Penguin Group

In Jackson, Mississippi, in 1962, there are lines that are not crossed. Black maids raise the white children, but no one trusts them not to steal the silver. Black maids clean the toilets, but they have their own out back. Everyone stays within the lines. But, suddenly, three women: Aibileen, Minny, and Skeeter, who find themselves tired of the lines. In pitch-perfect voices, Kathryn Stockett creates three extraordinary women whose determination to start a movement of their own forever changes a town, and the way women — mothers, daughters, caregivers, friends — view one another. A deeply moving novel filled with poignancy, humor, and hope, The Help is a timeless and universal story about the lines we abide by, and the ones we don’t.

With young Tommy at his side, Dr. Doolittle embarks on extraordinary adventures, using his ability to speak with animals. Lofting's blend of fantasy and environmentalism has delighted readers for generations.

This is an action-packed original fiction for younger Doctor Who fans, starring the Eleventh Doctor with his companions Amy Pond and Rory Williams. These double-fronted books each contain two fast-paced, fun-filled adventures. Heart of Stone/Death Riders: A monster made from moon rock is attacking an Earth farm in Heart of Stone. Everything it touches turns to stone — even people. Can the Doctor, Amy and Rory find out what the creature wants before it's too late? In Death Riders, the Galactic Fair has arrived on the mining planet of Stanalan and the Death Ride roller coaster is really drawing in the crowds. But there's something sinister going on behind all the fun of the fair. Join the Doctor, Amy and Rory as they investigate...

These are action-packed new chapter books for younger Doctor Who fans, starring the Eleventh Doctor with his companions Amy Pond and Rory Williams. Double-fronted books each contain two fast-paced, fun-filled Doctor Who adventures! Essential reading for any young fan, combining two adventures in one book ensures fans are hooked and only too happy to read on... The Good, the Bad and the Alien/System Wipe Aliens have crash-landed in the Wild West and they're ready for a showdown in The Good, the Bad and the Alien! Can the Doctor, Rory and Amy work out which are the good guys and which are the bad? The Doctor finds himself trapped in a virtual world in System Wipe. As he tries to save the characters of the virtual world from being destroyed by a deadly virus, Amy and Rory must fight to keep the Doctor's body in the real world safe from the mysterious entity known as Legacy... The following title is also available: Heart of Stone/Death Riders.

Is a death in the family the chance for a new start? When Myrtle's husband, Austin, dies on the bus one morning, everything seems to freeze. But in reality Myrtle has been frozen for nearly forty years, locked into an emotionless marriage. So if the barriers have been lifted, why does she still feel trapped? Her daughters are a mystery to her — one prickly and defensive, the other with a closely guarded secret. And thanks to Austin's cold presence, friends are a rarity. How is a widow supposed to find herself when she's alone and unconfident of her place in the world? But hope might rest with Gianni, the kind stranger in whose arms Austin died. And when nosy neighbour Dorothy discovers Myrtle's sad news, she also refuses to let her wallow. But Myrtle will never move on until she's dealt with her past and the reason for her devotion to Austin. The truth must out, even though the consequences might prove devastating for Myrtle and her daughters...

The sweet scents of rural life infuse this collection of Roald Dahl's country stories, but there is always something unexpected lurking in the undergrowth... Whether it is taking a troublesome cow to be mated with a prime bull; dealing with a rat-infested hayrick; learning the ways and means of maggot farming; or describing the fine art of poaching pheasants using nothing but raisins and sleeping pills, Roald Dahl brings his stories of everyday country folk and their strange passions wonderfully to life. Lacing each tale with dollops of humour and adding a sprinkling of the sinister, Dahl ensures that this collection is brimful of the sweet mysteries of life.

Could a secret from 1914 end a century of heartache? A tiny figure stands at the cliff edge — hair flying in the breeze. Grania Ryan is hypnotised by the enchanting vision, unaware this young girl, Aurora Lisle, will change her life in countless ways. For Grania is suffering and has returned to Ireland and the arms of her loving family, in the hope her wounds might heal. As their paths begin to entwine, Grania's mother becomes deeply troubled... because almost a century of entanglement has brought nothing but terrible tragedy to their two families. The past is set to repeat its sorrows. A suitcase hidden in the attic of a magnificent house in London during the First World War is where it all began, but could it now hold the key to ending the heartbreak that has beset the Lisles and the Ryans for so long?

My Very Noisy Fairy is a fun, interactive sound book for little girls who love fairies! With a magical, tinkly fairy sound button, this sturdy board book is full of lovely fairy things. Help the little fairy to choose a pretty dress, a job to do and a fairy cake to eat! This is a perfect gift for under-fives.

