Books in Z Chronicles series

Winner of the Australasian CALEB Book Award for Best Children's Book 2010 Where Lions Roar at Night is an engaging book for the whole family to enjoy. It tells of the fun and adventures and dramas of a modern day 'pioneering' New Zealand family - the Booms.Ten year old Milly had always dreamed of living in the country and owning all sorts of animals. So when her parents buy a piece of land and move their six children into a ninety-year-old barn, Milly can't believe her luck. But she never imagined that living the simple life would include mucking out a filthy water tank, gathering endless supplies of firewood, clearing the land and rescuing animals in a 'hundred year' storm. Nor did she expect to hear deep groanings in the night... When the Boom family first moved to Whangarei, New Zealand and bought 11 acres of farm land, complete with an old barn, they never dreamed that the next two years would hold so much fun and so many memorable moments. As they began making the barn livable, putting in and tending the vegetable garden, clearing the land, they also faced the constant challenges that inevitably go hand in hand with a small block. Author Rosie Boom lived in Papua New Guinea for three years during her childhood. Life was one great adventure, full of strange animals, tilley lanterns and river fun. She credits those exhilerating years with her on-going excitement at facing a challenge and enjoying having to 'rough it'. When she first laid eyes on the ancient barn, all she could think was, 'We could live here!' In the first six months, they survived two 'one hundred year' storms. The barn creaked and shook and groaned, but outlasted the onslaught. They were exciting, nerve wracking days and nights of gale force winds, rain so loud on the tin roof that the family couldn't hear themselves shout, rescuing animals and anxiously watching to see if the barn roof would lift off. Milly, the main character in the story, is the author's strong willed, feisty 12 year old. She is full of life and action, and is passionately fond of any sort of animal. In the first year of living on the land, Milly gathered a menagerie of pets - chickens, Indian Runner ducks, a pony and a milking cow to name a few. In the gentle land of New Zealand there are no snakes, no wild animals and definately no wild lions. But on their first night in the barn as they all lay on mattresses on the loft floor, complete with mosquito nets, they were awoken by the eerie, wild sound of lions roaring. At first they doubted their ears, but soon realised they were hearing the roars from the nearby Zion Wildlife Gardens - home to a large number of big cats. A spine tingling sound in the middle of the night. The sound somehow encapsulated the exciting start to the family's new adventure and seemed to be a fitting title for Rosie Boom's book. The author's hope is that Where Lions Roar at Nightwill cause people to reflect on the joy and wonder of family. And that the adults who read it will re-capture some of the wonder of childhood, while the children who enjoy the book will be inspired to never lose it.Where Lions Roar at Night is published by HSM, Australia and is printed with a hard cover and green cloth spine; 228 pages and over 90 pen and ink illustrations.Our family has always loved Little House on the Prairie. We never imagined we would discover another book we would love as much, especially a New Zealand one. Where Lions Roar at Night is hugely entertaining. Emily

The gasps and murmuring grew. Though some were hardly more than whispers, clear words reached Jace's ears--dangerous, monster, animal, soulless. He tried to back away from their accusing eyes, but the collar pulled hard against his throat and held him in place. For all his years as a slave, Jace has known nothing but the hatred people hold for his mixed blood--one half human, the other half the blood of a race considered monsters. Always, he is the outsider and quickly learns it is better to keep to himself. Yet, when his volatile ryrik blood leads him to do the unthinkable, he is thrown into a world of violence and bloodshed. Forced to become a gladiator, Jace finds more and more of his heart dying as his master works to break down his will not to become the monster everyone believes he is. When a stranger interferes with his master's harsh punishment, Jace's world is upended yet again. But with it comes the possibility of hope that has long since died. Could the man possibly hold the key to escaping the hopeless darkness that is Jace's life? Is there such a thing as life beyond the cruelty of slavery? See where Jace's story all began . . . About the Series Ilyon Chronicles is a six book, non-magical Christian fantasy series geared toward new adults (ages 18-25+). Half-Blood is best read after the first book as backstory for the series' main character.

An action-packed and heartwarming story of a hardened old sea dog on Magellan’s journey to Spice IslandAfter three ocean voyages, Leo knows not to trust anyone but himself. But when he sets sail with Magellan on a journey to find a westward route to the Spice Islands, he develops new friendships with Magellan’s scribe, Pigafetta, and Marco, his page. Together, the three of them experience hunger and thirst, storms and doldrums, and mutinies and hostile, violent encounters. Will they ever find safe passage?In the fourth book of their “Dog Chronicles” series, Alison Hart and Michael Montgomery bring readers an exciting tale of friendship and loyalty.

