"Seven at one blow!" That's what they say about the Brave Little Tailor -- he killed seven foes with one blow. But no one can prove it's even true. Besides, that took place a long time ago, and the Brave Little Tailor is now an old man. So what happens when an army of angry trolls invades his kingdom?Meet Patch Ridlin. He's a tailor's simple apprentice in the remote village of Crossfield. He's a hard worker who's never wanted for much, except maybe a little adventure. But when he rescues his friend Osbert from an aging and decrepit troll, Patch finds himself something of a town hero. Word of his bravery quickly spreads throughout the countryside, and Patch is summoned to the king's castle. King Milo needs his help to wage war on a gang of trolls threatening to destroy the kingdom. Soon Patch finds himself engaged in an all-out battle against the trolls. With only the help of a fool named Simon and a maddening riddle, can Patch figure out the troll's fatal flaw? Or is the kingdom destined to perish?From School Library JournalGrade 4-6–Just 50 years after the Brave Little Tailor killed his giant (but was it really seven at one blow?) the kingdom is in need of another hero. Loathsome giant trolls have begun venturing out of their usual habitat, the Barren Gray, and killing everything in their path. Then word comes that Patch, a young tailor's apprentice, has killed one of the trolls. Not long after that, a party of knights and nobles take him to the king's castle. In truth, Patch only confronted the troll to defend a beloved old friend and managed to topple him off a bridge into a river where he drowned, but the king still hopes that Patch will help find a solution to his problem. In the end, his kindness and cleverness help him find an answer when their brawn and breeding cannot, but only after several mistakes almost cost him his life and that of others. This brief novel has the themes and motifs of an expanded fairy tale with a brave young hero, a wise fool, a kind king and a brave and forthright queen, and some really horrific trolls with various oozing bodily fluids and gross habits. The plot and the language are sometimes predictable, but the characters are interestingly depicted. Fans of fairy-tale-styled novels like Donna Jo Napoli's Crazy Jack (Delacorte, 1999) and The Prince of the Pond (Puffin, 1994) will enjoy this story.–Susan L. Rogers, Chestnut Hill Academy, PA Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. About the AuthorP. W. (Paul William) Catanese was born in New York and grew up in Connecticut, where he lives with his wife and three children. When he's not writing books, he draws cartoons and works for an advertising agency. Interestingly, the letters in "P. W. Catanese" can be rearranged to spell "want escape?" Paul figures that's why people read books like his. Views: 65
Born to use dark magic... This is a thrilling collection of stories based on many of the witches from Joseph Delaney's SPOOKS books.Ever wondered why the Spook doesn't trust girls who wear pointy shoes? Or why Grimalkin became the Assassin for the Malkin Witch clan? Find out all this and more in this a dark and eerie collection. You don't have to know the Spook's books to enjoy the stories. They're all standalone and absolutely haunting. A perfect introduction to the world of The Spook's Apprentice. But for any fans of the series out there, this collection will be a must-have. Views: 65
The year is 2053. The Earth has been reborn.
Long-dormant magical forces have returned to the world, and the creatures of mankind's legends and nightmares have come out of hiding....
Megacorporations are the new world superpowers, ruling from the safety of vast arcologies. But outside the corporate enclaves, the dregs of society are at war. Organized crime gangs and other, more nefarious organizations struggle to carve out their own small empires. Sliding through the cracks in between are shadowrunners—professionals of the underworld who will do anything for a profit, and anything it takes to get the job done.
Kellan Colt has come to Seattle to make a name for herself in the shadows. But her first run proves that in her line of work, there's no such thing as a sure thing, and that in her world, there is only one law—survival. Views: 65
Meet Claudia Bloom. She's having one of those years. First she steals her ex's VW bus and drives it from Austin to Santa Cruz, where it promptly explodes. Next she lets herself be rescued by Clay, a cute DJ on a motorcycle, falls hard and meets his somehow-never-mentioned estranged wife while searching frantically for her panties. She tries to forget about Clay and focus on her tenuous new career teaching theater at UC Santa Cruz, only to discover Clay's wife is her colleague and his mother is her boss. Could it get any worse? When her neo-Deadhead cousin shows up with a horse-size mutt, Rex, and the two of them take up residence on her couch, Claudia's pretty sure things have hit rock bottom.Set in the über-hip beach town of Santa Cruz, this novel explores the rocky terrain of family secrets, forbidden fruit and all things Tart. Views: 65
A woman who knows what she wants
She has exacting standards, and Theresa Jacobs will settle for nothing but the best. So when tall and sexy Kyle Cameron struts into her tattoo parlor, she knows she's found a man with all the right moves. And the best part? He's as allergic to commitment as she is.
But just as their fling approaches sizzling, something changes. In all sorts of little ways Kyle shows her that he knows the way to treat a woman. Suddenly this fling is about more than sex. And the worst part? She's responding! So much for no strings attached. It's not so clear now what Theresa wants...except more on-the-sheets time with him. Views: 65
This work has been selected by scholars as being culturally important and is part of the knowledge base of civilization as we know it.This work is in the public domain in the United States of America, and possibly other nations. Within the United States, you may freely copy and distribute this work, as no entity (individual or corporate) has a copyright on the body of the work.Scholars believe, and we concur, that this work is important enough to be preserved, reproduced, and made generally available to the public. To ensure a quality reading experience, this work has been proofread and republished using a format that seamlessly blends the original graphical elements with text in an easy-to-read typeface.We appreciate your support of the preservation process, and thank you for being an important part of keeping this knowledge alive and relevant. Views: 65
When Margaret Cavendish, one of Elizabeth I's Gentlewomen of the Bedchamber, lost her life in a bungled attempt to kill the Queen, her daughter, Lady Grace, became a protégée to the monarch, who takes her under her wing. Now Grace, a spunky girl who romps through the gardens with the laundry maids and court tumblers and rolls her eyes at her fellow ladies, chronicles the court intrigues that swirl around her. . . .The Royal Court is on its summer travels and Lady Grace is sure something strange is going on. As Queen Elizabeth narrowly escapes a series of mysterious accidents, Grace must investigate just who might be behind the conspiracy. Could it really be one of the Queen's faithful friends--or even her latest suitor?Delve into the daybooke of Lady Grace, Queen Elizabeth's favorite Maid of Honor, to discover a deadly dangerous plot.From the Hardcover edition. Views: 65
James McCoy never thought he would face an invasion. But when an undefeated enemy slags his homeworld and carries off his brother and sister, nothing in the universe will stop him from getting them back. Views: 65
Being adopted by one of the wealthiest families in the country Lilly Sumnor should have had a life of luxury. But being hated by her adopted mother Jane for reasons no one seemed to know, made Lilly's life one of mental and physical abuse. It wasn't until the day that a young Lilly met their gardener's son Luke Hansen did she ever feel like she had something to look forward to. Views: 65
