We've ranked the best english books using expert recommendations, sales data, and millions of reader ratings. At Shortform, we know books. Our book guides are the best in the world. Learn why.
Paulo Coelho's enchanting novel has inspired a devoted following around the world. This story, dazzling in its powerful simplicity and inspiring wisdom, is about an Andalusian shepherd boy named Santiago who travels from his homeland in Spain to the Egyptian desert in search of a treasure buried in the Pyramids. What starts out as a journey to find worldly goods turns into a discovery of the treasure found within. Lush, evocative, and deeply humane, the story of Santiago is an eternal testament to the transforming power of our dreams and the importance of listening to our hearts.
There's a great quote in this book: When you're on the right path the universe conspires to help you! [source]
Daniel Ek
It was fascinating to talk to the author about how this book came to be such a hit—he never backed down, and he allowed people to read it for free in order to then boost sales—much like how Spotify’s freemium model was perceived in the early days. [source]
Eric Ripert
Speaks of everyone having an ultimate goal in life, but most of us are too afraid to pursue it. The encouragement to fulfill your dreams is very inspirational! [source]
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1984
George Orwell
4.7
A PBS Great American Read Top 100 Pick
With extraordinary relevance and renewed popularity, George Orwell’s 1984 takes on new life in this hardcover edition.
“Orwell saw, to his credit, that the act of falsifying reality is only secondarily a way of changing perceptions. It is, above all, a way of asserting power.”—The New Yorker
In 1984, London is a grim city in the totalitarian state of Oceania where Big Brother is always watching you and the Thought Police can practically read your mind. Winston Smith is a man in grave danger for the simple reason that his memory still functions. Drawn into a forbidden love affair, Winston finds the courage to join a secret revolutionary organization called The Brotherhood, dedicated to the destruction of the Party. Together with his beloved Julia, he hazards his life in a deadly match against the powers that be.
Lionel Trilling said of Orwell’s masterpiece “1984 is a profound, terrifying, and wholly fascinating book. It is a fantasy of the political future, and like any such fantasy, serves its author as a magnifying device for an examination of the present.” Though the year 1984 now exists in the past, Orwell’s novel remains an urgent call for the individual willing to speak truth to power.
Today is World Book Day, a wonderful opportunity to address this #ChallengeRichard sent in by Mike Gonzalez of New Jersey: Make a list of your top 65 books to read in a lifetime. [source]
called this book "one of his favorite" and recommended it to the hires. The book also inspired one the greatest TV ad (made by Jobs) [source]
Andra Zaharia
These books and their core ideas have stuck with me the most and continue to guide me when I hit crossroads along the way. [source]
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The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games, #1)
Suzanne Collins
4.6
WINNING MEANS FAME AND FORTUNE. LOSING MEANS CERTAIN DEATH. THE HUNGER GAMES HAVE BEGUN. . . .
In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol is harsh and cruel and keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and once girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.
Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister's place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to dead before—and survival, for her, is second nature. Without really meaning to, she becomes a contender. But if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weight survival against humanity and life against love.
A brutal, exciting, action-based sci-fi novel. Hugely popular and excellent fun. [source]
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English Grammar in Use Book with Answers: A Self-Study Reference and Practice Book for Intermediate Learners of English
Raymond Murphy
4.6
English Grammar in Use with Answers, authored by Raymond Murphy, is the first choice for intermediate (B1-B2) learners and covers all the grammar required at this level. It is a self-study book with simple explanations and lots of practice exercises, and has helped millions of people around the world to communicate in English. It is also trusted by teachers and can be used as a supplementary text in classrooms.
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Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone
J. K. Rowling
4.6
Harry Potter has never been the star of a Quidditch team, scoring points while riding a broom far above the ground. He knows no spells, has never helped to hatch a dragon, and has never worn a cloak of invisibility.
All he knows is a miserable life with the Dursleys, his horrible aunt and uncle, and their abominable son, Dudley - a great big swollen spoiled bully. Harry’s room is a tiny closet at the foot of the stairs, and he hasn’t had a birthday party in eleven years.
But all that is about to change when a mysterious letter arrives by owl messenger: a letter with an invitation to an incredible place that Harry - and anyone who reads about him - will find unforgettable.
For it’s there that he finds not only friends, aerial sports, and magic in everything from classes to meals, but a great destiny that’s been waiting for him…if Harry can survive the encounter. (front flap)
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Recommended by Joe Lycett.
Joe Lycett
guys i just read this book called harry potter well worth checking out it’s about a really interesting magic lad [source]
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The Language Instinct: How the Mind Creates Language
The classic book on the development of human language by the world’s leading expert on language and the mind.
In this classic, the world's expert on language and mind lucidly explains everything you always wanted to know about language: how it works, how children learn it, how it changes, how the brain computes it, and how it evolved. With deft use of examples of humor and wordplay, Steven Pinker weaves our vast knowledge of language into a compelling story: language is a human instinct, wired into our brains by evolution. The Language Instinct received the William James Book Prize from the American Psychological Association and the Public Interest Award from the Linguistics Society of America. This edition includes an update on advances in the science of language since The Language Instinct was first published.
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Recommended by Lane Greene and Simon Baron-Cohen.
Lane Greene
There are two achievements in this book. One is to smuggle Linguistics 101 into a popular book, which is just fantastic. The other is his own argument about the nature of language, and the title says it all. [source]
Simon Baron-Cohen
It’s a really wonderful example of what you can do: take research into something as fundamental to human nature as language and make it accessible to a wide audience. [source]
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Animal Farm
George Orwell and Christopher Hitchens
4.5
Animal Farm is one of the most famous warnings ever written. Orwell's immortal satire - 'against Stalin' as he wrote to his French translator - can be read on many levels. With its piercing clarity and deceptively simple style it is no surprise that this novel is required reading for schoolchildren and politicians alike. This fable of the steadfast horses Boxer and Clover, the opportunistic pigs Snowball and Napoleon, and the deafening choir of sheep remains an unparalleled masterpiece.
One reviewer wrote 'In a hundred years' time perhaps Animal Farm ... may simply be a fairy story: today it is a fairy story with a good deal of point.' Over sixty years on in the age of spin, it is more relevant than ever.
Rejected by such eminent publishing figures as Victor Gollancz, Jonathan Cape and T.S. Eliot, Animal Farm was published to great acclaim by Martin Secker and Warburg on 17 August 1945 in an edition of 4500 copies. In the centenary year of Martin Secker, Ltd., Harvill Secker is proud to publish this special edition with a brand-new introduction by Christopher Hitchens.
Whitney Cummings recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show". [source]
Vlad Tenev
When I was in sixth grade I remember being very upset by the ending of this book. [source]
Heather Brooke
I picked Animal Farm because it is an allegory about power and its seductive and corruptive influence on people regardless of their initial good intentions. [source]
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To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee, Sissy Spacek, et al
4.5
The unforgettable novel of a childhood in a sleepy Southern town and the crisis of conscience that rocked it, To Kill A Mockingbird became both an instant bestseller and a critical success when it was first published in 1960. It went on to win the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was later made into an Academy Award-winning film, also a classic.
Compassionate, dramatic, and deeply moving, To Kill A Mockingbird takes readers to the roots of human behavior - to innocence and experience, kindness and cruelty, love and hatred, humor and pathos. Now with over 18 million copies in print and translated into forty languages, this regional story by a young Alabama woman claims universal appeal. Harper Lee always considered her book to be a simple love story. Today it is regarded as a masterpiece of American literature.
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Recommended by Adam Lawrence, Antonio Villaraigosa, Clive Stafford Smith, and 6 others.
Even though I know we’ve made great strides in America, and have come from the reality of Maycomb, we still suffer today from the lingering effects of the bigotry of that era. At the same time, it’s a lesson in standing tall in the face of tremendously hostile circumstances. [source]
Clive Stafford Smith
The book touches on so many issues and deals with so many prejudices – prejudices towards the mentally ill, racial stuff. It’s a book that was way ahead of its time in many ways. It’s also a wonderfully written book – a joy to read. [source]
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The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Eric Carle
4.4
THE all-time classic story, from generation to generation, sold somewhere in the world every 30 seconds! Have you shared it with a child or grandchild in your life?
One sunny Sunday, the caterpillar was hatched out of a tiny egg. He was very hungry. On Monday, he ate through one apple; on Tuesday, he ate through three plums--and still he was hungry. When full at last, he made a cocoon around himself and went to sleep, to wake up a few weeks later wonderfully transformed into a butterfly!
The brilliantly innovative Eric Carle has dramatized the story of one of Nature's commonest yet loveliest marvels, the metamorphosis of the butterfly. This audiobook will delight as well as instruct the very youngest listener.
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The Little Prince Family Storybook: Unabridged Original Text
Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
4.4
Rediscover Antoine de Saint-Exupery's universal masterpiece with original text and magnificent new illustrations created by masters of film animation. This wise and enchanginting fable teaches the secret of what is really important in life.
Recommended by Ryan Holiday, Brandon Stanton, Evan Goldberg, and 1 others.
Equally allegorical, I read The Little Prince for the first time which for some reason I’d never been exposed to before. If you’re in the same boat, read it. It’s short but great. [source]
Brandon Stanton
Brandon Stanton recommended this book on the podcast "The Tim Ferriss Show". [source]
Don’t miss one of America’s top 100 most-loved novels, selected by PBS’s The Great American Read.
This beloved book by E. B. White, author of Stuart Little and The Trumpet of the Swan, is a classic of children's literature that is "just about perfect." This paper-over-board edition includes a foreword by two-time Newbery winning author Kate DiCamillo.
Some Pig. Humble. Radiant. These are the words in Charlotte's Web, high up in Zuckerman's barn. Charlotte's spiderweb tells of her feelings for a little pig named Wilbur, who simply wants a friend. They also express the love of a girl named Fern, who saved Wilbur's life when he was born the runt of his litter.
