Early Fiction

Having survived deadly forces of nature and the folly of men, Tali Nohkati and his people find a haven of peace with the tribe of Coruba the elder. Through the telling of legends and to the rhythm of hunts and great fishing, their lives pass by serenely until the day when the long dormant volcano wakes up. Tali Nohkati and his companions helplessly watch the disaster unfold in front of their eyes. However, as their so precious land is nothing but an ash field, the miracle happens. The name of the miracle is Chepi. With her, the only child who survived, so small and so frail, they flee in a ...

Welcome to Malory Towers, where there's more to life than lessons! Now that Darrell Rivers and her friends are fifth formers, it's their turn to produce the school play. There is plenty of talent on show, but everyone has their own ideas, and competition for the starring role is fierce. Can the girls overcome their quarrels so that no one is upstaged?

Best-selling author Jasper Fforde begins an effervescent new series. It's Easter in Reading - a bad time for eggs - and no one can remember the last sunny day. Humpty Dumpty, well-known nursery favourite, large egg, ex-convict and former millionaire philanthropist, is found shattered beneath a wall in a shabby area of town.

The Riddle of Plumfieldby Harper Stanwick, Sr. is a captivating mystery novel set in early 20th century rural America. When young Betsy Rosten and her family inherit a sprawling estate under the peculiar conditions of her eccentric Grand-Aunt Nelson's will, they are thrust into a complex web of secrets and puzzles. Betsy and her brother Mark must unravel a cryptic riddle to find the hidden treasure that secures their inheritance. The stakes are high, and their only clue lies in a mysterious verse left by their Grand-Aunt. As they explore the old mansion and its surrounding grounds, they ...

Ballet has never been fancier! Fancy Nancy loves going to ballet class with her best friend, Bree. But when she realizes that her dad and the rest of her family have a lot to learn about ballet, she has a fabulous idea! What if she opened her own ballet school?

Nancy's class is going on a trip to the museum, and Nancy wants to be extra fancy for the occasion. After a bumpy bus ride, she doesn't feel very well. Luckily for Nancy, her teacher, Ms. Glass, has a few fancy tricks of her own. Nothing can keep Nancy from making this trip magnifique! (That's a fancy French word for great!)

The year is 1902, and the world is changing with the new century. Twenty-one-year-old Ava Stanley, the daughter of two celebrated Arcane Taxonomists, has much to live up to—however scarce her magical abilities may be. While her parents draw power from spectacular birds and megafauna, Ava’s connection to the natural world is much smaller, stemming from the microscopic. This is useful in her quest to become a doctor, as she studies the burgeoning links between bacteria and disease, but it means Ava’s power itself is also smaller.

Nancy absolutely adores stars. She loves how they sparkle in the sky, and she can even name the constellations. When she finds out her class will visit the planetarium she is ecstatic - that's a fancy word for excited. But when it starts to rain Nancy is afraid she might not be able to see the stars. Will the rain keep Nancy from watching stars sparkle?

Nancy has been having a little trouble paying attention in class - but when it's time to get ready for the school's bake sale, she is all ears. With Mom's help, Nancy remembers to follow all of the directions for a delectable batch of cupcakes... except for one very important detail!

When Nancy is invited over to Bree's house for a special tea party, she has only one thing to say: oui! The girls enjoy a few charming cups of tea before a disaster occurs that sets the two at odds. Will Nancy and Bree be able to save their friendship.

The Grind by H. Wilhelm Starkweather is a gripping psychological fiction novel set in the industrial heart of America. This poignant story delves into the harsh realities of factory life, exploring themes of human endurance, social justice, and the complex interplay between workers and their environment. Step into the bustling world of the Norman Mills, where the relentless grind of machinery mirrors the unyielding struggles of the workers. Witness the harrowing journey of Dana Wilson, a young nurse who becomes entangled in the lives of factory workers, revealing the stark contrasts between...

Back in the 1950s at the dawn of science fiction, writers were turning out wildly imaginative stories for the pulp magazines. Robert Silverberg, writing as David Osborne, estimates he wrote over a million words in one year. Here are three more exciting stories from those heady days from the pioneers of science fiction: "Aliens from Space" by David Osborne, "The Man with Three Eyes" by E. L. Arch, and "Conquest of Earth" by Manly.

A selection of the stories that Jane wrote for her family when she was between the ages of 12 and 15. AUTHOR: Jane Austen was born in 1775 in her father’s Rectory in the village of Steventon in Hampshire. By the time of her death in 1817 she had written 6 major novels, left two others unfinished and was the author of a considerable amount of correspondence.

Georgia Douglas Johnson was a key contributor to the Harlem Renaissance - hosting an influential salon, breaking new ground as a Black playwright, and playing an important role as an anti-lynching activist. Her poetry, however, is what first brought her to national attention, and in the early works collected here, her wide-ranging talents are already quite evident. In The Heart of a Woman, Johnson’s exquisite verse captures the full emotional terrain of womanhood. These are poems about love and disillusionment, empowerment and fulfillment, loneliness and joy.

What if you discovered yourself alone in the wilderness on the Overland Trail in 1857, wounded, weaponless, helpless? How would you react if, when you came to the following day, you found a young Shoshone medicine man and a cute Indian shaman girl tending your wounds? Connal Lee woke up that morning to a new life as a white Shoshone boy. Homesick for his brother and sister, his circumstances dictated he stay with the Shoshones until he made it to Great Salt Lake City. Raised in the Ozarks, educated while pushing a handcart across the country, the intelligent young teen adapted to another ...

Karlchen hat den Kopf voll verrückter Ideen. So wünscht er sich mitten im Sommer Weihnachten - damit er nicht so lange auf Geschenke warten muss. Mal spielt er friedlich mit Cousine Käthe, mal muss er sich mit ihr streiten. Oder er möchte 1000 Freunde zu seinem Geburtstag einladen.

Warrior-prince Rama is about to be crowned Young King, when he hears the devastating news that his father, king of Ayodhya, has been tricked into banishing him to the forest. His devoted wife, Sita, insists on accompanying him in exile, but the evil 10-headed Lord Ravana has fallen deeply in love with the beautiful princess and steals her away. Aided by Hanuman, mighty captain of the monkeys, Rama sets out across the world to find her and destroy Ravana in a deadly battle.

Ooh la la - Fancy Nancy is so lucky! She and her reading buddy, Violet, read together every Monday. But when a few Mondays go by without being able to meet, Nancy begins to miss her new friend. Will Violet and Nancy find a way to read together even if they're not at school?

"Treasure Buried Deep" is a beautifully crafted historical adventure novel set primarily in Falmouth, England, during the early 19th century. The story unfolds from 1813 when the young protagonist, Tommy Rivers, embarks on a journey filled with mystery, unexpected alliances, and a treacherous quest for a hidden treasure that singularly defines his life. Setting and Characters The book navigates the social and geographical landscape of the 19th century, painting a vibrant picture of bustling streets filled with sailors, traders, local and exotic personalities. The protagonist, Tommy Rivers, ...

Before Jack Kerouac expressed the spirit of a generation in his 1957 classic On the Road, he spent years figuring out how he wanted to live and, above all, learning how to write. Atop an Underwood brings together more than sixty previously unpublished works that Kerouac wrote before he was twenty-two, ranging from stories and poems to plays and parts of novels, including an excerpt from his 1943 merchant marine novel, The Sea Is My Brother. These writings reveal what Kerouac was thinking, doing, and dreaming during his formative years and reflect his primary literary influences.