Rainbow Islands

n the Christian Republic, homosexual people are given two choices-a camp to "fix" them, or exile to the distant islands populated by lesbians and gay men. Sixteen-year-old Jason chooses exile and expects a hardscrabble life but instead finds a thriving, supportive community. While exploring his identity as a transgender boy he also discovers adventure: kraken attacks, naval battles, a flying island built by asexual people, and a daring escape involving glow-in-the-dark paint. He also has a desperate crush on Sky, a spirited buccaneer girl, but fear keeps him from expressing his feelings. When Jason and his companions discover the Republicans are planning a war of extermination, they rally the people of the Rainbow Islands to fight back. Shy, bookish Jason will have to find his inner courage or everything and everyone he loves will be lost forever.

New York Times Bestseller Yu-ning thinks her perfect life on Rainbow Island will never end—until a nasty dragon called the Obsidigon returns from beyond the grave. Now her beloved island is in flames, her best friend has been kidnapped, and the island’s Sacred Crystals have been stolen. To make matters worse, she must venture into the dark corners of the world to uncover secrets best ignored, find a weapon thought long destroyed, and recapture seven sacred stones—without being burned to a crisp by a very angry dragon. With the help of her master teacher, Metatron, Yu-ning embarks on a dangerous journey to overcome not only the darkness attacking her home, but also the scars of sadness that mark her own heart. And while most people just see a normal kid, Metatron—and a few other unlikely allies—pledge their lives to the dark-eyed little girl with a magic bow and a crooked grin.

Ryan and Lilly, inseparable twins, call the picturesque Rainbow Island their home. Nestled within the heart of the Great Barrier Reef off Australia’s coast, this vital Lighthouse Island teems with life and wonder. The siblings witness the awe-inspiring moment of a mother turtle nesting her eggs. And when the time comes, they find themselves on a mission to save the tiniest and most vulnerable hatchlings.

Rainbow's SHADOW and the Covenant of Wisdom Rainbow's Shadow and the Covenant of Wisdom picks up where Rainbow's Shadow and the Tablets of Fate leaves off. Will, Jimmy and Bryan are back to their normal lives until Will is rushed to the hospital with a bizarre case of vertigo. With his head spinning like a top and dreams of his grandfather back in full force, Will is convinced he is being called back to Rainbow Alley for something big. He has secretly tried to gain access back into the portal for months, and his failed attempts to open the vortex have frustrated him beyond belief. Convinced the portal is permanently closed, Will sits in his hospital room confused. It was temptation which lured Bryan to take the shiny black stone as a souvenir from Rainbow Alley. Little did he know he had provided a way for evil to rejuvenate. As he admires the shiny black stone he finishes reading yet another Sorcerer's Shadow novel entitled The Pirate's Revenge. With the book resting up against the stone and another novel entitled The Island Where Magic Began, it only takes a few seconds for the evil forces of the Sorcerer's Shadow to emanate from the stone and open the portal. As the two novels meld together and the portal opens, Will finds himself confronted by an eccentric messenger who instructs him to return the stone. Once the stone is returned the Covenant of Wisdom will be revealed and provide the necessary knowledge to open the path to true paradise. Will and Jimmy find themselves on a new journey into a surreal world as they find access into the portal and into a new adventure. Their mission at first is to save Bryan but quickly transforms into a quest for all mankind.

The Video Games Guide is the world's most comprehensive reference book on computer and video games. Presented in an A to Z format, this greatly expanded new edition spans fifty years of game design--from the very earliest (1962's Spacewar) through the present day releases on the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii and PC. Each game entry includes the year of release, the hardware it was released on, the name of the developer/publisher, a one to five star quality rating, and a descriptive review which offers fascinating nuggets of trivia, historical notes, cross-referencing with other titles, information on each game's sequels and of course the author's views and insights into the game. In addition to the main entries and reviews, a full-color gallery provides a visual timeline of gaming through the decades, and several appendices help to place nearly 3,000 games in context. Appendices include: a chronology of gaming software and hardware, a list of game designers showing their main titles, results of annual video game awards, notes on sourcing video games, and a glossary of gaming terms.

The platformer is one of the most well-loved video game genres ever, having entertained players for over 40 years. Jumping For Joy is a celebration of everything platform games have to offer, spanning their entire history. The first part of the book is a complete guide to every platform game starring Mario, Nintendo’s mascot and the most popular video game character of all time. With nearly 80 games featured in this section, it’s the definitive history of a true gaming hero. There are always two sides to every story, though, so the second part of the book focuses on every one of the 50+ platformers starring Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario’s former rival. After this it’s the book’s main course: a huge 100-page section detailing 50 other iconic and notable platform games covering the entire history of gaming, from the days of the Atari 2600 and ZX Spectrum all the way up to the Nintendo Switch, PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. Whether you’re a long-time veteran of platform gaming or a newcomer who wants to learn more about one of the most entertaining genres in video games, this is the perfect book for you. And there are some bad jokes in there too, if that’s your thing.