E. B. White's Newbery Honor Book is a tender novel of friendship, love, life, and death that will continue to be enjoyed by generations to come. It contains illustrations by Garth Williams, the acclaimed illustrator of E. B. White's Stuart Little and Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House series, among many other books.
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Recommended by Mary Burkey.
Mary Burkey
One thing that was also very nice was having a title that’s for younger children recognized as a truly stellar audiobook, because sometimes people think that audiobooks are to help kids learn to read and not for them to fall in love with literature. And that’s what the audiobook recording of Charlotte’s Web does. It lets young kids and their parents revisit a beautiful title and fall in love with the book. [source]
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The Blue Book of Grammar and Punctuation: An Easy-To-Use Guide with Clear Rules, Real-World Examples, and Reproducible Quizzes
Jane Straus, Lester Kaufman, et al.
4.3
Recommended by Mark Nichol.
Mark Nichol
This book is good for beginners, but I also find it helpful for people who might consider themselves experts. It’s very clean, and it’s in a workbook format with many exercises in it. You read a short, simple lesson about adjectives and adverbs, or about when you use ‘that’ or ‘which’ in a sentence, and then you can practise with the exercises. [source]
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Charlie And The Chocolate Factory
Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake
4.3
Now a Broadway musical!
Roald Dahl's iconic story of a little boy, a golden ticket, and a fantastical chocolate factory has been adapted into a wonderful new musical. This edition has a great new cover featuring the musical's poster art and a foreword by Jack O'Brien, Tony Award-winning Director.
Willy Wonka's famous chocolate factory is opening at last!But only five lucky children will be allowed inside. And the winners are: Augustus Gloop, an enormously fat boy whose hobby is eating; Veruca Salt, a spoiled-rotten brat whose parents are wrapped around her little finger; Violet Beauregarde, a dim-witted gum-chewer with the fastest jaws around; Mike Teavee, a toy pistol-toting gangster-in-training who is obsessed with television; and Charlie Bucket, Our Hero, a boy who is honest and kind, brave and true, and good and ready for the wildest time of his life!
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Recommended by Tilly Burn.
Tilly Burn
because you believe Roald Dahl and trust him and because you know he tells a good story, you immediately accept that he’s telling you to root for Charlie Bucket. And you’re like, Yeah, sure. Here we go! [source]
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Are You My Mother? (Beginner Books B-18)
P.D. Eastman
4.3
This is the classic from which many of our staff first learned to read, starting us on a path of unremitting bibliophilia. Are You My Mother? follows a confused baby bird who's been denied the experience of imprinting as he asks cows, planes, and steam shovels the Big Question. In the end he is happily reunited with his maternal parent in a glorious moment of recognition.
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Corduroy
Don Freeman
4.3
A picture book classic!
One of School Library Journal’s "Top 100 Picture Books" of all time (2012) One of the National Education Association’s "Teachers' Top 100 Books for Children."
Don Freeman's classic character, Corduroy, is even more popular today then he was when he first came on the scene in 1968. This story of a small teddy bear waiting on a department store shelf for a child’s friendship has appealed to young readers generation after generation.
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From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler
E.L. Konigsburg
4.3
When Claudia decided to run away, she planned very carefully. She would be gone just long enough to teach her parents a lesson in Claudia appreciation. And she would go in comfort-she would live at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. She saved her money, and she invited her brother Jamie to go, mostly because be was a miser and would have money.
Claudia was a good organizer and Jamie bad some ideas, too; so the two took up residence at the museum right on schedule. But once the fun of settling in was over, Claudia had two unexpected problems: She felt just the same, and she wanted to feel different; and she found a statue at the Museum so beautiful she could not go home until she bad discovered its maker, a question that baffled the experts, too.
The former owner of the statue was Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Without her-well, without her, Claudia might never have found a way to go home.
@DearDara My 2nd favorite book growing up, just barely edged out by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. [source]
Robin Stevens
This is an American book that I read as a young child, and it’s a classic in America. It’s a phenomenal book, and one of the cleverest mystery stories I’ve ever read. [source]
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Miss Rumphius
Barbara Cooney
4.3
A beloved classic—written by a beloved Caldecott winner—is lovelier than ever!
Barbara Cooney's story of Alice Rumphius, who longed to travel the world, live in a house by the sea, and do something to make the world more beautiful, has a timeless quality that resonates with each new generation. The countless lupines that bloom along the coast of Maine are the legacy of the real Miss Rumphius, the Lupine Lady, who scattered lupine seeds everywhere she went. Miss Rumphius received the American Book Award in the year of publication.
To celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of two-time Caldecott winner Barbara Cooney's best-loved book, the illustrations have been reoriginated, going back to the original art to ensure state-of-the-art reproduction of Cooney's exquisite artwork. The art for Miss Rumphius has a permanent home in the Bowdoin College Museum of Art.
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Recommended by Richard Reynolds.
Richard Reynolds
Yes, I’d love to say that I read this as a child and it’s stayed with me every since, but that would be a lie. I was told about it by an American who had read my website. He actually went to the trouble to send it to me through the post. Although it’s not very big in the UK it’s very well known in the States. The book is the life story of a little girl who grows up and travels around the world. And everywhere she goes she sows lupins. As an old lady she is lying in her bed and she looks outside and sees that the countryside is covered in beautiful lupins. I encourage parents to read it to their young children to inspire them to get out there and take an active role in caring for and creating their local environment. I grew up with a trail of biscuits leading to a wicked witch’s cottage in Hansel and Gretel. In some ways this is the positive version of that. [source]
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time
Mark Haddon
4.3
Christopher John Francis Boone knows all the countries of the world and their capitals and every prime number up to 7,057. He relates well to animals but has no understanding of human emotions. He cannot stand to be touched. And he detests the color yellow.
Although gifted with a superbly logical brain, for fifteen-year-old Christopher everyday interactions and admonishments have little meaning. He lives on patterns, rules, and a diagram kept in his pocket. Then one day, a neighbor's dog, Wellington, is killed and his carefully constructive universe is threatened. Christopher sets out to solve the murder in the style of his favourite (logical) detective, Sherlock Holmes. What follows makes for a novel that is funny, poignant and fascinating in its portrayal of a person whose curse and blessing are a mind that perceives the world entirely literally.
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Recommended by Ev Williams, Robert Muchamore, Simon Baron-Cohen, and 1 others.
Robert Muchamore
Mark Haddon wrote a spy series for eight- or nine-year-olds and then he suddenly comes out with this rather brilliant novel. Is it an adult book? Is it a kids’ book? So many people can read it and approach it. [source]
Simon Baron-Cohen
In fiction the writer has some licence to deviate from what is real – it’s a work of art, ultimately, for people’s interest and enjoyment, but I think that the character is very recognisable of many people with Asperger syndrome. I think the author has done a very good job. [source]
Vanessa Keng
I've always loved fiction - mainly crime and legal thrillers, but there's something wonderful about reading a completely different style of writing from what I'm used to. I found myself absorbed in the narrative of guilt and love in The Kite Runner, and The Curious Incident told me a story from a completely different perspective. [source]
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Other Words for Home
Jasmine Warg
4.3
I am learning how to be sad and happy at the same time.
Jude never thought she’d be leaving her beloved older brother and father behind, all the way across the ocean in Syria. But when things in her hometown start becoming volatile, Jude and her mother are sent to live in Cincinnati with relatives.
At first, everything in America seems too fast and too loud. The American movies that Jude has always loved haven’t quite prepared her for starting school in the US—and her new label of “Middle Eastern,” an identity she’s never known before. But this life also brings unexpected surprises—there are new friends, a whole new family, and a school musical that Jude might just try out for. Maybe America, too, is a place where Jude can be seen as she really is.
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Recommended by Krishna Grady.
Krishna Grady
Other Words for Home is a beautiful immigration story and it’s wonderfully written in free verse, which is very accessible to kids and is really becoming popular. The book explores themes of family and prejudice. We just felt that we hadn’t seen this story told in this way before, and it’s a very important story. [source]
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Island of the Blue Dolphins (Island of the Blue Dolphins, #1)
Scott O'Dell
4.3
Far off the coast of California looms a harsh rock known as the island of San Nicolas. Dolphins flash in the blue waters around it, sea otter play in the vast kelp beds, and sea elephants loll on the stony beaches.
Here, in the early 1800s, according to history, an Indian girl spent eighteen years alone, and this beautifully written novel is her story. It is a romantic adventure filled with drama and heartache, for not only was mere subsistence on so desolate a spot a near miracle, but Karana had to contend with the ferocious pack of wild dogs that had killed her younger brother, constantly guard against the Aleutian sea otter hunters, and maintain a precarious food supply.
More than this, it is an adventure of the spirit that will haunt the reader long after the book has been put down. Karana's quiet courage, her Indian self-reliance and acceptance of fate, transform what to many would have been a devastating ordeal into an uplifting experience. From loneliness and terror come strength and serenity in this Newbery Medal-winning classic.
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Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts in One Big Fat Notebook: The Complete Middle School Study Guide
Workman Publishing, Jen Haberling, et al.
4.3
It’s the revolutionary English language arts study guide just for middle school students from the brains behind Brain Quest.
Everything You Need to Ace English Language Arts . . .takes students from grammar to reading comprehension to writing with ease, including parts of speech, active and passive verbs, Greek and Latin roots and affixes; nuances in word meanings; textual analysis, authorship, structure, and other skills for reading fiction and nonfiction; and writing arguments, informative texts, and narratives.
