Books published by publisher Cardinal Books

To Build a Fire is a short story by Jack London, published in Century Magazine in 1908, later reprinted in the 1910 collection Lost Face. (An earlier draft had been published in 1902 in Youth's Companion.) London's widely anthologized masterpiece illustrates in graphic terms the futility of human efforts to conquer nature. Set in the Klondike in winter, the story concerns a man who ignores warnings and attempts to travel a great distance in the extreme cold. Although even his dog senses the folly of the journey, the man stubbornly continues to believe in his own infallibility. His doom is sealed when, after getting his feet wet, he is unable to build the crucial fire that might save his life. London's stark, unadorned prose is a powerful vehicle for his grim message.

Cold feet on a baby penguin? This is a serious problem in Antarctica, the coldest, windiest place on earth. When several suggested solutions fail to warm his feet, baby Markus realizes he must rely on himself for a solution. He must find a way to keep his feet warm. Follow Markus as he searches for a solution. Find out what happens to him and his cold feet. Then read the Fun Facts at the bottom of the pages to learn what is true about Antarctica, emperor penguins, and other animals that live near them. “A charming tale about a baby penguin with a problem that penguins aren’t supposed to have. Young children will be captivated by the ways in which young Markus attempts to solve his problem, while older children will be entertained by the Fun Facts at the bottom of the pages. The gentle, delicate drawings are delightful and engaging.” — Beth Macleod, Reference Librarian Emeritus, 35 years as libraria “Children will delight in this warm story of Markus, a penguin who is brave and persistent and demonstrates wonderful problem-solving skills. Fascinating penguin “facts” on every page complement the story and make it a book that children will want to hear over and over.” — Judy Kulczycki, Teacher Educator and Early Childhood Consultant, 50+ years in the field “Few books manage to hold a child’s attention while educating them. The Penguin Had Cold Feet is a captivating story that engages children from the first page to the last. In my role as home educator, I found this to be a perfect book for our third grade science and language arts curriculum.” —Jennifer Escher, Home Educator for the past 4 years “The combination of fictional narrative and factual tidbits opens this book to a wide range of children, making this a book that grows with the reader.” — Dr. Susan Stan, Professor Emeritus of Children’s Literature with 20 years in children’s book publishing

Larry Darrell is a young American in search of the absolute. The progress of this spiritual odyssey involves him with some of Maugham's most brillant characters - his fiancee Isabel, whose choice between love and wealth have lifelong repercussions, and Elliot Templeton, her uncle, a classic expatriate American snob. The most ambitious of Maugham's novels, this is also one in which Maugham himself plays a considerable part as he wanders in and out of the story, to observe his characters struggling with their fates.