Books published by publisher Quercus,2014

Take a journey through the prehistoric world and trace the evolution of the most astonishing creatures ever to have walked the earth. Over 170 superbly detailed computer-generated illustrations provide a stunning visual catalogue of dinosaurs, bringing the prehistoric world to life like never before. The expert text identifies each species – what they looked like, what they ate, how they lived and died. Packed with the latest research and discoveries, this spectacular title is as unique and impressive as the dinosaurs themselves. Chapter 1: The Evolution of Life and Origin of the DinosaursChapter 2: Dinosaurs of the TriassicChapter 3: Dinosaurs of the Early-Middle JurassicChapter 4: Dinosaurs of the Late JurassicChapter 5: Dinosaurs of the Early-Middle CretaceousChapter 6: Dinosaurs of the Late CretaceousChapter 7: The End of the Dinosaurs

See your city through fresh eyesWe are marching towards a future in which three-quarters of humans live in cities, and a large portion of the planet's landmass is urbanized. With much of the rest covered by human-shaped farms, pasture, and plantations, where can nature still go? To the cities -- is Menno Schilthuizen's answer in this remarkable book. And with more and more wildlife carving out new niches among humans, evolution takes a surprising turn. Urban animals evolve to become more cheeky and resourceful, city pigeons develop detox-plumage, and weeds growing from cracks in the pavement get a new type of seeds. City blackbirds are even on their way of becoming an entirely new species, which we could name Turdus urbanicus.Thanks to evolutionary adaptation taking place at unprecedented speeds, plants and animals are coming up with new ways of living in the seemingly hostile environments of asphalt and steel that we humans have created. We are on the verge of a new chapter in the history of life, Schilthuizen says -- a chapter in which much old biodiversity is, sadly, disappearing, but also one in which a new and exciting set of life forms is being born.Menno Schilthuizen shows us that evolution in cities can happen far more rapidly, and strangely, than Darwin had dared dream.

When special forces soldier Jason Morgan awoke from a months-long coma, he was told he'd never walk again. Discovered face-down in a Central American swamp after a jungle mission gone wrong, he had a smashed spine, collapsed lungs and countless broken bones. It was a miracle he'd even survived.Months of painful surgery followed, with Jason's life balanced on a knife-edge. Released from hospital in a wheelchair and plagued by memory loss, Jason's life fell apart. Left alone to raise his three infant sons, all hope seemed gone, until Jason met Napal, a handsome-as-hell black Labrador provided by a very special charity. With this one incredible dog at their side, Jason's life and that of his family would never be the same again. With Napal's help Jason was able to conquer his paralysis, eventually completing a marathon and winning numerous medals in the Wounded Warrior Games. More than that, this amazing service dog helped heal a family and taught Jason to be the father his kids needed him to be. A Dog Called Hope is the moving and heart-warming story of how Jason rediscovered his life's mission, his strength as a father and, through his beloved dog, his hope. It's the story of the closeness between one man and one dog like no other, and how this mesmerizing duo changed countless lives.Inspirational, tear-jerking and laugh-out-loud uplifting, this is a story that will brighten any day and warm every heart.

Eleanor Hawken worked as a children’s book editor for many years and was part of the team that established the Bath Festival of Children’s Literature. Her popular children’s series Sammy Feral’s Diaries of Weird chronicles the hilarious adventures of a boy who spends his time with the furry and ferocious tenants of the zoo his family runs. “This is a hilarious story.” Parents In Touch said of Sammy Feral’s Diaries of Weird. Sammy Feral is a lucky boy. His family runs a zoo, where he spends his time cheerfully hanging out with (to name just a few) orangutans, crocodiles, and snakes. But his good luck has just run out—the entire Feral family has been infected with a mysterious virus that causes them to turn into werewolves. Now his mom, dad, and sisters are howling at the moon, craving raw meat, and worst of all, trying to infect Sammy! Worse, it seems there is an evil professor trying to take over the Feral Zoo—could he have anything to do with the werewolf virus? Fortunately for Sammy, a crack team of cryptozoologists are on hand to help. But even with their expertise in animals that don’t (or shouldn’t) exist, things look pretty hairy for the Feral family!

Dozens of further filthy animal facts and falsehoods: the follow-through to the international bestselling sensation Does it Fart? How many spiders do you eat in your sleep? What does the ice-cream you eat have to do with the back end of a beaver? Do komodo dragons have toxic slobber? Is it true that a scorpion that sheds its tail dies of constipation? How far actually are you from the nearest rat? Can you get high from licking toads, or is that...fake newts?All this and far, far more can be found in True or Poo, a guide to the wonders of the natural world: and a manual for disgusting and one-upping your friends and enemies for years to come.

