Macmillan Publishers

Punctuation marks come alive in this clever picture book featuring fourteen playful poems. Periods stop sentences in a baker's shop, commas help a train slow down, quotation marks tell people what to do, and colons stubbornly introduce lists. This appealing primer is a surefire way to make punctuation both accessible and fun for kids.

Eleanor is the new girl in town, and she's never felt more alone. All mismatched clothes, mad red hair and chaotic home life, she couldn't stick out more if she tried. Then she takes the seat on the bus next to Park. Quiet, careful and — in Eleanor's eyes — impossibly cool, Park's worked out that flying under the radar is the best way to get by. Slowly, steadily, through late-night conversations and an ever-growing stack of mixed tapes, Eleanor and Park fall in love. They fall in love the way you do the first time, when you're 16, and you have nothing and everything to lose. Set over the course of one school year in 1986, Eleanor and Park is funny, sad, shocking and true — an exquisite nostalgia trip for anyone who has never forgotten their first love.

When attending a Newcastle murder scene, Detective Sidney Hurst finds a dead North family clone. Yet none have been reported missing. And in 2122, twenty years ago, a North clone billionaire was horrifically murdered in the same manner on the tropical planet of St Libra. So, if the murderer is still at large, was Angela Tramelo wrongly convicted? She never wavered under interrogation, claiming she alone survived an alien attack. Investigating this potential alien threat now becomes the Human Defence Agency's top priority. St Libran bio-fuel is the lifeblood of Earth's economy and must be secured. A vast expedition is mounted via the Newcastle gateway, and experts are dispatched to the planet — with Angela Tramelo, grudgingly released from prison. But the expedition is cut off deep within St Libra's rainforests, and the murders begin. Angela insists it's the alien, but her new colleagues aren't sure. Did she see an alien, or does she have other reasons for being on St Libra? Praise for Peter F Hamilton: 'The most powerful imagination in science fiction' Ken Follett, 'Novels that combine fantastic speculation with incredible detailed imagining of the lives we will lead' Guardian, 'This is thrilling stuff; compulsively readable and abundantly full of ideas' The Times, 'Reaches another level of excellence... Brilliant' Locus.

Epic in scope, intimate in detail, heartbreaking in its human drama, this is the first book to recount the history of the nobility caught up the maelstrom of the Bolshevik Revolution and the creation of Stalin's Russia. It is a book filled with chilling tales of looted palaces, burning estates, of desperate flights from marauding thugs and Red Army soldiers, of imprisonment, exile, and execution. It is the story of how a centuries'-old elite famous for its glittering wealth, its service to the Tsar and Empire, was dispossessed and destroyed along with the rest of old Russia. Drawing on the private archives of two great families — the Sheremetovs and the Golitsyns — Former People is also a story of survival, of how many of the tsarist ruling class, so-called former people and class enemies, abandoned, displaced, and repressed, overcame the loss of their world and struggled to find a place for themselves and their families in the new, hostile world of the Soviet Union. It reveals how even at the darkest depths of the terror, daily life went on — men and women fell in love, children were born and educated, friends gathered, simple pleasures were cherished. Ultimately, Former People is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit.

When she fell pregnant as a teenager in Ireland in 1952, Philomena Lee was sent to the convent at Roscrea in Co. Tipperary to be looked after as a fallen woman. She cared for her baby for three years until the Church took him from her and sold him, like countless others, to America for adoption. Coerced into signing a document promising never to attempt to see her child again, she nonetheless spent the next fifty years secretly searching for him, unaware that he was searching for her from across the Atlantic. Philomena's son, renamed Michael Hess, grew up to be a top Washington lawyer and a leading Republican official in the Reagan and Bush administrations. But he was a gay man in a homophobic party where he had to conceal not only his sexuality but, eventually, the fact that he had AIDs. With little time left, he returned to Ireland and the convent where he was born: his desperate quest to find his mother before he died left a legacy that was to unfold with unexpected consequences for all involved. Philomena is the tale of a mother and a son whose lives were scarred by the forces of hypocrisy on both sides of the Atlantic and of the secrets they were forced to keep. A compelling narrative of human love and loss, Martin Sixsmith's moving account is both heartbreaking yet ultimately redemptive.

The Counsellor is now a major motion picture directed by Ridley Scott and starring Michael Fassbender, Penelope Cruz, Cameron Diaz, Javier Bardem and Brad Pitt. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Cormac McCarthy's original screenplay is the story of a lawyer who is so seduced by the desire to get rich, to impress his fiancee, that he becomes involved in a risky drug-smuggling venture. His contacts in this high-stakes cocaine trade are the mysterious and probably corrupt Reiner and the seductive Malkina, so exotic her pets of choice are two cheetahs. As the action crosses the Mexican border, things become darker, more violent and more sexually disturbing than he could ever have imagined. Deft, shocking and unforgettable, this gripping tale about risk, consequence and the treacherous balance between the two reveals Cormac McCarthy at his finest.

