Showing titles in Music & Performing Arts

When Wahoo Cray’s dad - a professional animal wrangler - takes a job with a reality TV show called Expedition Survival!, Wahoo figures he'll have to do a bit of wrangling himself to keep his father from killing Derek Badger, the show's inept and egotistical star. But the job keeps getting more complicated: Derek Badger insists on using wild animals for his stunts; and Wahoo's acquired a shadow named Tuna - a girl who's sporting a shiner courtesy of her father and needs a place to hide out.

Tess loves to dance – even when her tummy is empty and her boots are pinching. She and her brothers and sisters are all alone in the world after their mum dies and their pa abandons them. They have to eat bread and dripping, and take in washing to earn a few pennies. How will they afford food – and milk for baby Ada? Tess’s big brother and sister go out to look for work, but Tess has to stay in class at The Ragged School and look after Ada too. But Tess is determined that even though she is poor, she will still get to go to the ball . . .

Julia McKenzie, Timothy West and Berlie Doherty star in this BBC Radio 4 full-cast dramatisation of Charles Kingsley's classic tale of a chimney sweep who becomes a water baby.

Audie Award, Middle Grade, 2016. Lost and alone in the forbidden Black Forest, Otto meets three mysterious sisters and suddenly finds himself entwined in a puzzling quest involving a prophecy, a promise, and a harmonica. Decades later Friedrich in Germany, Mike in Pennsylvania, and Ivy in California each become sinterwoven when the very same harmonica lands in their lives, binding them by an invisible thread of destiny. All the children face daunting challenges: rescuing a father, protecting a brother, holding a family together.

Ten-year-old Leo dreams of performing in the West End. His love of dancing is getting him through the Luton heatwave—but his selective mutism is putting his spot in the end-of-summer dance show on the line. When chatty Richa moves in next door, Leo finds it easy to bond with her. She talks enough for the both of them. But when he learns her secret, it's clear that Richa needs Leo's support as much as he needs hers. With Richa's help, will Leo be able to follow his dreams? Or will his inability to speak freely cost him their friendship?

Rising to fame with her 1936 novel Ballet Shoes, Noel Streatfeild soon became one of the most popular authors of her day. She was one of the first winners of the Carnegie Medal and was awarded an OBE in 1983. She died in 1986, but her stories continue to captivate children today. Included here are three of her very best - Ballet Shoes, The Growing Summer and When the Siren Wailed.

The fifth title in the BRILLIANT series by Pamela Butchart. Hamlet could NEVER make his mind up about ANYTHING. And one time he actually went to school in just his pants and got sent home because he couldn't decide what to wear. When Izzy (star of The Spy Who Loved School Dinners) is asked to tell her friends some HILARIOUS and SCARY stories, she knows exactly where to look: Shakespeare, the king of SUPER dramatic stuff.

It's Christmas, the most magical time of the year, and Delphie is really excited about taking part in her ballet school’s special Christmas show! But just when Delphie thinks things can't get any better she is whisked away to Enchantia. Her friends there really need her help to make sure that this Christmas in Enchantia is the best one ever, despite King Rat's mischief making.

Life is going well for Sophie. She’s getting by at school, has some pretty awesome friends and their band have made it through to the semifinals of the Battle of the Bands competition. But when Sophie wakes up completely deaf one morning, the life she once knew seems like a distant memory. With lessons replaced by endless hospital appointments, and conversations now an exercise in lip-reading, Sophie grows quieter and quieter. Until she discovers the vibrations of sound through an old set of drums and wonders whether life onstage is actually still within reach.

Penguin presents the unabridged downloadable audiobook edition of Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild, read by Janet Streatfeild. 'I wonder...if other girls had to be one of us, which of us they'd choose to be?' Pauline longs to be an actress. Petrova is happiest playing with cars and engines. And if she could...Posy would dance all day! But when their benefactor Great-Uncle Matthew disappears, the Fossil girls share a future of a dazzling life onstage, where their dreams and fears will soon come true....

Clara receives a nutcracker from her godfather Drosselmeyer on Christmas Eve. That night she dreams the nutcracker is fighting with toy soldiers against the army of the Mouse King. Clara helps the nutcracker and it transforms into a prince. Together they travel to the land of sweets and celebrate a wonderful sweet festival with the Sugar Plum Fairy. It was all just an amazing dream - or was it...?

A full cast dramatisation of this classic children's book. Pauline, Petrova, and Posy Fossil are not really sisters; even their surname is invented since Great Uncle Matthew(GUM) adopted each of them on his various fossil-hunting trips. When the trio decide to "put our name in the history books because it's our very own", each Fossil uses her individual talents to achieve their joint aim in this captivating story, now a modern children's classic.

Ray has trouble at home, and he has trouble at school - until he’s permanently excluded and ends up sleeping on the floor of a record shop. What happens to a boy like Ray? If he’s lucky, maybe he gets a chance to shine. The story of three boys who aren’t easy. They don’t fit in. They seem to attract trouble. But they know what they want, and they’ve got the talent to back it up.

Ellen's life is turned upside down by the hilarious Mirror-Belle, a spirited princess who claims to be from somewhere mysterious and far away. She appears out of mirrors to tell Ellen magical stories and take her on exciting escapades. From going to ballet class to staying at Ellen's grandparents' house, causing mischief with their furry friends, having fun at Halloween and taking the princess test, you can always guarantee that wherever Mirror-Belle goes, trouble will follow.

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to see a Ghost? Or what happens if you visit somewhere that’s said to be haunted? Yvette Fielding is a world-famous ghost hunter, who has been investigating spooky places for over 20 years. Now she’s ready to tell all about the most haunted theatres she and her team have visited – and what happened when they went inside! Prepare yourself as she raises the curtain on headless actors, crazed clowns and angry poltergeists!

Stanley Potts is just an ordinary boy, but when all the jobs in Fish Quay disappear his Uncle Ernie develops an extraordinary fascination with canning fish. Suddenly their home is filled with the sound of changing machinery and the stench of mackerel, and Uncle Ernie's obsession reaches such heights that he would even can Stan's beloved goldfish! Stan, however, has his own destiny, which leads him - via a hook-a-duck stall - to Pancho Pirelli, the blue-caped madman who swims with piranhas.

The definitive no-holds-barred biography of John Entwhistle, The Who's legendary bass guitarist. With the full co-operation of the Entwistle family, The Ox will shine a long overdue light on one of the single greatest and most impactful figures in rock history. Drawing on Entwhistle's own notes for an unfinished autobiography, as well as his personal archives and interviews with his family and friends, The Ox will give listeners a never-before-seen glimpse into the two very distinct poles of Entwistle, the rock star incarnate and a man of simple tastes.

On this adventure we're going to need to turn the sound up as we're learning all about musical instruments! From the instruments you can make in your own house, to some of the most talented musicians around the world, we're going to have a musical blast and learn more about what music means in different cultures.

Ricky and Nini, who play Troy Bolton and Gabriella Montez, share chemistry on and off the stage, but with their understudies, E.J. and Gina, plotting to take over their roles, will these talented performers make it to opening night?

In Francis Rossi's explosive new memoir, I Talk Too Much, the Status Quo main man reveals for the first time the true-life stories behind the life and times of one of the best-selling rock singers in the world. With over 100 million records sold worldwide in a career that mirrors the evolution of rock music, from the flower power '60s, with hits like 'Pictures of Matchstick Men', through the denim-clad '70s and classic Quo-tastic anthems such as 'Down Down', 'Rocking All over the World' and 'Whatever You Want', through the turbulent '80s, when they famously opened Live Aid....