Books with author Mary Matthews

Winner of the Fidler Award, this is a compelling, globally successful book about becoming a refugee, told with compassion and hope.War and drought have come to Tiger's country. Just before Tiger's family leaves, Tiger finds a fish struggling for life in a drying-up puddle - and rescues it. And so they set off on a dangerous journey across the mountains, with only what they can carry on their backs - the fish's grip on survival mirroring their own. Critically acclaimed for its subtlety and simplicity, this is a universal fable where the specifics of geography, conflict and even the gender of the narrator are not given. Anyone can identify with Tiger's desire to make a difference to the world, and keep hope alive.

WHEN SARA STANLEY AND JO PITTS CHANGED PLACES, SARA didn't count on Jo's criminal past. Unable to convince her captors that she is not Jo Pitts, Sara finds herself locked in a shack, let out only to pick pockets on the mainland docks. Meanwhile, desperate to understand why her darling Sara, is acting so strangely, Hetty King employs all sorts of hilarious tactics to control her niece. But the new Sara who steals, lies, cheats and continually burps, has Hetty King at her wits end. Will the real Sara Stanley ever made it home before it's too late?Adapted from the award-winning, internationally acclaimed television series, the magical adventures of “The Story Girl” continue — in the spirit and tradition of Lucy Maud Montgomery — for a new generation of young readers.“Road to Avonlea offers family programming filled with warmth, charm and more.”LOS ANGELES TIMES“Road to Avonlea confirms its status as the most consistently high quality television series Canada has ever produced.”THE GLOBE AND MAIL

WHEN SARA STANLEY AND JO PITTS MEET, FELIX KING DOES a double take. “You two could be twins!” he says. But Felix’s innocent observation brings a mischievous glint to Sara’s eyes. Desperate to escape the clutches of her overbearing Aunt Hetty, Sara convinces Jo, a streetwise orphan, to switch places with her. Meanwhile, Sara gets Gus Pike to take her to the mainland — leaving a confused Hetty to deal with the uncontrollable new Sara Stanley. But the plan backfires. When Gus suddenly disappears, Sara finds herself face-to-face with Jo Pitts’ dangerous past.The first of a two-book adventure. Adapted from the award-winning, internationally acclaimed television series, the magical adventures of “The Story Girl” continue—in the spirit and tradition of Lucy Maud Montgomery —for a new generation of young readers.“Road to Avonlea offers family programming filled with warmth, charm and more.” LOS ANGELES TIMES“Road to Avonlea confirms its status as the most consistently high quality television series Canada has ever produced.”THE GLOBE AND MAIL

Winner of the Fidler Award, this is a compelling, globally successful book about becoming a refugee, told with compassion and hope.War and drought have come to Tiger's country. Just before Tiger's family leaves, Tiger finds a fish struggling for life in a drying-up puddle - and rescues it. And so they set off on a dangerous journey across the mountains, with only what they can carry on their backs - the fish's grip on survival mirroring their own. Critically acclaimed for its subtlety and simplicity, this is a universal fable where the specifics of geography, conflict and even the gender of the narrator are not given. Anyone can identify with Tiger's desire to make a difference to the world, and keep hope alive.

Twelve fairies once ruled the land of Euphoria until a terrible evil known as the Dark Forces took over, leaving Euphoria without leadership. Eternal dusk had fallen over the land and there was only one that could save the people of Euphoria. Only the one with the Magic of the Night… * * *From the outside, Laura Cosimo seemed to have nothing special to offer anyone. She did not fit in with her family and did not have any friends to speak of. But Laura did have a secret. She was a fairy and while no one else knew of her powers, it made her feel special. That is, no one knew until she moved to Maryland to go to college. Soon, Laura is swept away into a world where she is told that she is not just a fairy, but a ruler and it is up to her to restore order to the world. With the help of her new friends, Heather and Erika, she will have to learn new ways to navigate her magic and become the ruler of the night.

Mazes and Labyrinths - A General Account of their History and Development by W. H. MatthewsAdvantages out of all proportion to the importance of the immediate aim in view are apt to accrue whenever an honest endeavour is made to find an answer to one of those awkward questions which are constantly arising from the natural working of a child's mind. It was an endeavour of this kind which formed the nucleus of the inquiries resulting in the following little essay.It is true that the effort in this case has not led to complete success in so far as that word denotes the formulation of an exact answer to the original question, which, being one of a number evoked by parental experiments in seaside sand-maze construction, was: "Father, who made mazes first of all?" On the other hand, one hesitates to apply so harsh a term as "failure" when bearing in mind the many delightful excursions, rural as well as literary, which have been involved and the alluring vistas of possible future research that have been opened up from time to time in the course of such excursions.By no means the least of the adventitious benefits enjoyed by the explorer has been the acquisition of a keener sense of appreciation of the labours of the archaeologist, the anthropologist, and other, more special, types of investigator, any one of whom would naturally be far better qualified to discuss the theme under consideration—at any rate from the standpoint of his particular branch of learning—than the present author can hope to be.The special thanks of the writer are due to Professor W. M. Flinders Petrie for permission to make use of his diagram of the conjectural restoration of the Labyrinth of Egypt, Fig. 4, and the view of the shrine of Amenemhat III, Fig. 2, also for facilities to sketch the Egyptian plaque in his collection which is shown in Fig. 19 and for drawing the writer's attention thereto; to Sir Arthur Evans for the use of his illustrations of double axes and of the Tomb of the Double Axe which appear as Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 respectively (Fig. 8 is also based on one of his drawings); to M. Picard (of the Librairie A. Picard) for leave to reproduce the drawing of the Susa mosaic, Fig. 37; to Mr. J. H. Craw, F.S.A. (Scot.), Secretary of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, for the use of the illustrations of sculptured rocks, Figs. 128 and 129; to the Rev. E. A. Irons for the photograph of the Wing maze, Fig. 60, and to the Rev. G. Yorke for the figure of the Alkborough "Julian's Bower," Fig. 59.The many kind-hearted persons who have earned the gratitude of the writer by acceding to his requests for local information, or by bringing useful references to his notice, will perhaps take no offence if he thanks them collectively, though very heartily, in this place. In most cases where they are not mentioned individually in the text they will be found quoted as authorities in the bibliographical appendix. The present is, however, the most fitting place in which to express a cordial acknowledgment of the assistance rendered by the writer's friend, Mr. G. F. Green, whose skill and experience in the photographic art has been of very great value.Grateful recognition must also be made of the help and courtesy extended to the writer by the officials of several libraries, museums, and other institutions, notably the British Museum, the Society of Antiquaries, Sion College, and the Royal Horticultural Society.

