Books published by publisher Cornerstone

If you were a Londoner visiting Cornwall would you know how to recognise a grammersow?If you were from the West Country and took a trip up to Scotland, would you be bewildered if someone described you as crabbit?And what if you left your native Belfast for Liverpool, would you understand if someone called you a woollyback?How to Talk Like a Local is an entertaining guide that gathers together and explains hundreds of words that you would never find in an ordinary dictionary. From dardledumdue, which means day-dreamer in East Anglia, through forkin robbins, the Yorkshire term for earwigs, to clemt, a Lancashire word that means hungry, it covers the enormously rich variety of regional words that pepper the English language. Not only does it pick out unique and unusal local words, it also draws together the dozens of terms from all over the country that mean the same thing, such as knee-knabbed, crab-ankled and hurked-up for knock-kneed, and obzocky, butters and maftin for ugly. In addition, it digs down to uncover the origins of these words, tracing their routes in to the language. Many terms meaning left-handed, for example, are related to the Kerr family of Ferniehirst Castle in Scotland, who preferred left-handed warriors. And many seemingly new coinages have been around for centuries, such as chav, which derives from a Romany word meaning child, or scouse, which probably comes from lapskaus, a Norwegian word for a sailors' stew. If you're intrigued by these colourful words and phrases, if you're interested in how English is really spoken, or if you want to discover how our language has evolved over the years, How to Talk Like a Local will prove irresistible - and enlightening - reading.

Rafe Khatchadorian is getting the Hollywood treatment in a film version of Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life starring Griffin Gluck, Lauren Graham, Rob Riggle and Thomas Barbusca.After a rough summer, Rafe is heading back to the dreaded Hills Village Middle School, the site of the very worst years of his life. And as if that's not bad enough, Rafe's learned that he's going to be held back a year unless he can prove himself on an outdoor survival excursion – complete with dangerous white-water rafting, dizzying rock climbing and military style counsellors. Rafe and the rest of the pack of 'delinquent' trainees are forced to cooperate as they prepare for the final test: a solo excursion in the deep woods.Can Rafe come out of the experience in one piece? And if he does, will anyone recognise him as the kid they once knew?

The compelling novel from the bestselling author of Behind Closed Doors, No Child of Mine and Don't Let Me Go.Kesterly-on-Sea is full of secrets. Some are darker than others; many are shameful. One is even deadly.Andee is an ex-detective whose marriage is breaking up. So when a young female student disappears without trace, she throws herself into the search.Meanwhile, the town’s beloved Rowzee Cayne has just discovered that she is terminally ill, and doesn’t want to burden her family and friends with the news.Andee and Rowzee don't know it yet, but their journeys are going to help them uncover a secret. One that is going to affect them more than they could ever imagine.Praise for Susan LewisA master storyteller' Diane Chamberlain 'Utterly compelling' Sun'An emotionally charged, heartbreaking novel' Essential

The Kidds – treasure hunting family extraordinare – are heading to China, on a journey that will lead them beyond the Great Wall and into the underbelly of Berlin. Bick and Beck Kidd are desperately trying to secure the ancient Chinese artefact that will buy their mother's freedom from renegade pirates. But when the kidnappers force them to locate an even greater treasure – priceless paintings stolen by Nazis, the Kidds must rely on their own cunning and experience to outwit the criminals, all while their mom's life is on the line.

Rafe Khatchadorian is getting the Hollywood treatment in a film version of Middle School: The Worst Years of My Life starring Griffin Gluck, Lauren Graham, Rob Riggle and Thomas Barbusca.It's a dog-eat-dog world, and Rafe Khatchadorian is just trying to live in it. Life in middle school is finally starting to seem bearable – until Rafe spots his grandmother standing in the free-meal line at the local soup kitchen.To help earn some money for the family, Rafe concocts a brilliant plan – a dog-walking business that soon turns into a huge money-making neighbourhood empire. He'll even have extra cash to buy his own WormHole Deluxe Multi-Platform GameBox!That is, until two terrible twins launch the Great Dog War by sabotaging Rafe's flyers and stealing his customers. Plus, his bratty kid sister Georgia has skipped a grade – so now she's in all of Rafe's classes. Throw a kid a bone!

