An adventurous and high-flying fantasy novel, this is the thrilling tale of the swashbuckling Benvenuti Sfondrati-Piccolomini, who arrives in the city of Goimir intent on lending his talents to the King--but instead has a series of madcap misadventures en route to his involvement in an epic quest that pairs him with Gwendolyn Greyboar, a female revolutionary whose beauty is matched only by her ferocity--and in whom the fate of the kingdom rests.

Everyone’s favorite time-travelers are changing their styles!  The Time Warp Trio series now features a brand-new, eye-catching design, sure to appeal to longtime fans, and those new to Jon Scieszka’s wacky brand of humor.

If the kids can't sit still for the class performance, Roscoe's teacher could be in big trouble. Fortunately Roscoe has a plan to save her—a super, mega, gonzo plan! What could go wrong?

First appeared in The Guardian from 4-12-1999 to 24-1-2001Entering ‘early middle age’ Adrian Mole lives alone with his two sons and a growing suspicion that life is passing him by. But that’s the least of his problems. Forced to move his family to the notorious Gaitskell Estate, Adrian is soon doing hilarious battle once again with the fickle finger of fate – and more immediately: feral neighbours and rampant head lice, an on-off affair with shaven-headed housing officer Pamela Pigg, Pandora Braithwaite MP’s Westminster tribulations, a fraternal reunion from hell, moral decline in The Archers, several disastrous brushes with employment and even a flirtation with therapy (and his therapists). Adrian also has to cope with both parents being admitted to hospital (and one sent to prison), the welfare of a pair of impressionable boys, the genesis of a brand new novel and formal confirmation at last that he is indeed suffering from severe hypochondria. Oh, and an earthquake. In Leicester. Can Adrian make sense of his own life at a time when the entire world seems to have lost the plot?

When Sydney decides that a mental hospital sounds better than jail for a minor crime she expects it to be easy. She manages to get the plea through insane luck, but she soon wishes she hadn't. Her rash decisions soon change her life forever.When Sydney decides that a mental hospital sounds better than jail for a minor crime she expects it to be easy. She manages to get the plea through insane luck, but she soon wishes she hadn't. Things start to change for her when her lies begin to become real, and the hallucinations don't stop there. A lot can change in a year, especially when you're in an asylum.

A childhood story, from a long time ago, when I lived in Sunbury on Thames. It was as a hot summer’s day, so hot the tar on the road had begun to melt. Seated in a hot, steamy classroom, while our teacher went on and one about why we should understand and get our young heads around algebra, I listened to the sound of thunder rumbling in the distance...As I waited impatiently for the bell to ring, to signal the end of the school day, the thunderous rumblings in the distance grew steadily louder. With each passing minute, the sky became darker and darker, until it was so dark day had almost turned into night. Undaunted by the prospect of having to endure a full-blown thunderstorm on my way home, I listened for the bell to ring. It was late, the school bell was late, I was sure of it. Then it rang, it rang so loud I almost jumped off my chair, in fright.

From Snuff: 'Vimes' prompt arrival got a nod of approval from Sybil, who gingerly handed him a new book to read to Young Sam. Vimes looked at the cover. The title was The World of Poo. When his wife was out of eyeshot he carefully leafed through it. Well, okay, you had to accept that the world had moved on and these days fairy stories were probably not going to be about twinkly little things with wings. As he turned page after page, it dawned on him that whoever had written this book, they certainly knew what would make kids like Young Sam laugh until they were nearly sick. The bit about sailing down the river almost made him smile. But interspersed with the scatology was actually quite interesting stuff about septic tanks and dunnakin divers and gongfermors and how dog muck helped make the very best leather, and other things that you never thought you would need to know, but once heard somehow lodged in your mind.'

Robert Ludlum’s wayward hero, the outrageous General MacKenzie Hawkins, returns with a diabolical scheme to right a very old wrong—and wreak vengeance on the [redacted] who drummed him out of the military. Discovering a long-buried 1878 treaty with an obscure Indian tribe, the Hawk, a.k.a. Chief Thunder Head, hatches a brilliant plot that will ultimately bring him and his reluctant legal eagle, Sam Devereaux, before the Supreme Court. Their goal is to reclaim a choice piece of American real estate: the state of Nebraska, which just so happens to be the headquarters of the U.S. Strategic Air Command. Their outraged opposition will be no less than the CIA, the Pentagon, and the White House. And only one thing is certain: Ludlum will keep us in nonstop suspense—and side-splitting laughter—through the very last page. Praise for Robert Ludlum and The Road to Omaha  * “A very funny book . . . No character is minor: They’re all hilarious.”—Houston Chronicle “Don’t ever begin a Ludlum novel if you have to go to work the next day.”—Chicago Sun-Times* BONUS: This edition includes an excerpt from Robert Ludlum’s *The Bourne Identity.*

Warning: This book may cause flatulence. Walter is a fine dog, except for one small problem: he has gas. He can't help it; it's just the way he is. Fortunately, the kids Billy and Betty love him regardless, but Father says he's got to go! Poor Walter, he's going to the dog pound tomorrow. And then, in the night, burglars strike. Walter has his chance to be a hero. A children's beloved classic, this story will have kids rolling on the floor with laughter. Adults are permitted to laugh too. From the Hardcover edition.

