairalon is a MG/YA fantasy novel with 30 full color illustrations.

"This entertaining NEW series of simplified, illustrated readers has been developed specifically in order to enable young children to learn to read by themselves, with only minimal help from parents or teachers."

The first two books in the 12-book series have been made available for FREE. This is so that parents and teachers can, at no cost, judge for themselves how the books are able to rapidly, systematically and effectively develop children's confidence and competence in reading.

This book, Lee and Pat, is the first book in the Word by Word series. It is intended for English-speaking children learning to read as well as children learning English as a second or foreign language. In this first early reader, we meet the teacher, Lee, Pat and their very clever dog, Kim.

This dog is so clever he can even READ what the children write!

The story is told using just 17 different keywords + 3 names of characters. These most commonly used key words are frequently and systematically repeated throughout the book in order to ensure effective learning.

All the details in the book are revealed in language (words and structure) that has been rigorously selected to be as simple and understandable as possible for young readers.

For example, did you know that just 25 most commonly used words make up about one-third of all words written or spoken in English? The first 100 most frequently used words make up about one-half of all written and spoken English. By the end of the 12-book Word by Word series, children will have learned the 1,000 most frequently used words which comprise more than 95% of all written and spoken English.

The content of all Word by Word readers is based on extensive, diligent research into the most frequently used English words and structures. The key words and structures are presented gradually and systematically throughout the series. For example, all new words and structures are repeated at least 15 times subsequent to their first appearance in the series. This, together with the phonic emphasis in each book, ensures effective and rapid learning as well as maximum retention and comprehension. It is this very systematic control of vocabulary and structure that makes Word by Word graded readers unique.

All the books in the series have been extensively trialed and repeatedly improved over a period of many years and are now proven to be extremely effective in building functional literacy in children of many ages and nationalities, including the author's own children.

The series consists of 12 books in 4 levels:,

Level 1
Book 1: Lee and Pat
Book 2: Lee and Pat like to play
Book 3: Lee and Pat go with Daddy

Level 2
Book 4: Lee and Pat go to school
Book 5: Lee has a friend
Book 6: Lee and Pat like animals

Level 3
Book 7: A very good week
Book 8: Let's go shopping
Book 9: Pat's birthday

Level 4
Book 10: All about animals
Book 11: Our world
Book 12: All about people

By the end of the series, the child will have learned to read and understand all of the most important English words and structures. At this point, the child will be functionally literate and fully capable of independent reading.

If you appreciate the content of this book, please sign up for our newsletter and we will send you a notification each time a new Word by Word book becomes available as well as notifications of occasional special offers and other free background information.

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Stubby the Beaver lives in Lodgepole Marsh with his family and friends but he isn't quite the same as other beavers, he's rather unique so no one thinks he can accomplish much until one day he has to help a new friend who is in trouble. Join Stubby the little Beaver discover he can be a helpful and cool Beaver even though he was born different and doesn't always fit in.

Darkness is falling across mystic Azdia. Soon, all of life will stop glowing with light. Soon, the trees will no longer spring to life. Even the mighty feldroes will cease to roam the forests. Already, many lumens, the shape-shifting caretakers of Azdia, have lost faith in their provider and protector, the mysterious Mr. Thicket. The only hope for the creatures of Azdia are the awaited chosen ones sent from another world called Earth.

Del Ryder and her three best friends stumble through the portal into Azdia. There they meet Crimson, a lumen full of hope, who believes Del and her friends are the ones they have been waiting for. Unwilling to accept their destiny, the children still manage to enlist Crimson’s help in what becomes a fight for their own survival. Held hostage by living trees, battered by storms, and caught in a stampede of feldroes, the darkness of Azdia blocks them at every stage of their adventure. But Del and her friends persevere, following the clues of a cryptic riddle, in the hope that it leads them home.

Del Ryder and the Crystal Seed is Matthew David Brough's debut novel. It is an adventurous ride, with fast-paced action, and colorful characters. Ideal for boys and girls, and enjoyed by adults as well, we follow Del as she grapples not only with being in a strange and fantastic world, but also with whether she can trust anyone and ultimately know what it means to be loved.