When Tai Shan and his father, Baba, fly kites from their roof and look down at the crowded city streets below, they feel free, like the kites. Baba loves telling Tai Shan stories while the kites--one red, and one blue--rise, dip, and soar together. Then, a bad time comes. People wearing red armbands shut down the schools, smash store signs, and search houses. Baba is sent away, and Tai Shan goes to live with Granny Wang. Though father and son are far apart, they have a secret way of staying close. Every day they greet each other by flying their kites???one red, and one blue???until Baba can be free again, like the kites. Inspired by the dark time of the Cultural Revolution in China, this is a soaring tale of hope that will resonate with anyone who has ever had to love from a distance.
Red Kite, Blue Sky, the debut poetry collection from Madeleine May Kunin, celebrates life and the natural world, occasioned by the birth of grand-children, the memories of friendship and past birthdays/Bar Mitzvahs, a gift of plum-colored gloves from the poet's daughter, the Sicilian sun which "melts my argument against myself," with sharp observations and humor. Like Emily Dickinson before her, Kunin does not shy away from death; rather she embraces the anticipation "before death drags me deep," the gap in her life when her beloved husband dies, the fear of immigration to America during World War II with "an H for Hebrew, I found out later," and the sadness of being isolated as an older woman living alone during the pandemic. For years Kunin was caught in the tempo of politics -- as governor, as a federal official, and as an ambassador -- but as she eased into retirement from public life, she found a door that opened for her to explore the multi-layered language of poetry.
Brodie is a teenager struggling to cope after the death of his twin brother and separation of his parents. Living in fear of Sumo, the school bully, Brodie finds some relief in his hobby of Birdwatching until Sumo turns up in his favourite place. There seems to be no escape for Brodie as his life starts to spiral out of control, leading to life changing effects for everyone.
Almost a year after the death of his wife, former high-tech executive Ian finds a letter that will change his life. It contains Kate's final wish-a plea for him to take their ten-year-old daughter, Mattie, on a trip across Asia, through the countries they had always planned to visit. Eager to honor the woman they loved, Ian and Mattie embark on an epic journey, leaving notes to Kate in "wishing trees" along the way, and encountering miracles large and small. And as they begin to find their way back to each other, they discover that healing is possible and love endures-lessons that Kate hoped to show them all along...
''Wait. Patient. Now. Not long. Good girl. Wait here. Brave girl. Back in a jiffy. Think of it as a vacation.'' Big Bend, population 500. South Dakota, 1988. Eight-year-old Tiny Mite lives in a ramshackle farmhouse next to her grandfather’s crashed airplane and the pine tree where she trains as a spy. Goddamn is her favourite word. Taking pictures with a homemade camera is her new big thing. She lives with Bee, her apocalypse-obsessed grandmother and Luvie, her hard-drinking great-aunt. And then there’s her mother, Velvet – beautiful, heartbroken, desperate, impulsive. One night, Tiny Mite goes to the basement and hears a cry, but it’s not what she imagines and nothing will ever be the same. Six years later, Clea won’t let anyone call her Tiny Mite anymore. Luvie is sober and Bee’s health is failing. Velvet has been gone for years, and nobody except Bee will even mention her name. Alone, angry and dressed in her grandfather’s old hunting clothes, Clea mopes through ditches and fields taking photographs until she hatches a plan with another loner, a boy with an unspeakable past. This is a story of mothers and daughters. Of people tied by blood and home. Of moments captured and lifetimes lost. And of things never quite turning out as expected. ''Not The Only Sky is not only beautifully and poignantly written, but also provides fascinating insights into life in rural America. Alyssa Warren captures perfectly the profound vulnerability of her characters, particularly that of Tiny Mite and her mother Velvet. Tiny Mite’s voice is highly original, as she gives meaning to a life and childhood experiences that might otherwise be impossible to make sense of.'' – JULIET CONLIN, author of The Uncommon Life of Alfred Warner in Six Days
This poetry book can be enjoyed by any category of readers. The majority of the poems, however, describe the emotions of a female speaker. The speaker is a heroine, a lover, a mother or a political observer; but never a victim. She is ready to leave if wronged by anyone under any circumstances. The speaker cannot ignore poverty, famine, wars and the injustices in the world even when she is talking about her love. Every poem has a tendency to tell a story,relate an experience, or describe an event.