Diana Bishop, a young historian (and a witch), discovers an enchanted manuscript at the Bodleian Library at Oxford. The text, known as Ashmole 782, turns out to be a coveted treasure lost for centuries, and she is the first and only creature who has met the terms of its spell. Her discovery sets the supernatural world spinning, and she soon finds an ally in Matthew Clairmont, a 1,500 year old vampire.

Between America's retreat from China in late November 1941 and the moment General MacArthur's airplane touched down on the Japanese mainland in August of 1945, five men connected by happenstance fought the key battles of the war against Japan. The Pacific is the companion book to the HBO miniseries that tracks the intertwined odysseys of U.S. Marines during WWII. Hugh Ambrose is a noted historian and was a consultant on the documentary Price for Peace for which Steven Spielberg and Stephen Ambrose were the Executive Producers.

McLean and her father, a restaurant consultant, have spent two years moving from town to town. In the aftermath of her parents' divorce, McLean has opted to stay with her father and has become somewhat estranged from her mother. In Lakeview, the newest town, McLean finds herself putting down more roots that she usually does, making friends, and even enjoying a new romance with her neighbor, Dave. She also begins the process of rebuilding her relationship with her mother. Along for the Ride was a 1 New York Times bestseller in hardcover. «Good night, Gorilla», says the zookeeper. But mischievous Gorilla isn't quite ready to go to sleep. He'd rather follow the zookeeper on his rounds and let all of the other animals out of their cages. Little night owls can sneak along with Gorilla and see who gets the last laugh in this riotous goodnight romp. Practically wordless yet full of expressive art and hilarious, adorable detail, this book is sure to become a beloved part of children's own bedtime rituals.

Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Dog Days is the super funny fourth title in the highly-illustrated, bestselling and award-winning Diary of a Wimpy Kid series by Jeff Kinney. Perfect for both boys and girls of 8+, reluctant readers and all the millions of devoted Wimpy Kid fans out there. Dog Days is also a major motion picture and box office smash. The fourth mega-selling instalment in the hilarious Diary of a Wimpy Kid series — now in a fantastic book & CD format with removable book. Perfect as a gift for holidays and travelling! The way I like to spend my summer holidays is in front of the TV, playing video games with the curtains closed and the light turned off.

As a precocious child talent, growing up in 1890s Vienna — the same that nurtured the psychoanlysis of Freud — Egon Schiele developed a distinctive personal style that matched his obsession with sex, life and death. Although he died young he produced a body of paintings, watercolours and drawings that rank him among the most original artists of the 20th century, and an important forerunner of the Expressionist movement. In this book Christopher Short presents a biographical introduction and survey of Schiele's art, following his detailed commentaries on a selection of male and female nudes, self portraits, portraits, landscapes and allegorical works representing a cross-section of the artist's finest works in all media.

James McNeill Whistler (1834-1903) was one of the most original artists of the late 19th-century. Flamboyant dandy and ebullient publicist, friend of Oscar Wilde, Whistler was also a meticulous craftsman dedicated to the perfection of his art. He was born in the United States but travelled to Paris to study painting. Under the influence of Courbet, he began as a realist painter, but gradually developed a startlingly original method of composition, refining his technique to the barest essentials. He was one of the first to argue that the abstract ingredients of a painting — the lines, shapes, colours and tones — could in themselves be the subject; he entitled the portrait of his mother «Arrangement in Grey and Black». His emphasis on selection and swiftness of execution made a shocking contrast with the art of his day, concerned as it was with finish and elaborate literary allusions. Ruskin, the champion of Pre-Raphaelitism, accused him of «flinging a pot of paint in the public's face» — a comment that promptly inspired the famous lawsuit which left Whistler victorious but bankrupt. Whistler was one of the most independent artists in the second half of the nineteenth century, comparable in stature with Degas. His «Nocturnes» create an indefinable mood of wistful poetry, while his portraits remain some of the most haunting images in nineteenth-century art.

The «Architecture in Detail» series comprises books that focus on individual buildings noted for their exceptional character, innovative design or technical virtuosity. Each volume contains a text by a respected author, a sequence of colour and black-and-white photographs and a set of technical drawings and working details. Strategically placed above a waterfall, Fallingwater's horizontal cantilevered floors and terraces soar free of apparent support. The building exemplifies Wright's attitudes towards integrating architecture and nature.

Each one of the 100 postcards in this delightful collection features beautiful and iconic Beatrix Potter illustrations. From book covers to picture letters and watercolors to sketches, this gorgeous box showcases Beatrix Potter's remarkable and unique talent.

