Discover the many wonders of the world in this amazing illustrated tour of some of the most interesting places on Earth.
Each spread focuses on one destination, and the amazingly intricate artwork gives readers a visual flavour of the place, with masses to look at and discover the more you look. There are links from one place to the next – historical, geographical, natural history or just simple proximity – for example, there is an ancient Egyptian obelisk in NY’s central park, with two sister obelisks in Paris and London. Find the one in the Central Park using Google™ Earth co-ordinates and it gives you the clue to where you will be going next. The pyramids at the Louvre in Paris will whisk you off to the temples of Ancient Egypt, then find a connection from the Colosseum of Ancient Rome to the hot plains of Tanzania that team with wildlife, from flocks of flamingos to herds of wildebeest to prides of lions. The crater is actually a collapsed volcano; this knowledge then helps speed you to Mount Fuji and Tokyo. . . and so on.
In each location you have to find a souvenir to take with you. You will also need to solve a puzzle with the help of Google™ Earth to collect co-ordinates for your final secret location – again on Google™ Earth. For instance, the puzzle tells you to visit the Statue of Liberty on Google™ Earth and to count the number of points on its crown. This number is one of the co-ordinates you need to find your final destination at the end of the book.
Give your child a head start with great children’s books
One of the most important things you can do as a parent is to encourage your child to learn to read. Not only does reading to and with your child present you with a great chance to spend time together and bond but it can also open up a whole new world for them and offer a huge range of lasting benefits. Taking the time to read to your child from an early age can help to improve their concentration, communication skills and grasp of language, but best of all it lets their imaginations run wild. However, finding good children’s books that your child loves and discovering a way to get your child into reading in the first place can sometimes be a difficult task if you don’t know where to look or who to ask.
Teachers constantly stress the importance of encouraging children to read from a young age as they see it as a vital part of early years education, so the sooner you start teaching your child to read, the greater the chance they will probably have of developing well at school and interacting with their peer group. Nevertheless, it is never too late to start reading to your child and there are a number of tips that can help encourage children to read from any age.
First of all, make sure you choose a suitable book for your child’s age, interests and reading ability. Choose a trustworthy and reliable online book shop which will have sections dedicated to different age groups, interests and topics and will offer a wide range of books at affordable prices. Whether you are buying educational books to help your child to go back to school with the basic skills they need in maths, English and science, or you want to find interesting fictional stories to read to your child at bedtime, buying books online is one of the best ways to get access to the widest choice.
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Secondly, make reading fun! If it looks like you’re not enjoying yourself or you don’t put passion into the story, then there is a good chance that your child will get bored and lose concentration. The best online book stores sell children’s books that have interactive features which allow your child to get involved with the story; interactive books can help to encourage reluctant children to read.
Finally, gently encourage your child to read along with you but remember to keep reading sessions lighthearted and fun or home might start to feel a bit like school. If they don’t take to reading straightaway, don’t give up but instead encourage your child to help you to choose books as this way they’re more likely to fall in love with a certain character or collection of stories. The best online children’s book shops offer books collections and sets based on favourite kids TV programmes, so if your child loves watching Thomas the Tank Engine for example, then it is a good idea to encourage them to read the books as they will already have interest and understanding of the stories.
From picture books to childrens fiction and educational books, it is never too late to start reading to your child or to encourage them to read themselves and with such a huge collection of children’s books available to buy online, you won’t have to look very far to find a book your child will love and that will set their imaginations on fire.
Buy books online and get the widest choice and the best deals on the latest and most popular children’s books.
Writing a children’s book might seem like an easy thing to do but there are certain things you need to know before you even get started. There are lots of rules like ‘make your characters believable’ and ‘don’t over complicate the plot’ but before you even lay pen to paper, there are many factors you need to consider.
Be Committed First off, you need to enjoy it especially if you’re writing in your spare time after work or around other jobs. But, you need to be committed to finishing. Read lots of children’s fiction before you start. Learn about it and maybe even take some recommended courses on it.
You have to practise. Writing is like any other skill, you have to practise over and over again. Take criticism constructively and always look to improve yourself.
You also need to detach your ego from your writing. If when it comes to publishing, you take criticism or rejection personally, you won’t learn from the experience. Take any bad news you get as a learning curve. It will help you in your next attempt.