Continuing on from Ghostly Return, we find Louis’ journey might have been laid to rest had Doris not bought his magnificent carved bed, with its secret. Now reality and the netherworld exist side by side in the Eden room at the Royal Oak. We are introduced to Debs, an old colleague, who visits North Yorkshire and falls in love with its people and the countryside. And when she joins the ‘family’, she is met with strange coincidences that bring jeopardy, romance, angels and demons to the inn. Can Louis protect those he loves and resolve the threat between the spirit world and reality? Ghostly Light is the concluding story, Louis’ final journey into light.
In Birds of a Feather, an informative and beautifully illustrated book, Colin Rees and Derek Thomas portray the changing seasons in the UK and US, bringing their observations together with some startling results. With images by artists Robert Gillmor and Ian Rees, the book will appeal to anyone with an interest in birds and their future in North America and the UK. Exploding flocks of Snow Geese rising from icy fields; the arrival of the osprey; the harmonies of the dawn chorus; migrating waders racing south before the surf – these are but a few moments evoking the sights, sounds and colours of the passing seasons observed and recorded over a year by two experienced ornithologists living on both sides of the Atlantic. In the context of their gardens, neighbourhoods and in larger landscapes, Colin Rees and Derek Thomas provide a month by month account of their birding year, commenting upon what they see and hear. They also consider how our world is radically changing the lives of birds. Birds of a Feather celebrates the gentle patter of raindrops, the scent and luminescence of spring, swallows of an evening and the first flight of young ospreys. They take the reader on walks through grasslands, forests, marshes, estuaries and along coasts and describe the effects of changing weather on flora and fauna, the unfolding of the breeding season, bird counts, the character of birders and bird organizations in the US and UK. They also address the challenge of conservation in the modern world. Over 45 million people consider themselves bird watchers in the US and 20 million watch birds in the UK making this book appealing to bird watchers on both sides of the Atlantic. Advanced praise for Birds of a Feather ‘The joys of the seasons are deep in our souls. Gilbert Whites classic The Natural History of Selborne shared his astute diaries of nature’s calendar. Edwin Way Teale’s acclaimed books on the American Seasons inspired a generation of naturalists on this side of the” pond”. Birds of a Feather now engages us in much the same way through the superior powers of observation and charming prose of two pals, here and there.’ – Frank Gill, formerly Philadelphia Academy of Sciences and Vice-President, Science, National Audubon Society. ‘Birds of a Feather is a poignant and moving reminder of how experiences of wildlife can grip the human soul and linger in our memories. Two friends thousands of miles apart share with us moments they will never forget. Their consciousness of, and love for, the natural world brings even the most unexpected places to life.’ – Stephanie Hilborne OBE, Chief Executive The Wildlife Trusts. ‘This book will be a great read for birders from either side of the Atlantic who normally experience the birds of the “other side” through short trips during peak seasons. The book provides a flavour of the year-round diversity of species and habitats through the eyes of two experienced birders who understand how seasonal change drives the bird movements that make birding so much fun. The trans-Atlantic comparisons of two amazing birding locations throughout the year make this an even more compelling read.’ – Mike Parr, Vice President for Program Development, American Bird Conservancy ‘’The annual rhythms of nature provide a ceaseless flow of variety and change to our natural environment that stimulate and inspire us, wherever we live. Observing birds is surely one of the most engaging ways to enjoy the year’s natural cycle, with bird migrations each spring and autumn delivering the colour and sounds of the tropics and the Arctic directly to us. Birds of a Feather takes us, via delightful personal accounts, through the ornithological year on both sides of the Atlantic, juxtaposing the rich coastal plain of the Chesapeake Bay with the rocky coast, plains and mountains of South Wales. Along the way are valuable reminders that birds in both regions, and across the globe, are at risk from a similar array of threats, including habitat loss, pollution, and climate change.’ – David Curson, Director of Bird Conservation, Audubon Maryland-DC ‘This delightful dialogue, back and forth across the Atlantic Ocean, demonstrates that wildlife is a shared pleasure wherever we live.’ – Mark Avery, former Head of Conservation at RSPB, now a freelance environmental consultant and journalist. The book features illustrations by Robert Gillmor (cover art) and Ian Rees (interior illustrations) Robert Gillmor is an English artist, ornithologist and illustrator and one of the founders of the Society of Wildlife Artists of which he is a past president. He has contributed to over 100 books, is a 2001 recipient of the medal from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds and his work is the subject of numerous museum collections. He recently designed seven sets of Royal Mail postage stamps and over many years has designed many of the book jackets for the New Naturalist Library in the U.K, published by Collins.
A blood-witch's mission to assassinate the prince she is betrothed to is compromised by the discovery of a deadly plague--and the beautiful princess intent on stopping it.
