Books published by publisher Michael O'Mara

A captivating book uncovering the origins and meaning behind traditional sayings from countryside folklore, such as "Red sky at night, shepherd's delight" or "Make hay while the sun shines"Many of the popular, often prophetic, phrases that people use on a day-to-day basis have their roots in traditional folklore. For example: "March comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb," "Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home," and "The best-laid schemes o'mice an' men." Such common idioms are familiar to most people, but their history and origins are far from well known. Here readers will discover that there is a wealth of fascinating stories and history behind them. This charming book is filled with sayings, legends, and proverbs derived from the oral history of the countryside, and it unveils how they came about, what they mean, and how they came to be such a big part of language today. Written with a light touch and expert knowledge, it will entertain and inform in equal measure—the perfect gift for anyone with an interest in the rich and varied heritage of the English language.

A truly royal coloring book for children to complete and create Filled with beautiful, partially colored illustrations of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge in some of her most stylish outfits, this book allows children to customize Kate's wardrobe by adding color and pretty patterns of their own. From taking to the water on the royal barge for the Queen's Jubilee or attending a glamorous charity dinner, to watching athletes compete at the Olympic Games or taking Lupo the puppy for a walk in the park, there are outfits for every occasion.

The virus is spreading and nowhere is safe. It's a scramble for survival as the number of zombies grows with every turn of the page . . . From a hospital under quarantine and an underground bunker, to a White House evacuation and full-scale battle in the streets, zombie fans will love this scary and stomach churning search book. With 48 pages of full color illustrations, Where's The Zombie? promises to amuse, entertain, and terrify readers as they hunt for the family of zombies among the crowds in this zombie activity book.

If you can’t make friends, make followers! Olivia Warren is living the vlogging dream. With thousands of subscribers, a gorgeous boyfriend, and freebies coming through the door, it couldn’t be going better. But Olivia has a secret. The girl on the vlog isn’t her. How long can it last? Will Olivia be exposed as a fraud? And will Olivia’s cat ever stop sleeping and do something cute enough to go viral? Discover the hilarious story of one teenage girl’s journey from geeky nobody to online superstar . . . sort of.

With splashes of bright color, amazing geometric coloring pages and super-simple explanations, Hooray for Hexagons turns math into an exciting theme that couldn’t be more perfect for coloring. Children will be engrossed from page to page, and can tackle tessellations, color a cardioid and get funky with fractals. This book features artwork from Steve Richards, the same artist from The Golden Ratio Coloring Book, who has a real talent in showcasing the beauty of geometric drawing.

Simple, imaginative, affordable robot projects offer creative fun for parents and kidsFrom Star Wars to WALL-E, kids of all generations continue to be fascinated by robots. Here, finally, there is a book that teaches little kids (and big kids alike) how to make their own! This is a fun-filled activity book to be enjoyed by kids and parents together. It contains 20 different robotic projects, each beautifully illustrated with step-by-step instructions, including robot suits and jet packs, edible robots, fimo keyrings, grow-your-own-hair robots, giant robots, and more. Some will only take a few minutes, some the whole afternoon, and all use available or cheap materials, and a little imagination!

Following the royal wedding, the Diamond Jubilee and the birth of Kate and William's first baby, popular sentiment towards the royal family has rarely been higher. At the centre of this surge in affection is a woman who has captured the heart of a nation and who, at the side of her husband, Prince William, is ushering in a new dawn for the United Kingdom's reigning family. For, due to planned amendments to the rules of accession to the British Crown, their first child, regardless of gender, will succeed William to the throne. This biography explores the life of the woman who has done so much to revitalize the public image of the royal family, covering her early years, her family, her time at St Andrews University and her meeting with Prince William, their early relationship and its trials, the wedding and her new official role, her style, and, of course, her pregnancy.Besides being the perfect book for admirers of this remarkable young woman, Kate: A Biography marks a crucial moment in the history of the royal line.

The fight for survival against zombies has begun! A thriller of a search book that is not for the faint of heart. Readers will be amused, entertained, and terrified as they hunt for the family of zombies among the crowds. The virus is spreading and nowhere is safe. It's a scramble for survival as the number of zombies grows with every turn of the page. From a hospital under quarantine and an underground bunker, to a White House evacuation and full-scale battle in the streets, zombie fans will love this scary and supernatural search book. With 10 specific zombies to spot in every scene, readers can follow the story from outbreak to apocalypse, with tons of dark detail and gruesomely funny illustrations on every packed page.

Nigel Mullet, the unfortunate and bungling fifteen-year-old vampire, is back! But this time he not only has to deal with his daily trials of bad skin, an annoying little sister, and the worry of his fangs popping out at inopportune moments. Now he's got real problems to get his teeth into. In his latest hilarious diary, Nigel starts the new term as one of the most popular pupils in school, and he's finally got a girlfriend after more than eighty years of being single. But his life soon unravels when a new pupil, Jason, joins the school, and has his sights set firmly on Nigel's girlfriend. Oh, and did we mention that Jason is a werewolf? Vampire and werewolf go head to head in the pursuit of love . . . with hilarious consequences!

Hey friend, it's Jack. In this story, I will finally escape the palace. Out there in the world of Minecraft, no one else will know that I'm a prince. No one but Shoal, who's my best friend. There was no way that I could leave her behind. We always wanted to see outside the palace walls, and that's exactly what we were going to do. I hate the palace. I hate everything about it, and maybe out there we'll find something that makes me a little less angry. Shoal sure seems to think so.

In September 2015, Queen Elizabeth will become Britain's longest-reigning monarch, overtaking her great-great-grandmother, Queen Victoria. In this wonderful celebration of her reign, primary school children offer their charming and often hilarious views on the Queen, her life, her work, and her corgis. Answering a variety of questions, such as "What does the Queen do all day?," "Where does the Queen like to go on holiday?," and "What does the Queen like to watch on television?," children offer their insights into the Queen's life. Learn how she likes to play with her corgis in the park, sit on her throne while reading the newspaper and eating pork pies, watch all the soaps on TV, and how she spends her working days waving to people and attending meetings. These entertaining and funny answers are accompanied throughout by the children’s highly imaginative drawings of the Queen. Published to coincide with this landmark occasion, this wonderful book is a tribute to our longest-serving monarch, and celebrates both her reign and the innocence of childhood.