Puffin Chinese Cinderella Yen Mah Adeline

To me, writing was pure pleasure. It thrilled me to be able to escape the horrors of my daily life in such a simple way. When I wrote, I forgot that I was the unwanted daughter who caused her mother's death. I could be anybody I wished to be • When her mother dies shortly after her birth, lonely Adeline is marked as 'bad luck' and treated as an outcast by her own family, shown kindness only by her grandfather and Aunt Baba who encourage her to follow her dreams • Adeline strives to win her father's acceptance by excelling in school, but instead discovers an escape in the friendships of her classmates and her talent for writing. For the first time Adeline allows herself to dream of a real future as a writer and yearns to study in England with her brother - but it is a future she will have to fight with every ounce of strength she has to achieve

This book is the life story and family history of Adeline Yen Mah. Adeline was born in China at a time of great change and trouble. At the same time, she suffered terrible unkindness from the members of her own family. Falling Leaves is a story of pain and fear, but also of hope as Adeline fights for her independence

Chinese for Beginners is an excellent, user–friendly book for learning the Chinese language • Yi Ren has taught thousands of Americans to speak Chinese fluently. Now, she and co-author Xiayuan Liang share their secrets for fast mastery of Mandarin Chinese with you. China has 1.3 billion people, and due to initiatives to phase out regional dialects in favor of Mandarin Chinese, nearly all of them can communicate in Mandarin. Don't let yourself be intimidated by this rewarding language. Although it is true that mastery of the Chinese language takes time, Mandarin Chinese has simpler grammar than English, and there are no conjugations—meaning anyone can learn a few critical phrases in no time • Chock full of extra hints and tips from the authors' many years of experience teaching Mandarin Chinese in adult evening classes, Chinese for Beginners focuses on realistic situations you'll encounter when you meet people in China

Puffin Classics bring the very best children's stories to a new generation. Roger Lancelyn Green's time-honoured collection of Norse myths and legends is introduced by bestselling author Michelle Paver, creator of the Chronicles of Ancient Darkness collection and Gods and Warriors, her epic Greek Bronze Age series for Puffin • The great Norse sagas are full of magic and heroic deeds. Odin's wanderings, Thor's hammer, the death of Bakkur, the vision of Ragnarok - tales which have been told since time immemorial - are given a fresh life in this version, written as one continuous exciting adventure story • Puffin Classics contain additional endnotes for children including an author profile, a guide to who's who, activities and more

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child • Yes,' she said, 'he is really quite a beauty, and he has such a sweet good-tempered face and such a fine intelligent eye - what do you say to calling him Black Beauty? • Black Beauty is a handsome, sweet-tempered but strong-spirited young horse, used to galloping free in the fresh green meadows with his beloved mother, Duchess, and their kind master. But when his owners are forced to sell him, Black Beauty goes from a life of comfort and kindness to one of hard labour and cruelty. He bravely works as hard as he can, enduring hardships and fostering loyal friendships along the way • Charming and timeless, Black Beauty is an uplifting story of strength, survival and empathy in the face of adversity

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child • "You know when you feel a rumbling in the ground, and people tell you it's a tube train going by? Well, it's not a tube train,' Corky said. 'It's the thing that lives in the sewers. It comes up at night, when we're asleep.' • 'What is it?' Ruskin asked breathlessly • 'Krindlekrax,' Corky replied • There are plenty of weird and wonderful characters who live on Lizard Street. The hero of our story is Ruskin Splinter. But to be honest, Ruskin is a very unlikely hero. Small and thin, with knock-knees, thick glasses, a squeaky voice, no one at Ruskin's school believes he's capable of anything - all except for Ruskin's only friend Corky, the school caretaker • Ruskin is therefore delighted when Corky tells him the terrifying story of Krindlekrax: the giant crocodile who lives beneath their town's streets

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child • Heracles hauling the triple-headed dog Cerberus from the underworld. Jason voyaging across oceans to seize the golden fleece. Odysseus and the Trojan wars. Tales of the Greek Heroes tells the mysterious and exciting legends of the gods and heroes in Ancient Greece • Greek mythology has inspired stories for thousands of years, with tales of lost love and magic. Join our heroes in their journeys of resilience and revenge, guilt and love, and trials and betrayal • This edition includes a special introduction by Rick Riordan, creator of the highly successful Percy Jackson series, inspired by the great Greek myths

Puffin Classics bring together the very best children's stories for a whole new generation. In this sequel to FIVE CHILDREN AND IT, the magical adventures of siblings Cyril, Anthea, Robert, Jane and their baby brother continue • It's startling enough to have a phoenix hatch in your house, but even more startling when it talks and reveals that you have a magic carpet on the floor. The vain and ancient bird accompanies the children on a series of adventures through time and space which, magic being what it is, rarely turn out as they were meant

Puffin Classics: the definitive collection of timeless stories, for every child • Not a speck, not a stain on her gray school skirt and blue blouse to show what terrible thing had happened . . . If only by putting on something fresh and new, they could begin the day again • When twelve-year-old Sade's mother is killed, she and her little brother Femi are forced to flee from their home in Nigeria to Britain. They're not allowed to tell anyone - not even their best friends - as their whole journey is secret, dangerous - and illegal. Their dad promises to follow when he can, but once the children arrive in London, things go from bad to worse when they're abandoned by the people they had been told would protect them • Sade faces challenge after challenge - but her dad has always taught her to stand up for what is right, and to tell the truth no matter what

A sumptuous treasury of original fairytales from the brothers Grimm, introduced by award-winning author Cornelia Funke and with full colour illustrations by artists Quentin Blake, Raymond Briggs, Axel Scheffler, Oliver Jeffers, Helen Oxenbury and Emma Chichester Clark celebrating the bicentenary of the first volume of Grimms' original fairytales • From the land of fantastical castles, vast lakes and deep forests, the Brothers Grimm collected a treasury of enchanting folk and fairy stories full of giants and dwarfs, witches and princesses, magical beasts and cunning children. From classics such as 'The Frog Prince' and 'Hansel and Grettel' to the delights of 'Ashputtel' - the original Cinderella - all hold a timeless magic which has enthralled children for generations

A Puffin Book - stories that last a lifetime • Puffin Modern Classics are relaunched under a new logo: A Puffin Book. There are 20 titles to collect in the series, listed below, all with exciting new covers and fun-filled endnotes • London street urchin Smith is 12 years old, and an experienced pick-pocket. One day on Ludgate Hill, he robbed an old gentleman, and one minute later watched him silently murdered by two men, who chased him for the document he had stolen but could not understand • Smith artfully dodges the two men and winds up in the odd company of a wealthy blind man, who takes Smith into his home and provides him with an education. But this new comfort is lost when Smith himself is suspected of the very murder he witnessed • Leon Garfield was a British novelist, born in 1921

Fearless heroes, feisty princesses, sly magicians, terrifying dragons, talking foxes and miniature dogs. They all feature in this enthralling compendium of Chinese fairy tales and legends, along with an array of equally colourful characters and captivating plots • Although largely unknown in the West, the 70-plus stories in this volume are just as beguiling as the more familiar Grimms' Fairy Tales or Arabian Nights. They were collected in the early 20th century by Richard Wilhelm and first translated into English by Frederick H Martens. This beautifully produced revised and edited new edition includes updated notes which not only provide background on the tales, but also offer a fascinating insight into ancient Chinese folk lore and culture • These are stories to return to time and time again