Books published by publisher Phoenix Books

It's Lizzy's favorite holiday...Christmas! And this year, a very special surprise awaits Lizzy and her best friends, Eric and Petunia - a fantastic journey to the North Pole to visit Santa's workshop. The magical elves, Erlin and Dagil, lead the way, taking you aboard an ice boat that sends the group to the very home of Santa Claus himself. This delightful story captures all the excitement of their adventure, the wonders of Santa's amazing toy factory, and the joy of Christmas.

Here, in their own words, seven children who have confronted life-threatening illnesses and attended Paul Newman's Hole in the Wall Gang Camp, tell their unique stories-of how to seize life, to magnify and glorify it, and be grateful for its gifts. Ranging in age from seven to 17, these children from different backgrounds and with different personalities, share uncommon courage, a vibrant spirit, and piercing candor and eloquence. Living with the extraordinary horrors of cancer, sickle cell anemia, disability or AIDS and with the debilitating side-effects of their various with daily schoolwork and deal with the curiosity and ignorance of their peers. In poems written at camp and their luminous conversation about their families, the importance of friends, about their perceptions of God and their struggles with their faith, we hear a resounding and joyful tribune to life.

Abigail, the woodmouse; Russell, the hedgehog; Edgar, the mole; and Michelle, the badger, known to their teacher as the Furlings, come face-to-face with dangers unintentionally brought to their forest world by the human pursuit of "progress". This is a tie-In audio novelization for Hanna-Barbera's final theatrically released animated motion picture, based upon characters and a concept created by Rae Lambert.

Thumbelina is a tiny penguin, as a result of a wish by her parents for a child of their own. Much of Thumbelina's happiness was stolen from her when an unscrupulous, selfish sea turtle kidnapped her from her dwelling. This sets her on a series of adventures where she learns a great deal about things in life, and later meets a handsome prince who is her own size.

The Ugly Duckling tells the tale of a duckling abandoned and deserted because he was different. Despite trying to make friends, the ugly duckling is laughed at and rejected by just about everyone he meets. Then one day the ugly duckling comes across a number of beautiful razorbills swimming in the ocean. It is here that he discovers his real identity, seeing his own reflection in the water. He had grown into a beautiful razorbill, too, and had never been an ugly duckling after all.

The Selfish Giant focuses on a garden surrounding a castle occupied by a giant octopus. While the giant octopus is off visiting his friend the Squid Ogre, young fish play in the garden; when he returns, he chases them away and builds a high wall around the garden to keep out all trespassers. Winter comes to call, and a perpetual bleak chill settles on the garden. The giant octopus grows increasingly lonely until the young fish find their way back in, and break the spell that keeps spring out. The giant octopus opens his heart to them, and from them learns of the mysterious power of love.

Yellow Dog became a canine hero when he saved a boy from drowning - but now dog and boy are in danger again, alone in the wilderness after a fateful boat trip separates them from the boy's father and leaves them stranded in the Canadian wilderness. This time, it's the boy's turn to become a hero, and with a little help from this former stray dog he uses his best judgment in a brave attempt to get home. The boy and Yellow Dog become partners in survival and friends for life in this compelling story of loyalty and adventure.

A special illustrated edition of Hiram Bingham's classic work captures all the magnificence and mystery of the amazing archeological sites he uncovered. Early in the 20th century, Bingham ventured into the wild and then unknown country of the Eastern Peruvian Andes--and in 1911 came upon the fabulous Inca city that made him famous: Machu Picchu. In the space of one short season he went on to discover two more lost cities, including Vitcos, where the last Incan Emperor was assassinated.

The incomparable Carl Reiner’s first children’s book Tell Me a Scary Story, was a hit when it appeared in 2003. Here at last is the sequel, complete with a read-along CD filled with even more of the scary stuff children love—odd beams of light coming from nowhere, oodles of goopy goo, memorable characters, and mysteries for kids to solve…if they dare. As the story becomes scarier, Reiner pauses to ask readers, “Shall we turn the page, or is it too scary?” That’s for kids to decide! Here’s a fun book with delicious thrills that children will ask for again and again.