The first official Minecraft novel by bestselling author, Max BrooksA SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLERA NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLERBe immersed in the Minecraft universe for the first time in a thrilling new adventure like no other! Minecraft: The Island will tell the story of a new hero stranded in the world of Minecraft, who must survive the harsh, unfamiliar environment and unravel the secrets of the island.Washed up on a beach, the lone castaway looks around the shore. Where am I? Who am I? And why is everything made of blocks? But there isn’t much time to soak up the sun. It’s getting dark, and there’s a strange new world to explore!The top priority is finding food. The next is not becoming food. Because there are others out there on the island . . . like the horde of zombies that appear after night falls. Crafting a way out of this mess is a challenge like no other. Who could build a home while running from exploding creepers, armed skeletons, and an unstoppable tide of hot lava? Especially with no help except for a few makeshift tools and sage advice from an unlikely friend: a cow.In this world, the rules don’t always make sense, but courage and creativity go a long way. There are forests to explore, hidden underground tunnels to loot, and undead mobs to defeat. Only then will the secrets of the island be revealed.Minecraft: The Crash, by Tracey Baptiste, is the second official Minecraft novel. It will be released in the UK on July 12.

The second book in Jean Plaidy's epic Plantagenet series.News of Thomas à Becket's martyrdom has spread throughout Christendom and the blame is laid at the feet of Henry Plantagenet, King of England. Two years later, with Becket canonised, Henry's position is precarious: punished at the Pope's insistence for his part in Becket's death, he now also has an enemy in his Queen, Eleanor of Aquitaine, after her discovery of his longstanding infidelity with Rosamund Clifford. Eleanor is determined to seek vengeance, so, with King Philip of France, she encourages her sons to conspire, both against their father and each other.Much embattled, the old eagle Henry struggles to fend off both rebellion and the plots of his aggressively circling offspring...

Two roads lead to Mount Hope. None leads out.Following a freak nuclear power-plant explosion, the small southern town was evacuated. Now, after a year in isolation, some residents are finally allowed to return home.Best friends Maggie and Jordan quickly discover that Mount Hope is not as it was before. The roads leading out of town are blocked, phone networks and the Internet are cut off, and the power plant remains on military lockdown.Something is horribly wrong, and their determination to uncover the truth soon has Maggie and Jordan in the crosshairs of a force more sinister than any they could have imagined.

Shortlisted for the British Sports Book Awards 2018“What’s your dream, son?”A six year-old boy, head bowed, mumbles the eternal answer: “Be a footballer….” Steadman Scott, football’s most unlikely talent scout, smiles indulgently, and takes him in from the street. He knows the odds. Only 180 of the 1.5 million boys who play organised youth football in England will become a Premier League pro. That’s a success rate of 0.012 per cent.How and why do the favoured few make it? What separates the good from the great? Who should they trust – the coach, the agent or their parents?Michael Calvin provides the answers on a journey from non-league grounds to hermetically sealed Premier League palaces, via gang-controlled sink estates and the England team’s inner sanctum. He interviews decision makers, behavioural specialists, football agents and leading coaches. He shares the hopes and fears of players and their parents. He exposes bullying and a black economy in which children are commodities, but remains true to the dream.

THE NINTH AND ULTIMATE MAXIMUM RIDE STORY IS HERE!Legions of Max fans won't be disappointed by this encore episode in the beloved series about the incredible adventures of a teenage girl who can fly.As Maximum Ride boldly navigates a post-apocalyptic world, she and her broken flock are roaming the earth, searching for answers to what happened. All will be revealed in this last spectacular ride – a brand-new grand finale featuring all of the non-stop action, twists and turns that readers can rely on in a blockbuster Patterson page-turner!

Cross a vast desert full of deadly creatures, find long-lost treasure, and save their parents? All in a day's work for the Kidds!The Kidd family is on the hunt for Lasseter’s Gold, one of the legendary lost treasures of Australia. But when their ship is waylaid by pirate Charlotte Badger, the Kidds’ parents are framed for stealing a set of priceless gems!Bick, Beck, Storm and Tommy have seven days to navigate the dangerous Australian Outback, find Charlotte Badger, and steal back the evidence they need to prove their parents are innocent. If they fail, Mom and Dad will be thrown in prison . . . forever!

'Douglas Adams' genius was in using comedy to make serious points about the world' IndependentAfter years of reflecting on the absurdities of life on other planets, Douglas Adams teamed up with zoologist Mark Carwardine to find out what was happening to life on this one. Together they lead us on an unforgettable journey across the world in search of exotic, endangered creatures - animals that they may never get another chance to see. They encounter the animal kingdom in its stunning beauty, astonishing variety, and imminent peril: the giant Komodo dragon of Indonesia, the helpless but lovable Kakapo of New Zealand, the blind river dolphins of China, the white rhinos of Zaire, the rare birds of Mauritius island in the Indian Ocean. Both funny and poignant, Last Chance to See is the tale of an unforgettable wildlife odyssey - and a timely reminder of all that we must protect.