Set Achievable Goals When setting goals, think about what you could do in your allotted time and then half it. I know this sounds dramatic but it means that if you do more than you have anticipated, you will feel prouder than if you set a high target and didn’t achieve. By setting unachievable goals, you are likely to feel disappointed if they are not met and the joy of writing is taken away again.
Write when you want Some people love to spend a whole day with their head down and getting the job done there and then. Others prefer to write for a morning and spend the rest of the day away from it. Whatever your method, write when you want to. But going back to my first point, you have to be committed. Obviously don’t force yourself to write if you really can’t bear to, but in the spirit of being dedicated, you need to be quite regimented about when you write.
One thing to keep in mind is that if you write sporadically, that the flow of your story could be at risk. When you sit down for three or four hours at a time, your mind will generally be in the same place. If you only write for a short space of time and then stop and come back to it, your mentality could have shifted.
Enjoy your writing space If you enjoy writing in bed, do it. If you enjoy writing outside, do it. Don’t coup yourself up somewhere you don’t want to be. You are more likely to be dedicated to the outcome of your book if you are writing it somewhere you enjoy to be.
The best tips I’ve come across are in Robyn Opie’s ‘How To Write A Great Children’s Book’. It combines attitude and mind set with great tips about plot, characters and even publishing. I highly recommend it to you as it has taught me that there is a lot more to writing a children’s book than first thought.
Based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s great American story
Search scenes from the novel in a revolutionary twist on the hidden object adventure game
Complete a challenging variety of mini-games and special adventure puzzles
Recreate Fitzgerald’s famous prose and assemble your own personal library
Enjoy lushly illustrated art-deco graphics & character voiceovers bringing the 1920′s to roaring life
Spend a summer on a jazz-fueled adventure based on F. Scott Fitzgerald’s legendary novel. Experience the Roaring Twenties first-hand as you uncover secrets behind the richly decadent facade. Explore one of the most tragic tales in literary history.
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) is Mark Twain’s most popular book, and its hero is a national icon, celebrated as a distinctively American figure both at home and abroad. Tom Sawyer’s bold spirit, winsome smile, and inventive solutions to the problems of everyday life in fictional St Petersburg – whether getting his friends to whitewash a fence for him, or escaping the demands of his vigilant Aunt Polly – have won him the hearts of generations.
ENDURING LITERATURE ILLUMINATED BY PRACTICAL SCHOLARSHIP In 1792, during the French Revolution’s Reign of Terror, an English aristocrat known to be an ineffectual fop is actually a master of disguises who, with a small band of dedicated friends, undertakes dangerous missions to save members of the French nobility from the guillotine. EACH ENRICHED CLASSIC EDITION INCLUDES: ‚Ä¢ A concise introduction that gives readers important background information ‚Ä¢ A chronology of the author’s life and work ‚Ä¢ A timeline of significant events that provides the book’s historical context ‚Ä¢ An outline of key themes and plot points to help readers form their own interpretations ‚Ä¢ Detailed explanatory notes ‚Ä¢ Critical analysis, including contemporary and modern perspectives on the work ‚Ä¢ Discussion questions to promote lively classroom and book group interaction ‚Ä¢ A list of recommended related books and films to broaden the reader’s experience Enriched Classics offer readers affordable editions of great works of literature enhanced by helpful notes and insightful commentary. The scholarship provided in Enriched Classics enables readers to appreciate, understand, and enjoy the world’s finest books to their full potential. SERIES EDITED BY CYNTHIA BRANTLEY JOHNSON
Writing A Great Book For Children: A Little Imagination Goes A Long Way
Have you ever considered filling you time by writing? There may never be a better time.
I don’t need to tell you about the phenomenal success of J.K. Rowling (Joanne Murray) and her Harry Potter books. She ranks as the 12th person richest in Great Britain with her 400 million copies in print.
What an imagination! And there seemed to be no end to it.But is Ms. Rowling more imaginative than the rest of us? Probably not.
As children we possess an innate, vivid imagination. We had imaginary friends, we day-dreamed of imaginary places, we created our own secret worlds. But then we grew up and reality set in–the reality of school and careers; husbands or wives; children and eventually grandchildren.