The BIG FAT NOTEBOOK™ series is built on a simple and irresistible conceit—borrowing the notes from the smartest kid in class. There are five books in all, and each is the only book you need for each main subject taught in middle school: Math, Science, American History, English Language Arts, and World History. Inside the reader will find every subject’s key concepts, easily digested and summarized: Critical ideas highlighted in neon colors. Definitions explained. Doodles that illuminate tricky concepts in marker. Mnemonics for memorable shortcuts. And quizzes to recap it all.
The BIG FAT NOTEBOOKS meet Common Core State Standards, Next Generation Science Standards, and state history standards, and are vetted by National and State Teacher of the Year Award–winning teachers. They make learning fun, and are the perfect next step for every kid who grew up on Brain Quest.
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Merriam-Webster's Vocabulary Builder
Mary W. Cornog
4.2
The Merriam-Webster Vocabulary Builder allows you to enjoy informative and entertaining discussions of English words derived from Greek and Latin roots--and expand your working vocabulary at the same time. Words that share the same root are grouped for easy study. Quizzes let you test how much you ve learned. Authors: Mary W. Cornog, Merriam-Webster Format: Paperback, 712 pages Publisher: Merriam-Webster ISBN: 9780877798552
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American Gods (American Gods, #1)
Neil Gaiman
4.2
First published in 2001, American Gods became an instant classic—an intellectual and artistic benchmark from the multiple-award-winning master of innovative fiction, Neil Gaiman. Now discover the mystery and magic of American Gods in this tenth anniversary edition. Newly updated and expanded with the author’s preferred text, this commemorative volume is a true celebration of a modern masterpiece by the one, the only, Neil Gaiman.
A storm is coming . . .
Locked behind bars for three years, Shadow did his time, quietly waiting for the magic day when he could return to Eagle Point, Indiana. A man no longer scared of what tomorrow might bring, all he wanted was to be with Laura, the wife he deeply loved, and start a new life.
But just days before his release, Laura and Shadow’s best friend are killed in an accident. With his life in pieces and nothing to keep him tethered, Shadow accepts a job from a beguiling stranger he meets on the way home, an enigmatic man who calls himself Mr. Wednesday. A trickster and rogue, Wednesday seems to know more about Shadow than Shadow does himself.
Life as Wednesday’s bodyguard, driver, and errand boy is far more interesting and dangerous than Shadow ever imagined—it is a job that takes him on a dark and strange road trip and introduces him to a host of eccentric characters whose fates are mysteriously intertwined with his own. Along the way Shadow will learn that the past never dies; that everyone, including his beloved Laura, harbors secrets; and that dreams, totems, legends, and myths are more real than we know. Ultimately, he will discover that beneath the placid surface of everyday life a storm is brewing—an epic war for the very soul of America—and that he is standing squarely in its path.
Relevant and prescient, American Gods has been lauded for its brilliant synthesis of “mystery, satire, sex, horror, and poetic prose” (Michael Dirda, Washington Post Book World) and as a modern phantasmagoria that “distills the essence of America” (Seattle Post-Intelligencer). It is, quite simply, an outstanding work of literary imagination that will endure for generations.
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Recommended by Marko Rakar, Ricky Whittle, and Scott Johnson.
Marko Rakar
Basically, first of all, I am a huge fan of science fiction and fantasy books and I grew up with Douglas Adams and Arthur C Clarke. For me, this is the best of Gaiman’s books and I’ve got all of them. It’s set in the present time and talks about settlers who have settled a continent and have brought their gods with them. So, if you are Swedish and you cherish Nordic gods and move to the US, the gods go with you and the more you believe in them the stronger they are. But if fewer people start believing in them then they get weaker and eventually they become mortal and die. So, it’s about all these forgotten gods. It’s a horror story in which nobody dies. It’s a metaphor for our society – if you replace gods with values then you get the same thing. [source]
Ricky Whittle
Nobody can break my family.I’m proud to be apart of this diverse cast & crew who are working their butts off to deliver a fantastic season 3 continuing to tell Shadows story and the awesome characters he meets along the way as in @neilhimself incredible book #readit #details🤔 https://t.co/PahPC9j3HB [source]
Scott Johnson
American Gods by Neil Gaiman. This is a brilliant thought experiment about what happens to a god when its believers stop believing. My preferred edition is the 10th Anniversary release with expanded text. [source]
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The Outsiders
S. E. Hinton
4.2
Librarian note: See this edition record for the Laurel-Leaf Books/Dell edition that may have been published with ISBN 014240733X.
No one ever said life was easy. But Ponyboy is pretty sure that he's got things figured out. He knows that he can count on his brothers, Darry and Sodapop. And he knows that he can count on his friends - true friends who would do anything for him, like Johnny and Two-Bit. And when it comes to the beating up on "greasers" like him and his friends - he knows that he can count on them for trouble. But one night someone takes things too far, and Ponyboy's world is turned upside down...
~from inside flap
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25
The Giver (The Giver, #1)
Lois Lowry
4.2
Twelve-year-old Jonas lives in a seemingly ideal world. Not until he is given his life assignment as the Receiver does he begin to understand the dark secrets behind this fragile community.
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And Then There Were None
Agatha Christie
4.2
The World's Bestselling Mystery
"Ten . . ." Ten strangers are lured to an isolated island mansion off the Devon coast by a mysterious "U.N. Owen."
"Nine . . ." At dinner a recorded message accuses each of them in turn of having a guilty secret, and by the end of the night one of the guests is dead.
"Eight . . ." Stranded by a violent storm, and haunted by a nursery rhyme counting down one by one . . . one by one they begin to die.
"Seven . . ." Who among them is the killer and will any of them survive?
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Recommended by Rian Johnson.
Rian Johnson
@AdamLanceGarcia I think And Then There Were None is her best book, but The Murder Of Roger Ackroyd and Curtain are probably tied for my personal favorite. [source]
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27
The Lightning Thief (Percy Jackson and the Olympians, #1)
Rick Riordan
4.2
Alternate cover for this ISBN can be found here
Percy Jackson is a good kid, but he can't seem to focus on his schoolwork or control his temper. And lately, being away at boarding school is only getting worse - Percy could have sworn his pre-algebra teacher turned into a monster and tried to kill him. When Percy's mom finds out, she knows it's time that he knew the truth about where he came from, and that he go to the one place he'll be safe. She sends Percy to Camp Half Blood, a summer camp for demigods (on Long Island), where he learns that the father he never knew is Poseidon, God of the Sea. Soon a mystery unfolds and together with his friends—one a satyr and the other the demigod daughter of Athena - Percy sets out on a quest across the United States to reach the gates of the Underworld (located in a recording studio in Hollywood) and prevent a catastrophic war between the gods.
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Catching Fire (The Hunger Games, #2)
Suzanne Collins
4.2
SPARKS ARE IGNITING. FLAMES ARE SPREADING. AND THE CAPITAL WANTS REVENGE.
Against all odds, Katniss Everdeen has survived the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol - a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.
Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest that she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying. Katniss is about to be tested as never before.
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Fantastic Mr. Fox
Roald Dahl
4.2
Nobody outfoxes Fantastic Mr. Fox!
Someone's been stealing from the three meanest farmers around, and they know the identity of the thief-it's Fantastic Mr. Fox! Working alone they could never catch hi; but now fat Boggis, squat Bunce, and skinny Bean have joined forces, and they have Mr. Fox and his family surrounded. What they don't know is that they're not dealing with just any fox-Mr. Fox would rather die than surrender. Only the most fantastic plan can save him now.
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Recommended by Tilly Burn.
Tilly Burn
It’s about the enterprising and wonderful Mr Fox whose family are starving in their burrow. He’s fed up of not having enough food to feed them. Mrs Fox asks him to go out and get some food and he comes up with a phenomenal plan to dig tunnels underneath three farmers, Mr Boggis, Mr Bunce, and Mr Bean and steal chickens and ham, cider and lots of other goodies from them all [source]
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30
Holes (Holes, #1)
Louis Sachar
4.2
Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.
Stanley Yelnats is under a curse. A curse that began with his no-good-dirty-rotten- pig-stealing-great-great-grandfather and has since followed generations of Yelnats. Now Stanley has been unjustly sent to a boys' detention center, Camp Green Lake, where the warden makes the boys "build character" by spending all day, every day, digging holes: five feet wide and five feet deep. It doesn't take long for Stanley to realize there's more than character improvement going on at Camp Green Lake. The boys are digging holes because the warden is looking for something. Stanley tries to dig up the truth in this inventive and darkly humorous tale of crime and punishment—and redemption.
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31
James and the Giant Peach
Roald Dahl, Quentin Blake
4.2
When James accidentally drops some magic crystals by the old peach tree, strange things start to happen. The peach at the top of the tree begins to grow, and before long it's as big as a house. When James discovers a secret entranceway into the fruit and crawls inside, he meets wonderful new friends--the Old-Green-Grasshopper, the dainty Ladybug, and the Centipede of the multiple boots. After years of feeling like an outsider in his aunts' house, James finally found a place where he belongs. With a snip of the stem, the peach household starts rolling away--and the adventure begins!
Roald Dahl's first and most widely celebrated book for young people continues to thrill readers around the world.
"This is a stunning book to be cherished for its story, a superb fantasy."--Chicago Tribune
"A beautifully written, fantastic book."--Christian Science Monitor
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Recommended by Tilly Burn.
Tilly Burn
I think it is one of his darkest books and I think it’s a very sad book. It’s his first ever children’s book, written in 1961, fresh off the back of writing his short stories. [source]
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32
All Quiet on the Western Front
Erich Maria Remarque, A W. Wheen
4.2
One by one the boys begin to fall…
In 1914 a room full of German schoolboys, fresh-faced and idealistic, are goaded by their schoolmaster to troop off to the ‘glorious war’. With the fire and patriotism of youth they sign up. What follows is the moving story of a young ‘unknown soldier’ experiencing the horror and disillusionment of life in the trenches.
