Midwinter Nightingale

King Richard, son of James III lies gravely ill and there are rumours that the king's enemy, the Duchess of Burgundy, is preparing an imminent invasion. The ancient crown of Alfred must be found so King Richard can pass it on to his successor. Is Simon, Duke of Battersea and friend of the king, next in line to the throne or will the evil werewolf Baron Magnus Rudh succeed in his plot to make his son, Lot, king? To add further complications, Dido Twite, held prisoner by the Baron and the Duchess, does not know the whereabouts of either Simon or the dying king: can she escape in time to find and warn them of the treachery afoot? This adventure with a truly galloping plot and breath-taking situations will delight all fans of Joan Aiken's books

The Wolves Chronicles continue as Dido and her friend Simon, Duke of Battersea, have many perilous adventures trying to protect the ailing King James from the plotting of the evil Baron Magnus who is determined that his brutish son Lothar will be the next king of England.

'Wondering and wonderful. The nature book of the year.' JOHN LEWIS-STEMPEL 'This lovely book is almost as thrilling as the bird's immortal song - balm for a troubled soul and a glimpse of paradise.' JOANNA LUMLEY ______________________________ Come to the forest, sit by the fireside and listen to intoxicating song, as Sam Lee tells the story of the nightingale. Every year, as darkness falls upon woodlands, the nightingale heralds the arrival of Spring. Throughout history, its sweet song has inspired musicians, writers and artists around the world, from Germany, France and Italy to Greece, Ukraine and Korea. Here, passionate conservationist, renowned musician and folk expert Sam Lee tells the story of the nightingale. This book reveals in beautiful detail the bird's song, habitat, characteristics and migration patterns, as well as the environmental issues that threaten its livelihood. From Greek mythology to John Keats, to Persian poetry and 'A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square', Lee delves into the various ways we have celebrated the nightingale through traditions, folklore, music, literature, from ancient history to the present day. The Nightingale is a unique and lyrical portrait of a famed yet elusive songbird. ______________________________ 'Sam Lee has brought the poetic magic that has long enchanted so many of his musical fans into the written word. Allow yourself to glimpse the world Sam sees, to be part of his love affair with the nightingale, and you will no doubt be delighted.' LILY COLE 'A wonderful book.' STEPHEN MOSS 'A magical marriage of the lyrical and practical: a book that makes us want to seek out the nightingale and then reveals how we can.' TRISTAN GOOLEY

I’m Lucy Rose and here’s the thing about me: I am eight and according to my grandfather I have the kind of life that is called eventful, which means NOT boring. According to my mom and my grandmother I’m what they call a handful. And according to my dad I am one smart cookie. I say I am one girl who is feeling not-so-sure about things on account of my parents got a separation. Plus my mom and I just moved to Washington, D.C. Plus I haven’t met any friends yet but I do know someone who is not one and that is Adam Melon, who I call Melonhead. Here’s another thing about me: most of the time I am plain hilarious. First-time author Katy Kelly introduces us to an original thinker who’s got a lot on her mind and she’s ready to share (minus the boring parts, of course). Lucy Rose is an unforgettable, one-of-a-kind girl with spark, spunk, and one great pair of cowgirl boots! (No kidding!)

A young shepherd, Corydon, is driven out of his village because of his unusual appearance and then captured and put on display as a monster. Alongside him in the traveling freak show are Medusa, the Minotaur, the Sphinx, and other classical beasts. When Corydon helps these monsters to escape their cages, they scatter to seek peace and solitude away from prying eyes. But then an army of “heroes” arrives hoping to win glory by killing the monsters, and Corydon must unite these unloved and unlikely allies to fight for their survival and for their island home.

Just when the Strega-Borgias think it’s safe to relax in their ancestral castle . . . it isn’t. First their roof collapses, forcing them into the Auchenlochtermuchty Arms–the only local hotel that will accomodate three mythical beasts and one crocodile. Then Titus accidentally creates 500 tiny naked pink clones. And 500 tiny naked pink clones are not easy to manage. But not surprisingly, this isn’t the biggest Strega-Borgia dilemma–there’s also a few evil contractors plotting to destroy their home forever. Perhaps the miniature kilted warriors arising from the spilled magic potion can help. . . .

Unexpected tales of the fantastic, & other odd musings by Nalo Hopkinson, Karen Joy Fowler, Karen Russell, Jeffrey Ford, and many others Contains stories by the amazing Jeffrey Ford, the fabulous Karen Joy Fowler, the unlikely Kelly Link, the thrilling Nalo Hopkinson, the shockingly good Karen Russell, the unnerving James Sallis, and dozens of uncanny others, as well as useful lists of many kinds and straight-shooting advice from Aunt Gwenda. Edited by Kelly Link & Gavin J. Grant Introduction by Dan Chaon Contents include: “Travels with the Snow Queen” by Kelly Link “Scotch: An Essay into a Drink” by Gavin J. Grant “Unrecognizable” by David Findlay “Mehitobel Was Queen of the Night” by Ian McDowell “Tan-Tan and Dry Bone” by Nalo Hopkinson “An Open Letter Concerning Sponsorship” by Margaret Muirhead “I Am Glad” by Margaret Muirhead “Lady Shonagon’s Hateful Things” by Margaret Muirhead “Heartland” by Karen Joy Fowler “What a Difference a Night Makes” “Pretending” by Ray Vukcevich “The Film Column: Don’t Look Now” by William Smith “A Is for Apple: An Easy Reader” by Amy Beth Forbes “My Father’s Ghost” by Mark Rudolph “What’s Sure to Come” by Jeffrey Ford “Stoddy Awchaw” by Geoffrey H. Goodwin “The Rapid Advance of Sorrow” by Theodora Goss “The Wolf’s Story” by Nan Fry “Three Letters from the Queen of Elfland” by Sarah Monette “Tacoma-Fuji” by David Moles “Bay” by David Erik Nelson “How to Make a Martini” by Richard Butner “Happier Days” by Jan Lars Jensen “The Fishie” by Philip Raines and Harvey Welles “Dear Aunt Gwenda, Vol. 2” by Gwenda Bond “The Film Column: Greaser’s Palace” by William Smith “The Ichthyomancer Writes His Friend with an Account of the Yeti’s Birthday Party” by David J. Schwartz “Serpents” by Vernoica Schanoes “Homeland Security” by Gavin J. Grant “For George Romero” by David Blair “Vincent Price” by David Blair “Music Lessons” by Douglas Lain “Two Stories” by James Sallis “Help Wanted” by Karen Russell “’Eft’ or ‘Epic’” by Sarah Micklem “The Red Phone” by John Kessel “The Well-Dressed Wolf: A Comic” by Lawrence Shimel and Sara Rojo “The Mushroom Duchess” by Deborah Roggie “The Pirate’s True Love” by Seana Graham “You Could Do This Too” “The Posthumous Voyages of Christopher Columbus” by Sunshine Ison

Prize winning WOLVES CHRONICLES PREQUEL reissued in A Puffin Book - All 12 Wolves books now in print for the first time ever. In THE WHISPERING MOUNTAIN by Joan Aiken, the small town of Pennygaff, the legendary Harp of Teirtu is found - and lost again. For young Owen Hughes and his friend Arabis, it is the start of a hair-raising race to save the harp from sinister Lord Malyn. As they struggle to keep it out of his hands, they are plunged into a wild adventure involving murder, kidnapping, underground worlds, savage beasts, floods, avalanche, the mysterious children of the Pit - and above all, a man who will stop at nothing to get the harp back again. Winner of the 1969 Guardian Fiction Award.