The Shell of Laughter, which is the source of all laughter on earth, has been stolen. It is the job of Staid, the elf, to distribute laughter all over the world using trade winds, siroccos, Zephyrs, jet streams, the Chinook, and other winds. Along with a leprechaun, a hedgehog, a witch, and several fairy friends, Thistle must help Staid recover the Shell of Laughter from Killjoy Crosspatch â€" the evil Spirit of Sorrow. During this adventure, the fairies meet a wood gnome, unicorns, and a bobolink bird. They also learn what laughter is made of.

An action-packed, heartwarming story of a World War I canine heroWhen the British military asks for dogs to help the war effort, Darling’s family reluctantly sends her to be trained as a mercy dog. Through gunfire and poisonous gases, it’s Darling’s job to find injured soldiers on the battlefield and fetch help from the medics. After saving the lives of numerous soldiers, Darling suddenly finds herself in need of rescue. Will she ever make it back to England?This wartime adventure, the first installment in Alison Hart’s Dog Chronicles series, is a touching and exciting introduction to World War I. Darling’s story of bravery and devotion reminds readers that dogs can be so much more than pets.

Discover la dolce vita on this grand tour of Italy’s historic capital told through 30 dramatic true stories spanning nearly 3,000 years, plus detailed walking tours complete with easy-to-read maps. From the Curia Pompei, site of Julius Caesar’s assassination in 44 BC, to the Borgia Apartments in the Vatican, see the real-life places where history happened in this richly illustrated guide. Along with infamous power games between heroes and villains, you will find Rome’s smart and powerful women, such as Agrippina, St. Agnes, Margherita, Artemisia, and more. Then relax like Goethe and Keats at the Café Greco, Rome’s chicest coffee bar since 1760, or visit the Palazzo Colonna, the site of Audrey Hepburn’s Roman Holiday.

How would you go about making a mummy? This beautifully illustrated and fascinating book transports young readers more than 3,000 years back in time so they can see how the ancient Egyptians created mummies—and why. Learn about Egyptian gods and legends, the embalming process that preserved the pharaohs’ bodily remains, and the way mummies were wrapped and buried. Fun “Did You Know?” questions will fascinate kids.

Having had enough of life on board the ship that saved her from a watery grave, Dido Twite wants nothing more than to sail home to England. Instead, Captain Casket's ship lands in Nantucket, where Dido and the captain's daughter, Dutiful Penitence, are left in the care of Dutiful's sinister Aunt Tribulation. In Tribulation's farmhouse, life is unbearable. When mysterious men lurk about in the evening fog, the resourceful Dido rallies against their shenanigans with help from Dutiful, a cabinboy named Nate, and a pink whale.

A fantastic hardcover edition of the Twig trilogy of THE EDGE CHRONICLES: Beyond the Deepwoods; Stormchaser; and Midnight Over Sanctaphrax.Beyond the DeepwoodsThe story of young Twig’s quest to discover his roots, not among the trees in Deepwoods, but high in the skies.StormchaserNow a crew-member on his father’s sky pirate ship, the Stormchaser, Twig’s dreams of exploration seem fulfilled. But a much higher destiny awaits him.Midnight Over SanctaphraxYoung Twig, now a sky pirate captain, is the only one who can save the Edgelands from disaster. But the task is daunting: his crew lost and his memory shattered. Can he make the journey back into the Deepwoods to recover his memory and take action?

An action-packed and heartwarming story of a dog in gold rush-era Alaska.After escaping from his brutal and merciless owner, Murphy is taken in by a young girl named Sally. She and her mother have just arrived in Nome, Alaska, intent on joining the other gold seekers and making a new life. Yet even with Murphy at their side, Sally and Mama find living in the mining town harsh and forbidding. When it seems they may have to give up, Sally and Murphy decide to strike out on their own, hoping to find gold and make a permanent home. But dangers await them― not only blizzards and grizzly bears, but also Murphy's original owner, who will stop at nothing to get what he wants.In the second installment of their “Dog Chronicles” series, Alison Hart and Michael Montgomery bring readers an exciting tale exploring the roles that dogs played during the Alaskan Gold Rush.

Companion to the New York Times bestselling series The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod...It’s time for him to prove himself as a Slayer. A killer is on the loose in New York City, but the Slayer Society knows that this isn’t any normal predator…This is something supernatural.Now Joss McMillan must use all of his strength and skill to save the innocent people of New York. His status as a Slayer—and his very life—depend on it. The stakes are life or death.More than a million readers have been enthralled by the New York Times bestselling series The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. And now, with this companion series, The Slayer Chronicles, they can sink their teeth into life on the other side of the stake.