Recommended by Cécile Fabre.
Cécile Fabre
He knows that his pleasure at a beautiful landscape, at the smell of good food, will forever be coloured by what the landscape looked like in the trenches, by the food that was cooked in the trenches. [source]
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33
Don Quixote
Miguel de Cervantes, Edith Grossman
4.2
Edith Grossman's definitive English translation of the Spanish masterpiece, in an expanded P.S. edition
Widely regarded as one of the funniest and most tragic books ever written, Don Quixote chronicles the adventures of the self-created knight-errant Don Quixote of La Mancha and his faithful squire, Sancho Panza, as they travel through sixteenth-century Spain. You haven't experienced Don Quixote in English until you've read this masterful translation.
This P.S. edition features an extra 16 pages of insights into the book, including author interviews, recommended reading, and more.
I read this book as a child and then, reread many times as an adult. And he’s my favorite character. [source]
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34
The Good Earth (House of Earth #1)
Pearl S. Buck
4.2
Librarian's note: An alternate cover edition can be found here
The Good Earth is Buck’s classic story of Wang Lung, a Chinese peasant farmer, and his wife, O-lan, a former slave. With luck and hard work, the couple’s fortunes improve over the years: They are blessed with sons, and save steadily until one day they can afford to buy property in the House of Wang—the very house in which O-lan used to work. But success brings with it a new set of problems. Wang soon finds himself the target of jealousy, and as good harvests come and go, so does the social order. Will Wang’s family cherish the estate after he’s gone? And can his material success, the bedrock of his life, guarantee anything about his soul?
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the William Dean Howells Award, The Good Earth was an Oprah’s Book Club choice in 2004. A readers’ favorite for generations, this powerful and beautifully written fable resonates with universal themes of hope and family unity.
This ebook features an illustrated biography of Pearl S. Buck including rare images from the author’s estate.
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Recommended by Oprah Winfrey, Amy Chua, and Abid Zaidi.
Reading Pearl Buck's writing feels like reading poetry to me. I just love the quiet rhythm of the words. They evoke the simple beauty of the characters and the harsh mystery of China's ancient culture. [source]
Amy Chua
I read this book when I was about nine years old. It just made such an impact on me. O-Lan, the mother in this book, toils silently and stoically all her life to provide for her family. [source]
Abid Zaidi
Day 4 : #30Days of posting cover of books I love (1 book a day for 30 days). No expectations, no reviews, just the covers. Inspired by @rekha_bhardwaj #MyFavouriteBooks https://t.co/Z1RZbzh9vZ [source]
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35
Tuck Everlasting
Natalie Babbitt
4.2
Doomed to—or blessed with—eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less a blessing that it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.
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36
Put Me in the Zoo
Robert Lopshire
4.2
Illus. in color. Spot, a polka-dot leopard who can change colors and even juggle his own spots, tries to convince two children that he is special enough to be exhibited in the zoo.
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37
A Wrinkle in Time (A Wrinkle in Time Quintet, #1)
Madeleine L'Engle
4.2
Fifty years ago, Madeleine L’Engle introduced the world to A Wrinkle in Time and the wonderful and unforgettable characters Meg and Charles Wallace Murry, and their friend Calvin O’Keefe. When the children learn that Mr. Murry has been captured by the Dark Thing, they time travel to Camazotz, where they must face the leader IT in the ultimate battle between good and evil—a journey that threatens their lives and our universe. A Newbery Award winner, A Wrinkle in Time is an iconic novel that continues to inspire millions of fans around the world. This special edition has been redesigned and includes an introduction by Katherine Paterson, an afterword by Madeleine L’Engle’s granddaughter Charlotte Jones Voiklis that includes photographs and memorabilia, the author’s Newbery Medal acceptance speech, and other bonus materials.
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Recommended by Sheryl Sandberg.
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38
Rescue Matters
C.J. English
4.2
AMAZON BESTSELLER-ANIMAL RIGHTS
"I highly recommend this book." -Deb Parker, Best Friends Animal Society
Four Years. Four Thousand Dogs. An incredible true story of rescue and redemption.
When Keith Benning accepted the job as a deputy in a small North Dakota county, he had no idea he was about to face the biggest challenge of his life. Four years and four thousand dogs later, he lost his marriage, a fellow officer and nearly his own life.
By rescuing seventy starving and unwanted animals out of his garage each month, Keith and a small team of volunteers have changed the world for thousands of dogs, and tens of thousands more to come.
Woven with riveting and inspiring real-life rescue stories, Rescue Matters tells a larger tale of tragedy-meets-redemption. A gripping account of how a garage rescue grew into a mighty force that inspired a nation.
C.J. English shares her personal experience inside the emotional and bittersweet world of dog rescue, delivering a heart-wrenching and deeply moving story that has much to teach us about responsibility and compassion.
Rescue Matters is alive with meaning and purpose, proving that that it doesn’t take a law or government to change the world, all it takes is a few people trying to make a difference to start a revolution.
Not just for dog lovers, but for anyone inspired by the compassion of humans and the resilience of the animals who forgive them. 50% of the profits from the sale of this book will go directly back to Keith Benning and his team at Turtle Mountain Animal Rescue.
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39
Number the Stars
Lois Lowry
4.2
Ten-year-old Annemarie Johansen and her best friend Ellen Rosen often think of life before the war. It's now 1943 and their life in Copenhagen is filled with school, food shortages, and the Nazi soldiers marching through town. When the Jews of Denmark are "relocated," Ellen moves in with the Johansens and pretends to be one of the family. Soon Annemarie is asked to go on a dangerous mission to save Ellen's life.
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40
A Long Walk to Water: Based on a True Story
Linda Sue Park
4.1
A Long Walk to Water begins as two stories, told in alternating sections, about a girl in Sudan in 2008 and a boy in Sudan in 1985. The girl, Nya, is fetching water from a pond that is two hours’ walk from her home: she makes two trips to the pond every day. The boy, Salva, becomes one of the "lost boys" of Sudan, refugees who cover the African continent on foot as they search for their families and for a safe place to stay. Enduring every hardship from loneliness to attack by armed rebels to contact with killer lions and crocodiles, Salva is a survivor, and his story goes on to intersect with Nya’s in an astonishing and moving way.
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41
Esperanza Rising
Pam Muñoz Ryan
4.1
Esperanza thought she'd always live with her family on their ranch in Mexico--she'd always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home, and servants. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California during the Great Depression, and to settle in a camp for Mexican farm workers. Esperanza isn't ready for the hard labor, financial struggles, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When their new life is threatened, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances--Mama's life, and her own, depend on it.
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42
Brazen: Rebel Ladies Who Rocked the World
Pénélope Bagieu
4.1
Throughout history and across the globe, one characteristic connects the daring women of Brazen: their indomitable spirit. Against overwhelming adversity, these remarkable women raised their voices and changed history.
With her one-of-a-kind wit and dazzling drawings, celebrated graphic novelist Pénélope Bagieu profiles the lives of these feisty female role models, some world-famous, some little known. From Nellie Bly to Mae Jemison or Josephine Baker to Naziq al-Abid, the stories in this comic biography are sure to inspire the next generation of rebel ladies.
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Recommended by Helen.
Helen
It’s like reading a fairy tale book – but grown-up fairy tales that are actually true. The ladies are all real. [source]
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43
The Reading Strategies Book: Your Everything Guide to Developing Skilled Readers
Jennifer Serravallo
4.1
With hit books that support strategic reading through conferring, small groups, and assessment, Jen Serravallo gets emails almost daily asking, "Isn't there a book of the strategies themselves?" Now there is.
"Strategies make the often invisible work of reading actionable and visible," Jen writes. In The Reading Strategies Book, she collects 300 strategies to share with readers in support of thirteen goals-everything from fluency to literary analysis. Each strategy is cross-linked to skills, genres, and Fountas & Pinnell reading levels to give you just-right teaching, just in time. With Jen's help you'll:
develop goals for every reader give students step-by-step strategies for skilled reading guide readers with prompts aligned to the strategies adjust instruction to meet individual needs with Jen's Teaching Tips craft demonstrations and explanations with her Lesson Language learn more with Hat Tips to the work of influential teacher-authors. Whether you use readers workshop, Daily 5/CAFE, guided reading, balanced reading, a core reading program, whole-class novels, or any other approach, The Reading Strategies Book will complement and extend your teaching. Rely on it to plan and implement goal-directed, differentiated instruction for individuals, small groups, and whole classes.
"We offer strategies to readers to put the work in doable terms for those who are still practicing," writes Jen Serravallo. "The goal is not that they can do the steps of the strategy but that they become more comfortable and competent with a new skill." With The Reading Strategies Book, you'll have ways to help your readers make progress every day.
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44
I Want My Hat Back
Jon Klassen
4.1
A picture-book delight by a rising talent tells a cumulative tale with a mischievous twist.
The bear’s hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. But just as the bear begins to despond, a deer comes by and asks a simple question that sparks the bear’s memory and renews his search with a vengeance. Told completely in dialogue, this delicious take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in sly illustrations laced with visual humor—and winks at the reader with a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke.
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45
English for Everyone: Level 1: Beginner, Course Book
DK
4.1
Are you a beginner learning English as a second language?
Everything you need is included in English for Everyone: Level 1: Beginner, Course Book - it's a grammar book, vocabulary builder, and exercise course all in one. Learn to engage in everyday topics such as your job, home, likes and dislikes, health, and more. This course book also covers how to talk about the present.
English for Everyone: Level 1: Beginner, Course Book covers the skills and topics needed for the major global English-language exams, including TOEFL, and uses the same testing methods so you can practice your skills and measure your success.
