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books tagged “Children's Fantasy”
books tagged “Children's Fantasy”
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Alice's Adventures In Wonderlandby Lewis Carroll, Donald J GreyISBN 0393958043 (0-393-95804-3)
Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Alice's Adventures in Wonderland'Book summary:Source of legend and lyric, reference and conjecture, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is for most children pure pleasure in prose. While adults try to decipher Lewis Carroll's putative use of complex mathematical codes in the text, or debate his alleged use of opium, young readers simply dive with Alice through the rabbit hole, pursuing "The dream-child moving through a land / Of wonders wild and new." There they encounter the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the Mock Turtle, and the Mad Hatter, among a multitude of other characters--extinct, fantastical, and commonplace creatures. Alice journeys through this Wonderland, trying to fathom the meaning of her strange experiences. But they turn out to be "curiouser and curiouser," seemingly without moral or sense.
For more than 130 years, children have reveled in the delightfully non-moralistic, non-educational virtues of this classic. In fact, at every turn, Alice's new companions scoff at her traditional education. The Mock Turtle, for example, remarks that he took the "regular course" in school: Reeling, Writhing, and branches of Arithmetic-Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision. Carroll believed John Tenniel's illustrations were as important as his text. Naturally, Carroll's instincts were good; the masterful drawings are inextricably tied to the well-loved story. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter [via]
More editions of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland:
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: ISBN 0393099776 (0-393-09977-6)
Softcover, W. W. Norton - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: ISBN 0393043436 (0-393-04343-6)
Hardcover, W. W. Norton - Alice's Adventures In Wonderland: ISBN 0394532279 (0-394-53227-9)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books - Alice's Adventures In Wonderland: ISBN 039486915X (0-394-86915-X)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books - Alice's Adventures In Wonderland: ISBN 039490592X (0-394-90592-X)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books - Alice's Adventures In Wonderland: ISBN 0399222413 (0-399-22241-3)
Hardcover, Philomel Books - Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: ISBN 0393958043 (0-393-95804-3)
Softcover, W W Norton & Co Inc
- Alice's Adventures in Wonderland: ISBN 0393099776 (0-393-09977-6)
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Alice's Adventures In Wonderlandby Anthony Browne, Lewis CarrollISBN 0394805925 (0-394-80592-5)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Alice's Adventures In Wonderland'Book summary:Source of legend and lyric, reference and conjecture, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is for most children pure pleasure in prose. While adults try to decipher Lewis Carroll's putative use of complex mathematical codes in the text, or debate his alleged use of opium, young readers simply dive with Alice through the rabbit hole, pursuing "The dream-child moving through a land / Of wonders wild and new." There they encounter the White Rabbit, the Queen of Hearts, the Mock Turtle, and the Mad Hatter, among a multitude of other characters--extinct, fantastical, and commonplace creatures. Alice journeys through this Wonderland, trying to fathom the meaning of her strange experiences. But they turn out to be "curiouser and curiouser," seemingly without moral or sense.
For more than 130 years, children have reveled in the delightfully non-moralistic, non-educational virtues of this classic. In fact, at every turn, Alice's new companions scoff at her traditional education. The Mock Turtle, for example, remarks that he took the "regular course" in school: Reeling, Writhing, and branches of Arithmetic-Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision. Carroll believed John Tenniel's illustrations were as important as his text. Naturally, Carroll's instincts were good; the masterful drawings are inextricably tied to the well-loved story. (All ages) --Emilie Coulter [via]
More editions of Alice's Adventures In Wonderland:
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The Annotated Wizard of Ozby L. Frank Baum, W. W. Denslow, Michael Patrick HearnISBN 0393049922 (0-393-04992-2)
Hardcover, W W Norton & Co Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Annotated Wizard of Oz'Book summary:An updated version of the definitive guide, The Annotated Wizard of Oz provides a facsimile color version of the first edition of L. Frank Baum's children's classic along with extensive notes and a thorough history of the immense Oz project. In his excellent introduction, Michael Patrick Hearn describes the author's early life and interests and the development of his collaboration with W.W. Denslow, the original illustrator for his books.
An energetic and excitable fellow, Baum's devotion to make-believe began in his early 20s, when he joined a small touring theatrical troupe on the East Coast. Later attempts to run a general store and a newspaper in South Dakota (then the Wild West) failed miserably. Although few of his business ventures or artistic efforts had met with success, in 1897 Baum's "Father Goose" rhymes (designed and illustrated by Denslow) became a surprise bestseller, and Baum was able to buy his family a summer cottage on Lake Michigan, christened "The Sign of the Goose," for which he made most of the furniture (goose-themed, of course) and stenciled the walls with a frieze of green geese.
The idea for The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, "a modern fairy tale," as he considered it, soon followed, and the book appeared in May 1900. The 10,000-copy first printing sold out in two weeks, and about 90,000 sold within the first year. Hearn goes on to describe the many books that followed, as well as the 1902 musical extravaganza The Wizard of Oz and Baum's subsequent, ill-starred attempts to depict the world of Oz on film. (He died long before the 1939 MGM musical made his fairy tale known around the globe.) In 1907, he told a reporter for the Grand Rapids Herald why he preferred young readers:
To write fairy stories for children, to amuse them, to divert restless children, sick children, to keep them out of mischief on rainy days, seems of greater importance than to write grown-up novels. Few of the popular novels last the year out, responding as they do to a certain psychological demand, characteristic of the time; whereas, a child's book is, comparatively speaking, the same always, since children are always the same kind of folks with the same needs to be satisfied.
