Michael Symmons Roberts’s fourth book of poetry, Corpus, was the winner of the 2004 Whitbread Poetry Award, and was shortlisted for the T. S. Eliot Prize, the Forward Prize, and the Griffin International Prize. His sixth collection, Drysalter, was the winner of both the Forward Prize and the Costa Poetry Prize in 2013. He collaborated with Paul Farley on Edgelands (Cape/Vintage) and will do so again in The Deaths of the Poets (Cape, 2017). He has also worked many times with the composer James MacMillan. He has published two novels, and is Professor of Poetry at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Michael Symmons Roberts

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Joan Aiken

Jan Pienkowski

"This is how it all began..." From 'A Necklace of Raindrops' to 'The Patchwork Quilt', here are eight classic stories to treasure and enjoy. Beginning and ending with a birthday, this spell-binding collection conjures up a world filled with magic, where wishes can come true. A necklace of raindrops that keeps its owner dry in the heaviest rainstorm; a tiger that runs faster than the wind; a huge floating apple pie with a piece of sky in it; a baker's cat who swells to the size of a whale when his mistress feeds him yeast; a house that stands on one leg - these are just some of the objects and characters that figure in these delightful stories.

A Necklace Of Raindrops

William Bee

It's another busy day for Stanley and friends . . . 
 
Today Stanley, Sophie, Benjamin and Little Woo are painting cardboard boxes. But Stanley's paintbox only has red, yellow, blue and white paint! What about orange and green and purple? Don't worry, Stanley has a plan . . . 
 
Join Sophie, Benjamin and Little Woo as they learn how to mix colours in this simple, engaging new board book in the Stanley series.

Stanley's Paintbox

Emma Chichester Clark

Plum has lots of favourite things: catching sticks, her bear, her bed – but really LOVE is her absolute favourite thing. She loves her family, and they love her. But trouble loves Plum too; sometimes she just can’t help doing slightly naughty things. 
 
Will everyone still love Plum then? 
 
An exuberant celebration of love, mischief and a very childlike joie-de-vivre. 
 
Emma Chichester Clark began the website Plumdog Blog in 2012, chronicling the real-life adventures of her lovable “whoosell” (whippet, Jack Russell and poodle cross), Plum. Emma soon gained thousands of loyal Plumdog devotees, and in 2014 a book of the blog was published by Jonathan Cape. This picture book story is the first Plumdog book for children.

Love Is My Favourite Thing

A Plumdog Story

Quentin Blake

Marie-Aude Murail

Elvire Murail

Julien's parents talk about Father Christmas endlessly, but he doesn't believe in him any more. Nevertheless he humours his parents and writes Father Christmas a letter asking for a video games console, just like his cousin Patrick's. His parents think it might be a bit expensive, but Julien is sure Father Christmas can cover it. Sure enough, on Christmas morning, with his mother and father feigning surprise, there it is. Then his mother spots another parcel under the tree. It doesn't look very exciting and no one knows where it's come from. Julien tears the paper off and is delighted with what he finds . . .

Father Christmas's Last Present

Nadia Shireen

Our fearless heroine Billy is back! But, something TERRIBLE has happened! 
 
Billy's loyal sidekick Fatcat is kidnapped by a fire-breathing dragon. Uh-oh! 
 
Luckily for Fatcat, Billy won't stand for that: off she goes on a brave rescue mission... 
 
Join Billy for another fairy tale adventure with a twist. 
 
'It's a great story for everyone, especially those not used to seeing themselves centre-stage'- The Guardian on Billy and the Beast 
 
'Shireen's latest book confirms her as one of the brightest and best picture book creators working in Britain today... Sensational.' - The Observer 
 
Explore the other titles from Billy and Fatcat:: 
 
Billy and the Beast 
Billy and the Pirates

Billy and the Dragon

Welcome to the wonderful world of Quentin Blake! Celebrate Quentin Blake's 90th birthday with this collection of nine beautiful complete picture books: his best-loved characters, classic stories and marvellous rhymes - together for the first time in a treasury to be shared and enjoyed by all. 
 
The Quentin Blake Treasury contains: 
All Join In * Quentin Blake's Nursery Rhyme Book * Patrick * Angelica Sprocket's Pockets * Mister Magnolia * Quentin Blake's ABC * Cockatoos * Angel Pavement * Mrs Armitage Queen of the Road 
 
Meet Mister Magnolia, with only one boot! Peer into Angelica Sprocket's Pockets! Set off with Mrs Armitage Queen of the Road, be whisked away by the music of the extraordinary Patrick and soar into the air on the wings of Angel Pavement. Discover the crazy counting of the mischievous Cockatoos and the most enjoyable alphabet ever in Quentin Blake's ABC. And finally, join in at the top of your voice with the verse and songs of Quentin Blake's Nursery Rhyme Book and All Join In! 
 
From Quentin's very first picture book to his most recent adventures, this collection spans and celebrates his astonishing career. 
 
"Blake is beyond brilliant . . . I've never met a child who doesn't love Quentin Blake" - Daily Telegraph 
 
Quentin Blake is one of Britain's best-loved and most successful author-illustrators, and was made the first Children's Laureate in 1999. He has won the Whitbread Award, the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration, and the Kate Greenaway Medal. among others.

