New Releases by Gillian Cross

A bold re-envisioning of The Odyssey, told with simplicity and style — perfect for fans of graphic retellings and mythology enthusiasts alike. Odysseus faces storm and shipwreck, a terrifying man-eating Cyclops, the alluring but deadly Sirens, and the fury of the sea-god Poseidon as he makes his ten-year journey home from the Trojan War. While Odysseus struggles to make it home, his wife, Penelope, fights a different kind of battle as her palace is invaded by forceful, greedy men who tell her that Odysseus is dead and she must choose a new husband. Will Odysseus reach her in time? Homer’s epic, age-old story is powerfully told by Carnegie Medalist Gillian Cross and stunningly illustrated by rising talent Neil Packer.

A strikingly illustrated retelling of Homer’s classic from the team who brought us The Odyssey—Carnegie Medalist Gillian Cross and illustrator Neil Packer. After nine years of war between the Greeks and Trojans, tensions are heating up among men of the same faction as well as those on opposing sides. Two proud and powerful Greeks, King Agamemnon and legendary warrior Achilles, quarrel over a beautiful maiden, causing Achilles and his myrmidons to drop out of the fight. Meanwhile, fueled by rage and pride, honor and greed, soldiers on both sides—Odysseus and Patroclus for the Greeks, Paris and Hector for the Trojans—perform heroic deeds, attempting to end the war. Depicting their actions, and those of the gods they invoke, are vivid, stylistic illustrations reminiscent of Greek pottery, giving this large-format volume an extra measure of authenticity and appeal.

The creepy Ghost Tower on the hill has loomed over the town for as long as anyone can remember. Now boarded up and dangerous, it''s due to be knocked down. But when Ryan and his friend Dot make a sneaky last visit to the tower on Halloween, they discover that it''s been hiding a fascinating secret. Can they find a way to save the tower before it''s too late? Union Square & Co.''s EVERYONE CAN BE A READER books are expertly written, thoughtfully designed with dyslexia-friendly fonts and paper tones, and carefully formatted to meet readers where they are with engaging stories that encourage reading success across a wide range of age and interest levels.

It''s Ella''s first day at her new school and that can only mean one thing: making new friends. But the challenge is even tougher than Ella thought. When she stumbles across the book Five Ways to Make a Friend in the library, it''s like all her prayers have been answered

When Lizzie''s school gets a new head teacher everything seems great. The pupils are encouraged to do the things they really love, experts are brought in to inspire them; there''s even a competition to win an adventure trip of a lifetime. Lizzie and her friends can''t believe their luck! But then Lizzie hears a voice. A voice strange but familiar. A voice that says, ''I will obey all your instructions.'' And that''s when things start to get dangerous. . . Fast-paced and action-packed adventure, written by the award-winning Gillian Cross.

Something strange is going on a Lizzie's school. Suddenly everyone's brilliant at something. Where have these amazing skills come from? And why can't they talk about them? It's as though the pupils have no power over their own actions. Could this be something to do with the mysterious new headmaster . . . ?

The gods have power to transform people into whatever they want in these ancient myths. What will happen when Arachne challenges a goddess to a spinning competition? Talkative Echo is doomed to a life of silence, only able to repeat what others say. Narcissus''s good looks get the better of himwhen he catches sight of his reflection. Baucis and Philemon long to live together forever will the god Jupiter make this happen? The ancient world is brought to life in these vibrant tales.TreeTops Greatest Stories offers children some of the worlds best loved tales in a collection of timeless classics. Top children''s authors and talented illustrators work together to bring to life our literary heritage for a new generation, engaging and delighting children.The books are carefully levelled, making it easy to match every child to the right book.Each book contains inside cover notes to help children explore the content, supporting their reading development. Teaching notes on Oxford Owl offer cross-curricular links and activities to support guided reading, writing, speaking and listening.This pack provides 6 copies of the same title.

The Hunter family have moved house and can finally forget all about their encounters with the Demon Headmaster . . . or can they? Just as they start to relax, Dinah, Lloyd, and Harvey notice that the villagers are all speaking the same robotic phrases. This can only mean one thing . . . theDemon Headmaster is back and this time he's planning a terrifying experiment.Great fun and a little bit frightening, Gillian Cross's Demon Headmaster books still hold readers under their hypnotic spell. Fast-paced and full of adventure, they're impossible to resist!