Series Overview: English for Everyone series teaches all levels of English, from beginner to advanced, to speakers of English as a second language. Innovative visual learning methods introduce key language skills, grammar, and vocabulary, which are reinforced with a variety of speaking, reading, and writing exercises to make the English language easier to understand and learn.
Author Bio:
Susan Barduhn holds a doctorate in English language teaching. In 2003, she joined SIT Graduate Institute, where she has directed the summer MA in TESOL program and now directs the low-residency MA in TESOL program, teaches in the MA in TESOL program, and supervises student teachers all over the world. She has worked for extended periods in Kenya, Britain, Switzerland, Colombia, Spain, and Portugal and speaks Spanish, French, Portuguese, German, and Swahili.
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46
Ingles Basico: A. Ghiod
Agusto Ghio D.
4.1
The title of this book is Ingles Basico (ghio)/basic English and it was written by Agusto Ghio D.. This 89th edition of Ingles Basico (ghio)/basic English is in a Paperback format. This books publish date is April 1, 2004 and it has a suggested retail price of $6.95. It was published by Giron Spanish Books Distributors.
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47
Word Power Made Easy: The Complete Handbook for Building a Superior Vocabulary
Norman Lewis
4.1
Do You Always Use the Right Word Can You Pronounce It -- and Spell It -- Correctly Do You Know How to Avoid Illiterate Expressions Do You Speak Grammatically, Without Embarrassing Mistakes If the answer to any of these questions is NO, you ought to read Word Power Made Easy. Now thoroughly revised to eliminate outmoded references and to to reflect current idioms, it remains the best and quickest means to a better vocabulary in the English language. Each chapter ends with review. Each section ends with a progressive check. Numerous tests will help you increase and retain the knowledge you acquired. Word Power Made Easy does more than just ass words to you vocabulary. It teaches ideas and a method of broadening knowledge as an integral part of the vocabulary building process.
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48
Home of the Brave
Katherine Applegate
4.1
Kek comes from Africa. In America he sees snow for the first time, and feels its sting. He's never walked on ice, and he falls. He wonders if the people in this new place will be like the winter – cold and unkind.
In Africa, Kek lived with his mother, father, and brother. But only he and his mother have survived, and now she's missing. Kek is on his own. Slowly, he makes friends: a girl who is in foster care; an old woman who owns a rundown farm, and a cow whose name means "family" in Kek's native language. As Kek awaits word of his mother's fate, he weathers the tough Minnesota winter by finding warmth in his new friendships, strength in his memories, and belief in his new country.
Bestselling author Katherine Applegate presents a beautifully wrought novel about an immigrant's journey from hardship to hope.
Home of the Brave is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
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Practical English Usage
Michael Swan
4.1
Practical English Usage is a major new reference guide for intermediate and advanced students of English (of all nationalities) and their teachers. It contains short clear articles on all the grammatical problems which regularly cause difficulty to foreign learners. In addition, it deals with selected points of vocabulary, idiom, style, pronunciation and spelling. The main differences between British and American usage are also dealt with. Each entry contains an explanation of a problem, examples of correct usage, and - when this is useful - examples of typical mistakes.
Special features of this book include: - simple and practical presentation - alphabetical arrangement of numbered entries - detailed index and cross-reference system - distinction between formal and informal usage
A hardback edition is also available.
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50
The World According to Humphrey (According to Humphrey, #1)
Betty G. Birney
4.1
The first book in the series about everyone's favorite classroom pet!
You can learn a lot about life by observing another species. That’s what Humphrey was told when he was first brought to Room 26. And boy, is it true! In addition to having FUN-FUN-FUN in class, each weekend this amazing hamster gets to sleep over with a different student, like Lower-Your-Voice-A.J. and Speak-Up-Sayeh. Soon Humphrey learns to read, write, and even shoot rubber bands (only in self-defense, of course). With lots of friends to help, adventures to enjoy, and a cage with a lock-that-doesn’t- lock, Humphrey's life is almost perfect. If only the teacher, Mrs. Brisbane, wasn’t out to get him!
Boys and girls can't help falling in love with Humphrey!
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51
The Bad Beginning (A Series of Unfortunate Events, #1)
Lemony Snicket
4.1
Dear Reader,
I'm sorry to say that the book you are holding in your hands is extremely unpleasant. It tells an unhappy tale about three very unlucky children. Even though they are charming and clever, the Baudelaire siblings lead lives filled with misery and woe. From the very first page of this book when the children are at the beach and receive terrible news, continuing on through the entire story, disaster lurks at their heels. One might say they are magnets for misfortune.
In this short book alone, the three youngsters encounter a greedy and repulsive villain, itchy clothing, a disastrous fire, a plot to steal their fortune, and cold porridge for breakfast.
It is my sad duty to write down these unpleasant tales, but there is nothing stopping you from putting this book down at once and reading something happy, if you prefer that sort of thing.
With all due respect, Lemony Snicket
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52
Complete English Grammar Rules: Examples, Exceptions, Exercises, and Everything You Need to Master Proper Grammar
Farlex International
4.1
The grammar book for the 21st century has arrived, from the language experts at Farlex International and TheFreeDictionary.com, the trusted reference destination with 1 billion+ annual visits.
Farlex brings you the most comprehensive grammar guide yet: all the rules of English grammar, explained in simple, easy-to-understand terms. Over 500 pages of proper grammar instruction-2X more than the leading grammar book!
Whether you're an expert or a beginner, there's always something new to learn when it comes to the always-evolving English language. Don't rely on multiple incomplete textbooks that contradict each other-fill in all the gaps in your grammar knowledge with one go-to guide. Only Complete English Grammar Rules gives you key exceptions, common grammar mistakes, thousands of real-world examples, and hundreds of grammar quizzes designed to help you retain what you've learned.
With Complete English Grammar Rules, you'll be able to:
Quickly master basic English grammar and tackle more advanced topics. Properly use every type of noun, verb, and even the most obscure grammar elements. Master verb tenses, including irregular verbs and exceptions. Avoid embarrassing grammar errors. Immediately put your skills into action! Become a more effective writer and communicator in school, at work, and in everyday conversation.
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53
Stormy: a Story about Finding a Forever Home
Guojing
4.1
In this wordless picture book a woman visits a park and discovers a pup hiding under a bench--scruffy, scared, and alone. With gentle coaxing, the woman tries to befriend the animal, but the dog is too scared to let her near. Day after day, the woman tries--and day after day, the dog runs away. With perseverance and patience--and help from an enticing tennis ball--a tentative friendship begins. But it's not until a raging storm forces the two together that a joyous and satisfying friendship takes hold.
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54
Inside Out & Back Again
Thanhhà Lai
4.1
For all the ten years of her life, Hà has only known Saigon: the thrills of its markets, the joy of its traditions, and the warmth of her friends close by. But now the Vietnam War has reached her home. Hà and her family are forced to flee as Saigon falls, and they board a ship headed toward hope. In America, Hà discovers the foreign world of Alabama: the coldness of its strangers, the dullness of its food . . . and the strength of her very own family.
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55
Understanding and Using English Grammar
Betty Schrampfer Azar
4.1
A classic developmental skills text for intermediate to advanced students of English, Understanding and Using English Grammar is a comprehensive reference grammar as well as a stimulating and teachable classroom text. While keeping the same basic approach and material as in earlier editions, the Third Edition more fully develops communicative and interactive language-learning activities. Some of the new features are: *Numerous real communication opportunities *More options for interactive work in pairs and groups *Additional open-ended communicative tasks for both speaking and writing *Expanded error analysis exercises *Interesting and lively new exercise material *Shorter units for easy class use The program components include the Student Book, Workbook, Chartbook, Teacher's Guide, and Companion Website. Also available: Understanding and Using English Grammar Interactive (a multimedia CD-ROM).
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56
Psychology for Language Teachers: A Social Constructivist Approach
Marion Williams, Robert L. Burden
4.1
Psychology for Language Teachers examines the field of educational psychology and considers various ways in which a deeper understanding of this discipline can help language teachers. The first part presents an overview of educational psychology, and discusses how different approaches to psychology have influenced language teaching methodology. Following this, four themes are identified: the learner, the teacher, the task and the learning context. Recent psychological developments in each of these domains are discussed and implications are drawn for language teaching. Areas considered include approaches to learning, motivation, the role of the individual, attribution, mediation, the teaching of thinking, the cognitive demands of tasks and the learning environment. Psychology for Language Teachers does not assume previous knowledge of psychology.
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57
Mastering the American Accent with Downloadable Audio
Lisa Mojsin M.A.
4.1
This combination book and audio instructional program is designed to diminish the accents of men and women who speak English as their second language. It will help them speak standard American English with clarity, confidence, and accuracy. Specific exercises concentrate on vowel sounds, problematic consonants such as V, W, TH, the American R, and the often confusing American T sound. It teaches them to employ correct syllable stress, emphasize the correct words in a sentence for native sounding rhythm, speak with American intonation, link words for smoother speech flow, use common word contractions, and more. Additional topics that often confuse ESL students are also discussed and explained. They include distinguishing between casual and formal speech, homophones (for instance, they're and there), recognizing words with silent letters (comb, receipt, and others), and avoiding embarrassing pronunciation mistakes, such as mixing up "beach" and "bitch." Students are familiarized with many irregular English spelling rules and exceptions, and are shown how such irregularities can contribute to pronunciation errors. A native language guide references problematic accent issues of 13 different language backgrounds. Correct lip and tongue positions for all sounds are discussed in detail. There is also a link to downloadable audio that uses male and female voices to coach correct American-style pronunciation.
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58
Pie in the Sky
Remy Lai, Remy Hii, et al
4.1
When eleven-year-old Jingwen moves to a new country, he feels like he's landed on Mars. School is torture, making friends is impossible since he doesn’t speak English, and he's often stuck looking after his (extremely irritating) little brother, Yanghao.
