Showing titles in Literature & Fiction

"Bears like Paddington are very rare," says Mrs Bird, "and a good thing too, or it would cost us a small fortune in marmalade." It's a good thing for lots of reasons that bears like Paddington are rare. Whether it is his attempts at home decorating, detective work or photography, the bear from Darkest Peru causes his own special brand of chaos.

It is Marnie Blue's very first day at Lady Sealia Foam’s Mermaid School, and she's terrified. What if she can't make any new friends, or if she's asked to ride a seahorse? What's more, her famous diva aunt Christabel was a notorious rebel at the same school, and got up to all sorts of naughtiness.

Be warned! Awful animals lurk inside. These 10 tales of the world’s craziest creatures will have you shaking with laughter. You’ll never look at pets in the same way again! Marvel at Houdini, the magician’s rabbit. Take a trip around the world with Zoom, the supersonic tortoise. Gasp at the chaos created by Griselda, a grizzly bear with a big secret. And run for your lives! It’s Furp, the monstrous goldfish!

Sure, some parents are embarrassing - but they’re nothing on this lot. These 10 tales of the world’s most spectacularly silly mums and deliriously daft dads will leave you rocking with laughter. Pinch your nose for Peter Pong, the man with the stinkiest feet in the world...jump out of the way of Harriet Hurry, the fastest mum on two wheels...watch out for Monty Monopolize, the dad who takes all his kids' toys...and oh no, it’s Supermum! Brandishing a toilet brush, a mop and a very bad homemade outfit....

Packed full of fun and adventure with Winnie-the-Pooh and all his friends in the Hundred Acre Forest. This is a wonderful dramatisation of The House at Pooh Corner by David Benedictus with music composed, directed and played by John Gould.

In the series finale of Maz Evans' best-selling Who Let the Gods Out? series, Elliot faces his darkest period yet. As well as facing up to his fears, he realises that the future of mankind - and the survival of everything he holds dear - is at stake. But can a bunch of misfit gods, a lost constellation and a mortal boy stand up to the daemon hordes?

Nine is an orphan pickpocket determined to escape her life in the Nest of a Thousand Treasures. When she steals a house-shaped ornament from a mysterious woman’s purse, she knocks on its tiny door and watches it grow into a huge higgledy-piggeldy house. Inside she finds a host of magical and brilliantly funny characters, including Flabberghast - a young wizard who’s particularly competitive at hopscotch - and a hideous troll housekeeper who’s emotionally attached to his feather duster. They have been placed under an extraordinary spell.

After one trick too many, Loki is banished to live on Earth as a 'normal' school boy. Forbidden from using his awesome godly powers, Loki must show moral improvement. As he records, his lies the truth in his magical (judgemental) diary, it becomes clear Loki hasn’t a clue how to tell good from evil, trust from tricks or friends from enemies.

I was just a normal kid, I went to school (got expelled a lot, but that wasn't my fault), played sports and hung out with my best friend.Until I accidentally vaporized my maths teacher.Now, I spend my time at Camp Half Blood, battling monsters and generally trying to stay alive.And now that Zeus thinks I've stolen his lightning bolt, staying alive is going to be even harder.

Beautiful Rapunzel has been imprisoned by an evil enchantress. Every day, she sits at the window of her high tower, and sings as she lets down her long hair. Then one day, a prince comes riding by.... A magical retelling of the classic fairy tale, read by Tamsin Greig.

Austen comes to England knowing that as an American he'll stick out at his new school. But when an errant owl lands him at Hogwarts, he's in for more than he expected.

I've almost made it a year without one of my teachers turning into a monster. Just one more day to go. Surely even I can get through that? Percy Jackson's life has been surprisingly quiet since he stopped all-out war on Mount Olympus. That is until an innocent game of dodgeball turns monstrously ugly. . .

Percy Jackson has a lot on his plate. A powerful goddess has gone missing. The Greek gods are on the brink of war with the Titans. And there's the minor threat of a mystery beast that could destroy Mount Olympus forever. This time, Percy's going to need help and he's found two powerful demigods for the job. . . There's just the small problem of the prophecy. The one that has predicted not all of them will survive.

C.S. Lewis’s acclaimed and universally loved novels spring to life in these spellbinding full-cast BBC dramatisations. Anyone who’s visited Narnia wants to go back again, and these radio dramas make for a hugely entertaining first-time or return journey, with a cast including Bernard Cribbins, Maurice Denham, Richard Griffiths, Martin Jarvis, Sylvester McCoy, John Sessions, Fiona Shaw and Timothy Spall.

Timeless Tales for Kids is an enchanting compilation of children's classic stories read by an all-star cast. Olivia Colman reads E. Nesbit's classic novel The Railway Children, a masterpiece in children's fiction wonderfully evoking a bygone age, packed with fun, excitement and adventure. Bill Nighy reads a much-loved children's classic, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, which continues to delight young and old with its enchanting tale of witches, flying monkeys and magical shoes.

Jack loves his childhood toy Dur Pig. DP has always been there for him, through good and bad. Until one Christmas Eve something terrible happens - DP is lost. But Christmas Eve is a night for miracles and lost causes, a night when all things can come to life...even toys. And Jack’s newest toy - the Christmas Pig (DP’s annoying replacement) - has a daring plan: Together they’ll embark on a magical journey to seek something lost and to save the best friend Jack has ever known....

Steve likes to spend his mornings in the NCP village and trade his wheat for emeralds, armor, books, swords, and food. One morning, he finds that Zombies have attacked the villagers. The Zombies have also turned the village blacksmith into a Zombie, leaving Steve without a place to get swords. To protect himself and the few villagers that remain, Steve goes on a quest to mine for 40 diamonds, which are the most powerful mineral in the Overworld.

Being the son of a Greek God, nothing in my life has been straightforward. Or monster-free. And it looks like that's not going to change anytime soon now that my arch enemy Luke wants to invade Camp Half-Blood via an ancient labyrinth.If he succeeds, thousands of bloodthirsty monsters will attack. So it's goodbye sunshine, hello darkness as four of us descend into the terrifying underground and beyond....

A delightful series of classic nursery tales brought to life for toddlers and young children. Hosted by the talented duo of Rebecca Keatley and Inel Tomlinson, each episode features a captivating retelling of a beloved story, accompanied by a soundscape and music that adds depth and texture to the experience.

For anyone who loves sailing and adventure, Arthur Ransome's classic Swallows and Amazons series stands alone. Originally published over a half-century ago, the twelve books are still eagerly read by children and adults alike – by all those captivated by the world of adventure and imagination. Such longevity is not only due to Ransome’s unparalleled gift of storytelling, but also his championing of qualities such as independence and initiative; virtues that appeal to every generation, whether young or old.