Children (and their parents) will be surprised and delighted by the quirky stories and inventive drawings in this witty and philosophical spin on the classic alphabet book. Edmund the Astronaut fears heights, an unfortunate career-stopper. Bob, who battles with Bernard, burns a Bridge, with some unintended consequences. The problem-solving Owl and Octopus glue Cup back together after a fall when leaving the Cupboard. The stories intermingle … and the Astronaut partially solves his dilemma when he purchases a Zeppelin. Is it a story book, an art book, or an alphabet book? Whatever! Your children will want to read it over and over again.
Canadian writer and journalist, Malcolm Gladwell, draws on social science research to examine conventional assumptions in a new light. He is a compelling storyteller, narrating fascinating case studies that support his viewpoint. This most recent book scrutinizes the underdogs and misfits who turned their liabilities into strengths and beat the odds. Beginning with the practical reasons why a simple shepherd boy with a slingshot could and did defeat a mighty giant, Gladwell turns his analytical eye onto other tales of obstacles and setbacks — offering new insights into topics ranging from the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland to civil rights leaders to the dynamics of the classroom.
Winner of this year’s Stephen Leacock Award for Humour, ‘No Relation’ asks Shakespeare’s famous question: “What’s in a name?” While it didn’t faze Romeo, young Earnest Hemmingway is plagued by his moniker, despite that extra A and M, especially with a career as a copywriter. Booted out of his job and dumped by his girlfriend, Earnest sets out to claim his own identity, starting a support group for people with the same affliction, like the ‘other’ Mahatma Gandhi and Clark Kent. Earnest learns much about himself and his famous namesake, challenging his writer’s block and fending off his father’s demands to embrace his destiny in the family underwear business.
