Charles Dickens is a name that dominates the landscape of English literature. From his early years of hardship he rose to become one of the great novelists of any age. But amongst his other talents were that of short story writer, turning his pen to many subjects and genres as well as travel articles, speaking tours and as an advocate for social justice. He was also amongst the first to commercialise Christmas and a publisher of various periodical magazines for which he also contributed an...

Flightless, helpless and often, frankly, more than a little silly, chickens are no match for the cunning, merciless foxes stalking their coop. Or are they? Thanks to a careless farmer and generations of determined foxes, the chickens on Foxearth Farm have evolved into quick-witted, long-legged, high flying fox dodgers. Then, just a week after a vicious fox ambush in the water trough, three sisters are hatched. And Ransome, Sims and Jefferies are no ordinary chicks: they grow up determined ...

Lubber the dog and Squintum the cat join forces with a racing pigeon and a pretty young Irish setter to search for Lubber's home. All he can remember is that he lives in a cottage below a hillside on which is carved a white horse.

Thomas Hardy – The Short Stories - An Introduction. Many giants of Literature originate from the shores of these emerald isles; Shakespeare, Dickens, Chaucer, The Brontes and Austen to which most people would willingly add the name Thomas Hardy. Far From The Madding Crowd, Tess Of The D’Urbervilles, The Mayor Of Casterbridge are but three of his literary masterpieces. But let us add to this his short stories. They are often overlooked as being the poor, under-developed relative of a greate...

When Ned helps his grandmother clear out her attic, he finds a very unusual Victorian doll – she speaks! Ned and Lady Daisy soon become fast friends, even though he's teased at school for owning a doll. Ned learns to stand up to his father and the school bully in order to protect Lady Daisy. But then the doll is stolen – will Ned ever find her again?

Charles Dickens enjoyed entertaining his friends with readings of ghost stories, especially at Christmas time. In his classic tale The Signalman, the then high technology world of steam railway comes to contact with what looks like a good old fashioned haunting. A night at a desolate country inn dramatically changes Tom Smart's fortunes in The Bagman's Story. Together with Christmas Ghosts and Mr Testator’s Visitation, these tales are fine examples of Dickens’s spine-chilling talents. Thes...

Dorothea considers it a disgrace that one of her children has the white saddle-shaped patch on his bottom, and not on his back. Life doesn't look too promising for Saddlebottom, until he runs away from home and meets a very unusual cat. With the aid of a ginger tom named Bendigo he proves his mother wrong.

Martin, a kitten, is branded a 'wimp' by his siblings for his friendly interest in mice. He loves caring for them and can't understand their desire for freedom. Only when he becomes the pet of a big city apartment dweller does he realise why his pets deserted him.

This hardcover edition of the classic tale of THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS has been read and loved by children for generations. Start a new tradition of reading this timeless tale in your home today!•Fully illustrated in color, bringing each tale to life•Filled with humor, adventure and imagination for children of all ages•Great first-time reading for children as well as reading again for parents and grandparents•Beautiful story and unforgettable characters

Six gripping dramatised documentaries detailing the history of the turbulent Tudor period.Passion, power, sex and suspicious deaths – the Tudor story is one of drama and dysfunction, and it has kept us enthralled for over 400 years. In these six dramatised documentaries, we take a behind-the-scenes look at Tudor England and get to know the key characters we have grown to love and hate, such as Mary Tudor, Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots. Compiled from contempor...

Completely updated and revised, Cruise Ship Tourism, 2nd Edition covers the economic, social and environmental impacts of cruising, combining the latest knowledge and research to provide a comprehensive account of the subject. Despite the industry growing rapidly, there is a substantial gap in the related literature, and this book addresses the key issues for researchers, students and industry professionals. This second edition: - Reviews the fundamental principles of the industry, the cru...

These are strange times for the English aristocracy. When hard-up William Fitz William Delamere Chalmers, Lord Dawlish—otherwise known as Bill—sets off for America to make a fortune, he does not expect to be left one by an American millionaire with whom he strikes up a passing acquaintance.Honor demands that Bill Dawlish should restore this unexpected windfall to the rightful heirs, but this involves him in complicated adventures with greedy relations, haughty dowagers, dogs, chick...