To distract himself from the loneliness, Jingwen daydreams about making all the cakes on the menu of Pie in the Sky, the bakery his father had planned to open before he unexpectedly passed away. The only problem is his mother has laid down one major rule: the brothers are not to use the oven while she's at work. As Jingwen and Yanghao bake elaborate cakes, they'll have to cook up elaborate excuses to keep the cake making a secret from Mama.
Told in prose and graphic novel elements, this middle-grade novel is about a boy's immigration experience, his annoying little brother, and their cake-baking hijinks!
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Recommended by Bianca Schulze.
Bianca Schulze
At the beginning of Pie in the Sky, I wasn’t sure where it was going, but by the end I was sobbing. I realize that I’ve really picked some deep books here! It’s about two brothers. It never says exactly what country they’re from—I know the author was born in Indonesia, but grew up in Singapore—but they come to Australia. They don’t speak English, but they have to integrate. You learn that the reason they’ve come to Australia is because their parents had a wish for them to have a better life. But you know throughout that their papa is not there. [source]
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Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)
Suzanne Collins
4.1
My name is Katniss Everdeen. Why am I not dead? I should be dead.
Katniss Everdeen, girl on fire, has survived, even though her home has been destroyed. Gale has escaped. Katniss's family is safe. Peeta has been captured by the Capitol. District 13 really does exist. There are rebels. There are new leaders. A revolution is unfolding.
It is by design that Katniss was rescued from the arena in the cruel and haunting Quarter Quell, and it is by design that she has long been part of the revolution without knowing it. District 13 has come out of the shadows and is plotting to overthrow the Capitol. Everyone, it seems, has had a hand in the carefully laid plans - except Katniss.
The success of the rebellion hinges on Katniss's willingness to be a pawn, to accept responsibility for countless lives, and to change the course of the future of Panem. To do this, she must put aside her feelings of anger and distrust. She must become the rebels' Mockingjay - no matter what the personal cost.
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60
My Side of the Mountain (Mountain, #1)
Jean Craighead George
4.1
Every kid thinks about running away at one point or another; few get farther than the end of the block. Young Sam Gribley gets to the end of the block and keeps going--all the way to the Catskill Mountains of upstate New York. There he sets up house in a huge hollowed-out tree, with a falcon and a weasel for companions and his wits as his tool for survival. In a spellbinding, touching, funny account, Sam learns to live off the land, and grows up a little in the process. Blizzards, hunters, loneliness, and fear all battle to drive Sam back to city life. But his desire for freedom, independence, and adventure is stronger. No reader will be immune to the compulsion to go right out and start whittling fishhooks and befriending raccoons.
Jean Craighead George, author of more than 80 children's books, including the Newbery Medal-winning Julie of the Wolves, created another prizewinner with My Side of the Mountain--a Newbery Honor Book, an ALA Notable Book, and a Hans Christian Andersen Award Honor Book. Astonishingly, she wrote its sequel, On the Far Side of the Mountain, 30 years later, and a decade after that penned the final book in the trilogy, Frightful's Mountain, told from the falcon's point of view. George has no doubt shaped generations of young readers with her outdoor adventures of the mind and spirit. (Ages 9 to 12) --Emilie Coulter
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61
The Grammar Book: An ESL/EFL Teacher's Course
Marianne Celce-Murcia, Diane Larsen-Freeman
4.0
In this highly acclaimed revision, grammatical descriptions and teaching suggestions are organized into sections dealing with Form, Meaning, and Use. THE GRAMMAR BOOK, Second Edition helps teachers and future teachers grasp the linguistic system and details of English grammar, providing more information on how structures are used at the discourse level.
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62
English for Everyone: Beginner Box Set - Level 1 & 2: ESL for Adults, an Interactive Course to Learning English
DK
4.0
Our Beginner Box Set is a great bundle of supportive reference guides and practice books to introduce English for beginners, including key language skills, grammar, and vocabulary.Ideal for English test preparations or ESL lesson plans, the Course Books use visual teaching methods to introduce the English language, reinforced through a variety of exercises and examples when used alongside the bundled Practice Books. In Level 1, learn core English skills such as introducing yourself and talking about your home, city, and hobbies to expand your vocabulary and understanding of grammar and punctuation. This is a completely comprehensive introduction to practical English usage. Continue to expand your conversational topics further in Level 2 by explaining emotions, health, and routines, and even learn to discuss holidays and seasons, and tell stories in the past tense.Whether you are looking for ESL teaching resources or a structured program for adults to learn English as a second language, the Beginner Box Set provides: Sample language examples: New language topics are introduced in context using clear, illustrated, and color-coded explanationsSupporting audio: Extensive English-speaking audio materials integrated into every unit, giving vital oral and listening practice. (All supplementary audio is available on the DK English for Everyone website and IOS/Android App).Quick referencing: Easy-to-follow units, mirrored in both the Course and Practice Books for easy referencing and teachingSentence formation guides: Visual breakdowns of English grammar in use, showing learners how to recreate even complex English sentencesVisual English vocabulary cues: Lists of useful English words and common phrases with visual aids are available throughout the bookPersonalized learning: Write-on lines encourage ESL learners to write their prompts and translationsThe English for Everyone Level 1 & 2 Bundle resources cover the skills and topics required for all major global English-language exams and reference frameworks, including:CEFR: A1 – A2TOEFL: test paper 0-340, computer-based test 0-60, and online test 0-20IELTS: 0-3.5TOEIC: 0-500English for Everyone is a series of guides and practice books that support English learning for adults from a beginner level to intermediate and advanced practical English. Offering an easy-to-follow format that offers guidance for both teaching English as a foreign language and a self-study approach with resources available to improve English speaking, reading, and writing.
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63
The Black Stallion (The Black Stallion, #1)
Walter Farley
4.0
Alec Ramsay is the sole human survivor of a devastating shipwreck. Trapped on a deserted island, Alec finds his only companion is a horse, beautiful, unbroken, and savage . . . a horse whose beauty matches his wild spirit.
This first classic story of the Black Stallion, full of action, excitement, and suspense, has set the pace for horse stories for sixty years . . . and continues to leave its rivals in the dust.
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64
For Here or To Go?: An ESL Reader
John de Szendeffy
4.0
One English as a second language student writes about not understanding a fast-food worker's meaning in "for here or to go?" while another writes about her disillusionment with America on her first visit. For Here or To Go? is a collection of engaging stories written in first person and adapted from ideas expressed in short compositions and personal essays of ESL learners from a variety of cultures, languages, and backgrounds. This beginning- to intermediate-level text contains authentic and mature stories written in simple prose, well within the grasp of early ESL learners and ideal for the adult student. All represent real experiences about learning a new language in a new country and have been proven to generate interest, reflection, and debate in class among learners in a variety of educational settings, even self-study. For Here or To Go? provides active models of native fluency to demonstrate vocabulary, mechanics, and rhetorical patterns of the English language. Stories are arranged according to the book's three themes--Shocking Culture, First Words, and Understanding a New People. Each chapter in For Here or To Go? concentrates on one story and is supported by pre- and postreading activities.
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65
Shiloh
Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
4.0
Marty will do anything to save his new friend Shiloh in this Newbery Medal–winning novel from Phillis Reynolds Naylor.
When Marty Preston comes across a young beagle in the hills behind his home, it's love at first sight—and also big trouble. It turns out the dog, which Marty names Shiloh, belongs to Judd Travers, who drinks too much and has a gun—and abuses his dogs. So when Shiloh runs away from Judd to Marty, Marty just has to hide him and protect him from Judd. But Marty's secret becomes too big for him to keep to himself, and it exposes his entire family to Judd's anger. How far will Marty have to go to make Shiloh his?
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66
My Name Is Yoon
Helen Recorvits, Gabi Swiatkowska
4.0
Getting to feel at home in a new country
Yoon's name means Shining Wisdom, and when she writes it in Korean, it looks happy, like dancing figures. But her father tells her that she must learn to write it in English. In English, all the lines and circles stand alone, which is just how Yoon feels in the United States. Yoon isn't sure that she wants to be YOON. At her new school, she tries out different names – maybe CAT or BIRD. Maybe CUPCAKE!
Helen Recorvits's spare and inspiring story about a little girl finding her place in a new country is given luminous pictures filled with surprising vistas and dreamscapes by Gabi Swiatkowska.
My Name Is Yoon is a 2008 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year.
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67
Five-Minute Activities: A Resource Book of Short Activities
Penny Ur
4.0
A collection of over 100 ideas for the foreign language classroom provides a convenient reference work for established activities and an introduction to a large number of new ones, all of which can be used effectively with little or no preparation.
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68
The Giant Jam Sandwich
John Vernon Lord
4.0
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69
The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need: A One-Stop Source for Every Writing Assignment
Susan Thurman and Larry Shea
4.0
Never stress over a comma, colon, or dash again!
The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need is the ideal resource for everyone who wants to produce writing that is clear, concise, and grammatically excellent. Whether you're creating perfect professional documents, spectacular school papers, or effective personal letters, you'll find this handbook indispensable. From word choice to punctuation to organization, English teacher Susan Thurman guides you through getting your thoughts on paper with polish. Using dozens of examples, The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need provides guidelines for:
–Understanding the parts of speech and elements of a sentence –Avoiding the most common grammar and punctuation mistakes –Using correct punctuating in every sentence –Writing clearly and directly –Approaching writing projects, whether big or small
Easy to follow and authoritative, The Only Grammar Book You'll Ever Need provides all the necessary tools to make you successful with every type of written expression.