Hearn has gone to great lengths in his notes to this facsimile of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, often referring to subsequent volumes in the series, slowly building a key to the rules and history of Oz, pointing out inconsistencies as well as hints to Baum's literary sources (such as Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress), and providing, among other delights, a mini-treatise on malevolent vegetation in Oz. This is an essential volume for the Oz aficionado or the student of children's literature, and a wonderful resource for parents of young readers. --Regina Marler [via]More editions of The Annotated Wizard of Oz:
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The Bellmakerby Brian Jacques, Allan CurlessISBN 0399228055 (0-399-22805-5)
Hardcover, Philomel Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Bellmaker'Book summary:Vicious Foxwolf, Urgan Nagru--a fox who long ago discovered the body of a wolf and skinned it to wear as his own--is holding the young Mariel and Dandin captive. The pair are at the mercy of the evil despot and have only one hope of survival. But can they really count on the legendary freedom fighter, Martin the Warrior, to come to their rescue?
The Bellmaker fairly boils over with passion, intrigue, and adventure. A true page-turner, the heat is immediately turned to high, and never cools until the close of the very last chapter. Brian Jacques's skill lies in creating fantastical yet believable characters, placing them in an extraordinary yet convincing setting and then letting loose with a flood of imagination that takes the breath away. One of the best writers of our time, Jacques comes through once again for his readers in this remarkable tale of good triumphing over evil. --Susan Harrison [via]
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Beyond The Deepwoodsby Chris Riddell, Paul StewartISBN 0385750684 (0-385-75068-4)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Beyond The Deepwoods'Book summary:Chris Riddell's dramatic line drawings are the perfect complement to Paul Stewart's striking words in Beyond the Deepwoods, the first book of The Edge Chronicles.
Twig, on the verge of manhood at the age of 13, is told that the Woodtrolls who brought him up are not his real parents and that he must venture forth into the Deepwoods, keeping only to the path, to discover the truth about himself.
Armed with just a few magical gifts from his adopted mother, Spelda, Twig steps off the path and tumbles into a terrifying other world where nothing and no-one can be trusted.
From the mountainous Banderbear who becomes Twig's best friend, to the murderous Wig-wigs and the hideous all-female tribe of the Termagant Frogs, Beyond the Deepwoods sows the seeds of magic and adventure in the imagination, and lets them grow in the most exotic corners of the reader's mind. --Susan Harrison [via]
Black Hearts in Batterseaby Joan Aiken, Edward GoreyISBN 0395971284 (0-395-97128-4)
Softcover, Houghton Mifflin
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Bunniculaby James Howe, Deborah HoweISBN 0380510944 (0-380-51094-4)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Bunnicula'Book summary:Large paperback.gold animals on front cover used [via]
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The Carpet Peopleby Terry PratchettISBN 0385403046 (0-385-40304-6)
Hardcover, Doubleday Canada, Limited
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Charmed Lifeby Diana Wynne JonesISBN 0394820320 (0-394-82032-0)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Charmed Life'Book summary:Glorious new rejacket of a Diana Wynne Jones classic award-winning favourite, featuring Chrestomanci - now a book with extra bits! Everybody says that Gwendolyn Chant is a gifted witch with astonishing powers, so it suits her enormously when she is taken to live in Chrestomanci Castle. Her brother Eric (better known as Cat) is not so keen, for he has no talent for magic at all. However, life with the great enchanter is not what either of them expects and sparks begin to fly! Winner of the Guardian Award. [via]
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The Complete Fairy Tales and Storiesby H. C. Andersen, Erik Christian HaugaardISBN 0385019017 (0-385-01901-7)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Complete Fairy Tales and Stories'Book summary:Translated by Erik Hougaard, this is the only version available in trade paperback that presents the fairy tales exactly as Andersen collected them in the original Danish edition in 1874. His notes accompany the text. [via]
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Count Karlsteinby Philip Pullman, Diana BryanISBN 0375803483 (0-375-80348-3)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Count Karlstein'Book summary:"I might have occupied my mind usefully with Improving Thoughts, but the only improvement I could imagine then was a pair of wings, to enable me to fly to freedom. And, of course, a Head for Heights. I cleaned the dust from the window and peered out hopefully, but there was nothing but a Horrid Precipice, with jagged crags several thousands of feet below." Such are the woes of young Charlotte, locked in a tower room of her uncle's gloomy Castle Karlstein in 19th-century Switzerland. Escaping this predicament seems the least of her worries: in a solemn blood pact, her evil uncle, Count Karlstein, has promised to sacrifice his two orphaned nieces, Lucy and Charlotte, to Zamiel the Demon Huntsman--on midnight of All Souls' Eve--in return for his current riches.
First, however, the heartless Count and his "lip-licking, moist-handed, creeping, smarming" secretary, Herr Arturo Snivelwurst, will have to catch Lucy, too--and it is no small task with the headstrong, 14-year-old Hildi Kelmar; her 18-year-old, handsome-in-a-scowling-sort-of-way brother, Peter; and the intrepid English teacher Miss Augusta Davenport on the girls' side. As Miss Davenport herself points out, "an English gentlewoman can rise above any circumstances, given intelligence and a loaded pistol." The events in this delightful gothic farce unfold quickly in a variety of narrative voices, artfully building in suspense to a powerful, terrifying, deeply satisfying stand-off between the Count and the Demon Huntsman of Impenetrable Darkness himself. Subplots and loose ends are gracefully, happily, justly tied up in the light of day, finally allowing readers to exhale.