The impossibly moving story of how Judy, World War Two's only animal POW, brought hope in the midst of hell.Judy, a beautiful liver and white English pointer, and the only animal POW of WWII, truly was a dog in a million, cherished and adored by the British, Australian, American and other Allied servicemen who fought to survive alongside her. Viewed largely as human by those who shared her extraordinary life, Judy's uncanny ability to sense danger, matched with her quick-thinking and impossible daring saved countless lives. She was a close companion to men who became like a family to her, sharing in both the tragedies and joys they faced. It was in recognition of the extraordinary friendship and protection she offered amidst the unforgiving and savage environment of a Japanese prison camp in Indonesia that she gained her formal status as a POW. Judy's unique combination of courage, kindness and fun repaid that honour a thousand times over and her incredible story is one of the most heartwarming and inspiring tales you will ever read.

John Connolly conjures the Golden Age of Hollywood in this moving, literary portrait of Laurel & Hardy--two men who found their true selves in a comedic partnership. "AMBITIOUS . . . EVOKES THE STYLE OF SAMUEL BECKETT." --NEW YORK TIMES"BRILLIANT." --SEATTLE BOOK REVIEW"EXTRAORDINARY." --LIBRARY JOURNAL (STARRED REVIEW)An unforgettable testament to the redemptive power of love, as experienced by one of the twentieth century's greatest performers.When Stan Laurel is paired with Oliver Hardy, affectionately known as Babe, the history of comedy--not to mention their personal and professional lives--is altered forever. Yet Laurel's simple screen persona masks a complex human being, one who endures rejection and intense loss; who struggles to build a character from the dying stages of vaudeville to the seedy and often volatile movie studios of Los Angeles in the early years of cinema; and who is haunted by the figure of another comic genius, the brilliant, driven, and cruel Charlie Chaplin.Eventually, Laurel becomes one of the greatest screen comedians the world has ever known: a man who enjoys both adoration and humiliation; who loves, and is loved in turn; who betrays, and is betrayed; who never seeks to cause pain to anyone else, yet leaves a trail of affairs and broken marriages in his wake. But Laurel's life is ultimately defined by one relationship of such astonishing tenderness and devotion that only death could sever this profound connection: his love for Babe.

"AN EXCELLENT THRILLER." --KIRKUS REVIEWS"SPELL-BINDING." --ABERDEEN EVENING EXPRESS"HIGHLY RECOMMENDED." --SHOTS MAGAZINESUFFOCATEDA vehicle crammed with dozens of dead Chinese immigrants is found in southern Texas. Forensic pathologist Margaret Campbell must put aside her horror and find out why. SUMMONEDDetective Li Yan--an even more unwelcome memory for Campbell--has arrived stateside to investigate a link in the case to a lucrative trade in illegal laborers. SNAKEHEADLi and Campbell will soon find that the crime scene hides another secret: a biological time bomb linking traffickers, politicians, and migrants in Beijing, Washington, and Texas--posing multiple countries one very singular threat.

Emma O'Donovan is eighteen, beautiful, and fearless. It's the beginning of summer in a quiet Irish town and tonight she and her friends have dressed to impress. Everyone is at the party, and all eyes are on Emma. The next morning Emma's parents discover her collapsed on the doorstop of their home, unconscious. She is disheveled, bleeding, and disoriented, looking as if she had been dumped there.To her distress, Emma can't remember what happened the night before. All she knows is that none of her friends will respond to her texts. At school, people turn away from her and whisper under their breath. Her mind may be a blank as far as the events of the previous evening, but someone has posted photos of it on Facebook under a fake account, "Easy Emma"--photos she will never be able to forget.As the photos go viral and a criminal investigation is launched, the community is thrown into tumult. The media descends, neighbors chose sides, and people from all over the world want to talk about her story. Everyone has something to say about Emma. Asking For It is a powerful story about the devastating effects of rape and public shaming, told through the awful experience of a young woman whose life is changed forever by an act of violence.

A nasty builder with a huge digger is threatening the guinea pigs' woodland! The furry pals must protect it--but how?Terry wants to tell all his friends online. Eduardo thinks a protest song will do the trick. While Coco just wants everyone to get on with it! Then they meet Olaf the Viking guinea pig who claims to be over 1,000 years old. Can they use his ancient tactics to help fight the builder?