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70
English for Everyone: Level 1 Practice Book - Beginner English: ESL Workbook, Interactive English Learning for Adults
DK
4.0
Our Practice Book (Level 1) offers great exercises and examples to introduce English for beginners including key language skills, grammar, and vocabulary. English for Everyone uses visual teaching methods to introduce practical English usage, reinforced through a variety of exercises and examples in our Practice Book (Level 1).The Level 1 Practice Book helps you to develop the foundations for the English language, from introducing yourself and talking about your home, city, and hobbies, to expanding your vocabulary, and understanding grammar and punctuation. When used alongside our Course Book (Level 1), this workbook is ideal for English test preparations or ESL lesson plans.Whether you are looking for ESL teaching resources, or a structured program for adults to learn English as a second language, the English for Everyone Practice Books provide practice questions and exercises focusing on:Grammar: Applying new language rules into different contexts with visual breakdowns of English grammar in useVocabulary: Cement understanding of key English vocabulary with visual cues to help understand the exercisesReading: Examine target language topics in real-life English examples to support effective English language learningWriting: Improve core understanding of English by producing written passages of English textListening: Test understanding of spoken English with extensive English-speaking audio materials integrated into every unit (All supplementary audio is available on the DK English for Everyone website and IOS/Android App).Speaking: ESL learners can practice and compare spoken English with our free online audio resourcesThe English for Everyone Level 1 resources cover the skills and topics required for all major global English-language exams and reference frameworks including:CEFR: A1TOEFL (test paper): 0-250TOEFL (computer-based test): 0-30TOEFL (online test): 0-10IELTS: 0-2.5TOEIC: 0-200English for Everyone is a series of guides and practice books that supports English learning for adults from a beginner level, to intermediate, and advanced practical English. Offering an easy-to-follow format that offers guidance for both teaching English as a second or foreign language, and a self-study approach with resources available to improve English speaking, reading, and writing.
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71
Learning Teaching (Macmillan Books for Teachers)
Jim Scrivener
4.0
Learning Teaching has been one of the most successful guides to the practice of teaching since it was first published in 1994. Part initial training textbook, part handbook for practicing teachers it is the definitive guide to what happens in the language classroom. Jim Scrivener's approach is not just theoretical - the book is packed with practical and useable activities.
This new edition has been fully revised and extended to cover new trends and theories in ELT.
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72
Oxford Picture Dictionary
Jayme Adelson-Goldstein, Norma Shapiro
4.0
A remarkable second edition of the best-selling and well loved Oxford Picture Dictionary, features over 4,000 words and phrases illustrated with all new vibrant, crystal-clear artwork. The topics, based on extensive input from teachers and students, have been thoroughly updated to meet the needs of today's English language learners. 4,000 words and phrases, illustrated with crystal-clear and vibrant illustrations meet the needs of today's language learners. Practice activities at the bottom of almost every page enable students immediately use the target vocabulary. New! Intro pages at the beginning of every unit present key vocabulary for learners at all levels. New! Story pages at the end of each unit promote reading development and critical thinking skills.
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73
Fish Is Fish
Leo Lionni
4.0
Two best friends, a minnow and a tadpole, are practically inseparable until the tadpole grows legs and decides to explore the world beyond the pond. When the tadpole, now a frog, returns to tell his friend of the extraordinary things he’s seen, the minnow, now a fish, tries to follow in his footsteps, but quickly finds that land is not what he expected. Friendship truly saves the day in this imaginative tale of a fish out of water.
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Recommended by Maggie Koerthbaker.
Maggie Koerthbaker
@daniellerch It's a great book. I also just love this image for its evolutionary implications. Little fish dreaming of being a land mammal. [source]
A bilingual, bidirectional compact guide to essential Spanish and English vocabulary. - Over 40,000 entries - English pronunciations given in the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA)
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75
The Practice of English Language Teaching
Jeremy Harmer
4.0
The complete reference work for teachers of English as a second or foreign language. Practical as well as theoretical, this comprehensive guide examines the most recent ideas in methodology and language theory.
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76
The Witch of Blackbird Pond
Elizabeth George Speare
4.0
Orphaned Kit Tyler knows, as she gazes for the first time at the cold, bleak shores of Connecticut Colony, that her new home will never be like the shimmering Caribbean island she left behind. In her relatives' stern Puritan community, she feels like a tropical bird that has flown to the wrong part of the world, a bird that is now caged and lonely. The only place where Kit feels completely free is in the meadows, where she enjoys the company of the old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, and on occasion, her young sailor friend Nat. But when Kit's friendship with the "witch" is discovered, Kit is faced with suspicion, fear, and anger. She herself is accused of witchcraft!
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77
Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English
Diana Lea
4.0
Easy to use- Features a clear page design to help pinpoint the word, sense, and collocation- Groups collocations according to part of speech and meaning- Provides copious example sentences that show the collocations in context- Includes short notes showing restrictions on usage and explains idiomatic combinations- Photocopiable study pages provide a guide to the different types of entries, showing the variety of information the dictionary offers and how to use it.- Usage notes show collocations shared by sets of words such as languages and seasons.
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78
Principles and Practice in Second Language Acquisition
Stephen D. Krashen
4.0
This text explores the relationship between second language teaching practice and what is known about the process of second language acquisition and summarizes the current state of second language acquisition theory. -- Draws general conclusions about the application of theory to methods and materials and describes the characteristics that effective materials should include. -- Concludes that language acquisition occurs best when language is used for the purpose for which it was designed: communication.
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79
Focus on Grammar 2 with Myenglishlab
Irene Schoenberg
4.0
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80
Merriam-Webster's French-English Dictionary
Merriam-Webster
4.0
A bilingual, bidirectional guide to French and North American English. Extensive coverage of Canadian French More than 80,000 entries and 100,000 translations Abundant examples of words used in context
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81
Grammar Practice Activities: A Practical Guide for Teachers
Penny Ur
4.0
Containing nearly two-hundred imaginative and useful communicative grammar practice activities, this guide provides a general introduction to grammar teaching in the second or foreign language classroom, with particular reference to grammar practice.
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82
How Languages are Learned
Patsy M. Lightbown, Nina Spada
4.0
An introduction to the main theories of first and second language acquisition (now in a new, updated edition).
Unlike many introductions to the field of language acquisition research, How Languages are Learned does not assume that you are already familiar with research methods or theories. This makes it especially suitable if you are a trainee teacher or a practising teacher working independently to develop your professional knowledge. It is written in a clear, readable style without unnecessary technical jargon - this has helped to make it a standard text for trainee teachers throughout the world.
There are evaluations and case studies throughout the book so that you can see a practical context for the research ideas you are reading about. Many of these examples are taken directly from real first and second language classrooms. There are also a number of opportunities for you to practise some of the observation and analysis techniques which are used in the research described in the book.
The book is organized into seven chapters:
Chapter 1: 'Language Learning in early childhood' (Includes a new section on childhood bilingualism.)
Chapter 2: 'Explaining second language learning' (Includes new material for the 3rd edition on skill learning, connectionism, and the 'noticing hypothesis'.)
Chapter 3: 'Individual differences in second language learning' (Topics covered include: intelligence, aptitude, learning styles, personality, motivation and attitudes, identity and ethic group affiliation, and learner beliefs.)
Chapter 4: 'Learner language' (Describes the features and sequence of language development and includes discussion of how second language learning is affected by the student's first language)
Chapter 5: 'Observing learning and teaching in the second language' (Looks at different learning environments and then discusses ways of observing and reporting on them.)
Chapter 6: 'Second language learning in the classroom' (Contains six practical proposals for classroom teaching based on research findings and insights.)
Chapter 7: 'Popular ideas about language learning revisited' (The authors list and give their personal perspective on some commonly held beliefs about language learning.)
There is a Glossary to explain new and technical terms used in the book. There is also a list of suggestions for further reading at the end of each chapter, as well as a full bibliography at the end of the book.
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83
The Classroom and the Language Learner: Ethnography and Second Language Classroom Research
Leo van Lier
4.0
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84
The English Grammar Workbook for Grades 6, 7, and 8: 125+ Simple Exercises to Improve Grammar, Punctuation, and Word Usage
Lauralee Moss
4.0
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85
The English Assassin
Daniel Silva
4.0
Art restorer and sometime spy Gabriel Allon is asked to visit Zurich, to clean the work of an Old Master for a millionaire banker. But when he gets there he finds the corpse of his client in a pool of blood beneath the masterpiece, and discovers that a secret collection of priceless paintings – stolen by Nazis in the war – is missing.
With the Swiss authorities trying to pin the murder on Allon and a powerful cabal determined to make sure this wartime secret remains buried, the art restorer must use all his former spy skills to find out the truth. And with an assassin that he helped to train also on the loose, Allon will need all his wits just to stay alive …
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86
The Circuit: Stories from the Life of a Migrant Child
Francisco Jiménez
4.0
These independent but intertwined stories follow a migrant family through their circuit, from picking cotton and strawberries to topping carrots - and back again - over a number of years. As it moves from one labor camp to the next, the little family of four grows into ten. Impermanence and poverty define their lives. But with faith, hope, and back-breaking work, the family endures.
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87
The Great Kapok Tree
Lynne Cherry
4.0
The author and artist Lynne Cherry journeyed deep into the rain forests of Brazil to write and illustrate her gorgeous picture book The Great Kapok Tree: A Tale of the Amazon Rain Forest (1990). One day, a man exhausts himself trying to chop down a giant kapok tree. While he sleeps, the forest’s residents, including a child from the Yanomamo tribe, whisper in his ear about the importance of trees and how "all living things depend on one another" . . . and it works. Cherry’s lovingly rendered colored pencil and watercolor drawings of all the "wondrous and rare animals" evoke the lush rain forests, as well as stunning world maps bordered by tree porcupines, emerald tree boas, and dozens more fascinating creatures.
