Once Upon A Group

Groups are a universal phenomenon, but their dynamics, make-up and customs can vary widely – a group can be anything from a family to a sports club. Having a good understanding of how groups work can make them more effective, enriching and fun. Once Upon A Group is a short, light-hearted guide to groupwork, providing an easily-digestible way of understanding group dynamics, the practicalities of running a group, and how to participate in one. It covers how and where to set up a group, including the type of room used, the size of the group and the arrangement of chairs, and the importance of boundaries and rules within a group. It also covers issues such as communication, sensitivity, listening, leadership, decision-making, labelling and stereotyping, and forms of participation, among many others. Each topic is illustrated with a lively drawing to communicate the ideas presented. This second edition also covers diversity throughout and how to apply the ideas in the book to different settings. Based on research but written in an instantly accessible style, this fun guide will be essential reading for all those involved in groupwork including health and social care practitioners, volunteers, advice workers, youth workers and students.

From the instant #1 New York Times bestselling author of the “eerie and fascinating” (USA TODAY) The Thirteenth Tale comes a “swift and entrancing, profound and beautiful” (Madeline Miller, internationally bestselling author of Circe) novel about how we explain the world to ourselves, ourselves to others, and the meaning of our lives in a universe that remains impenetrably mysterious. On a dark midwinter’s night in an ancient inn on the river Thames, an extraordinary event takes place. The regulars are telling stories to while away the dark hours, when the door bursts open on a grievously wounded stranger. In his arms is the lifeless body of a small child. Hours later, the girl stirs, takes a breath and returns to life. Is it a miracle? Is it magic? Or can science provide an explanation? These questions have many answers, some of them quite dark indeed. Those who dwell on the river bank apply all their ingenuity to solving the puzzle of the girl who died and lived again, yet as the days pass the mystery only deepens. The child herself is mute and unable to answer the essential questions: Who is she? Where did she come from? And to whom does she belong? But answers proliferate nonetheless. Three families are keen to claim her. A wealthy young mother knows the girl is her kidnapped daughter, missing for two years. A farming family reeling from the discovery of their son’s secret liaison stand ready to welcome their granddaughter. The parson’s housekeeper, humble and isolated, sees in the child the image of her younger sister. But the return of a lost child is not without complications and no matter how heartbreaking the past losses, no matter how precious the child herself, this girl cannot be everyone’s. Each family has mysteries of its own, and many secrets must be revealed before the girl’s identity can be known. Once Upon a River is a glorious tapestry of a book that combines folklore and science, magic and myth. Suspenseful, romantic, and richly atmospheric, this is “a beguiling tale, full of twists and turns like the river at its heart, and just as rich and intriguing” (M.L. Stedman, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Light Between Oceans).

"In this Christmas book with a fairytale spin, Santa runs into trouble and is helped by an familiar cast of mythical and storybook characters"--

Once Upon a Time There Was a Little Girl shares the moving stories of seven women who as young girls experienced the early loss of their mothers through death or physical or emotional abandonment. The women explore their personal traumas through their responses to seven fairy tales in which there was no nurturing maternal presence. Dr. Marcella Shields is a psychologist with over thirty years of experience who reveals the inspiring journeys of these women who eventually triumph over suffering and learn to rely on the bond they have formed with each other to help reclaim their passion for life. By exploring seven timeless fairy tales in which the heroine finds her way through the grief of abandonment, the women offer a deeper understanding of the significance of the mother-daughter bond and the devastating consequences for the daughter if this bond is ruptured early. The poignant life stories and dreams courageously offered by these women show how fairy tales allowed them to understand and refashion themselves, and provide a source of encouragement and hope for other women who have experienced early maternal loss. Fathers raising daughters without a consistent maternal presence will also find the reflections valuable.

For fans of Erin Morgenstern’s The Night Circus, Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants, and Diane Setterfield’s Once Upon a River, an atmospheric and spectacular novel in which one woman’s life is transformed by the arrival of a Victorian circus of wonders. Step up, step up! In 1860s England, circus mania is sweeping the nation. Crowds jostle for a glimpse of the lion-tamers, the dazzling trapeze artists and, most thrilling of all, the so-called “human wonders.” When Jasper Jupiter’s Circus of Wonders pitches its tent in a poor coastal town, the life of one young girl changes forever. Sold to the ringmaster as a “leopard girl” because of the birthmarks that cover her body, Nell is utterly devastated. But as she grows close to the other performers, she finds herself enchanted by the glittering freedom of the circus, and by her own role as the Queen of the Moon and Stars. Before long, Nell’s fame spreads across the world—and with it, a chance for Jasper Jupiter to grow his own name and fortune. But what happens when her fame begins to eclipse his own, when even Jasper’s loyal brother Toby becomes captivated by Nell? No longer the quiet flower-picker, Nell knows her own place in the world, and she will fight for it. A gorgeously wrought exploration of celebrity, power, and belonging, this is a historical novel unlike any other, with an unforgettable heroine at its heart.

Not quite four months after the Western Region's election of October 10, 1965, did the localized mayhem in that Region find its way furiously into the center of the nation on January 15, 1966! It was like a whirl-wind of nothing but anarchy and lawlessness. The serious aftermath of the marred and rigged election was that it acted as the last straw that broke the Carmel's back, providing immediate reason for the army to overthrow the government of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe. Anarchy ensued; a counter coup led to the death of Major-General Ironsi. Callous barbarous massacre of thousands of easterners in the North followed. With their lives in jeopardy, easterners fled for safety to eastern region; refugee crisis followed. To guarantee their safety, easterners seceded from Nigeria and on May 30th 1967, formed an independent and sovereign nation of the Republic of Biafra. Determined to bring Easterners back, on July 6, 1967 Nigeria invaded Biafra; waged a gruesome thirty-month-civil war against Biafra. Nigeria blockaded Biafra on land, sea and air, to prevent food from entering Biafra. A malnutrition disease, Kwashiorkor that caused the deaths of thousands of Biafrans, followed. Nigeria bombed Biafran civilians, killing thousands. On January 12, 1970 the war ended leaving more than three million people dead in a war that was totally avoidable!

Once Upon a Wild Wood is a richly imagined story packed full of familiar fairy tale characters as you've never seen them before. A fabulously funny adventure, full of warmth, wit and delightful details to discover – this is Chris Riddell at his picture book best! Little Green Raincape is on her way to Rapunzel's party, deep in the wild woods. The way is long and dark, but Green is a smart girl. Smart enough to turn down apples offered by kindly old ladies and smart enough to turn down travel advice from helpful wolves . . . Above all, Green is smart enough to solve a wealth of classic fairy tale problems – not least mend a lovelorn beast's broken heart. Including Red Riding Hood, Thumbelina, Rapunzel, Beauty and the Beast, Cinderella, the Three Bears, the Seven Dwarfs – and many more – Once Upon a Wild Wood is a beautiful book for curious young readers. For the perfect picture book pairing, check out Chris Riddell's The Emperor of Absurdia – an enchanting adventure full of Chris's trademark humour and incredible illustrations.

"If heaven is somewhere, it isn't with us, but somewhere we want to get -- a state, a place, a turning to home. Rebecca Brown's thirteenth book is narrative cycle that revamps old fairy tales, movies, and myths, as it leads the reader from darkness to light, from harshness to love, from where we are to where we might go"--Publisher.