Mazes and Labyrinths - A General Account of their History and Development by W. H. MatthewsAdvantages out of all proportion to the importance of the immediate aim in view are apt to accrue whenever an honest endeavour is made to find an answer to one of those awkward questions which are constantly arising from the natural working of a child's mind. It was an endeavour of this kind which formed the nucleus of the inquiries resulting in the following little essay.It is true that the effort in this case has not led to complete success in so far as that word denotes the formulation of an exact answer to the original question, which, being one of a number evoked by parental experiments in seaside sand-maze construction, was: "Father, who made mazes first of all?" On the other hand, one hesitates to apply so harsh a term as "failure" when bearing in mind the many delightful excursions, rural as well as literary, which have been involved and the alluring vistas of possible future research that have been opened up from time to time in the course of such excursions.By no means the least of the adventitious benefits enjoyed by the explorer has been the acquisition of a keener sense of appreciation of the labours of the archaeologist, the anthropologist, and other, more special, types of investigator, any one of whom would naturally be far better qualified to discuss the theme under consideration—at any rate from the standpoint of his particular branch of learning—than the present author can hope to be.The special thanks of the writer are due to Professor W. M. Flinders Petrie for permission to make use of his diagram of the conjectural restoration of the Labyrinth of Egypt, Fig. 4, and the view of the shrine of Amenemhat III, Fig. 2, also for facilities to sketch the Egyptian plaque in his collection which is shown in Fig. 19 and for drawing the writer's attention thereto; to Sir Arthur Evans for the use of his illustrations of double axes and of the Tomb of the Double Axe which appear as Figs. 9, 10, 11 and 12 respectively (Fig. 8 is also based on one of his drawings); to M. Picard (of the Librairie A. Picard) for leave to reproduce the drawing of the Susa mosaic, Fig. 37; to Mr. J. H. Craw, F.S.A. (Scot.), Secretary of the Berwickshire Naturalists' Club, for the use of the illustrations of sculptured rocks, Figs. 128 and 129; to the Rev. E. A. Irons for the photograph of the Wing maze, Fig. 60, and to the Rev. G. Yorke for the figure of the Alkborough "Julian's Bower," Fig. 59.The many kind-hearted persons who have earned the gratitude of the writer by acceding to his requests for local information, or by bringing useful references to his notice, will perhaps take no offence if he thanks them collectively, though very heartily, in this place. In most cases where they are not mentioned individually in the text they will be found quoted as authorities in the bibliographical appendix. The present is, however, the most fitting place in which to express a cordial acknowledgment of the assistance rendered by the writer's friend, Mr. G. F. Green, whose skill and experience in the photographic art has been of very great value.Grateful recognition must also be made of the help and courtesy extended to the writer by the officials of several libraries, museums, and other institutions, notably the British Museum, the Society of Antiquaries, Sion College, and the Royal Horticultural Society.

Within Ava, within Kel Doran - Something has awakened...The Caro Expedition is under way, but the journey will not be without peril for the mysterious warrior and those she leads. Their goal: to plunder the secrets of Valshyr, unlock its past, and search for answers within the mist.Meanwhile, in Wyvern’s Rest, Ava has her freedom, but it may cost her more than she can bare. She and the other survivors are left battered and broken as tremors plague their helpless city, pushed to the brink as darkness infests the Outer Quarter.Put to the test, Ava will have to choose between her freedom and the city’s survival. Which will she choose?The epic adventure continues in Book 2 of the Mists of Kel Doran Series!

Terrific New Teen Adventure Book!An Awe-Inspiring New Adventure Series, Hailed “Tantalizing” by Critics."London Blue" is an unusual tale that mixes thrilling fantasy with emotionally charged drama in a fantastic way." - Amazon 5 Star Review"Great Young Adult novel full of great characters and an intense plot. A page turner, for sure!" - Amazon 5 Star Review"Great book - very engaging for teens who love excitement & adventure! Would highly recommend for young adult readers." - Amazon 5 Star ReviewAbout London BlueAll the rumors are true . . . everyone's survival depends on . . . what Nikki does in the next 30 seconds.It’s Laura’s wish to have her daughter experience a dream that she never could. So, Nikki takes a once in a lifetime opportunity and begins an extraordinary voyage. But, a harrowing sequence of events leaves seventeen-year-old Nikki and her shipmates battling for survival, and losing. As all hope fades, out of the darkness, a leader emerges . . ."WOW! My kids have never read a book so fast!" - Amazon 5 Star ReviewIf you enjoy reading teen adventure books like Divergent, The Hunger Games, or The Maze Runner, then London Blue is your next good pick!