Books with author Francis Davies

Published to great acclaim in six countries, The Great Inland Sea is a haunting novel about a boy who escapes the scorched Australian landscape of his youth with a horse called Unusual, and returns as an adult to nurse his ailing father, discovering the secrets long buried there. The Great Inland Sea is an evocative story of grace and compassion, of a boy’s loss and enduring hope as he endeavors to forge connections with the world around him. It marks David Francis as a powerful new literary voice.

What's the largest animal in the world? What's the biggest comet ever seen? The Nature's Record-Breakers series is filled with astonishing answers to questions like these about the natural world. Full-color illustrations of record-breaking wonders are coupled with intriguing facts in a question-and-answer format that addresses a young reader's curiosity about the natural world.The largest asteroid, the closest galaxy, the hottest part of the sun -- exciting information about record-breaking details on the Universe is included in this fun and fact-filled book. Learn about objects in the Universe, including constellations, planets, galaxies, and meteors, and how these objects may have been formed. Take a look at tools scientists use to study the Universe as well as explanations for mysteries such as auroras and the "man in the moon."

Nature's Record-Breakers is an exciting series filled with astonishing facts about wonders of the natural world and beyond. Full-color illustrations of record-breaking creatures, natural phenomena, and unique technologies are sure to capture the interest of readers of all ages. Accurate, easy-to-read text in a lively, accessible format will also encourage curious young readers to take a closer look at the marvelous details of their world.Take a look at how Earth's continents are moving as well as scientists' theories on what Earth will look like in the future.

Day's mother died with her eyes wide open in 1947, near Maude, New South Wales. No doctor was called. Day watched his father drop her body into the red earth wrapped in a feed sack. He was only twelve. When he rode up Muddy Gates Lane, away from there, he didn't know that he was leaving, but he was sure he wasn't coming back. Day's journey took him to America, traveling as groom for a horse called Unusual. On the Eastern Shore of Maryland he meets Callie, who wants to be the world's first woman jockey. There is no doubt in her eyes, she knows about things that Day has never seen. He is stranded by a love for Callie that takes him back to the harshness of his childhood in Australia, to the dark secrets of his family. An exquisitely crafted and poignant story that reveals David Francis as a writer with an extraordinary gift for language.

Day's mother died with her eyes wide open in 1947, near Maude, New South Wales. No doctor was called. Day watched his father drop her body into the red earth wrapped in a feed sack. He was only twelve. When he rode up Muddy Gates Lane, away from there, he didn't know that he was leaving, but he was sure he wasn't coming back. Day's journey took him to America, traveling as groom for a horse called Unusual. On the Eastern Shore of Maryland he meets Callie, who wants to be the world's first woman jockey. There is no doubt in her eyes, she knows about things that Day has never seen. He is stranded by a love for Callie that takes him back to the harshness of his childhood in Australia, to the dark secrets of his family. An exquisitely crafted and poignant story that reveals David Francis as a writer with an extraordinary gift for language.

In the early 1700s, the Danish administration of the Virgin Islands suppressed African music. Undeterred, Virgin Island minstrels combined the African, European, and Taino music elements that created the eclectic genre quelbe. In The Quelbe Method, Dale Francis offers a comprehensive approach that demystifies music, develops artistry in tandem with fundamentals, and provides repertoire to build musicianship and individual performance skills.Francis shares his classical and jazz guitar skills, teaching practices, and performing artist perspective in an innovative approach to learning music. The three-part arrangements are open to interpretation and variation. Part two simulates the banjo, ukulele or guitar sound, and part three portrays a bass pattern that can be played on a one-string washtub bass. Students can learn cultural rhythmic, melodic, and harmonic concepts in addition to learning to play melodies and chord progressions by ear.The Quelbe Method provides a comprehensive approach to learning music through practical theory, ear training, rhythm, technique, and performance activities, enabling both adult and young musicians to further develop their abilities to read and write music, play by ear, and improvise.

A journey about friendship and love.A young girl, Julia, and her friend, Alphonse, a St. Bernard dog, embark on a fateful day without a care in the world. As their quest for a magical creature takes them far from the safety of home they discover that no matter what obstacles they face, nothing can overcome the strength of a good heart.… seen with the eyes of a child, an adventure that holds onto the simplest of truths.“…an enthralling fable that everyone should read.”Line Langebek Knudsen