Christmas is seen through the eyes of thirteen different people in these stories from around the world. 1. A mean village boy calls upon St. Nicholas to help him get rid of the monster Krampus. 2. Rejected by his one true love, Teeter disguises himself as the Belsnickle to get his revenge. 3. La Befana has a surprise visit from three wise men that changes her life forever. 4. Hans Trapp makes a deal with the devil, but it doesn't work out exactly as he planned. 5. An American girl learns t...

How the American education system became a "global economy" industryAll across the United States, corporations, politicians, economists, educators – and now, most remarkably, Ivanka Trump – cry out for new “education for the twenty-first century economy.” Meanwhile, millions of Americans face increasing difficulty finding well paying, secure jobs. But the current employment crisis is not so much due to the educational system as it is to a sustained corporate effort...

Build Your Own Brick House follows the process of a self-build, using traditional brick and block techniques, enabling the self-builder to understand both the individual stages and the nature of the build as a whole. It takes a practical approach, focusing on the best use of time, abilities and budget, and on communicating more clearly and effectively with designers and tradespeople in order to make the build as smooth as possible.The book covers:The possibilities and practicalities of bui...

Bonus Content 2024! Read an excerpt from Theodora Goss's new book, The Collected Enchantments!Mythopoeic Award Winner for Adult LiteratureLocus Award finalist, Best Collection and Best Novelette"I was expecting this to be good, but it's wonderful. Seeing these pieces together makes me realize what a vivid, authentic and important voice Goss is. These are real fairytales, magical, unsettling, touching, and b...

"A timely and smart discussion of how different cities and regions have made a changing economy work for them—and how policymakers can learn from that." —Barack ObamaWe're used to thinking of the United States in opposing terms: red versus blue, haves versus have-nots. But today there are three Americas. At one extreme are the brain hubs—cities like San Francisco, Boston, and Durham—with workers who are among the most productive, creative, and best paid on the plan...

A Wall Street Journal and Washington Post Bestseller"Tyler Cowen's blog, Marginal Revolution, is the first thing I read every morning. And his brilliant new book, The Complacent Class, has been on my nightstand after I devoured it in one sitting. I am at round-the-clock Cowen saturation right now."--Malcolm GladwellSince Alexis de Tocqueville, restlessness has been accepted as a signature American trait. Our willingness to move, tak...

The New Localism provides a roadmap for change that starts in the communities where most people live and work.In their new book, The New Localism, urban experts Bruce Katz and Jeremy Nowak reveal where the real power to create change lies and how it can be used to address our most serious social, economic, and environmental challenges.Power is shifting in the world: downward from national governments and states to cities and metropolitan com...

Dark and decidedly grown-up stories inspired by fairy tales—from New York Times bestsellers Karen Joy Fowler, Joyce Carol Oates, Susanna Clarke, and more.This collection from World Fantasy Award–winning editors Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling proves that fairy tales don't have to be for little children and that happily ever after doesn't necessarily mean forever. Here, the plights of Sleeping Beauty, Snow White,...

An urgent case for protecting public education, from one of America's best-known education expertsIn this landmark book, Diane Ravitch - former assistant secretary of education and a leader in the drive to create a national curriculum - examines her career in education reform and repudiates positions that she once staunchly advocated. Drawing on over forty years of research and experience, Ravitch critiques today's most popular ideas for restructuring schools, incl...

Bo discovers friendly yetis in this early chapter book from the USA Today bestselling author of Owl Diaries!Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line, Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!In the sixth book of USA Tod...

**"...deeply felt and cogently argued...Hughes makes a powerful case that deserves a respectful hearing." — The Financial TimesFacebook co-founder Chris Hughes argues that the best way to fight income inequality is with a radically simple idea: a guaranteed income for working people, paid for by the one percent.**The first half of Chris Hughes's life played like a movie reel right out of the "American Dream." He grew up in a small town in North Carolina. His parents...

Mix furious dwarves, spoiled iguanas, and a unicorn trying to steal the spotlight, and you've got the perfect recipe for deadly trouble.Selected as one of Kobo's Books of the Month (July 2022)"What a stunning sequel! This was a charming tale of dragons, deception, and dastardly deeds, and I loved every minute of it.""The series keep getting better...""The book is an excellent read, very funny - I was ke...