So where did our dreams disappear to? Did they simply fade into oblivion? No … dear friend–I don’t believe they are gone at all. Our dreams live on in the electrical impulses of our inner brain–like electrons stored in a capacitor, waiting for a connection to allow their current to flow once again.
We don’t mean for it to happen–it just does over time. Our thoughts are redirected to everyday life: The mortgage is due, the automobile needs new tires, the furnace is worn out, the roof leaks and little Sandy needs braces. At the end of our day our minds are like a thick, overcooked vegetable soup–everything in it tastes the same!
What is your passion in life? I mean if you could change your situation, your lifestyle, the way you fill your days–what would you do? Are there moments during your day when you just want to plop down in a chair, take a long, deep breath and let out a sigh? Well take comfort then, because you are not alone.
In addition to my belief that imagination just doesn’t shrivel up and die, I also believe that every human being–with at least average intelligence–has a creative streak mixed in with those neurons drifiting aound inside our head.
Think about it! Creativity is given to each of us at birth, It’s the fuel that helps us to learn how to eat with a spoon and then a fork. Creativity helps us to tie our own shoes and to find our way to the playground.
Creativity strengthens our adulthood in more ways than I can list. So why don’t we use it? Some of us do. How are you putting your creativity to some good purpose? Without some sort of creative outlet, we become stale, bored, boring, uninterested and uninteresting. Do you paint with water colors or oils; do you knit or crochet; do you create beautiful flower arrangements from the garden you tend. Do you just vegetate?
Writing has long been my passion. But for most of my adult life I shoved this desire aside:Too busy with work, with family, with home projects, civic clubs, volunteer work–you name it. I had one excuse following another for not to unfetter my passion.
Back in 1986 I had a flash of imagination–a storyline crept into my consciousness. The idea of a spy thriller took shape and I began to scribble words onto the pages of a spiral notebook.
The following year I bought my first computer and pecked out several chapters. But I lost interest and only returned every so often to those fading pages. It took a divorce and a second marriage to revitalize my writing. With the help of a very patient wife I added more and more content to my novel. For nearly two years we tried to find a publisher. That failing we tried to interest literary agents. And finally we just gave up.
But in 2007 I stumbled across a book publisher–not a very well known one–but a real publisher none the less. My novel, “Surrogate Warrior,” is now available from most major booksellers.
My point here is that creativity needs to be exposed to the fresh air. Do you have a story, maybe even a novel, drifting around you gray matter? Or is the thought of writing a book too intimidating?
I wanted desperately to find a publisher. That quest clouded my judgement. My advice to you is to write for your own satisfaction. Write a story for you kids. Write a story for your family. To hell with the publishers–just get it written.
Ever heard of Robyn Opie. Robn is a bestselling author of 76 children’s books with six more due to be published this year. She has written two screenplays and is negotiating with two Australian producers for movie rights. What you may not know is that Robyn has written a comprehensive How-To-Guide for new authors. Her book, “How To Write a Great Children’s Book” is available for immediate download.
Learn how to illustrate for achildren’s book in this free how-to video on writing and publishing children’s literature. Expert: Angela Sage Larson Contact: www.petalwinkthefairy.com Bio: Angela Sage Larsen is a professional artist and published children’s book author. Filmmaker: Ross Safronoff
One of Charles Dickens’s most fascinating novels, Great Expectations follows the orphan Pip as he leaves behind a childhood of misery and poverty after an anonymous benefactor offers him a chance at the life of a gentleman. From the young Pip’s first terrifying encounter with the convict Magwitch in the gloom of a graveyard to the splendidly morbid set pieces in Miss Havisham’s mansion to the magnificently realized boat chase down the Thames, Great Expectations is filled with the transcendent excitement that Dickens could so abundantly provide. Written in 1860, at the height of his maturity, it also reveals the novelist’s bittersweet understanding of the extent to which our deepest moral dilemmas are born of our own obsessions and illusions.
This edition includes Dickens’s original, discarded conclusion to the novel, the 1907 Everyman preface by G. K. Chesterton, and twenty illustrations by F. W. Pailthorpe.
From the Hardcover edition.An absorbing mystery as well as a morality tale, the story of Pip, a poor village lad, and his expectations of wealth is Dickens at his most deliciously readable. The cast of characters includes kindly Joe Gargery, the loyal convict Abel Magwitch and the haunting Miss Havisham. If you have heartstrings, count on them being tugged.