The story of the most successful espionage coup — and best-kept secret — of this century. It is 1968. Israeli intelligence has learned that Egypt, with Soviet help, will develop atomic bombs within months — an untimely end for the young nation unless a source of uranium for Israeli bombs can be had in complete secrecy. Impossible, of course, unless someone as improbable as the plan can be found to steal it. Working alone, Israeli agent Nat Dickstein concocts an ingenious scenario for the biggest, and quietest, hijacking in history. Against him are the Russian KGB, Egyptian Intelligence and the Arab extremist Fedayeen. With him is a half-English, half-Arab young woman of uncertain allegiance, who discovers Dickstein's Achilles heel ...

The fifth volume of memoirs from the author who inspired the BBC series All Creatures Great and Small During his decades spent as a country vet in Yorkshire, James Herriot has seen huge advances in medical science, technological leaps, and a world irrevocably changed by war. Yet some things have always stayed the same -- gruff farmers, hypochondriac pet owners, and animals that never do quite what you expect them to. From a green young man in his first job in the 1930s, to an experienced veterinary surgeon, married with two children, James has spent his entire career among the people and animals of Darrowby. And there's nowhere else he'd rather be. Since they were first published, James Herriot's memoirs have sold millions of copies and entranced generations of animal lovers. Charming, funny and touching, Every Living Thing is a heart-warming story of determination, love and companionship from one of Britain's best-loved authors.

Launched just over a year ago on Facebook, 'Off The Leash' has developed a regular daily following of over 150,000 dog lovers from around the world. Now the best of Rupert Fawcett's brilliantly observed, touchingly true cartoons come together in book form for the first time. Featuring the secret thoughts and conversations of dogs of every size, shape and breed, this gorgeous book is a celebration of our favourite belly-scratching, tail-chasing, bed-stealing canine friends.

New York Times bestseller Jeffrey Archer continues his beloved Clifton Chronicle series as Harry and Emma finally begin building a happy life — but a dangerous family enemy is about to resurface. Best Kept Secret opens a moment after the end of The Sins of the Father, with the resolution of the trial and the triumphant marriage of Harry Clifton and Elizabeth Barrington, finally uniting their family. Harry, now a bestselling novelist, Emma, their son Sebastian, and orphaned Jessica make a new life for themselves, but all is not as happy and secure as it could be. Emma's brother, Giles, is engaged to a woman who may be more interested in Barrington's fortune and title than in a long and happy marriage. And Sebastian, though he is bright, isn't quite the hard worker that his father was at school, and finds a hard time resisting the temptations that his somewhat unsavory friends provide. It all comes to a head when a new villain is uncovered, a face from the past with grudges against both Harry and Giles — Fisher, who tortured Harry at school and later took credit for Giles' heroics during the war. Fisher teams up with Giles' now ex-wife to wreak havoc on Giles' latest election as well as meddle with affairs inside Barringtons, while Harry and Emma must deal with a new scheme that Sebastian has unwittingly fallen into with a supposed friend. The drama continues for Harry Clifton and his family, bringing this mesmerizing saga into the 1960s.

The debut appearance of everyone's favorite pest, Little My! «Another classic Moomin story reworked in full color, with a kid-proof but kid-friendly size, price, and format.» After Mymble's family comes to visit the Moomins, her littlest and most badly behaved sister, Little My, is left behind. She promises to behave if she is given Moomin's bedroom; Moomin, tired of being forced out of his room, decides to build a house where all the rooms will belong to him. With Little My helping out, things are sure to go awry, but in the end, Moomin's house-building misadventures teach him the value of a home. Tove Jansson's flawless cartooning is brought to life in a whole new way within these pages. A delight for the whole family!

With Moominvalley underwater, will Moomin's romantic tendencies get him in trouble? Another classic Moomin story reworked in full color, with a kid-proof but kid-friendly size, price, and format. Moominvalley is flooded, so Snorkmaiden and Moomin head out to rescue anyone stranded in the deluge. They bring home Miss La Goona, the leading lady of the visiting circus, who turns out to be quite a demanding houseguest. Nonetheless, Moomin, having read a few too many romantic novels, falls head over heels in love with her, and chaos ensues. Tove Jansson's flawless cartooning is brought to life in a whole new way within these pages. A delight for the whole family!

A moving and memorable book about the very special relationship between an elderly grandfather and his adoring grandson, this unique look at old age through the eyes of a young bear is big-hearted, poignant and beautifully observed. A stunning picture book debut from Marta Altes, an exciting new writing and illustrating talent.

