Literary Works

"The Man Who Could Work Miracles" is a British fantasy-comedy short story by H. G. Wells first published in 1898 in The Illustrated London News. It carried the subtitle "A Pantoum in Prose." The story is an early example of Contemporary fantasy (not yet recognized, at the time, as a specific sub-genre).

After George McWhirter Fotheringay discovers that he is able to perform miracles in a local bar after he professes not to believe in them, he experiments in his home with whimsical results. He seeks the advice of local clergyman, Mr. Maydig, who decides to begin a campaign of using Fotheringay's powers to reform the world. But with best of intentions, Mr. Fotheringay has little knowledge and less foresight. Before long a miracle backfires and he must use his power one last time to undo the cataclysm.

This humorous story was "a flight of fancy" for H. G. Wells. A man is given the power to perform miracles but with very unexpected results.

Books are one of humankind's greatest forms of expression, and now Book, in a witty, idiosyncratic voice, tells us the inside story. A wonderfully eccentric character with strong opinions and a poetic turn of phrase, Book tells of a journey from papyrus scrolls to medieval manuscripts to printed paper and beyond - pondering, along the way, many bookish things, including the evolution of the alphabet, the library (known to Egyptians as "the healing place of the soul"), and even book burning.

Cruise’s Heart: A Story About Grief and Hope is a children's book designed to support young listeners through the painful journey of losing a parent. Inspired by a true story, this gentle and heartfelt book follows Cruise, a middle child, as she learns to navigate life after the sudden loss of her father. Through honest emotion and age-appropriate language, Cruise’s Heart creates space for children to feel seen and understood in their grief.

Have you ever had a hard time falling asleep? That’s exactly what happened to Harmony, a very tiny princess and Chance, a very tiny noble knight who lived in a very large castle under the deep blue sea. They were afraid to fall asleep for fear of invaders.

Brought to you by Penguin. London, 1990. Zivoin is newly arrived in a strange country. The dependable oldest son, he works all hours of the day and night, sending every penny he can save back to his family. On the news, he watches his homeland, Yugoslavia, slowly fracturing. Thousands of miles...

A story from Suddenly, a Knock on the Door, read by Mathieu Amalric. Overflowing with absurdity, humor, sadness, and compassion, the tales in Suddenly, a Knock on the Door establish Etgar Keret - declared a "genius" by The New York Times - as one of the most original writers of his generation.

Sam & Sue: See It Differently is a heartwarming reminder that big feelings, little misunderstandings, and different perspectives are all part of growing up. Perfect for curious kids and thoughtful families, this turns everyday moments into teachable, lovable life lessons.

Many children have multiple sets of grandparents with various names. The little girl in this delightful, poetic story has two grandfathers she loves!

Have you heard of “Take your child to work day?” Well, Mel, a bright, smart, and caring little five-year-old girl, went to work with her dad. She had no idea that she would fall in love with a horse named Sam. He was used to children. He was part of a special program to help them with emotional and behavioral problems. When Mel met Sam, they immediately discovered they were kindred spirits. They formed a special bond, a bond so special that they were literally able to talk to each other! Sam helped her learn to behave, trust, talk about her feelings and be responsible.

Not everyone has perfect teeth. That was certainly true for MaeLee. She wore a mask to school because there was a bad bug that was making people sick. Because of that, MaeLee didn't have to worry about showing her crooked teeth. One day, her mask came off on the playground, and a bully made fun of her, right in front of the whole class. She went home sad. Her mom and monkey buddies came to the rescue? What do you think happened? How will MaeLee and her monkey buddies smile like an Egyptian?

Milton Mask is an ordinary surgical mask that covers the faces of hospital workers day in and day out. One day, he hears some awfully bad news-people are catching a bug that makes them extremely sick. He decides to leave the storage room to check it out. What will Milton Mask do? How will he save the day?

Two best friends Stefan and Aidyn decide to draw each other during art. When Aidyn picks up a black crayon to color his friend Stefan’s face, he gets angry. To him, the color black is what it literally looks like. Did Stefan misunderstand what Aidyn was trying to say, by coloring his face black? Did Aidyn choose the right color? Ms. Stella has something special for the boys to help them with their dilemma. What is it?

Rayna, a bi-racial little girl loved dolls! She had many of them, but there was a particular one she wanted. It could do so many things. Accompanied by her Nanna, Rayna went to the store to find her special doll, but they couldn’t find the one that Rayna desired; the store only had two skin tones to choose from, and neither of them matched Rayna’s skin color. They went to many other stores afterward but were not successful. What did they do? Did they find the right color doll? Did Nanna have to buy two skin color dolls? You will find out shortly!

One child, multiple grandparents. This poetic story is about a little girl with two grandmothers, both named Nanna. She has written a letter for them to cherish throughout their days.

Children are affected in many ways. This children's book is a letter written to parents through a child's eyes to express how divorce makes them feel. It encourages friendship between the mother and father for the sake of the children.

Do you know what co-parenting means? Some children don’t, but in this story, six-year-old Lyric quickly learns what it means. Now that her parents live in separate homes, they must go to court to see whose home Lyric will live in. Follow along with Lyric to learn the meaning of co-parenting and how she deals with it.

Inanimate objects come to life and show children what it's like to be them. Children will enjoy this think outside the box poetic story as they imagine what it would be like to be different things!

Meet a child mill worker from the 19th century. Live through the freezing chill of winter and a man's desperate journey from Ireland to England in search of work in the 1920's. Dig down into the lives of mine workers down through the ages. Meet two people finding love against all the odds and across class divides, hop-picking in Kent.