What has blank pages but is very useful? An unruled composition book! It is simple, durable, versatile and free of lines. Whether you need a composition book for journaling or drawing, this is the perfect tool for you to express yourself without the limitations and boundaries of lines. It offers a good opportunity for children to write without relying on the lines. It teaches them to become more conscious of placing the print on the page rather than just filling up the lines. It is also ideal for sketching, note taking, drawing, doodling, brainstorming, outlining, doing math and many more.
In a thrilling romance from New York Times bestselling author Kay Hooper, a sensual enchantress shows an earthbound adventurer how to harness the power of fate. Warrior, sorceress, and siren, Siri is the guardian of the last herd of golden unicorns. She was born to fulfill her destiny, but now this once peaceful world she loves is in danger, threatened by the arrival of two men: brothers, rivals, and heirs to a doomed kingdom. Both seek the prize Siri guards, but only one possesses the heart and courage to win that prize. Only one has the strength to capture a legend with love—a forbidden passion that could save or destroy all that Siri protects. For the man called Hunter Morgan is more powerful than even he knows. . . . Hunter comes from a world at war, with machines, with reality, with itself. His birthright as protector of the planet comes at a heavy cost, for now his only choice is to defeat his own brother. What begins as a test of strength becomes an epic battle to save a beautiful woman born out of legend. With the intoxicating force of Siri’s love, Hunter’s legacy is at last revealed. But first he must put an end to the treachery and peril that could destroy them both.
Many of today's parents struggle with their approach in raising a healthy daughter within our complex culture. Never before have girls been faced with so many pressures to live up to confusing and often contradictory cultural expectations. These burdens are intense, newly evolving, and are affecting girls at earlier and earlier ages. As girls of all ages listen to the messages of popular culture, they gather that their worth is based upon a perfect appearance, the ability to gain attention and approval from others, and their accrual of accomplishments. As girls absorb these expectations, they begin to believe they are not good enough as they are. They are not able to develop an authentic sense of self because they lose themselves in trying to become what the culture dictates. It is not surprising that with all of these pressures, girls are experiencing stress, emptiness, and skyrocketing rates of mental health problems. Parents know that something is very wrong with today's culture, but they can't quite put a name on the problem. Many feel helpless as popular cultural influences pervade modern life at every turn. This book, however, provides parents with reassurance that their influence can make a significant difference in their daughters' development. Parents are empowered to make positive choices to help girls learn to resist cultural pressures and to successfully navigate the transitions they will face in their journey as girls in today's culture. Written in an engaging, practical style, Laura Choate draws from research and counseling literature to provide parents with tools they can use to teach their daughters the power of resilience. The book begins with a portrait of the contemporary adolescent girl's environment, including an in-depth exploration of cultural pressures and an overview of how these pressures influence girls' physical, cognitive, and social development. In the second part of the book, parents learn about five resilience dimensions that girls need not only to survive, but to thrive as they develop during girlhood and adolescence. Practical tools for instilling resilience regarding girls' positive body image, healthy relationships with friends and romantic partners, and management of high-pressure academic environments through a redefinition of what it means to be successful are all discussed extensively.
Winner of the 2017 Ursa Major Award for Best Non-Fiction Work! Furry fandom is a recent phenomenon, but anthropomorphism is an instinct hard-wired into the human mind: the desire to see animals on a more equal footing with people. It’s existed since the beginning of time in prehistoric cave paintings, ancient gods and tribal rituals. It lives on today—not just in the sports mascots and cartoon characters we see everywhere, but in stage plays, art galleries, serious literature, performance art—and among furry fans who bring their make-believe characters to life digitally, on paper, or in the carefully crafted fursuits they wear to become the animals of their imagination. In Furry Nation, author Joe Strike shares the very human story of the people who created furry fandom, the many forms it takes—from the joyfully public to the deeply personal— and how Furry transformed his own life.
A nerdy wallflower recruits her athlete roommate to give her love lessons As a Highland Games athlete and firefighter, I’m used to women trying to get under my kilt. But I never expected to be propositioned by my bookworm roommate. Casey’s one of my best friends and my buddy’s younger sister. What am I supposed to do when she confesses that she’s on a mission to lose her virginity—and I’m the guy she trusts to do the deed? If I say no, she’ll only turn to another dude instead. Someone’s got to keep her out of trouble, so I agree to give her some hands-on experience. A little friends-with-benefits action shouldn’t be a problem. I can teach Casey how to bring a man to his knees and still keep things platonic. Uh, yeah. Small problem. The more boxes we check off on Casey’s lesson plan, the more I realize I’ve taught her too well. Because the man she’s bringing to his knees is me. KILT TO ORDER is a sizzling small town brother's best friend romcom that features a found family of muscly men in kilts, a spunky booknerd virgin, a protective playboy roommate who agrees to be her love coach, and a guaranteed HEA for these two adorable friends to lovers.