British novelist Philip Pullman, masterful storyteller and creator of the bestselling adventures The Golden Compass and The Subtle Knife, mesmerizes us again with his playful, suspenseful thriller Count Karlstein, released in the United States 16 years after its appearance in the United Kingdom. Readers young and old will revel in every angle, twist, and turn of this breathlessly paced, very funny page-turner. (Ages 11 and older) --Karin Snelson [via]
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Dido and Paby Joan AikenISBN 0385294808 (0-385-29480-8)
Hardcover, Bantam Dell Pub Group
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Dido and Pa'Book summary:Dido becomes embroiled with villainous plotters against the king, including her own wicked father. [via]
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The Farthest-Away Mountainby Lynne Reid BanksISBN 0380713039 (0-380-71303-9)
Softcover, HarperCollins Publishers
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Farthest-Away Mountain'Book summary:Once upon a time, in a village nestled in a mountain valley, lived a girl named Darkin. Darkin wants three things more than anything else: to visit the farthest-away mountain, to meet a gargoyle, and to marry a prince. Everyone
in her village thinks shes crazy, especially since no one has ever been to the farthest-away mountain. But one day, when she is nearly 15, she hears the mountain calling her. Darkin sets off on a tantalizing journey that will change her life, and the lives of others, forever. [via]More editions of The Farthest-Away Mountain:
- The Farthest-Away Mountain: ISBN 0385415346 (0-385-41534-6)
Hardcover, Random House Children's Books - The Farthest-Away Mountain: ISBN 0385730772 (0-385-73077-2)
Hardcover, Random House Children's Books - The Farthest-Away Mountain: ISBN 0385901178 (0-385-90117-8)
Hardcover, Random House Children's Books - The Farthest-Away Mountain: ISBN 0380713039 (0-380-71303-9)
Softcover, HarperCollins Publishers
- The Farthest-Away Mountain: ISBN 0385415346 (0-385-41534-6)
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Fellowship of the Ringby J. R. R. TolkienISBN 0395272238 (0-395-27223-8)
Softcover, Houghton Mifflin
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Fellowship of the Ring'Book summary:Part one of The Lord of the Rings, now featuring film art on the cover. In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, the Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell into the hands of Bilbo Baggins, as told in THE HOBBIT. In a sleepy village in the Shire, young Frodo Baggins finds himself faced with an immense task, as his elderly cousin Bilbo entrusts the Ring to his care. Frodo must leave his home and make a perilous journey across Middle-earth to the Cracks of Doom, there to destroy the Ring and foil the Dark Lord in his evil purpose.[via]More editions of Fellowship of the Ring:
Finn Family Moomintrollby Tove JanssonISBN 0380003503 (0-380-00350-3)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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George's Marvelous Medicineby Roald Dahl, Quentin BlakeISBN 0375822062 (0-375-82206-2)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'George's Marvelous Medicine'Book summary:George decides that his grumpy, selfish old grandmother must be a witch and concocts some marvelous medicine to take care of her. [via]
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A Great and Terrible Beautyby Libba BrayISBN 0385732317 (0-385-73231-7)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'A Great and Terrible Beauty'Book summary:Volume One of the Gemma Doyle Trilogy. A 19th century historical novel of England. [via]
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Hans Andersenby H. C. Andersen, Michael Foreman, Erik Christian HaugaardISBN 0385133642 (0-385-13364-2)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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Hans Christian Andersen the Complete Fairy Tales and Storiesby H. C. Andersen, Virginia HavilandISBN 0385189516 (0-385-18951-6)
Softcover, Anchor Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Hans Christian Andersen the Complete Fairy Tales and Stories'Book summary:Translated by Erik Hougaard, this is the only version available in trade paperback that presents the fairy tales exactly as Andersen collected them in the original Danish edition in 1874. His notes accompany the text. [via]
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I Was a Ratby Kevin Hawkes, Philip PullmanISBN 0375801766 (0-375-80176-6)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'I Was a Rat'Book summary:"Bless my soul!" said Bob. "Who are you?"
When a grubby young pageboy knocks on the door of Bob the cobbler and Joan the washerwoman's house, the kindly couple hardly knows what to think. Could this delusional boy be the answer to their prayers for a little one of their own? And was he really once a rat? It seems so. He shreds his bedding, for example, and he chews his toast swiftly with his front teeth. He eats an entire pencil and bites his teacher. Despite the fact that he is a little ratty in his habits, the old couple grow quite fond of the young fellow.
"I was a rat," said the little boy.In time, the word spreads that there's a rat-boy in town, news that intrigues everyone from the Royal Philosopher to the P.T. Barnum-inspired freak-peddler Oliver Tapscrew to a reporter from the local rag The Daily Scourge. As the harmless, well-meaning boy is transformed into "The Monster of the Sewers" through pure sensationalism and mass hysteria, Philip Pullman playfully satirizes the power of the press and society at large.
What does it mean to be human? In this often darkly comic Dickensian tale, rats start to look pretty good by comparison. But in a fairy-tale ending, Bob and Joan teach us that humans, corrupt as we are, can always take solace in toasted cheese, love, and good craftsmanship. Kevin Hawkes's black-and-white illustrations enliven the already vivacious adventure that, thanks to Pullman's ever lovely wordplay and sly satire, is every bit as enjoyable for adults as it is for young readers. (Ages 9 to 12) --Karin Snelson [via]
Indian in the Cupboardby Brock Cole, Lynne Reid BanksISBN 0385170513 (0-385-17051-3)
Hardcover, Doubleday
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Indian in the Cupboard'Book summary:What could be better than a magic cupboard that turns small toys into living creatures? Omri's big brother has no birthday present for him, so he gives Omri an old medicine cabinet he's found. Although their mother supplies a key, the cabinet still doesn't seem like much of a present. But when an exhausted Omri dumps a plastic toy Indian into the cabinet just before falling asleep, the magic begins. Turn the key once and the toy comes alive; turn it a second time and it's an action figure again.
