Family Adventure

Former English teacher and homeschooling mother of three, Jessica Smartt felt the weight of helping prepare her kids for life, especially with all the outside pressures and influence of the world. She struggled with how she could raise her children with a sense of adventure, self-confidence, manners, faith, and the ability to utilize technology wisely. Let Them Be Kids is Jessica's offering of grace and confidence to moms, giving them practical ideas to meet these challenges.

Hansel and Gretel walk out of their own story and into eight other classic Grimm (and Grimm-inspired) fairy tales. An irreverent, witty narrator leads us through encounters with witches, warlocks, dragons, and the devil himself. As the siblings roam a forest brimming with menacing foes, they learn the true story behind the famous tales, as well as how to take charge of their destinies and create their own happily ever after. Because once upon a time, fairy tales were awesome.

Eleven-year-old Japanese American Owen has been in Japan for his sixth-grade year. By March he finally feels like he's getting the hang of the new culture, making friends at school, and feeling at home with the "weird" food. But early one morning, everything changes - and Owen suddenly finds himself just trying to survive one of history's most devastating disasters.

There's trouble at the Castle, and it's all because Merrin Meredith has returned with Darke plans for Septimus. More trouble awaits Septimus and Jenna in the form of Tertius Fume, the ghost of the very first Chief Hermetic Scribe, who is determined to send Septimus on a deadly Queste. But Septimus and Jenna have other plans - they are headed for the mysterious House of Foryx.

When Lee Anderson and her parents discovered a new world teeming with life, it was the dream of every explorer: they were rich beyond their imaginations. But tragedy struck when a herd of creatures overran their camp and killed her parents. The only other adult in her life had been their partner Gordon, who adopted her as parent. Which didn't turn out to be easy, because he wasn't human. He was a large intelligent alien, and to Lee, he was Uncle Gordon, but neither his race - the Derf - nor humans were gracious about accepting their family relationship.

Speed and self-confidence, that’s Astrid’s motto. Nicknamed “the little thunderbolt,” she loves to spend her days racing down the hillside on her sled, singing loudly as she goes, and visiting Gunnvald, her grumpy, septuagenarian best friend and godfather, who makes hot chocolate from real chocolate bars. She just wishes there were other children to share her hair-raising adventures with. But Astrid’s world is about to be turned upside down by two startling arrivals to the village of Glimmerdal: first a new family, then a mysterious, towering woman who everyone seems to know.

Amy Prescott had the perfect plan for her life -- the perfect boyfriend, the perfect school, the perfect everything. Then her grandpa went and had that stroke thing, and she was forced to take care of him while the rest of the family tried to divide up the estate. As Amy cares for her grandparents, she learns of their love story and is willing to fight her entire family so her grandparents' Great Adventure doesn't end in a nursing home. While Amy's Great Adventure is just beginning. The Great Adventure is a heartwarming story about love, faith, and family. It is a book that will stay with ...

Splash! This time, Abby's magic mirror sucks her into the tale of the Little Mermaid. Abby and her little brother Jonah get pulled through the mirror in their basement again - into the story of the Little Mermaid! Talk about being a fish out of water! Abby and Jonah are not in their element in this underwater world. And when they accidentally mess up the Little Mermaid's story, they must figure out a way to restore her happy ending. A hilarious, fractured-fairy-tale adventure under the sea.

Continue the unforgettable journey with Alex and Lila, two intrepid adventurers. From the very first page, young readers are transported into a world of mystery and excitement that will keep them hooked from start to finish. Set against the backdrop of ancient, puzzling ruins, this book is a gateway to a world filled with secrets waiting to be uncovered. As Alex and Lila delve deeper into the Forgotten City, they discover an intriguing code, hidden for centuries. The code isn't just any puzzle; it's a riddle that bridges the gap between the past and the future. Young readers will be ...

The Austins have settled back into their beloved home in the country after more than a year away. Vicky Austin is discovering that slipping back into her old life isn't easy. She's been changed by life in New York City and her travels around the country while her old friends seem to have stayed the same. So Vicky finds herself spending time with a new friend, Serena Eddington - the great-aunt of a boy Vicky met over the summer. Aunt Serena gives Vicky an incredible birthday gift - a month-long trip to Antarctica. It's the opportunity of a lifetime.