Brother Aelred loved singing and looking after the pigs. But it was his secret weapon that stopped the Vikings getting the treasure! Part of ''Collins Big Cat'' series for ages 4-7, this title includes practical teaching notes.

Project X Origins is a guided reading program with amazing shrinking characters to capture the imagination of modern children. The Project X Origins series:has unique thematic clusters that link fiction and non-fiction and encourage wider reading. thematic packs provide children with key words in different contexts to build confidence has action-packed stories, fascinating non-fiction and captivating continuous character adventures that engage children from age 4 onwardscontains comprehensive guided reading notes for every book covering phonics skills, comprehension, vocabulary, fluency, spelling, grammar, punctuation and writingis a fantastic springboard for talk, drama, role-play and writing.

An hilarious story, told in letter form, about King Alfred – he who burnt the cakes, and his battles with the Vikings.

When a princess is sent away to begin a new life, little does she know what lies in store . . . Discover how this heroine, cruelly tricked by her evil maid, struggles to prove her innocence to the handsome prince she is destined to marry. This story is a magic bean. It may not look much like a bean, but I can promise you that it is. For if you plant it in a young mind, it will grow into a love of story and reading. These beans are favourite fairytales and legends that will delight, thrill and thoroughly entertain. Each story has been brilliantly crafted by one of the best-loved writers for children. This story was published by David Fickling Books as part of the Magic Beans anthology. The complete anthology is available in hardback and in ebook format.

Purple is the best club ever. Everyone loves DJ Pardoman, but why does he wear a mask? And what''s beneath it? When Dinah makes a shocking discovery, the mystery deepens. And the clues point to the Demon Headmaster . . . Can Dinah and her friends stop him this time, or will the Demon Headmaster triumph with his most threatening plan yet?

A compilation of three slightly chilling tales includes "Dracula's Daughter," in which a family adopts the baby on their doorstep and enjoys bringing her up, though her teeth grow sharp and pointed until Dracula comes to claim her for his own.

Word count 10,300 Suitable for younger learners

Robert has come back from a horrible ordeal in a strange parallel world. Now he can’t stop thinking about the people he left behind to face a winter that most won’t survive. When Robert sees a chance to save his friend Lorn, he is desperate to succeed. But is he prepared for the realities of her world? Meanwhile, Lorn struggles to lead the little band of survivors, even as she feels herself drawn to a secret tunnel where an unknown menace lurks. Seamlessly blending fantasy with a hard-hitting survival tale, Gillian Cross has created a completely original psychological thriller.

Robert macht sich Sorgen um die Gemeinschaft der äWinzlingeä, denen ein eiskalter todbringender Winter in ihrer unterirdischen Höhle bevorsteht. Ob er sie zusammen mit seiner Schwester und seinem Freund Tom, der ihm erst kein Wort glaubt, retten kann? Ab 11.

Robert tries to get answers from Magee, the strange man he met on the airplane, and works with Tom and Emma to try to rescue Lorn and the others before winter arrives, while Lorn takes it upon herself to find answers and a way to escape her past, if not her present, captivity.

Two young people discover unknown strengths inside themselves when one is kidnapped and the other tries to save him.

Everyone at school is trying to win the computer game, Octopus dare. Dinah is the only one good enough to beat the computer but she forgets who she is when she looks into the eyes of the octopus. 8 yrs+

William and his brother are desperate to have a tree house in the grand old tree at the bottom of the garden. Their father has to go away, but is determined that the tree house should be built. So every month he sends a parcel home to the boys - a parcel containing things they''ll need for the tree house. But will their father be home in time for Christmas - in time to join them in the tree house to eat the chestnuts that are growing there . . . Gillian Cross has won many major awards including the Carnegie Medal, the Smarties Prize, and the Whitbread Award.

Buddy hates to write and is unhappy about having to keep a nature diary for a week until he decides to survey the night sky and discovers something weird in his neighbor's backyard that makes for a truly interesting diary.

Finch is alone in a motorway cafe when she meets a scruffy bunch of lads who say they are a rock band - Finch can sing and before she knows it she has joined the band - Fame follows, but there is always the strange, brooding figure of Christie for her to try to understand.

Paula is thrilled when her explorer father pulls her out of school to climb the mountains of Peru. But as they penetrate the jungle, her father''s decisions no longer seem sound, and their native guide dies as a result. Why won''t he turn back?