The Indian in the Cupboard is one of those rare books that is equally appealing to children and adults. The story of Omri and the Indian, Little Bear, is replete with subtle reminders of the responsibilities that accompany friendship and love. For kids, it's a great yarn; for most parents, it's also a reminder that Omri's wrenching decision to send his toy back to its own world is not so different from the recognition of their children's emerging independence.
The Indian in the Cupboard is also available in Spanish (La Llave Magica.) (The publisher recommends this book for children ages 9-12, although younger kids will enjoy hearing it read aloud.) [via]
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Indian in the Cupboardby Lynne Reid Banks, Brock ColeISBN 0380600129 (0-380-60012-9)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Indian in the Cupboard'Book summary:What could be better than a magic cupboard that turns small toys into living creatures? Omri's big brother has no birthday present for him, so he gives Omri an old medicine cabinet he's found. Although their mother supplies a key, the cabinet still doesn't seem like much of a present. But when an exhausted Omri dumps a plastic toy Indian into the cabinet just before falling asleep, the magic begins. Turn the key once and the toy comes alive; turn it a second time and it's an action figure again.
The Indian in the Cupboard is one of those rare books that is equally appealing to children and adults. The story of Omri and the Indian, Little Bear, is replete with subtle reminders of the responsibilities that accompany friendship and love. For kids, it's a great yarn; for most parents, it's also a reminder that Omri's wrenching decision to send his toy back to its own world is not so different from the recognition of their children's emerging independence.
The Indian in the Cupboard is also available in Spanish (La Llave Magica.) (The publisher recommends this book for children ages 9-12, although younger kids will enjoy hearing it read aloud.) [via]
Kneeknock Riseby Natalie BabbittISBN 0380008491 (0-380-00849-1)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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The Lives of Christopher Chantby Diana Wynne JonesISBN 0394822056 (0-394-82205-6)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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The Lord of the Ringsby Alan Lee, J. R. R. TolkienISBN 0395595118 (0-395-59511-8)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Lord of the Rings'Book summary:Celebrating the birth of J.R.R. Tolkien, this centenary edition of the classic volume is illustrated with fifty specially commissioned paintings by an artist whose vision matches Tolkien's own. One Ring to rule them all, One Ring to find them, One Ring to bring them all and in the darkness bind them. In ancient times the Rings of Power were crafted by the Elven-smiths, and Sauron, The Dark Lord, forged the One Ring, filling it with his own power so that he could rule all others. But the One Ring was taken from him, and though he sought it throughout Middle-earth, it remained lost to him. After many ages it fell, by chance, into the hands of the hobbit, Bilbo Baggins. From his fastness in the Dark Tower of Mordor, Sauron's power spread far and wide. He gathered all the Great Rings to him, but ever he searched far and wide for the One Ring that would complete his dominion. On his eleventy-first birthday Bilbo disappeared, bequeathing to his young cousin Frodo the Ruling Ring and a perilous quest --- to journey across Middle-earth, deep into the shadow of the Dark Lord, and destroy the Ring by casting it into the Cracks of Doom. The Lord of the Rings tells of the great quest undertaken by Frodo and the Fellowship of the Ring: Gandalf the Wizard, Merry, Pippin, and Sam, Gimli the Dwarf, Legolas the Elf, Boromir of Gondor, and a tall, mysterious stranger called Strider.[via]More editions of The Lord of the Rings:
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The Lord of the Ringsby J. R. R. TolkienISBN 0395193958 (0-395-19395-8)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Lord of the Rings'Book summary:A Christian can almost be forgiven for not reading the Bible, but there's no salvation for a fantasy fan who hasn't read the gospel of the genre, J.R.R. Tolkien's definitive three-book epic, the Lord of the Rings (encompassing The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King), and its charming precursor, The Hobbit. That many (if not most) fantasy works are in some way derivative of Tolkien is understood, but the influence of the Lord of the Rings is so universal that everybody from George Lucas to Led Zeppelin has appropriated it for one purpose or another.
Not just revolutionary because it was groundbreaking, the Lord of the Rings is timeless because it's the product of a truly top-shelf mind. Tolkien was a distinguished linguist and Oxford scholar of dead languages, with strong ideas about the importance of myth and story and a deep appreciation of nature. His epic, 10 years in the making, recounts the Great War of the Ring and the closing of Middle-Earth's Third Age, a time when magic begins to fade from the world and men rise to dominance. Tolkien carefully details this transition with tremendous skill and love, creating in the Lord of the Rings a universal and all-embracing tale, a justly celebrated classic. --Paul Hughes [via]
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The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King/Two Towers/Fellowship of the Ringby J. R. R. TolkienISBN 0395489326 (0-395-48932-6)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King/Two Towers/Fellowship of the Ring'Book summary:A Christian can almost be forgiven for not reading the Bible, but there's no salvation for a fantasy fan who hasn't read the gospel of the genre, J.R.R. Tolkien's definitive three-book epic, the Lord of the Rings (encompassing The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, and The Return of the King), and its charming precursor, The Hobbit. That many (if not most) fantasy works are in some way derivative of Tolkien is understood, but the influence of the Lord of the Rings is so universal that everybody from George Lucas to Led Zeppelin has appropriated it for one purpose or another.