Are you ready to challenge your family with some of the wackiest and funniest questions ever?Think you know everything about your family and friends? Well, get ready for a fun surprise! Imagine this: Would you rather live in a house made of candy or ride a rollercoaster to school every day? Sounds fun, right? In today’s fast-paced world, quality family time can be hard to come by. Instead of bonding, we often find ourselves glued to screens or distracted by our busy lives. In fact, recent studies reveal that most people, including kids, spend hours a day in front of screens. But don’t ...

Eleven-year-old Reuben spends his days exploring, hiding, and practicing parkour among the abandoned buildings of the Lower Downs as a way to escape the rough times that have befallen him and his mom - but his discovery of an extraordinary antique pocket watch changes everything. When Reuben finds that the watch has the power to turn him invisible, he's propelled on the adventure of a lifetime. Now Reuben is being pursued by a group of dangerous men called the Directions, and someone - or something - ominously called The Smoke.

What if you could change the worst day of your life? For Allie Harmon, a bored and lonely gas station lady, she finds a way to do just that. Follow Allie on an adventure of a lifetime. The Harmon family died tragically and unexpectedly 3 days before Allie's 10th birthday. Now she is grown up and working a job that she hates, when she stumbles upon the one thing that could change it all. Allie finds a way to travel back in time and save her family from the fate that they were handed all of those years ago. Will Allie be able to save them all? Can she survive all that the past throws at her, ...

In late 2003, in his column in Entertainment Weekly, Stephen King called The Memory of Running "the best novel you won't read this year." This glowing endorsement of the audiobook resulted in Ron McLarty receiving a $2 million two-book deal from Viking Penguin. Also, Warner Brothers has shelled out big bucks for the movie rights to The Memory of Running, for which McLarty will write the script.

Soren was a sculptor’s apprentice… …until they killed his father. Now he’s walking away from everything he knew, and into the world of assassins. To get justice, he’ll have to become something else… Something deadly. If you love dark, emotional fantasy with loyalty, loss, and blades in the dark—Guild of Assassins is your next read. Order now and enter the shadows.

Mrs. Mallard was sure that the pond in the Boston Public Gardens would be a perfect place for her and her eight ducklings to live. The problem was how to get them there through the busy streets of Boston. But with a little help from the Boston police, Mrs. Mallard and Jack, Kack, Lack, Nack, Ouack, Pack, and Quack arrive safely at their new home. This brilliant, amusingly observed tale of mallards on the move has won the hearts of generations.

Dug Sealskinner is a down-on-his-luck mercenary traveling south to join up with King Zadar's army. But he keeps rescuing the wrong people. First Spring, a child he finds scavenging on the battlefield, and then Lowa, one of Zadar's most fearsome warriors, who has vowed revenge on the king for her sister's execution. Now Dug's on the wrong side of the thousands-strong army he hoped to join - and worse, Zadar has bloodthirsty druid magic on his side.

On a foggy night in Amsterdam, a man falls from a rooftop to the wet pavement below. It's Archibald McQuinn, the notorious cat burglar, and he's dying. As sirens wail in the distance, Archie manages to get out two last words to his young son, March: "Find jewels." But March learns that his father is not talking about hidden loot. He's talking about Jules, the twin sister March never knew he had. No sooner than the two find each other, they're picked up by the police and sent to the world's worst orphanage. It's not hard time, but it feels like it.

Rescue on Crescent River When fear meets faith, an unforgettable adventure begins! Nick is a 14-year-old boy who dreams of exploring the world by boat. Fearless and full of courage, he’s always ready for an adventure. Monica, also 14, is confident and popular, but there’s one thing she can’t face: water. She’s terrified of it. They couldn’t be more different, but when Monica’s beloved dog, Max, is swept into the dangerous waters of Crescent River, Nick is the only one who can help. To rescue Max, Monica must face her greatest fear and join Nick on his small boat. Together, they ...

The Underground Book Readers’ Greatest Test is Here. After a long and dangerous journey, The Underground Book Readers can almost taste freedom—but reaching the free land won’t be easy. Reunion Crossing is their final trial, a place where enemies wait, and their chance of survival is determined by wit, speed, and faith. With their mission hanging in the balance, the Underground Book Readers must risk everything to escape the World Force once and for all. Will they reunite with lost family members and find the safety they’ve been searching for? Or will the enemy strike the final blow?...