Scholastic

Packed with the classic barmy blend of foul facts, cartoon strips, stories, jokes, activities and puzzles, the 2012 Annual includes a whole heap of nasty bits. A must-have for all fans of the series, it's guaranteed to keep boredom at bay for another year.

From the dark days when the Puritans tried to abolish Christmas, to Christmas in the trenches when the British and Germans traded bullets for footballs, this title supplies Christmas facts the readers wanted to know.

A sturdy board book that is suitable for Stick Man's youngest fans.

Elvis Presley is horribly famous for being the King of Rock'n'Roll. But not everyone knows that Elvis escaped from tornadoes by hiding in a cave, flew halfway across America for 22 giant sandwiches and had a tooth stuck in his lung. This title offers what you ever wanted to know about the man with the pelvis.

When their ski-coach pulls up at a cafe, and everyone else gets off, new girl Bobby and rebel Smitty stay behind. They hardly know each other but that changes when through the falling snow, the see the others coming back. Something has happened to them. Something bad...

This is the final book in the ground-breaking «Hunger Games» trilogy. Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games twice. But now that she's made it out of the bloody arena alive, she's still not safe. The Capitol is angry. The Capitol wants revenge. Who do they think should pay for the unrest? Katniss. And what' worse, President Snow has made it clear that no one else is safe either. Not Katniss' family, not her friends, not the people of District 12.

This is the second book in the ground-breaking «Hunger Games» trilogy. After winning the brutal Hunger Games, Katniss and Peeta return to their district, hoping for a peaceful future. But their victory has caused rebellion to break out ...and the Capitol has decided that someone must pay. As Katniss and Peeta are forced to visit the districts on the Capitol's Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. Unless they can convince the world that they are still lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. Then comes the cruelest twist: the contestants for the next Hunger Games are announced, and Katniss and Peeta are forced into the arena once more.

This title is first in the ground-breaking Hunger Games trilogy. Set in a dark vision of the near future, a terrifying reality TV show is taking place. Twelve boys and twelve girls are forced to appear in a live event called The Hunger Games. There is only one rule: kill or be killed. When sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen steps forward to take her younger sister's place in the games, she sees it as a death sentence. But Katniss has been close to death before. For her, survival is second nature.

Readers might already be aware that Sir Frances Drake is horrible famous for defeating the Spanish Armada, sailing all the way around the world and being a fearless explorer. But this book will tell them the facts no other biography is likely to — that Drake was once shot and didn't even realize it, he went to sea in a pelican and was actually a bit of a pirate.

Readers might already know that Julius Caesar is horribly famous for conquering loads of countries, going out with Queen Cleopatra, and having some back-stabbing chums. But this book will tell them the facts no other biography is likely to tell them — that Caesar was once captured by pirates, had a month named after him and invaded his own home town.

Packed with loud, noisy, wet and soggy experiments that give kids an appetite for scientific discovery, this title lets them find out who invented pong-free underpants, which strange scientists ate tadpoles for tea and discover a revolting recipe for green slime.

Although a year has passed, not a day goes by without Meggie thinking of INKHEART, the book whose characters became real. But for Dustfinger, the fire-eater brought into being from words, the need to return to the tale has become desperate. When he finds a crooked storyteller with the ability to read him back, Dustfinger leaves behind his young apprentice Farid and plunges into the medieval world of his past. Distraught, Farid goes in search of Meggie, and before long, both are caught inside the book, too. But the story is threatening to evolve in ways neither of them could ever have imagined.

When eleven-year-old Gregor falls through a grate in the laundry room of his apartment building, he hurtles into the dark Underland, where spiders, rats and giant cockroaches coexist uneasily with humans. This world is on the brink of war, and Gregor's arrival is no accident. Gregor has a vital role to play in the Underlan's uncertain future. Gregor wants no part of it — until he realizes it's the only way to solve the mystery of his father's disappearance. Reluctantly, Gregor embarks on a dangerous adventure that will change both him and the Underland for ever.

Spies have reported the sighting of a Rat King in the Underland, a character who has been legendary since the Middle Ages. Recognizable by its tremendous size and snow-white coat, the Rat King is destined to bring a World War to the Underland.

When Wishmoley ventures up to the world above, he finds a little blue egg that will change his life forever! But as Baby grows, Wishmoley realises that she can't stay in his underground world — she needs to be free. This tender story is the perfect gift for parents and children to share.

What do you say to someone if they call you mundungus, hackum or Jabbernowl? Terry Deary runs riot through the horrible history of the English language. Even English teachers will be speechless!

Everybody knows that Al Capone was handy with his machine gun andhad a few nasty associates. But in this book readers will discover all the fascinating facts they didn't know, such as how he lived with his mum all his life and was a trend-setter in banana-coloured suits. Everything you ever wanted to know about the mean theman called Scarface.

Everybody knows that Boudica went galloping to battle in a big chariot, and became very angry with her Roman rulers. This book lets readers find out the things, such as how she burned London to the ground and chopped off the Emperor Claudius' head.

This is a stunning new novel from the bestselling author of «Shiver», «Linger» And «Forever». Stay alive, stay astride, stay out of the water... Every November, the Scorpio Races are run beneath the chalk cliffs of Skarmouth. Thousands gather to watch the horses and the sea that washes the blood from the sand. The mounts are capaill uisce: savage water horses. There are no horses more beautiful, more fearless, more deadly. To race them can be suicide but the danger is irresistible. Sean Kendrick knows the dangers of the capaill uisce. With one foot in the ocean and one on land, he is the only man on the island capable of taming the beasts. He races to prove something both to himself and to the horses. Puck Connolly enters the races to save her family. But the horse she rides is an ordinary little mare, just as Puck is an ordinary girl. When Sean sees Puck on the beach he doesn't think she belongs. He doesn't realize his fate will become entwined in hers. They both enter the Races hoping to change their lives. But first they'll have to survive.

Tabby McTat is a busker's cat, with a miaow that is loud and strong. But when the busker has an accident, the two are separated. Will they ever find each other again?

Zog is the keenest dragon in school. He's also the most accident-prone. Luckily, a mysterious little girl always comes by and patches up his bumps and bruises. But will she be able to help him with his toughest test: capturing a princess? This is a wonderfully funny new story from the creators of The Gruffalo and Stick Man.

Reproducible pages on the back of each chart! Plastic-coated for color-fastness and durability! Write-on, wipe-off surface!

Build children's number-recognition and counting skills with this engaging kit that includes 57 colored numbers, 30 counting cards, 15 two-sided, write-on/wipe-off learning mats, and a pack of crayons. Children match the numbers and counting cards to the numbers printed on the mats, then practice writing the numbers. Includes an activity guide. Helps promote these important developmental skills: — Count, recognize, represent, and name whole numbers 1-30; — Use a number line; — Read and write whole numbers 1-30; — Perform basic addition and subtraction computations. For use with Grades K-2.

Teach and reinforce color and shape recognition with these 20 self-checking, five-piece puzzles. Each puzzle features a target color or shape at the center piece and four matching picture/word puzzle pieces. Unique die cuts on each puzzle make self-correction a snap! These 8-by-8-inch plastic-coated puzzles are durable and easy for small hands to manipulate. Includes an activity guide. For use with Grades K-2.