Not just revolutionary because it was groundbreaking, the Lord of the Rings is timeless because it's the product of a truly top-shelf mind. Tolkien was a distinguished linguist and Oxford scholar of dead languages, with strong ideas about the importance of myth and story and a deep appreciation of nature. His epic, 10 years in the making, recounts the Great War of the Ring and the closing of Middle-Earth's Third Age, a time when magic begins to fade from the world and men rise to dominance. Tolkien carefully details this transition with tremendous skill and love, creating in the Lord of the Rings a universal and all-embracing tale, a justly celebrated classic. --Paul Hughes [via]
More editions of The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King/Two Towers/Fellowship of the Ring:
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Lyra's Oxfordby Philip PullmanISBN 0375828192 (0-375-82819-2)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Lyra's Oxford'Book summary:Attention all serious book collectors and fans of Philip Pullmans His Dark Materials. This undoubtedly beautiful packagecloth-bound in a classy red and adorned by numerous illustrations by master engraver and illustrator John Lawrenceis a must-purchase. A pint-sized pocket volume, Lyras Oxford packages together a short story set in the same universe as his famous trilogy, a fold-out map of the alternate-reality city of Oxford, a short brochure for a cruise to The Levant aboard the S.S. Zenobia, and a postcard from the inventor of the amber spyglass, Mary Malone. Pullman, in his introduction, suggests that the peripheral items within "might be connected with the story, or they might not; they might be connected to stories that havent appeared yet. Its difficult to tell."
A very sumptuous and lovingly crafted but tantalizingly brief book , Lyras Oxford begins when Lyra and Pantalaimon spot a witchs daemon called Ragi being pursued over the rooftops of Oxford by a frenzied pack of birds. The daemon heads straight for Lyra (the creature was given Lyras name as somebody who might help) and is given shelter. Together Lyra and Pan try to guide the daemon to the home of Sebastian Makepeacean alchemist living in a part of Oxford known as Jerichobut it is a journey fraught with more danger than they had at first anticipated. (Age 10 and over) --John McLay [via]
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Moominland Midwinterby Tove JanssonISBN 0380007487 (0-380-00748-7)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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The Once and Future Kingby Terence Hanbury WhiteISBN 0399105972 (0-399-10597-2)
Hardcover, Putnam Pub Group
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Once and Future King'Book summary:T.H. White, whose The Sword in the Stone has been read by hundreds of thousands, now at last has turned his hand to retelling the entire Arthurian Epic. The Once and Future King takes Arthur from the glorious lyrical phase of his youth through the disillusioning early years of his reign to the mature years in which his vision of the Round Table develops into the search for the Holy Grail and finally to his weary old age.[via]In part, T.H. White has drawn on published material which he has revised and reworked heavily to bring form and continuity to an overall work, a tetralogy which will stand as unique and vivid and quite apart from the individual effects of the various particular books. And in part the author has created new material as enchanting as any he has ever set on paper.
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Outcast of Redwallby Brian Jacques, Allan CurlessISBN 0399229140 (0-399-22914-0)
Hardcover, Philomel Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Outcast of Redwall'Book summary:When ferret Swartt Sixclaw and his arch enemy Sunflash the Mace swear a pledge of death upon each other, a young creature is cruelly banished from the safety of Redwall. As he grows, he seeks revenge on the people of Redwall and finds himself embroiled in a hostile battle with far-reaching consequences.
An epic tale of Redwall from the pen of master storyteller Brian Jacques, Outcast of Redwall is a kaleidoscope of color, range, and emotions that culminates in a bitter contest between good and evil. None of the passion of the earlier Redwall titles is lost, as some of the most cherished landscapes and best-loved characters from previous books are revisited, with a wisdom and clarity that has developed and endured.
On a basic level, this is a marvelous fantasy adventure story. Look deeper and you will find that Outcast of Redwall, along with the other titles in the series, has a divine, enduring quality that ranks it among he best in children's literature. --Susan Harrison [via]
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Pageby Tamora PierceISBN 0375829075 (0-375-82907-5)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Page'Book summary:As the only female page in history to last beyond the first year of formal training to become a knight, 11-year-old Keladry of Mindelan has an uphill battle to fight. In addition to proving herself worthy of being a page, Kel spends her time defending first-year pages from bullies, staying on top of homework, conquering her paralyzing fear of heights, and keeping up with Lord Wyldon's grueling physical training schedule. Kel's detractors do everything in their power to thwart her progress, from tormenting her friends to sabotaging the Midwinter Festivities to kidnapping her maid and dog on the day of final examinations. The tide of resistance begins to turn slightly during the summer between Kel's second and third years, when she leads a team of pages in defensive maneuvers against renegade bandits--coincidentally on the same day that she gets her first period!
