Christmas Eve - Seeing Is Believing

Ever wondered what it’s like, or even dreamt what it’s like, being transported from one place to another? Well, that’s exactly what happened to Nash. One minute he’s sat in his chair at home and the next his life was about to change forever. Now Nash was a quiet and somewhat shy person but strange things happen when you’re seeing and believing... Nash was well groomed and always keeping up with the fashion, in fact, he owned over 50 pairs of training shoes. Like a lot of young men he followed football and supported Arsenal and liked to go out with the boys at weekends. However, deep down Nash always thought that one day he would get married, live in a nice house, and have children of his own. Unfortunately, life isn’t always as simple as that and sometimes you really have to work hard to fulfil your dreams and wishes, and sometimes things don’t even seem to make sense and this was definitely the case in Nash’s story.

Clavius: The Hapless Tooth Fairy

Clavius longs to be accepted by the tooth fairies on the highest hill. However, his appearance is less than 'enchanting'. With the help of his friend, Iron Gray, the bat, Clavius begins a journey to become a proper tooth fairy. But Clavius learns that it's not what you leave underneath pillows that will make children remember your name.

Cometh the Witch

Little Green is a witch. Not your ordinary, wearing black, pointy hat, cat-owning witch. She is more of a feisty hippy, green dress, bare feet, blonde-hair with-flower-in-it and no-cat witch, and you mess with her at your peril.

Armed with only a garden gnome, she fends off marauding goblins. When homeless hillbillies arrive in Brooklands, she’s there to help: racing against bullies in Lord Maxwell’s horseless chariot race, using extraordinary magic to help the circus Indian find his way home, dealing with cruel and wicked witch-finders. All this and it’s her birthday too. She really doesn’t want any fuss, so who’s the strange sailor knocking at the door?

Oh yes, Little Green is certainly a witch and, my word, what a witch!

This is going to be magic!

Doug and Dex, Zombie Detectives

Doug and Dex are the youngest detectives in the world.

When their sister, Tilly, has her brain captured by a gang of ravenous brain snatchers, they set out to find it before she becomes a zombie forever.

Told with humour, imagination and delightful illustrations, this is a story about the strength of family, the rewards of hard work and the importance of keeping your brains in your head!

Dragons Out!

Learn about software testing in a fun way, by reading stories about dragons and knights. The book is a great read for children on their own, with their parents, or as an additional reading in schools. It is also for anyone who wants to know what software testing is, they will enjoy this book tremendously.

The book talks about adventures of two children, Laura and Tom, who tumble into dragons annoying villages and castles. They learn about different dragons and how to defeat them with the help of knights. The children grow into exceptional dragon experts.

Stories are explained in information technology and software testing terms and concepts, e.g. a dragon represents a software defect, and knights represent testers and developers. Reading parallels is an easy-to-understand way of learning.

In this book, Kari Kakkonen combines his passion into fantasy and software testing in a new and fascinating way, creating an enjoyable experience for the readers.

The book is suitable for ages of 9-99, although it is written for children.

“I love the idea of bringing testing and dragons together. Explaining testing ideas in this way is great for new testers to give them a broad idea of the depth of testing. The stories can sit on their own for children as well, and may encourage them to think about how they could test some of the apps they use.”

Janet Gregory, DragonFire Inc, co-author of three books on agile testing.

Dream Animals

Let the golden dream animals, created by artist Diane Maybey, invite you into a world of soothing lyrics and imagery. Allow the unfolding of each beautiful creature to take you into the calming depths of rest. Dream Animals is a bedtime story for dream-time peace.

Drip & Drop

Drip and Drop are water gargoyles, and they are brothers. Like all brothers, they argue with each other, but no matter what, they look after each other. Although in Drop’s case, he finds he has to look after Drip more than often, since Drip can, well, be a bit of a drip at times. The two brothers live in an island that has an oak tree growing on it, which holds a secret – though why am I telling you this, I don’t know, as Drip and Drop prefer to be in a nest in a tree. As I tell you the story of Drip and Drop, you will learn about their lives and meet their friends, Plip and Plop, not to forget dear Daisy Deer, and you will decide on whether Daisy Deer’s little baby, Dusty, is a boy or a girl. So, are you ready to know more about the water gargoyles as well as meet Mr Robin and Mrs Owl? Because if you are, not only will you know what they look like, you will also know where to find them. And you just might end up meeting Drip and Drop.