"A low-angst charmer."—New York Times Book Review A bridesmaid and groomsman put their differences aside to get their best friends down the aisle in this opposites-attract steamy romantic comedy. They say to never meet your heroes, but when Vivian Liao's roommate gets engaged to her favorite actor’s costar, she has no choice but to come face-to-face with Melvin Lee again. He's just as funny and handsome as he is on-screen...but he thinks she’s an ice queen and a corporate sellout. It's none of his business how she chooses to live her life, no matter how charismatic he is. Mel is used to charming audiences as an actor and stand-up comedian, but he can't seem to thaw Vivian’s defenses. If she can ignore the simmering attraction below the surface, so can he. The only thing uniting them is their goal for their friends’ wedding to go off without a hitch. As they collaborate on wedding cake and karaoke parties, Mel realizes he might have seriously misjudged this bridesmaid, while Vivian discovers the best man might just be as dazzling off-screen as he is on. With the wedding underway, maybe more than one happily ever after is in the future.
Thelma is an ordinary pony who wishes with all her heart to be a unicorn. Thelma dreams of being a glamorous unicorn. Then in a rare pink and glitter-filled moment of fate, Thelma's wish comes true. She rises to instant international stardom, but at an unexpected cost. After a while, Thelma realizes that she was happier as her ordinary, sparkle-free self. So she ditches her horn, scrubs off her sparkles, and returns home, where her best friend is waiting for her with a hug. From award-winning author Aaron Blabey comes this joyful book about learning to love who you are...even if you don't have sparkles.
Unicorn Dreams is an amusing family saga about the Andros family as seen through the eyes of Edward, its youngest member. He begins his reminiscences in the year 1980 when the sight of so many unicorns on department store shelves causes him to recall his sister-in-law, Alissa, who had a special connection with that heraldic beast. It is the impact of Alissa on various family members which is the backbone of the novel. Whether seen as saint or sinner, no one remains indifferent to Alissa. Among the various family members who are affected by Alissa is Eleanor Andros, matriarch of the clan. She often compares herself to Eleanor of Aquitaine whom, despite what the historians say, she refers to as "that dear saintly queen." There's Arthur, Alissa's husband, eldest son and heir to the family business who deserted the clan with nary a backward glance. Next comes Richard, recluse and malcontent, who especially despises Alissa whom he blames for Arthur's alienation and the subsequent destruction of his dreams of a promising music career. John is the black sheep of the family whose selfish behavior is the biggest thorn in Eleanor's side. Lastly, there's Edward himself, struggling against family opposition and resentment to become a doctor during the difficult Depression years. Besides the immediate family, members of the extended family are also drawn into Alissa's web. There's lovable obese Uncle Theo whose ideas are as outrageous as his thickly Greek-accented English. Eleanor's half brother, Teddy Busby, bon vivant and ladies' man, is attracted by Alissa's lure. While his daughter, Melinda, shares his infatuation, his son, Roderick, is determined to play Mordred in Alissa's Camelot. These are a few of the characters who are woven into the tangled tapestry of the Andros family's life as they struggle together, and sometimes against each other, to survive bootlegging, prohibition, the Depression, World War II, and all the crises which affect everyone throughout a lifetime. Whether laughing together at a family dinner, attending a lavish Elizabethan costume party, or suffering together through the losses of death and divorce, Alissa's influence, for good or bad, is profoundly felt by everyone.
Increase profitability, elevate work culture, and exceed productivity goals through DevOps practices. More than ever, the effective management of technology is critical for business competitiveness. For decades, technology leaders have struggled to balance agility, reliability, and security. The consequences of failure have never been greater―whether it's the healthcare.gov debacle, cardholder data breaches, or missing the boat with Big Data in the cloud. And yet, high performers using DevOps principles, such as Google, Amazon, Facebook, Etsy, and Netflix, are routinely and reliably deploying code into production hundreds, or even thousands, of times per day. Following in the footsteps of The Phoenix Project, The DevOps Handbook shows leaders how to replicate these incredible outcomes, by showing how to integrate Product Management, Development, QA, IT Operations, and Information Security to elevate your company and win in the marketplace.
A New York Times bestseller! Soar into a breathtaking world of heroes and unicorns as you’ve never seen them before in this “unexpected, suspenseful, and heartwarming” (Kirkus Reviews) middle grade debut perfect for fans of the Percy Jackson and Eragon series! Skandar Smith has always yearned to leave the Mainland and escape to the secretive Island, where wild unicorns roam free. He’s spent years studying for his Hatchery exam, the annual test that selects a handful of Mainlander thirteen-year-olds to train to become unicorn riders. But on the day of Skandar’s exam, things go horribly wrong, and his hopes are shattered…until a mysterious figure knocks on his door at midnight, bearing a message: the Island is in peril and Skandar must answer its call. Skandar is thrust into a world of epic sky battles, dangerous clashes with wild unicorns, and rumors of a shadowy villain amassing a unicorn army. And the closer Skandar grows to his newfound friends and community of riders, the harder it becomes to keep his secrets—especially when he discovers their lives may all be in graver danger than he ever imagined.