Piloting the battered Chromium Bullet, the robot assistant 234 collects a very important piece of cargo shut inside a sarcophagus. The Crew:Captain Phoenix Wingclipper, a scheming AWOL military pilot;Assistant 234, a hapless AWOL robotic co-pilot;Rodeena Salvoyant, a reptilian female negotiator;Elwood Makepeace, a reluctantly travelling earthman;Bink, a heroic small floating ball droidErin began drawing dragons on her clothes to hide the stains from free-box finds. Now they are her trademark as she walks the halls of Hamilton High School. She’s puzzled by the actions of the students around her, especially Tony and David, cousins who are constantly fighting. Her own mysteries catch up to her unexpectedly and the consequences will change Erin’s life forever.

A true animal lover will come to the aid of any animal in distress. Mr. Franklin tells how it began by him taking in a stray dog. As soon as others get wind of his soft heart, all manner of animals soon join him, and they're not what you would think...A true animal lover will come to the aid of any animal in distress. Mr. Franklin begins by taking in a stray dog, but when others get wind of his soft heart, all manner of animals soon join him, and they're not what you would think...

Collected in this anthology of death-defying passion are four of MaryJanice Davidson’s wildest novellas of paranormal romance, featuring an amorous ghost, a witch and witch-hunter, a love-struck psychic, and a vampire and a werewolf. 4-in-1 novella reissue Together for the first time, four devilishly entertaining novellas by the New York Times bestselling author prove that there’s not only life after death, but desire too... The Fixer-Upper (originally published December 2004 in Berkley trade paperback MEN AT WORK anthology and November 2005 in mass market paperback) Cathy’s new home is handsomely furnished—by an amorous male ghost. If only she had something she could...touch. Her neighbor may have a lousy personality, but he does have a perfect body. Now, spirit is about to meet flesh, to Cathy’s delight. Paradise Bossed (originally published July 2006 in Berkley Sensation trade paperback SURF’S UP anthology and May 2009 in mass market paperback) While traveling in the Cayman Islands, Nikki loses her life in a tragic accident, but has no intention of cutting her vacation short. When a handsome male psychic is engaged to get a grip on Nikki’s spirit, he does more. He finds himself falling in love with her. Driftwood (originally published January 2007 in Berkley Sensation mass market paperback OVER THE MOON anthology) A Cape Cod werewolf agonizes over the death of a woman by his own paw. Well, to be fair, he never really killed her. She’s a vampire. Now she needs his help to kill the bloodsucker who turned her. Witch Way (originally published March 2007 in Berkley Sensation trade paperback DEMON’S DELIGHT anthology) For centuries their families have been embroiled in a violent, irreversible feud. Today, can a witch and a witch-hunter find common ground...without killing each other first? Sometimes opposites do attract.

Lori muses about birds, her birds, as her nagging psychiatrist pushes for further explanation.Lori muses about birds, her birds, as her nagging psychiatrist, Dr. Mack, pushes for further explanation. He seems to enjoy pushing her buttons, or maybe she's just imagining it. Her answers don't please him. She tries to hide her true, dark thoughts from him by distracting him with talk of birds.

What terror lurks behind the fence in an ordinary neighborhood? What manner of monster will you see if you peek through a knothole? Something ugly. Something angry. Something with a very large appetite. Take a peek, go ahead. And then run back the way you came!!! You do not want to reach the end of the fence . . .This is a story from "The Macabre Mind Of Lori R. Lopez" -- a horror collection. A creature has emerged from the sewer, mean and deformed, an anomaly. Experience the chills and chuckles of another offbeat tale by an author who loves to weave intricate weird tapestries. Watch your step the next time you leave your home. A creep could be slithering through your neighborhood!

From husband-and-wife team Tom Angleberger, creator of the New York Times bestselling Origami Yoda series, and Cece Bell, author/illustrator of the Newbery Honor graphic novel El Deafo, comes the start to a funny and clever illustrated chapter-book series about a mystery-solving Venus flytrap. With easy-to-read language and illustrations on almost every page, this early-chapter-book series is a must for beginning readers. Inspector Flytrap in the Da Vinci Cold introduces kids to the humorous and wacky world of Inspector Flytrap’s Detective Agency, home to the world-renowned solver of BIG DEAL mysteries. The plant detective works tirelessly with his assistant Nina the Goat on his community’s unsolved cases. There’s no case too big, but there are definitely cases too small for this endearingly self-important plant detective. Celebrating the disabled yet enabled, the character of Inspector Flytrap is wheeled everywhere (on a skateboard, of course) by his goat sidekick as this mystery-solving duo works on cases such as “The Big Deal Mystery of the Stinky Cookies” and “The Big Deal Mystery of the Missing Rose.” On his first caper, Inspector Flytrap heads to the Art Museum’s Secret Lab to discover what important message lies in a mysterious glob on a recently discovered Da Vinci flower painting. The ingenious solution: Da Vinci was allergic to flowers, and the glob is, er, evidence of that ancient sneeze. Combining wacky humor and a silly cast of characters with adventure, friendship, and mystery, the powerhouse team of Tom Angleberger and Cece Bell have created a uniquely engaging series that is perfect for newly independent readers and fans of Ricky Ricotta, Captain Underpants, and the Galaxy Zack series. Also included in these books are some graphic novel–style pages that will attract reluctant readers.