The wish spoken by Dorian Gray as he looks at his portrait forms the basis of the plot of this story of a gilded and spoilt hedonist who is willing to sell his soul for his beauty.A lush, cautionary tale of a life of vileness and deception or a loving portrait of the aesthetic impulse run rampant? Why not both? After Basil Hallward paints a beautiful, young man’s portrait, his subject’s frivolous wish that the picture change and he remain the same comes true. Dorian Gray’s picture grows aged and corrupt while he continues to appear fresh and innocent. After he kills a young woman, “as surely as if I had cut her little throat with a knife,” Dorian Gray is surprised to find no difference in his vision or surroundings. “The roses are not less lovely for all that. The birds sing just as happily in my garden.”
As Hallward tries to make sense of his creation, his epigram-happy friend Lord Henry Wotton encourages Dorian in his sensual quest with any number of Wildean paradoxes, including the delightful “When we are happy we are always good, but when we are good we are not always happy.” But despite its many languorous pleasures, The Picture of Dorian Gray is an imperfect work. Compared to the two (voyeuristic) older men, Dorian is a bore, and his search for ever new sensations far less fun than the novel’s drawing-room discussions. Even more oddly, the moral message of the novel contradicts many of Wilde’s supposed aims, not least “no artist has ethical sympathies. An ethical sympathy in an artist is an unpardonable mannerism of style.” Nonetheless, the glamour boy gets his just deserts. And Wilde, defending Dorian Gray, had it both ways: “All excess, as well as all renunciation, brings its own punishment.”
Play 30 fun, highly addictive games optimized for the Wii remote
Many types of play with both coordination and brain games
Play single player against computer-controlled opponents, or play against friends
Choose from a dozen crazy characters to play
Unique new approach to playground and sports games
Family Party: 30 Great Games has more than 30 fun games to play. Tackle obstacle courses, plate spin, fire laser guns, test your wit at memory games and more. It is optimized for the Wii Remote.
Family Party: 30 Great Games lets up to four players join in a wide variety of games that are fun for the whole family. Featuring everything from Track and Field competitions to shooting games, and making full use of all the madcap action allowed by the Wii controller, these addictive games will provide hour after hour of incredible entertainment.
Family Party: 30 Great Games lets up to four players join in a wide variety of games. View larger.
Get started with the single-player Challenge mode. View larger.
Choose from loads of characters, such as an old grannie or a guy dressed as a dog. View larger.
From Zany to Brainy Family Party will have you frantically shaking your Wii remote to make your character run, and mashing the A and B buttons to jump over hurdles and smash through paper walls in track-and-field type events. You’ll also be kept on the edge of your seat as you hold the remote sideways and manipulate the D pad to get your character across a teetering platform.
More than just physically challenging, some of these games require serious mental concentration, like the counting game that has you counting up higher and higher with only the first five numbers to start you off. From coordination to intense meditation, this pack of games will keep your whole family on its figurative and literal toes.
Work Your Way Through Loads of Fun Gamers should start off with the single-player Challenge mode. Not only will this familiarize users with the various game types by putting them through a random set of games, but it will also unlock the mini-games for Battle mode where up to four players can go head-to-head. And while there are ultimately 12 character profiles to choose from, several of which are pretty wild, there are some that require you to unlock them first.
In Battle mode, gamers can select up to six games at a time, allowing users to play them all consecutively without having to interrupt the fun every time with the menu screen. There are also five themes that gamers will need to master, including: shooting, muscle, castle, athletic, and variety. And while some mini-games use the same controls, there is a wide enough selection of random challenges to keep gamers working on their skills to gain mastery.
Family Party: 30 Great Games is a challenging but highly entertaining collection of mini-games that will have you coming back time after time, whether you are on your own, or trying to take the title from your family and friends.
Family Party: 30 Great Games is a silly and entertaining collection of mini-games that will have you coming back time after time.
![e334d29a801fbfa30601d58c010bb358 Classic Adventures: The Great Gatsby [Download]](http://www.ion-development.com/wp-content/uploads/HLIC/e334d29a801fbfa30601d58c010bb358.jpg "Classic Adventures: The Great Gatsby [Download]")
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