Ben is delighted when he rips open his present & finds a penguin inside. Hello Penguin!" says Ben. Penguin says nothing. Ben tickles Penguin; he pulls his funniest face; he puts on a happy hat sings a silly song & does a dizzy dance. " Cant you talk?" says Ben. Penguin says nothing. It isnt until a passing lion intervenes that Penguin finally speaks...and when he does Ben discovers something that was really worth the wait." ...

From the Linux logo to The March of the Penguins a certain tuxedo-adorned member of the animal kingdom has perpetually captured our hearts & imaginations. Stephen Martin regales us here with the cultural history of the penguin revealing many fascinating & little-known facts about this beloved bird. Over twenty species of penguins can be found in the Galapagos Islands & New Zealand as well as in Antarctica & range from the Little Bee Penguin at about 1kg to the imposing Emperor Penguin which can weigh in at over 34 kgs. Martin details the biological facts & natural history of each species including their evolution habitats diet & behaviour but he also combs through cultural history to chronicle the role of penguins in popular culture & thought from children's literature such as Mr Popper's Penguins" to " Batman"'s nemesis to films & television shows including " Happy Feet" & ' Pingu". Over one hundred images of penguins enrich Martin's engaging text as well. A captivating & readable natural history " Penguin" will be an essential addition to the bookshelves of penguin fans everywhere." ...

When little Penguin finds a lost pinecone in the snow an unlikely friendship blossoms. But Grandpa reminds Penguin that pinecones dont belong in the cold
- they need to be in the warm forest far away. Although he will miss his friend Penguin returns Pinecone to his proper home. Penguin dreams of a reunion with his friend & when they do meet again hes surprised to find that Pinecone has grown bigger & taller than he ever could have imagined! This story of a friendship that endures & grows over time despite distance will ring true for readers of all ages. Illustrator Salina Yoons spare text & bright energetic illustrations bring this wonderful character to life ensuring that readers will be clamouring for more Penguin stories.
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American literature & the short story might be said to have come of age at about the same time & this along with something in the bustling & energetic American temperament might go some way towards explaining why the two go together as well as they do. This title

Includes:: twenty-one short stories from some of the best American writers over the last two hundred years that provide a mesmerizing multi-faceted portrait of a country a people & the unique literature produced by this most exuberant of nations.

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Of all the decisions a new parent makes choosing that special name is the most significant & the most rewarding. A new reference book for prospective parents this clear helpful & easy-to-use A-Z guide gives you thousands of brilliant suggestions for picking the perfect name for your new arrival. It also

Includes:: appendices of the top ten names through the centuries & the most popular celebrity names.

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What were the twelve labors of Herakles? Why did Zeus turn himself into a shower of gold? What was the name of the guard-dog of the Underworld? Which two-faced Roman god gave his name to the month January? What is the answer to the riddle of the Sphinx? The myths of ancient Greece & Rome are the most dramatic & unforgettable tales of love war heroism & betrayal ever told. Whether its Ikaros flying too close to the sun Prometheus stealing fire from the gods or the tragedy of Oedipus their characters have inspired art literature plays & films & constellations named after them fill the night sky. But how much do you really know about them? From the clash of the Titans to the fall of Troy here are the greatest legends of all time brilliantly retold by classical scholar Jenny March. All the heroes monsters villains gods & goddesses of classical civilization are included; the epic journeys of Odysseus & Aeneas; the founding of Athens & Rome; the quests of Jason seeking the Golden Fleece & Theseus slaying the minotaur. Giving the origins development & interpretation of each myth this is the essential guide to the stories that have shaped our world. ...

The Golden Age of the English short story lies from its first wide acceptance in the middle of the nineteenth century until the middle of the twentieth a period when there were a great many outlets in Britain for shorter fictions. The Penguin Book of English Short Stories" celebrates this period through some of the most widely known writers of the time. Though many of the chosen authors are more generally known for their novels here they provide some perfect examples of much shorter work. Each of these concise evocative subtle & satisfying stories is a little jewel providing a small window into another world." ...

An anthology of Great War short stories by British writers both famous & lesser-known authors men & women during the war & after its end. These stories are able to illustrate the impact of the Great War on British society & culture & the many modes in which short fiction contributed to the war's literature. The selection covers different periods: the war years themselves the famous boom years of the late 1920s to the more recent past in which the First World War has received new cultural interest. ...

The Penguin Book of Modern British Short Stories" edited by novelist & critic Malcolm Bradbury is a collection of the finest short stories from our best loved authors including Samuel Beckett Graham Greene William Golding Kingsley Amis Doris Lessing Muriel Spark J. G. Ballard William Trevor Ian Mc Ewan Martin Amis Rose Tremain Salman Rushdie Graham Swift & Kazuo Ishiguro. The short story has become one of the major forms of modern literary expression
- in some ways the most modern of them all. The story of the British short story since the Second World War is one of change & revolution & this powerful & moving collection brilliantly demonstrates the evolution of the form. Containing thirty-four of the most widely regarded postwar British writers it features tales of love & crime comedy & the supernatural the traditional as well as the experimental. This many-storied many-splendored collection is a brilliant portrait of the generation of writers who have immediately influenced the brightest sharpest & most intriguing writers who continue to emerge today. Malcolm Bradbury was a novelist critic television dramatist & professor of American studies & creative writing. He was awarded the CBE in 1991 for his services to Literature & was knighted in the 2000 New Years Honours List. He died in 2000."
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This readable anthology is a good introduction to a civilization that fascinates like few others.. .in this book there are animals who talk princesses who are locked up at the top of towers wicked stepmothers & many other themes.. . An enjoyable book by a skilled author".
- " Financial Times". The civilization we know as Ancient Egypt stretched over three thousand years. What was life like for ancient Egyptians? What were their beliefs
- & how different were they from ours? " Myths & Legends of Ancient Egypt" uses Egypts vivid narratives to create a panorama of its history from the earliest settlers to the time of Cleopatra. Gathered from pyramid texts archaeological finds & contemporary documents these stories cover everything from why the Nile flooded annually to Egyptian beliefs about childbirth & what happened after death. They show us what life was really like for rich & poor man & woman farmer & pharaoh. " Myths & Legends of Ancient Egypt" brings a long-dead culture back to life."

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