EVE DUNCAN IS BACK. THE HUNT IS ON.The latest in Iris Johansen's pulse-pounding series that «Kirkus Reviews» calls filled with intriguing twists and characters and an overarching mystery that will keep fans coming back. She was taken for a reason. Chosen for her skills as a forensic sculptor. Abducted by the deranged father of a serial killer and forced to reconstruct his dead son's skull from bone fragments. Now Eve Duncan has escaped her captor — and she's running for her life. Alone. Unarmed. In the mountains of Colorado, Eve must use all of her strength, courage, and wits to survive this madman's obsession. But Jim Doane is not the only player in the game. While Joe Quinn, Jane MacGuire, and Kendra Michaels search for Eve in the abandoned mining town that could be her ultimate refuge — or her grave — a stranger with ties to her long-ago past is closing in, circling like a wolf, and HUNTING EVE.

From an award-winning historian, this is a break-out book in the tradition of «Agent Zig Zag». In the immediate aftermath of the Revolution, the Western powers were anxious to prevent the spread of Bolshevism across Europe. Lenin and Trotsky were equally anxious that the Communist vision they were busy introducing in Russia should do just that. But neither side knew anything about the other. The revolution and Russia's withdrawal from the First World War had ensured a diplomatic exodus from Moscow and the usual routes to vital information had been closed off. Into this void stepped an extraordinary collection of opportunists, journalists and spies — sometimes indeed journalists who were spies and vice versa: in Moscow Britain's Arthur Ransome, the American John Reed and Sidney Reilly — 'Ace of Spies' — all traded information and brokered deals between Russia and the West; in Berlin, Paris and London, the likes of Maxim Litvinov, Adolf Ioffe and Kamenev tried to infiltrate the political elite and influence foreign policy to the Bolsheviks' advantage. Robert Service, acclaimed historian and one of our finest commentators on matters Soviet, turns his meticulous eye to this ragtag group of people and, with narrative flair and impeccable research, reveals one of the great untold stories of the twentieth century.

Embassytown: a city of contradictions on the outskirts of the universe. Avice is an immerser, a traveller on the immer, the sea of space and time below the everyday, now returned to her birth planet. Here on Arieka, humans are not the only intelligent life, and Avice has a rare bond with the natives, the enigmatic Hosts — who cannot lie. Only a tiny cadre of unique human Ambassadors can speak Language, and connect the two communities. But an unimaginable new arrival has come to Embassytown. And when this Ambassador speaks, everything changes. Catastrophe looms. Avice knows the only hope is for her to speak directly to the alien Hosts. And that is impossible.

This is a book about colour with adorable dinosaur characters, which helps make learning fun! The bright, bold illustrations are full of humour, and little ones will love pulling the chunky tabs and helping the creatures 'talk'. The speech bubbles will help them to join in and the mirror ending will encourage them to make some noise themselves.

This is a book about counting with adorable pet characters, which helps make learning fun! The bright, bold illustrations are full of humour, and little ones will love pulling the chunky tabs and helping the creatures 'talk'. The speech bubbles will help them to join in and the mirror ending will encourage them to make some noise themselves.

This is a book about noise with adorable farm animal characters, which helps make learning fun! The bright, bold illustrations are full of humour, and little ones will love pulling the chunky tabs and helping the creatures 'talk'. The speech bubbles will help them to join in and the mirror ending will encourage them to make some noise themselves.

This is a book about opposites with adorable jungle characters, which helps make learning fun! The bright, bold illustrations are full of humour, and little ones will love pulling the chunky tabs and helping the creatures 'talk'. The speech bubbles will help them to join in and the mirror ending will encourage them to make some noise themselves.

This is an utterly compelling and often unbelievable adventure into the world of madness. Jon Ronson meets everybody from a Broadmoor inmate who swears he faked a mental disorder to get a lighter sentence but is now stuck there to the influential psychologist who developed the industry standard Psychopath Test and who is convinced that many important CEOs and politicians are in fact psychopaths. Combining Jon's trademark humour, charm and investigative incision, The Psychopath Test is a deeply honest book unearthing dangerous truths and asking serious questions about how we define normality in a world where we are increasingly judged by our maddest edges. 'Ronson's new book is provocative and interesting, and you will, I guarantee, zip merrily through it' Observer 'Both screamingly funny and deeply disturbing' Tatler 'Ronson is such a chirpy, inquisitive and funny writer' Mail on Sunday.

‘It was the first murder case I ever investigated on my own’. Wexford said angrily. ‘There’s no mystery. Herbert Arthur Painter killed his ninety-year-old employer by hitting her over the head with an axe. He did it for two hundred pounds.’ Chief Inspector Wexford was sure that the murder of an old lady had been carried out by her employee, Herbert Painter, and the courts agreed with him. But then Henry Archery, whose son is engaged to marry Painter’s daughter, starts questioning the case…

Owl Hall is the story of Janet, a single mother, who goes to stay in an old farmhouse with her children, Kara and Martin. But there’s something strange about Kara’s relationship with her mother and brother. As the story develops, we discover that everyone at Owl Hall has a secret – even the house itself!

Owl Hall is an original story written specifically for the Macmillan Readers series. It is the story of Kara, who goes to stay at Owl Hall. But there is something strange about Kara’s relationship with her family. As the story develops, we discover that everyone at Owl Hall has a secret – even the house itself!