If you've ever ogled a bouquet of flowers at the supermarket and wondered how to display them once you've brought them home, then «Fresh Flower Arranging» is for you. With expert techniques for achieving stunning results and tips and tricks for keeping your flowers fresh and beautiful for as long as possible, «Fresh Flower Arranging» gives vivid step-by-step seasonal projects for an array of stunning and achievable arrangements. Popular arrangements are shown step-by-step, with each step photographed and annotated clearly so that you can achieve your goal, be it a simple arrangement for the kitchen table or a stunning wedding bouquet for your daughter.

The Normandy Landings that took place on D-Day involved by far the largest invasion fleet ever known. The scale of the undertaking was simply awesome. What followed them was some of the most cunning and ferocious fighting of the war, at times as savage as anything seen on the Eastern Front. As casualties mounted, so too did the tensions between the principal commanders on both sides. Meanwhile, French civilians caught in the middle of these battlefields or under Allied bombing endured terrible suffering. Even the joys of Liberation had their darker side. The war in northern France marked not just a generation but the whole of the post-war world, profoundly influencing relations between America and Europe. Making use of overlooked and new material from over thirty archives in half a dozen countries, D-Day is the most vivid and well-researched account yet of the battle of Normandy. As with Stalingrad and Berlin, Antony Beevor's gripping narrative conveys the true experience of war.

Poor Ellie is horrified when Tuffy drags a dead bird into the house. Then a mouse. But Tuffy can't understand what all the fuss is about. Who on earth will be the next victim to arrive through the cat-flap? Can soft-hearted Ellie manage to get her beloved pet to change his wild, wild ways before he ends up in even deeper trouble? The hilarious antics of Tuffy and his family are told by the killer cat himself.

From the creator of the much-loved, much-used `Wreck This Journal` comes a do-it-yourself illustrated story — where the reader is both the author, and the main character... `Dear Reader, One dark and stormy night, I found some strange scattered pages abandoned in a park.....Your mission is to become the new author of this work. You will continue the research and provide the content. In order to complete the task, you will have to undergo some secret intelligence training, which I have included in this volume. Since no one knows what lies ahead, please proceed with caution, but know... This book does not exist without you. Yours truly, Keri Smith.`

She witnessed a murder — and now her life is in danger... Fifteen year-old Belle, though raised in a London brothel, is an innocent. But when she witnesses one of the girls brutally strangled by a client, she is cast into a cruel, heartless world. Snatched from the streets and sold into prostitution, she is made a courtesan in New Orleans. At the mercy of desperate men who crave her beauty and will do anything to keep her, Belle's dreams of home, family and freedom appear futile. Are Belle's courage and spirit strong enough to help her escape? And what will await her at the end of the long, dangerous journey home? Lesley Pearse, author of Number One bestseller Stolen , has done it again with Belle — a heroine for our times: a strong woman trying to be good in a world gone bad.

The astounding talent of Laurel Long brings this beloved song to life with breathtaking style. Set against a lush countryside, each day brings a new gift elegantly rendered. And like in the verses of the song, the previous gifts are repeated in every illustration, giving this striking artwork a hidden aspect, culminating in a staggering spread featuring them all. Readers will pore over every page, searching for golden rings, turtledoves, and all the rest, secretly tucked into each stunning painting. Laurel Long's unparalleled style makes this exquisite volume a treasure that will be cherished for years to come.

This title shows you how to buy, prepare and cook the best sustainable fish and seafood from around the world. Fried, steamed, poached or baked, we are a nation of fish lovers and the Fish Cookbook is the ultimate guide to making the most delicious seafood dishes. With over 300 inspiring recipes, the detailed step-by-step sequences explain every preparation and cooking technique to help you cook all types of fish and crustacean from sea bass to snapper and monkfish to mussels. Take a journey around the globe by creating classic fish dishes such as New England Clam Chowder and Thai Fish Cakes or choose one of the 200 further recipes written with today's time-pressed cook in mind using quick, simple methods and readily available ingredients. Advice on sustainability will also help you make environmentally conscious choices at the fish counter. There is an amazing photo gallery of over 200 varieties of fish and seafood that completes the Fish Cookbook making it the essential encyclopedic guide on the edible fishes of the world and perfect for every keen cook.

Essayist and poet Joseph Brodsky was one of the most penetrating voices of the twentieth century. This prize-winning collection of his diverse essays includes uniquely powerful appreciations of great writers: on Dostoevsky and the development of Russian prose, on Auden and Akhmatova, Cavafy, Montale and Mandelstam. These are contrasted with his reflections on larger themes of tyranny and evil, and subtle evocations of his childhood in Leningrad. Brodsky's insightful appreciation of the intricacies of language, culture and identity connect these works, revealing his remarkable gifts as a prose writer.