Awards: IRA Teacher’s Choice (1991), ABA’s Pick of the Lists, Reading Rainbow Review Book, NSTA-CBC Outstanding Trade Book for Children
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88
Among the Hidden (Shadow Children, #1)
Margaret Peterson Haddix, Cliff Nielsen
4.0
SHADOW CHILDREN
Luke has never been to school. He's never had a birthday party, or gone to a friend's house for an overnight. In fact, Luke has never had a friend.
Luke is one of the shadow children, a third child forbidden by the Population Police. He's lived his entire life in hiding, and now, with a new housing development replacing the woods next to his family's farm, he is no longer even allowed to go outside.
Then, one day Luke sees a girl's face in the window of a house where he knows two other children already live. Finally, he's met a shadow child like himself. Jen is willing to risk everything to come out of the shadows - does Luke dare to become involved in her dangerous plan? Can he afford not to?
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89
The Ramayana: A Modern Retelling of the Great Indian Epic
Ramesh Menon
4.0
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90
Fundamentals of English Grammar
Betty Schrampfer Azar
4.0
-- Utilizes a developmental skills approach and a broad syllabus of English structures that teach speaking, listening, writing, and reading while focusing on target structures and communication practice. -- Includes key topics such as verb forms, connecting ideas with coordinating and subordinating conjunctions, and comparisons. -- Offers a variety of oral and written exercises, in interesting and realistic contexts.Program Components: -- Student Book -- available in full and split editions. -- Workbook -- offers self-study practice (with answers provided) for independent study and guided study practices (no answers provided). -- Chartbook -- a compilation of all the grammar charts from the Student Book, for use as a review or with the Workbook for additional practice. -- Teacher's Guide -- includes answers to all Student Book and Workbook exercises, as well as detailed teaching instructions for each grammar lesson. -- Transparencies -- black-and-white transparencies for each grammar chart. -- Answer Keys -- available for the Student Book and the Workbook.
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91
Practice Makes Perfect Basic English, Second Edition: (beginner) 250 Exercises + 40 Audio Pronunciation Exercises Via App
Julie Lachance
4.0
Bite-size lessons. Big-time learning, now with digital support
"Practice Makes Perfect Premium: Basic English" takes this successful workbook to the next level with digital support (through iOS, Android, and desktop app) that provides you with invaluable tools to ensure mastery of the content. Inside, three-page units cover each subject, which can be completed in a mere 10 to 15 minutes! Also included are engaging and humorous exercises to keep you focused and interested while you gain confidence in your new language.
Features: Sets of flashcards for all the vocabulary lists with progress tracking An answer key for all exercises in the book with progress tracking Audio recordings for all exercise answers in English and reading passages Record and replay function to compare your pronunciations to those of native speakers
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92
Stone Soup
Marcia Brown
4.0
Clever soldiers outwit greedy townspeople with the creation of a special soup in this cherished classic, a Caldecott Honor book.
First published in 1947, this picture book classic has remained one of Marcia Brown's most popular and enduring books. This story, about three hungry soldiers who outwit the greedy inhabitants of a village into providing them with a feast, is based on an old French tale.
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93
The House on Mango Street
Sandra Cisneros
4.0
Acclaimed by critics, beloved by readers of all ages, taught everywhere from inner-city grade schools to universities across the country, and translated all over the world, The House on Mango Street is the remarkable story of Esperanza Cordero.
Told in a series of vignettes – sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous–it is the story of a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become. Few other books in our time have touched so many readers.
For those asking, I actually read two books in February. "The House on Mango Street" is one of the most interestingly written books I've ever digested--a beautiful work. And I loved the Shatner book because I love Shatner. #newyearsresolutionstillgoingstrong https://t.co/4TVPbjJAEJ [source]
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94
How to Teach Grammar
Scott Thornbury
4.0
A guide for teachers on how to develop or enhance their grammar-teaching skills. The early part of the book considers such issues as the nature of grammar and the reasons for teaching it. Subsequent chapters explore both inductive and deductive approaches to grammar. The book also explores ways of practising a variety of grammar topics, methods of dealing with grammatical errors in students' work, and ways of integrating grammar instruction into different general methodologies, such as communicative language learning and task-based learning.
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95
The Best Nest
P.D. Eastman
4.0
Back in 1957, Theodor Geisel responded to an article in Life magazine that lamented the use of boring reading primers in schools. Using the pseudonym of "Dr. Seuss" (Seuss was Geisel's middle name) and only two hundred twenty-three words, Geisel created a replacement for those dull primers: "The Cat in the Hat." The instant success of the book prompted Geisel and his wife to found Beginner Books, and Geisel wrote many popular books in this series, including "Hop on Pop, " "Fox in Socks, " and "Green Eggs and Ham." Other favorite titles in this series are "Go, Dog, Go!" and "Are You My Mother?" by P. D. Eastman, "A Fly Went By, " by Mike McClintock, and "Put Me in the Zoo, " by Robert Lopshire. These affordable hardcover books combine large print, easy vocabulary, and large, bright illustrations in stories kids will want to read again and again. Grades 1 - Grades 2.
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96
English for Everyone: Beginner Box Set: Course and Practice Books Four-Book Self-Study Program
DK Publishing
4.0
A new, exciting, and intuitive way to learn English, this comprehensive self-study course--now available in a beautifully packaged box set--is uniquely visual, engaging, and easy to follow.
Combines innovative visual teaching methods with the best of DK design to make the English language easy to learn. The beginner-level box set includes Levels 1 and 2 of the course, taking you from complete beginner to pre-intermediate level, and covering skills such as talking about yourself, describing places, giving advice, and making suggestions. The set includes two course books and two corresponding practice books. The practice books are essential companions to the course books, offering extensive exercises to drill language skills and improve fluency.
Key language skills, grammar rules, and vocabulary are presented in a clear and simple way, with attractive illustrations to put new words in context. Listening, speaking, reading, and writing exercises, backed by extensive audio and interactive digital practice, are presented in bite-sized modules, allowing you to learn at your own pace. The English for Everyone beginner-level box set makes it incredibly easy to start teaching yourself English.
Series Overview: English for Everyone series teaches all levels of English, from beginner to advanced, to speakers of English as a second language. Innovative visual learning methods introduce key language skills, grammar, and vocabulary, which are reinforced with a variety of speaking, reading, and writing exercises to make the English language easier to understand and learn. Visit www.dkefe.com to find out more.
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97
Four Feet, Two Sandals
Karen Lynn Williams, Khadra Mohammed
4.0
When relief workers bring used clothing to the refugee camp, everyone scrambles to grab whatever they can. Ten-year-old Lina is thrilled when she finds a sandal that fits her foot perfectly, until she sees that another girl has the matching shoe. But soon Lina and Feroza meet and decide that it is better to share the sandals than for each to wear only one. As the girls go about their routines washing clothes in the river, waiting in long lines for water, and watching for their names to appear on the list to go to America the sandals remind them that frie ndship is what is most important. Four Feet, Two Sandals was inspired by a refugee girl who asked the authors why there were no books about children like her. With warm colors and sensitive brush strokes, this book portrays the strength, courage, and hope of refugees around the world, whose daily existence is marked by uncertainty and fear.
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98
The Titanic: Lost and Found
Judy Donnelly
4.0
Titanic. Just the name evokes tales of the doomed ship that have captivated people of all ages for more than 100 years. Early readers will enjoy this exciting account of the world's most famous disaster-at-sea and the discovery of it's remains many years later. Step 4 books are perfect for independent readers who are confident with simple sentences and are just starting to tackle paragraphs.
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99
The Perfect English Grammar Workbook: Simple Rules and Quizzes to Master Today's English
Lisa McLendon
4.0
The Easiest-to-Use, Most Up-to-Date Grammar Workbook for Improving Your Daily Communication
The English language is expansive and complex. The rules are always changing, and grammar advice from a century or even a few years ago may not apply today. If you want to communicate with clarity and credibility if you want people to focus on what you re saying, rather than how you re saying it then you need to use excellent grammar.
Editor, linguistic expert, and self-proclaimed grammar cheerleader Lisa McLendon has spent her career finding ways to use language effectively and correctly. Lisa knows that the primary reason people are uneasy about writing and public speaking is because they aren t confident in their grammar skills. With The Perfect English Grammar Workbook Lisa has developed a simple, well-organized grammar workbook that demystifies English grammar so you can use it with confidence and accuracy.
In The Perfect English Grammar Workbook you ll find:
EASY-TO-FOLLOW LESSONS organized by how we naturally learn simple instructions followed by self-directed quizzes RELEVANT, ENGAGING EXAMPLES that demonstrate grammar rules with wit, humor, and contemporary appeal RECENT, UP-TO-DATE RULES based on the English language we use today A WIDE VARIETY OF EXERCISES that make learning fun HELPFUL FEATURES FOR CLASSROOM USE including standalone answer keys for easy photocopying and color-coded pages for quick navigation Finding the best grammar workbook can be difficult. But The Perfect English Grammar Workbook provides everything you need to master the rules of grammar with ease and enjoyment.
The Perfect English Grammar Workbook covers all English grammar rules including: Composition • Parts of Speech • Sentence Structure • Verbs • Determiners • Nouns • Adjectives • Prepositions • Conjunctions • Punctuation • and more.
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100
Essential Grammar in Use with Answers: A Self-Study Reference and Practice Book for Elementary Learners of English
Raymond Murphy
4.0
The world's best-selling grammar series for learners of English. Essential Grammar in Use is a self-study reference and practice book for elementary-level learners (A1-B1), used by millions of people around the world. With clear examples, easy-to-follow exercises and answer key, the Fourth edition is perfect for independent study, covering all the areas of grammar that you will need at this level. The book has an easy-to-use format of two-page units with clear explanations of grammar points on the left-hand page, and practice exercises on the right. It also includes plenty of additional exercises and a Study Guide to help you find the grammar units you need to study.