English Literature Great

Roy Peter Clark, one of America's most influential writing teachers, offers writing lessons we can draw from 25 great texts. Where do writers learn their best moves? They use a technique that Roy Peter Clark calls X-ray reading, a form of reading that lets you penetrate beyond the surface of a...

Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny are going down under. Off the coast of Australia, they dive in to explore the Great Barrier Reef. With the help of their conservationist guide, Kayla, they learn about ways to help rebuild the damaged reef. But coral reefs take a long time to take shape. Can the Aldens find ways to help the animals that need help now?

Undoubtedly the best-known detective in literature, Sherlock Holmes was the creation of British author Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930), who endowed his super sleuth with an extraordinary facility for solving crimes. Drawing on his remarkable powers of observation and deduction, coupled with an encyclopedic knowledge of crimes and criminals, Holmes seeks out his prey in the London underworld, where no evildoer is safe from his keen wits and tenacious pursuit.

When Henry, Jessie, Violet, and Benny boarded a train to help the Reddimus Society return a stolen treasure, they didn't plan on traveling around the world. But after a close call with the society's archrivals - the Argents - it's now up to the Boxcar Children to return the remaining six artifacts to their rightful homes. As the children travel through Egypt, Kenya, England, and Italy, can they stay one step ahead of those trying to sabotage their plans?

Having fought valiantly for Lord–now King–Edward, Gerald Warbow has settled into the life of a country gentleman. He has a comfortable life with a wife he loves and three growing–if occasionally irritating–children. Conscious that time is passing, Gerald devotes his time to farming and to training local archers, including his eldest son, Hamo.

It was a strange, uncertain world that Harriet entered when she married Guy Pringle. Guy taught English at the university at Bucharest, a city of vivid contrasts, where professional beggars exist alongside the excesses of mid-European royalty and expatriate journalists with a taste for truffles and quails in aspic. Underlying this is a fitful awareness of the proximity of the Nazi threat to a Romania which is enjoying an uneasy peace.

Lights! Camera! Action! The latest book in the Big Book Series takes us behind the curtain to uncover the stories that became some of the greatest films of the silver screen. Among these are Robert Louis Stevenson's horrifying tale that was later turned into the iconic movie The Body Snatcher, starring Bela Lugosi and Boris Karloff; and "Cyclists' Raid", the short story that formed the basis for the legendary Brando film The Wild One.

Great Stories for Children is a potpourri of short stories that effectively transports the reader to the fascinating world of its endearing characters. The ensemble includes Tutu the monkey, who is fond of troubling the no-nonsense Aunt Ruby; a pet python who makes sudden appearances at the most unusual places; a troublesome Pret who enjoys stirring up the household he resides in; three young children stranded on the Haunted Hill; and Himalayan bears who feast on pumpkins, plums and apricots.

Edgar nominee Zilpha Keatley Snyder is a three-time Newbery Honor winner, and her book The Unseen was named as both a School Library Journal Best Book and Parents' Choice Silver Honor Winner. In William S. and the Great Escape, Snyder pens a middle-grade adventure sure to be ranked with her very best.

In the final book of Shelby Gallagher‘s A Great State trilogy, Julie and Ned embark on their perilous journey from Colorado to Pierce Point, Washington, where Julie will rescue - and adopt - baby Addison. Julie hopes to save her from the danger that is only growing more extreme as society continues to collapse, and Addison can no longer be safely cared for by her biological parents. Meanwhile, unrest in Oregon continues to intensify and violence in the city becomes deadly as cultures clash and lawlessness begins to rule.

Butterbean is bored. She and the other pets pulled off a heist once, but that was like a million years ago. Nothing exciting has happened since then. That is, until Mrs. Third Floor shows up at their apartment, convinced there's a ghost in the building. Mrs. Third Floor's rental unit is showing signs of paranormal activity—eerie noises, objects moving when no one is there, fish disappearing from the tank overnight. The pets decide to investigate. Soon they're confronted with a bigger problem than just ghosts: professional ghost hunters who are offering to drive out the spirits for a hefty fee.

A compelling story of one family's determination to save their grumpy old horse against all odds. The Baker family bought Denver as a family horse, and he took care of their children for several years as well as he could. So when, in a freak trailer accident, Denver injured himself badly, the family was upset. Denver's girl Tessa was devastated. Sadly, his injury was difficult to diagnose, and once they discovered what was wrong, it wasn't an easy fix. In fact, the team of vets had never treated a single case like his before.

The world now has its first sage in over a century! Luciel returns at last from his extended stay in the City in the Sky with wondrous powers in hand, and this displeases a very particular faction within the Church of Saint Shurule. Red carpets were never the timid S-rank’s style, but an armed platoon isn’t exactly what he had in mind for his homecoming either. To make matters worse, just about everywhere Luciel turns is yet another plot in the making.

"The Great Divorce" by C. S. Lewis is a thought-provoking and imaginative exploration of the afterlife. The novel follows a group of souls who are given the opportunity to leave their miserable existence in Hell and travel to Heaven. Along the way, they encounter a variety of characters and obstacles that test their understanding of morality, redemption, and the nature of God.

Around 12,000 BC, Hindustan as we know it today (or Hind) comprised five kingdoms of man, sandwiched between Parbat, the kingdom of the Gods in the north, and Lunka, the kingdom of the demons in the south. The 'Legend of Ramm' unravels the story of the military general called Ramm in the kingdom of Ayodh and how his actions came to define our world as we know it today.

A pyramid predating all known cultures appears without warning. Its discovery throws into question everything we know about the origins of mankind. Inside lies incredible technology, proof of a culture far more advanced than our own. Something dark lurks within, eager to resume a war as old as mankind. When it is unleashed it heralds the end of our species’ reign

Cal, a scout in the Avion Guard, struggles to meet the expectations of his father, who happens to be his commanding officer. Assigned to protect the wise and respected emerging cicadas of The Great Southern Brood, they encounter a crisis of great magnitude that sends father and son on an unexpected journey. Along the way, their eyes are opened by new friends to unsettling knowledge that prompts them to risk their lives in an effort to save an entire species.

There’s never a dull moment with silly jokes just for kids! Forget being bored. That should never be a thing! Keep the fun and laughter going whether at home, on the go, or quite honestly…wherever! This book is overflowing with rounds of children friendly jokes!

After a painting triggers strange memories, Ben Martin comes to Paradise, Pennsylvania, in search of answers. Although Annie and this enchanting outsider are from different worlds, she wonders why Ben's kindness seems so familiar and his presence so calming to her - and to the troubled husband of her best friend.

Fifty great classic short stories selected from the works of the best writers of the last century.