Books with author Catherine Cates

Practical everyday magic spells for the young fans of Harry Potter, Descendants, Sofia the First, and other books and films of the magic fantasy genre. These spells use only safe everyday objects and substances you have at home or outside (like milk, sugar, salt, mirror, a ring, a ribbon, tree leaves, rocks, etc.); absolutely no use of fire, or anything gross, or any ingredients or items you may not have in your kitchen at the moment (like rosewater, or sage, or a crystal ball).These spells are not based on any witchcraft, New Age, or esoteric religion, lore or rituals. This is fantasy-fiction-style educational activity material for kids ages 7-12, that helps them develop imagination, and engage in fantasy play which is vital for their intellectual and emotional development;Introduces to them a few facts of math, sciences, and history;Helps develop their interest in reading, and grow their reading fluency with an easy, 1st-2nd grade core vocabulary.If a kid in your life runs around waving a magic wand, talks about "dark chronicles," "immortal secrets, " dragons and hidden chambers filled with ancient manuscripts... If your kid recites Harry Potter spells in pseudo-Latin, and mixes magic potions in your kitchen sink...Your kid is ready for magic training. Buy this spell book for that child without delay! Your young magician will stop wasting your dish detergent, and start using actual classical Latin to punctuate his/her powerful spells.By the way, is this kid resistant to reading? Well, resistance is futile when you are dealing with a real ancient hands-on practical spell book, where you read a couple sentences, then do what you’ve just read about, then read again, and do again, read-do, read-do.... In addition to its easy vocabulary, the book is beautifully illustrated to increase your kid’s reading enthusiasm.Just like the ancients who made most of the great discoveries in math, the sciences, and arts in pursuit of magic, your child will play with the ideas of intelligence in nature, and the great unknown beyond, and develop curiosity about the world.Upon working with this 30-page book, your student of magic arts will know a fact or two about sciences and history, will be able to recite the Pythagorean Theorem and the Fibonacci Sequence (no kidding), and will answer many questions you’ve always had, like:How to find the North star?Why does your breath fog up the mirror?Who introduced Arabic numerals to replace Roman Numerals in Medieval Europe?What kind of writing system did Ancient Egyptians have?What are fractals?Who spoke Latin (besides Harry Potter at Hogwarts)?What is divination?How numerologists predict the future?Who was Pythagoras?When were the Middle Ages?What is an Ankh?What are the phases of the Moon?What are the directions of the wind in your area?Why do oil and water never mix?...And more!Currently residing in New York City, I've spent my life doing magic and taming dragons at home and at work. With an M.A, in Linguistics and years spent perusing Gothic manuscripts in underground library cells at universities on both sides of the Atlantic, I have a decent command of classical Latin and Greek, with a few European languages thrown in.But the most important thing about me is that I am the mother of a magic-obssessed 6-year old. My son hates reading, but he will read if the book contains the secret magical lore not available on Disney Channel, or in his Catholic school curriculum. I started writing this book for him during summer vacation, to help him get fluent in reading, so that one day he may understand that the only magic in the world that opens all doors is...knowledge.