Drip And Drop Go On Holiday

In the second book of the water gargoyles series, Drip and Drop have decided that they needed a holiday by the seaside, where their cousins Splish and Splash live. Drip and Drop are water gargoyles, as well as brothers, and like most brothers, they tend to look after each other. But in Drip’s case, Drop finds that he has to look after more because Drip can be a bit of a drip at times.

Drip and Drop have decided to go on holiday as they want to visit their cousins, Splish and Splash, as they haven’t seen them for a while now. Along the way, Drip and Drop meet different gargoyles, such as the hedge gargoyle and the giant sea gargoyle, with its big booming voice, and not forgetting dear Sandy the sand gargoyle, who is rude too. They also meet Mrs Damselfly and her husband, Mr Dragonfly, along the way, as well as visit a pub with Chris and David, who own the Hastings that Drip and Drop travel on part of the way. Whilst on holiday, Drip and Drop explore the seabed, coming across a Hurricane and a Spitfire that have coral growing over them as well as hearing about the haunted forest from Mrs Owl, and learning the names of the three ghosts that live there and of course, of Uncle Dippy Wippy. Children of all ages will enjoy this book, especially when reading it with their parents, or grandparents, as I’m sure it will fill you with delight and laughter, as I tell you more about Drip and Drop the water gargoyles.

Elsa and The Motmot

Elsa Toussaint lies in bed, finding it difficult to sleep with the excitement of knowing she will be staying with her grandparents at their beachside home in Toco, Trinidad, for a month. From the time her parents drive Elsa through Toco and she sees her old friend Nora, Elsa understands that the holiday will be fun. Elsa and Nora soon re-unite, and Elsa develops a new friendship in the form of a parrot her animal-loving Aunt Lily had adopted, Simon. The trio of friends work together to save the life of a baby bird that has fallen out of the infamous mango tree, gaining another friend in the process, a Motmot bird that Elsa later names Motty. When rescuing the baby Motmot, Nora enlists the aid of one of her friends, Colin. Colin is a nice boy but still immature enough to both make fun of Elsa being deaf and the fact that he saw her underwear when she climbed the mango tree.

Enchanta: The Mystic Waterfall

Katie Baxter is just an ordinary 10-year-old girl, until late one night she is dragged into the pages of a mystical book along with her younger brother Jack.

When Katie lands in the magical world of Enchanta, she is greeted by two beautiful elves and learns she is the chosen one and the only person who can save this new world, and her own, from the evil Crimson Warlock.

But first she must find seven keys that will break the power of the Crimson Warlock and his stranglehold over the normally friendly forest animals, and release the source of life and power on Enchanta: The Golden Orb. But the Orb is firmly entombed in the Crimson Warlock’s Dark Tower, so Katie must be smarter and more resourceful to find the keys.

Full of suspense and positive behavioural themes the first book in this series, Tales of Enchanta: The Mystic Waterfall will keep young readers captivated from the first page to the last.

Erif the Helpful Dragon

The summer seemed like it would never end, it had been a few weeks of blistering heat.

Flame didn’t do much except try and keep out of the sun and keep cool. She went through the bare trees onto the dry grasslands. She sneezed and let a small fire out of her large nostrils… oh my goodness! Quickly the fire caught the grass, help she thought. She raised herself into the air in panic and shot her fire high. She could see Erif over on Nezca.

What was wrong over on Egar? thought Erif, but he knew; he could see the smoke!

Erif quickly flew over to the flame. Oh dear, he had to think and think fast. He could see the fire might spread in time and destroy Egar.

He needed help, they all did, Erif knew there was only one thing he could do…

Escape to Dorland

Have you ever doubted yourself? You are not alone…

Daisy and Margot return in a new adventure that will test their confidence and strength.

When tragedy befalls the fairy kingdom, Daisy is wracked with guilt as she tries to help her fairy friends. Margot, meanwhile, finds herself in a position she never could have imagined, with a responsibility she is unsure she can handle. With the help of the young girl and those around her, she must conquer her insecurities to protect her kind.

Events unfold, bringing an even greater challenge, which the pair must tackle to avoid a dreaded consequence.

Will they have the time and ability to be triumphant?