Tamora Pierce revisits the imaginary Kingdom of Tortall in this sequel to First Test: Protector of the Small. Fans of Pierce's exotic fantasy sequences will be hard-pressed to put either book down. Kel is a valuable role model: she's proud of being a girl, and she never wavers in her conviction that she can do anything a boy can--and usually do it better. Some rather bloody battles as well as discussions about Kel's developing body make this book appropriate for more mature readers. (Ages 10 to 14) --Emilie Coulter [via]
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The People of Sparksby Jeanne DuprauISBN 0375828257 (0-375-82825-7)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The People of Sparks'Book summary:When teenagers Lina Mayfleet and Doon Harrow lead their people up out of the Earth, fleeing their dying underground city of Ember, everything is new and a little frightening to the refugees--the sun and the moon, birds, trees, fire&and the people of Ember are strange to the 322 citizens of Sparks, one of the few towns on Earth to survive the time of The Disaster. How can they feed and house the 400 Emberites, the leaders of Sparks wonder, when they have just begun to be able to feed themselves comfortably? But if they dont, these underground people with no survival skills will surely die in the wastelands. They take them in as best they can, but grumbling and bad feeling grows on both sides. Lina returns from a failed search for her persistent vision of a city of light to find the town, egged on by the power-hungry young thug Tick, once again at the point of war, forgetting how the Earth has been destroyed before. But Lina has seen the devastation left by The Disaster, and so she risks a brave move of reconciliation, and when Doon exposes Ticks trickery, the two sides join as the new people of Sparks.
In this exciting and solidly constructed sequel to The City of Ember, Jeanne DuPrau moves the story on entrancingly, bringing along her cast of characters from underground and adding new dimensions and relationships as the action escalates to a satisfying conclusion that still allows for further volumes in this fine fantasy. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell [via]
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Pure Dead Magicby Debi GlioriISBN 0375814108 (0-375-81410-8)
Hardcover, Random House Children's Books
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The Return of the Indianby Lynne Reid BanksISBN 0380702843 (0-380-70284-3)
Softcover, Harpercollins Childrens Books
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The Return of the Indianby William Geldart, Lynne Reid BanksISBN 038523497X (0-385-23497-X)
Hardcover, Doubleday
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The Return of the Kingby J. R. R. TolkienISBN 039548930X (0-395-48930-X)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Return of the King'Book summary:In the third volume of The Lord of the Rings trilogy the good and evil forces join battle, and we see that the triumph of good is not absolute. The Third Age of Middle-earth ends, and the age of the dominion of Men begins. [via]
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Ropemakerby Peter Dickinson, Ian AndrewISBN 0385730632 (0-385-73063-2)
Softcover, Delacorte Pr
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Roverandomby J. R. R. Tolkien, Wayne G. Hammond, Christina ScullISBN 0395957990 (0-395-95799-0)
Softcover, Houghton Mifflin
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Roverandom'Book summary:In 1925, four-year-old Michael Tolkien lost his beloved toy dog on the beach. To console him, his father, J.R.R. Tolkien, improvised a story about Rover, a real dog who is magically transformed into a toy and is forced to seek out the wizard who wronged him in order to be returned to normal. This charming tale, peopled by a sand-sorcerer and a terrible dragon, by the king of the sea and the Man-in-the-Moon, endured several drafts over the years. Now, more than seventy years later, the adventures of Rover are published for the first time. Rich in wit and wordplay, Roverandom is edited and introduced by Christina Scull and Wayne G. Hammond and illustrated with Tolkien's own delightful drawings.[via] 
Skelligby David AlmondISBN 038532653X (0-385-32653-X)
Hardcover, Delacorte Pr
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Squireby Tamora PierceISBN 0375829067 (0-375-82906-7)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Squire'Book summary:In Book 3 of Tamora Pierce's Protector of the Small sequence, 14-year-old Keladry of Mindelan is ready to begin training as a squire after undergoing four grueling years as the first girl to be officially educated as a page. Disappointed at first that Lady Alanna (whom we first met in the Song of the Lioness Quartet series) does not choose her, Kel is delighted when gruff, good-natured, down-to-earth Lord Raoul takes her on. The next four years prove to be tough but happy, for the most part, as Raoul and most of the others in the King's Own (a corps of 300 men--299 now, plus Kel--that enforces the law and helps local nobles deal with problems such as centaur attacks and forest robberies) treat Kel as an equal. Throughout, Kel is physically and mentally preparing herself for the final test in the Chamber of the Ordeal, in which fourth-year squires must successfully face their greatest fears before becoming knights.
In this sequel to First Test: Protector of the Small and Page: Protector of the Small, Kel continues to be an admirable role model: stoutly loyal, strong, independent, honest, yet very real in her fears and weaknesses. Romance lurks for the budding adolescent as she develops a crush on one fellow and begins a sweet kissing-only relationship with another, after a very frank discussion about sex with her mother. Although the buildup to the Ordeal is watered down a bit by Kel's periodic visits to the Chamber door for a taste of what's to come, overall, this latest in Pierce's series is a rousing tale of chivalry and heroism that any reader will be sorely challenged to put down. (Ages 12 and older) --Emilie Coulter [via]
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Stormchaserby Chris Riddell, Paul StewartISBN 0385750706 (0-385-75070-6)
Hardcover, David Fickling Books
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The Sword in the Stoneby T.H. White, Dennis NolanISBN 0399225021 (0-399-22502-1)
Hardcover, Philomel Books
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Tales from Moominvalleyby Tove Jansson, Thomas WarburtonISBN 0374474133 (0-374-47413-3)
Softcover, Farrar, Straus & Giroux
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Tales from Moominvalley'Book summary:In these nine delightfully funny stories, readers will discover how the Moomin family spend their first Christmas out of hibernation, how they save young Ninny from permanent invisibility, and what happens when Moomintroll catches the last dragon in the world.[via]More editions of Tales from Moominvalley:
Three Tales of My Father's Dragon: My Father's Dragon/Elmer and the Dragon/The Dragons of Bluelandby Ruth Stiles GannettISBN 0394891368 (0-394-89136-8)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Three Tales of My Father's Dragon: My Father's Dragon/Elmer and the Dragon/The Dragons of Blueland'More editions of Three Tales of My Father's Dragon: My Father's Dragon/Elmer and the Dragon/The Dragons of Blueland:
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Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found Thereby Lewis Carroll, John TennielISBN 0394869168 (0-394-86916-8)
Hardcover, A.A. Knopf
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There'Book summary:Alice climbs through the mirror in her room to find a strange world where curious adventures await her. [via]
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Toad Rageby Morris GleitzmanISBN 0375827633 (0-375-82763-3)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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Trickster's Choiceby Tamora PierceISBN 0375814728 (0-375-81472-8)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Trickster's Choice'Book summary:To the great joy of her many fans, Tamora Pierce with this book begins a new saga of Tortall to add to The Song of the Lioness Quartet, the Immortals Quartet, and The Protector of the Small tetralogy. At the center of each of these books is always a strong and resourceful young woman who masters the arts of swordplay and knightly warfare in the magical medieval country of Tortall. Alianne, or Aly, daughter of the warrior queen Alanna the Lioness, has all these skills, but also a delicious sense of humor, which serves her well when she is chosen by the trickster god Kyprioth to serve as his secret agent and a slave for a year in the embattled Copper Isles. There the dark-skinned natives, or raka, have been conquered and crushed by the laurin, light-skinned people from the mainland. The burning raka resentment is fueled by prophecies of a twice royal queen who will free them, aided by the "wise one, the cunning one, the strong one, the warrior, and the crows." Just how each of the colorful characters and Aly herself fit into this prophecy and Kyprioths tricky plan keeps readers guessing. Aly plots to show her skill at spying as she flirts with the god and is courted by Nawat, a crow transformed into a handsome young man, who is puzzled when she rejects his attempts to mate-feed her with grubs and ants.
The pages of this long but fast-paced adventure zip by, enlivened by intrigue, skirmishes, comedy, romance, and lots of dramatic clothes. (Ages 10 to 14) --Patty Campbell [via]
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- Trickster's Choice: ISBN 0375828796 (0-375-82879-6)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books - Trickster's Choice: ISBN 0375814663 (0-375-81466-3)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books - Trickster's Choice: ISBN 0375914668 (0-375-91466-8)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books - Trickster's Choice: ISBN 0375814728 (0-375-81472-8)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
- Trickster's Choice: ISBN 0375828796 (0-375-82879-6)
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Trickster's Queenby Tamora PierceISBN 0375828788 (0-375-82878-8)
Softcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Trickster's Queen'Book summary:Alys adventure continues. . . . No longer a slave, Alannas daughter is now spying as part of an underground rebellion against the colonial rulers of the Copper Isles. The people in the rebellion believe that a prophecy in which a new queen will rise up to take the throne is about to be realized. Aly is busy keeping the potential teenage queen and her younger siblings safe, while also keeping her in the dark about her future. But Aly, who is usually adept at anticipating danger and changes, is in for a few nasty surprises.
New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tamora Pierce captured the imagination of readers 20 years ago with Alanna: The First Adventure. As of August 2003, she has written 21 books including three completed quartets: The Song of the Lioness, The Immortals, and The Protector of the Small, set in the fantasy realm of Tortall. She has also written the Circle of Magic and The Circle Opens quartets. The author lives in New York, NY.
From the Hardcover edition. [via]More editions of Trickster's Queen:
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The Trollsby Polly HorvathISBN 0374479917 (0-374-47991-7)
Softcover, Sunburst
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Trolls'Book summary:"All Sunday, the children made the most of Aunt Sally. She finished their Halloween costumes, proved a tireless player of cribbage and I Doubt It, read Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle stories out loud, using just the right expression, and never put a lid on the cookie jar. She was, all in all, the most satisfactory grownup the children had ever known."
Transported into their lives not with an umbrella like Mary Poppins, but equally as dramatically, Aunt Sally is introduced to the Ohio-dwelling Anderson family when Mom and Dad are off to Paris and in dire need of a last-minute babysitter. Aunt Sally, however, was not Mr. Anderson's first choice. Aunt Sally is his sister, and part of a past he would rather forget.
Ten-year-old Melissa, 8-year-old Amanda, and 6-year-old Frank (alias Pee Wee) know nothing of their aunt, except that every year she sends a Christmas card from Vancouver Island with a picture of a moose with tree lights strung on it. Still, it doesn't take long for the children to warm up to her, this unusual, beehive-sporting, sparkly-eyed woman who lets them draw monsters with her eyeliner, uses string beans as walrus tusks at dinner, and tells extraordinary stories about her family history, all of which she insists are true, even the ones about the trolls. The eerie troll story in particular gives us a glimpse into the psyche of the children's father--young Robbie at the time--who is left on the beach by his siblings as an offering to the trolls, in the event that trolls existed. Even though the search parties found him, he was still somehow missing: "...I guess knowing that your own trusted family could give you away, even in jest, well, it changes things. It changes things forever.... He wasn't, in the end, ever with us again."
Aunt Sally's other stories--including the ones about the Fat Little Mean Girl and Maud who shot 80 "cougars"--are fascinating, truly hilarious, artfully timed, and wonderfully detailed, and readers will be as entranced as the Anderson children. Polly Horvath has concocted a superb, funny, poignant book that stares both the fantastical and factual parts of family history in the eye and doesn't look away. "What trolls?" said their father when he came back from Paris. "Doris, did you unpack my gray sweater?" (Ages 8 to 12) --Karin Snelson [via]
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Tuck Everlastingby Natalie BabbittISBN 0374480095 (0-374-48009-5)
Softcover, Farrar Straus & Giroux
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Tuck Everlasting'Book summary:Critically acclaimed when it was first published, Tuck Everlasting has become a much-loved, well-studied modern-day classic. This anniversary edition features an in-depth interview conducted by Betsy Hearne in which Natalie Babbitt takes a look at Tuck Everlasting twenty-five years later. [via]
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The Twitsby Roald Dahl, Quentin BlakeISBN 0375822429 (0-375-82242-9)
Hardcover, Alfred a Knopf Inc
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Twits'Book summary:Roald Dahls thrillingly grotesque book for young readers is now available in a gorgeous new gift edition, featuring the deliciously wicked artwork of Quentin Blake.