The Quentin Blake Treasury

Yuval Noah Harari

Daniel Casanave

David Vandermeulen

The first volume of the graphic adaptation of Yuval Noah Harari's global phenomenon and smash Sunday Times #1 bestseller, with gorgeous full-colour illustrations and a beautiful package - the perfect gift for the curious beings in your life. 
 
One hundred thousand years ago, at least six different species of humans inhabited Earth. Yet today there is only one-homo sapiens. What happened to the others? And what may happen to us? 
 
In this first volume of the full-colour illustrated adaptation of his groundbreaking book, renowned historian Yuval Harari tells the story of humankind's creation and evolution, exploring the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be "human". From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens challenges us to reconsider accepted beliefs, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and view specific events within the context of larger ideas. 
 
Featuring 256 pages of full-colour illustrations and easy-to-understand text covering the first part of the full-length original edition, this adaptation of the mind-expanding book furthers the ongoing conversation as it introduces Harari's ideas to a wider new readership.

Sapiens A Graphic History, Volume 1

The Birth of Humankind

Edward Lear

John Vernon Lord

Welcome to the world of Edward Lear! 
 
Wonderfully reissued in 2012 to celebrate the bicentenary of Edward Lear, this exquisitely-illustrated hardback is a classic in the making. John Vernon's Lord's stunning illustrations completely capture the spirit and satirical wit of Lear's work, conveying a lifelong enthusiasm for Lear's nonsense. 
 
'Nonsense is the breath of my nostrils', wrote Edward Lear (1812-88) 
 
The perfect gift for both Lear fans and those discovering his work for the first time.

The Nonsense Verse of Edward Lear

Here comes Stanley with his toy box! A simple introduction to toys, play and sharing. 
 
Today Stanley, Little Woo, Sophie and Benjamin are at the park and Stanley has brought his toy box! What toys will they choose play with on the grass? And what about on the hill? And how about at the pond? 
 
Join Sophie, Benjamin and Little Woo as they learn and play with toys in this simple, engaging new board book in the Stanley series. 
 
Don't miss out on these other charming Stanley board books: 
Stanley's Lunch Box 
Stanley's Toolbox 
Stanley's Paintbox 
Stanley's Colours 
Stanley's Numbers 
Stanley's Opposites 
Stanley's Shapes

Stanley's Toy Box

Here comes Stanley with his lunch box! A simple first introduction to food. 
 
Today Stanley is off to the market to buy his lunch. There are so many different kinds of food - including bread, cheese, fruit, vegetables and cake! What will he choose to put in his lunch box? 
 
Join Stanley to learn all about food in this simple, engaging new board book in the Stanley series. 
 
Don't miss out on these other charming Stanley board books: 
Stanley's Toy Box 
Stanley's Toolbox 
Stanley's Paintbox 
Stanley's Colours 
Stanley's Numbers 
Stanley's Opposites 
Stanley's Shapes

Stanley's Lunch Box

David Casanave

Discover the second volume of an epic, beautifully illustrated graphic history of humankind, based on Yuval Noah Harari's multi-million copy bestselling phenomenon. 
 
When nomadic Homo sapiens settled to live in one place, they started working harder and harder. But why didn't they get a better life in return? 
 
In The Pillars of Civilization, Yuval Noah Harari and his companions including Prof. Saraswati and Dr. Fiction travel the length and breadth of human history to investigate how the Agricultural Revolution changed society forever. Discover how wheat took over the world, how war, famine, disease and inequality became a part of the human condition, and why we might only have ourselves to blame. 
 
The origins of modern farming are told through Elizabethan tragedy, the changing fortunes of domesticated plants and animals are tracked in the columns of the Daily Business News, and the history of inequality is revealed in a superhero detective story. 
 
A radical, witty and colourful retelling of the story of humankind, adapted from Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind, Volume 2 can be read as a standalone or as a follow-up to Volume 1, The Birth of Humankind. 
 
Praise for Yuval Noah Harari's Sapiens: 
 
'I would recommend Sapiens to anyone who's interested in the history and future of our species.' Bill Gates 
 
'Interesting and provocative... It gives you a sense of how briefly we've been on this Earth' Barack Obama 
 
'Jaw-dropping from the first word to the last... It may be the best book I've ever read' Chris Evans 
 
'Contains a remarkable piece of information on almost every page and reminds us that we should be grateful to be human.' Matt Haig 
 
'Sweeps the cobwebs out of your brain... Radiates power and clarity, making the world strange and new' Sunday Times 
 
'Provocative and fascinating and opinionated...it makes the familiar seem unfamiliar. It altered how I view our species and our world.' Guardian

Sapiens A Graphic History, Volume 2

The Pillars of Civilization

It's another busy day for Stanley and friends . . . 
 
Today Stanley is fixing Little Woo's tree house. Stanley has brought his toolbox - there's a hammer, a mallet, a screwdriver, a saw and many other tools. What do they all do? 
 
Join Stanley and Little Woo as they use a different tool on each page to fix the tree house in this simple, engaging new board book in the Stanley series.

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