This is activity material for ages 8 and up, and a book for independent reading with the core vocabulary at 2nd-3rd grade level (US), or around reading level 4. When I was in the 3rd grade, I found in our attic an old British tabloid with a spread laying out the basics of palmistry, or palm reading. I promptly learned the 2 pages by heart, and the next day in school my meteoric rise to popularity began. Friends and foes, and their grandmas lined up to have their palms read. While my family humorously dismissed my new-found talent, some kids and family friends were in awe and authentically grateful. Fast forward some decades: I didn't become a fortune teller, and have never even visited a "psychic," but those 2 magazine pages gave me something that lasted beyond a few months of fortune-telling stardom. It was my first experience of learning a knowledge system on my own, and applying it in real life. It was also the first time I was thinking on my own about people's psychological and behavioral traits and comparing my observations with the interpretations drawn from that system.Later I invested time into studying palmistry for real, with Indian palmists, and comparing it with the Western system. It was purely a hobby: I have never used this art as a basis for any real-life decisions, or practiced it as a commercial pursuit. Recently it occurred to me that my son and any kid - boy or girl - may enjoy playing with the palmistry system, and may be able to reap the same benefits I did as a child. Afte r all, quite randomly, I ended up having an expert-level training in something I don't use: I'd better share it before I forget everything!This book is based on the actual traditional Indian system of palmistry. I have not added anything from outside that system. My only contributions are: - avoiding any gloom and doom in the interpretations of the lines and signs; - avoiding any references to class or social status, as well as any fixation on 'wealth'; - avoiding any grownup content if you know what I mean; - focusing on empowering content - such as finding and growing your talents, developing self-confidence, making good choices, and so on. I don't offer any judgement regarding whether palmistry works or not - it's up to my readers to decide! My readers and I make sure we respect both those who believe in esoteric arts (as long as they are not charlatans), and those who don't. We don't laugh at other people's beliefs. The way I present the palmistry system is straightforward, with no unnecessary humor or simplification, just like I would teach an adult (so as an adult you may enjoy it too!) We'll start by drawing a strong line between the fortune-telling activity of modern-day psychics/clairvoyants (we'll learn a new word - 'charlatans'!) and the traditional system of palmistry with a history going back thousands of years to ancient India. Then I will lay out the theory, and we'll practice using my hand, and then the hands of my best friend Katie, and of my son Eric. Along the way we'll learn a few random facts from history, culture, and mythology. Here are the benefits of playing with this book: • It's an activity that requires no toys, supplies, or guidance; • It will prompt kids to think about their own and their friends' traits of character, behavior and its consequences from a non-didactic angle - just exploring a mysterious ancient art rather than being told what behavior works and what doesn't; • It can help a kid learn about the talents, careers and achievements of family members and friends; • It will help kids develop critical thinking in distinguishing real expertise from charlatanism, and learn their family's position on esoteric arts; • It may boost a kid's social popularity, just as it did mine!

This is a Level 2 Reader book: 4-6 simple sentences per page,1st-2nd grade vocabulary, large type, lots of colorful pictures on every page. Great for kids who have started reading on their own. Everyone enjoys adventure stories about secret vaults, sunken ships, and pirate treasures, but what about real-life treasures and treasure hunters? What are the biggest treasures ever found, and how do modern-day treasure hunters work? What if I have found a treasure: Does it belong to me?We answer all these questions! The reader will learn about the hidden hoards of Vikings, and Romans, and an ancient ship loaded with gold that ended up under the ocean sand. Who discovered those treasures? And how? From pirate ships and the Spanish treasure fleet to the Titanic - there are tons of gold, coins, precious artifacts, and adventures in our book!And treasure hunters! Some of them try to steal the treasures, some generously donate them to a museum, and one of them threw his treasure out! Well, if you are a gopher digging your underground tunnel, what use do you have for a bag of coins taking all that tunnel space you need to store your roots and grain for winter?...

The Brontë sisters are among the most beloved writers of all time, best known for their classic nineteenth-century novels Jane Eyre (Charlotte), Wuthering Heights (Emily), and Agnes Grey (Anne). In this sometimes heartbreaking young adult biography, Catherine Reef explores the turbulent lives of these literary siblings and the oppressive times in which they lived. Brontë fans will also revel in the insights into their favorite novels, the plethora of poetry, and the outstanding collection of more than sixty black-and-white archival images. A powerful testimony to the life of the mind. (Endnotes, bibliography, index.)

On the 200th anniversary of the publication of Frankenstein, comes a riveting biography of its author, Mary Shelley, whose life reads like a dark gothic novel, filled with scandal, death, drama, and one of the strangest love stories in literary history. The story of Frankenstein’s creator is a strange, romantic, and tragic one, as deeply compelling as the novel itself. Mary ran away to Lake Geneva with the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley when she was just sixteen. It was there, during a cold and wet summer, that she first imagined her story about a mad scientist who brought a corpse back to life. Success soon followed for Mary, but also great tragedy and misfortune. Catherine Reef brings this passionate woman, brilliant writer, and forgotten feminist into crisp focus, detailing a life that was remarkable both before and after the publication of her iconic masterpiece. Includes index.

