This is a collection of fascinating & diverse British railway facts & stories to read in any spare moment. Travel back to the age of steam & discover the worlds oldest active steam locomotive before becoming up-to-date with railways in films such as Harry Potter. In addition to the fascinating lists of longest tunnels widest bridges & most powerful locomotives ponder the dismal failure of Brunels atmospheric railway in South Devon before reading the rags-to riches tale of Frank Hornby. From the sublime to the ridiculous & the euphoric to the poignant every railway enthusiast is catered for. ...

On a bright & beautiful spring day Pearl a pig is dawdling on her way home from school when she most unexpectedly strikes up an acquaintance with a small bone. You talk? says Pearl. In any language says the bone. And I can imitate any sound there is. (Its former owner was a witch.) Pearl & the bone are soon heading home together happily continuing their conversation. But before she can introduce her new friend to her parents the resourceful bone must deal with a band of highway robbers in Halloween masks &
- worse!
- a fox who decides that Pearl will be his main course at dinner that night. William Steig incomparable master of the contemporary picture book creates a wonderful world of villains exploits & friendship.

...

Every book in Trip Payne's popular inexpensive crossword series has become a bestseller. Now this genius of crossword creation (he had his first puzzles published when he was just in junior high & won the American Crossword Puzzle Tournament a grand three times) is back with a seventh collection. That should make puzzle-loving kids positively ecstatic. The age-appropriate clues include Aladdin rubbed a magic one " " Famous ____ (brand of cookies) " & " You might use one in a treasure hunt." There's nothing in here that isn't worth knowing nothing that's obscure or arcane. So for youngsters it's lots of fun. Happy solving!" ...

Acollection of thrilling diving stories Theres everything from classic tales of wreck discoveries to encounters with beautiful & bizarre creatures beneath the waves. There are stories of death & disaster as well as bravery & triumph. Eachtale has been chosen to stoke the fire of divers armchairand some are illustrated with colour photographs. Take the plunge & read about the diver who discovered how to put sharks in a trance & the marine biologist who lost a limb trying to proving that sharks were safe to swim with. Theres the tale behind the Red Seas most famous wreck as well the Titanics sister ship that keeps claiming divers lives. Read about the politician attacked by a turtle the saltwater crocodile that lost a sub--aqua scuffle & the eel feeding frenzy that almost claimed a life. The exciting & the extreme rub shoulders with more poetic pieces about the people & places that make up the folklore of this fascinating sport & some are even brought to life by the authors photography. This global tour takes you everywhere: from Indonesia to the Caribbean & from the chill waters of Northern Europe to the reefs of the Pacific. Stories of technical pioneers are accompanied by quirky tales of adventure beneath the waves. Every ocean of the world is explored making this essential reading -- or a wonderful gift -- for divers everywhere. ...

Follow the wildly imaginative adventures of Esme as she leaves behind her circus home for the first time to spend the summer with her cousins Magnus Cosmo & Gus at Maclinkey Castle where it's easy to get lost & where you can discover all sorts of weird & wonderful animals in unlikely places
- there are porcupines in beds lizards in drawers & giraffes on the loo. It's all a little wonderful & a lot overwhelming & when her pet donkey Donk turns up in a parcel sent from her parents the fun really begins. When hundreds of baby penguins hatch in Esme's top floor bedroom the children have to figure out how to get them outside. Esme & her cousin have the ingenious idea of building a helter skelter around the castle turret but this is just the start
- soon Maclinkey Castle is turned into a full-on Fairground Circus with a big wheel Bumper Bears & the show stopping Flying Tigers starring Esme herself!

...

From battling monsters from the deep to the magic & mystery of fly fishing--larger-than-life fish stories that are all true Lifelong fisherman Paul Knight knows the thrill of the chase the one-on-one battle of endurance between man & beast that is sport fishing. Like Hemingway & legions of others who've tested themselves against nature author Paul Knight has traveled to remote parts of the globe to reel in stories of epic adventures with rod & line. In Amazing Fishing Stories he takes readers on a breathtaking expedition from frozen Russian rivers to the wild jungles of India detailing the heart-pounding capture of sailfish tuna & shark & thrilling struggles with monsters from the deep. There are wonderful stories of fly fishing as Knight describes in captivating detail the pursuit of salmon trout & more exotic sport from the Scottish Highlands to the Indian jungle. International in scope & covering all types of fishing from open ocean to mountain stream this eclectic collection of well told fishing stories has something for everyone. The book is a compelling & entertaining read that covers a variety of fishing around the world The author is a leading figure among UK anglers as CEO of Salmon & Trout Association & contributor to a wide range of angling magazines including Gamefisher An ideal gift for the armchair enthusiast & active fisherman Amazing Fishing Stories is an exhilarating trek across the globe with a skilled fisherman & masterful writer in search of the perfect catch. ...

Open the flaps & see dinosaurs leap off the page. Enter the land of the giants with this stunning collection of the biggest ...

Grace loves to act out stories. Sometimes she plays the leading part sometimes she is a cast of thousands. When her school decides to perform Peter Pan Grace is longing to play Peter but her classmates say that Peter was a boy & besides he wasnt black... But Graces Ma & Nana tell her she can be anything she wants if she puts her mind to it... ...

On a warm May night in San Francisco a glittering celebrity-studded crowd gathers for a charity event. Just minutes before midnight the room begins to sway. Glass shatters the lights go out & people start to scream... In the earthquakes aftermath the lives of four strangers will converge: Sarah Sloane the beautiful wife of a financial star watches her perfect world fall to pieces; Melanie Free award-winning singer comes to a turning point in her career; Everett Carson a former war correspondent whose personal demons have demoted him to covering society parties finds new purpose amid the carnage; & Sister Maggie Kent a nun who does her best work in jeans & trainers searches through the rubble
- & knows instantly that there is much work to be done. The city staggers back to life & a chain reaction will touch each of the survivors as they find the amazing grace of new beginnings.
...

Grains have always played an important part in a healthy diet but not everyone knows how to cook with them. Ghillie not only discusses all the grains
- their provenance nutritional benefit how best to cook them
- but showcases over 100 international recipes that celebrate them. Start the day with Breakfast Quinoa with Raisins & Honey take Maki & California Rolls to work for lunch bake some Lazy Courgette & Sundried Tomato Cornbread at the weekend create a feast of Fragrant Vegetable Biryani for friends knock up a bulgar wheat Tabbouleh or Fennel Freekeh Pilav for a quick midweek supper or indulge in a Polenta & Ricotta Berry Torte. Everyone should be eating more of these grains rather than relying on staples like pasta & this book is here to inspire & excite.

...