Mr. and Mrs. Twit are the smelliest, nastiest, ugliest people in the world. They hate everythingexcept playing mean jokes on each other, catching unsuspecting birds to put in their bird pies, and making their caged monkeys, the Muggle-Wumps, stand on their heads all day. But the Muggle-Wumps have had enough. With the help of Roly-Poly Bird, they set out to get some well-deserved revenge. [via] -
Two Towersby J. R. R. TolkienISBN 0395489334 (0-395-48933-4)
Hardcover, Houghton Mifflin
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Two Towers'Book summary:The standard hardcover edition of the second volume of The Lord of the Rings includes a large format fold-out map. Frodo and his Companions of the Ring have been beset by danger during their quest to prevent the Ruling Ring from falling into the hands of the Dark Lord by destroying it in the Cracks of Doom. They have lost the wizard, Gandalf, in a battle in the Mines of Moria. And Boromir, seduced by the power of the Ring, tried to seize it by force. While Frodo and Sam made their escape, the rest of the company was attacked by Orcs. Now they continue the journey alone down the great River Anduin -- alone, that is, save for the mysterious creeping figure that follows wherever they go.[via]More editions of Two Towers:
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Watership Downby Richard George AdamsISBN 0380002930 (0-380-00293-0)
Softcover, Harpercollins
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Watership Down'Book summary:Watership Down has been a staple of high-school English classes for years. Despite the fact that it's often a hard sell at first (what teenager wouldn't cringe at the thought of 400-plus pages of talking rabbits?), Richard Adams's bunny-centric epic rarely fails to win the love and respect of anyone who reads it, regardless of age. Like most great novels, Watership Down is a rich story that can be read (and reread) on many different levels. The book is often praised as an allegory, with its analogs between human and rabbit culture (a fact sometimes used to goad skeptical teens, who resent the challenge that they won't "get" it, into reading it), but it's equally praiseworthy as just a corking good adventure.
The story follows a warren of Berkshire rabbits fleeing the destruction of their home by a land developer. As they search for a safe haven, skirting danger at every turn, we become acquainted with the band and its compelling culture and mythos. Adams has crafted a touching, involving world in the dirt and scrub of the English countryside, complete with its own folk history and language (the book comes with a "lapine" glossary, a guide to rabbitese). As much about freedom, ethics, and human nature as it is about a bunch of bunnies looking for a warm hidey-hole and some mates, Watership Down will continue to make the transition from classroom desk to bedside table for many generations to come. --Paul Hughes [via]
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The Whipping Boyby Sid FleischmanISBN 0395732603 (0-395-73260-3)
Softcover, Houghton Mifflin School
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Whipping Boy'Book summary:For kids to get their dose of action and thrills, they need not always go to the local multiplex for the latest bang 'em up film. They could try such books as The Whipping Boy, which relies not on exploding spaceships and demonic robots but mythic story, humorous characters and, ready or not, a moral. The plot involves the orphan Jemmy, who must take the whippings for the royal heir, Prince Brat. Jemmy plans to flee this arrangement until Prince Brat beats him to it, and takes Jemmy along. Jemmy then hears he's charged with the Prince's abduction as this Newbery Medal winning book turns toward a surprising close. [via]
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The Wizard of Ozby L. Frank Baum, Charles SantoreISBN 0375811370 (0-375-81137-0)
Hardcover, Random House Childrens Books
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› Find signed collectible books: 'The Wizard of Oz'Book summary:In the 100 years since L. Frank Baum first published his Wonderful Wizard of Oz, countless authors and illustrators have adapted, interpreted, and retold this story of Dorothy and her unusual companions, the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodman, and the Cowardly Lion. But for sheer opulence and sumptuous color, award-winning artist Charles Santore's 100th anniversary edition takes the cake. Santore's large, fairy-tale style watercolors feature ominous, shadowy forests, magnificent but deadly poppies, the whimsical, green-tinted landscapes of Oz, and the golden gray fields of Kansas. Each page is awash in color; many of the two-page spreads have no text to distract readers from the illustrations' myriad details--not-yet-blooming poppy buds, the Tin Woodman's watering can head, and the radiant good witch, Glinda, posing on her ruby-encrusted throne. The text is condensed rather than adapted; so virtually every word is Baum's own. Although some scenes have been left out, Baum's classic story rings through, loud and clear. Sharing this lush edition with a favorite child would be the perfect way to celebrate a century of Oz. (Ages 4 to 8) --Emilie Coulter [via]
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Tuck Para Siempreby Natalie Babbitt, Narcis FraderaISBN 0374480117 (0-374-48011-7)
Softcover, Farrar, Straus & Giroux
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› Find signed collectible books: 'Tuck Para Siempre'Book summary:[via]Spanish translation of the story of the Tuck family, doomed to - or blessed with - eternal life after drinking from a magic spring. The Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less a blessing that it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a starnger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.More editions of Tuck Para Siempre:
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