"An exciting novel with magic and serial killers.... One of the hottest books coming out."—Hypable.comFans of Marie Lu, Leigh Bardugo, and Kristin Cashore will be captivated by this stunning first book in a must-have new fantasy trilogy about a spy who can vanish at will and who discovers that monsters, mystery, and magic are also lurking—just out of sight.Julia has the unusual ability to be . . . unseen. Not invisible, exactly. Just beyond most people's senses. It's a dangerous trait in a city that has banned all forms of magic and drowns witches in public Cleansings. But it's a useful trait for a thief and a spy. And Julia has learned—crime pays.She's being paid very well indeed to infiltrate the grand house of Mrs. Och and report back on the odd characters who live there and the suspicious dealings that take place behind locked doors. But what Julia discovers shakes her to the core. She certainly never imagined that the traitor in the house would turn out to be . . . her. Murder, thievery, witchcraft, betrayal--Catherine Egan builds a dangerous world where her fierce and flawed heroine finds that even a girl who can vanish can't walk away from her own worst deeds.

In this Alpha Brotherhood novel from USA TODAY bestselling author Catherine Mann, friendship turns to passion with consequences. No one knows Elliot Starc better than Lucy Ann Joyner. Yet after one reckless night of passion, their friendship is in tatters. And though women line up for the race-car driver's attention, none of them help him forget Lucy Ann. Except now he and Lucy Ann have a baby, and Elliot wants a second chance. The chance to become the father he never had. The chance for best friends to become something more. But can Lucy Ann forgive the mistakes he's made and trust that he wants more than a marriage for the sake of their son?

This bind-up features two repackaged fan-favorite novels that are sure to delight readers of Stephanie Perkins, Jennifer Echols, and, of course, Catherine Clark.Summer vacation isn’t just about working on your tan line and flirting with the lifeguard. . . . For two teenage girls in two irresistibly romantic novels it’s also a chance to learn that sometimes leaving home is the best way to find yourself.In Picture Perfect, Emily can’t wait to spend her summer on the beautiful beaches of the Outer Banks, North Carolina. It has been two years since she went on a trip with her three closest childhood friends—two years that she’s hoping will erase the memory of the last time she saw Spencer, the boy who broke her heart. And what better way to forget about Spencer than to have the perfect summer fling with Blake, the boy living in the beach house next door? But embarking on a new romance is more difficult than she expected when her feelings for her first love aren’t exactly a thing of the past.In Wish You Were Here, Ariel is embarking on the summer vacation of a lifetime—at least, she hopes this is the only trip like this she’ll ever take. Stuck on an “America’s Heartland” bus tour with her family, leaving her amazing boyfriend back home, and maintaining her track-team endurance by sprinting through rest stop parking lots? Who could survive four weeks of that? But as she spends more time with the intriguing, also-miserable Andre, Ariel begins to learn that sometimes you just have to go where the road takes you—even if the tour bus won’t.

Reservations? Yes. A couple. Like: Is Hayden really as interested in me as I am in him? And is my roommate right—should I "beware of hookups"? Confirmation? Doubtful. Oh, I'm sorry, I thought you said "commitment." Special Requests? Let me get through this summer without being fired and heartbroken. Let me fall in love this summer. Let me be part of the inn crowd.

The world is brimming full of incredible inventions - but where did it all begin? How did these incredible inventions come about? Journey back in time, travel across the world and discover incredible inventions from throughout history. Take a ride on the very first wheel, find your way and ensure you'll never get lost again with the compass, let the lights come on with electricity, watch as the world puffs into life with the steam engine and many more astounding inventions. Written with bitesized pieces of text and illustrated with bright and engaging artwork, this is the perfect introduction to some of the most amazing inventions that have helped make history.Learn fascinating facts about the people behind these inventions and how their discoveries changed the world forever. So what are you waiting for? Let's uncover The Story of Inventions!