Joan Walker

Victorian England is a country of sharp divides between rich and poor, but James Lionel Falconer is everything a self-made man should be: handsome, ambitious, charming, and brimming with self-confidence. Even as a boy working in his father's market stall in Camden, he was determined to become a merchant prince. Through hard work and a single-minded determination, James rises quickly through the ranks, with a loving wife, devoted children, and a lofty...

Britt-Marie is a socially awkward, fussy busybody who is used to being organized. When she walks out on her cheating husband and gets a job as caretaker of the dilapidated recreation center in Borg, she is woefully unprepared for the changes. But as she takes on the task of leading the supremely untalented children's soccer team to victory, she just might find a place she belongs.

Shakespeare's drama about King Henry V's attempt to unite England under his rule is accompanied by commentary, a synopsis of the plot, summaries of scenes, notes on main characters, questions, and classroom activities.

Unsuspecting Jemima Puddle-Duck foolishly allows the cunning Fox to help her find a "safe" nest. Kep, the barnyard collie, and her pups rescue Jemima Puddle-Duck from the fox's cooking pot.

Lucie visits the laundry of Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle, a hedgehog, and finds her lost handkerchiefs.

Benjamin and his cousin, Peter Rabbit, risk a trip into Mr. McGregor's garden to retrieve Peter's clothes, only to be trapped there. Discover how Old Mr. Benjamin Bunny comes to their rescue.

When the Flopsy Bunnies venture over to Mr. McGregor's garbage heap to find dinner, trouble ensues when they fall asleep in the warm sun after their meal.

"After encountering three witches, the warrior Macbeth waits to see if their predictions come true. Stung by ambition, Macbeth is persuaded by his conniving wife that the fastest way to fulfill the prophecy is to murder the king, which sets off a disastrous chain of events. As the tragedy unfolds, Macbeth's decisions lead to more ruin. He returns to the witches and believes that his future is secure--but is he interpreting the premonitions correctly?"--P....

"On her favorite day of the year, Elizabeth Davenport awakens in her cottage on the wild and windy Cornish coast, opens her front door, and discovers a precious gift: the small blue crocus and a note that begins I Wish ... They are not signed, but she knows they've been left by her first and truest love, Tom Hale. Each of these precious missives convey a simple wish for something they had missed, and the life they might have shared. She has kept them...

Naughty Peter Rabbit disobeys his mother by going into Mr. McGregor's garden and almost gets caught.