Anness Publishing

A delightful collection of original stories devised especially for young children at bedtime. Sensitively written, with themes and characters young children will welcome and relate to, each story carefully covers the ordinary events of the day, at home or at school, helping parents and children to talk them through. Stories include Twitchety Toes, The Perfect Bed, The Wobbly Tooth, Monster Magic, New Friends, Moon Music, Friendly Fish, Birthday Boy, and many more. Designed to take 3 minutes to read aloud, it is easy to tailor a child's bedtime routine around these beautifully illustrated tales. Over 35 bedtime stories that sensitively address many of the simple daily challenges and excitements that children face. Parents and children will welcome these soothing stories that encourage sweet dreams and peaceful nights. Quick to read but thoughtfully written, to help put each day's events, whether good or bad, gently to rest. Each story is illustrated with specially commissioned artworks that are a delight to share.

Classical sculptures, paintings and mosaics, ancient letters, records and artworks all help show how real people lived during one of the cultural peaks of world history. Detailed cross-sections and beautiful drawings of the Colosseum, the Pantheon and other World Heritage sites reveal Roman construction techniques and architectural styles. The poems of Virgil, Horace and Ovid, and prose writers such as Cicero, Seneca and Pliny are still read today. Daily life is explored in contemporary accounts of sports and games in the arenas, work and play at the baths, the theatre, the forum, and the woman's domain of the home. The world of ancient Rome is not only discovered in its grand art and architecture but also in the lives of its citizens, from emperor to slave. Find out more about the scandalous lives of such notorious emperors as Caligula and Nero, and the controversial histories of such leading citizens as Mark Antony, the great general and famous lover, and Pliny the Elder, who died at Pompeii. Slaves were an intrinsic part of many ancient societies but some Roman slaves were educated and promoted, and some were freed and granted citizenship. An empire open to many different cults and beliefs, laws and language, art and architecture, religion and philosophy created an incredible cultural fusion. With its wealth of photographs and illustrations, cross-sections and artworks, this informative and inspiring book will be a constantly illuminating reference in any library. How the Romans lived: an exploration of art, architecture, religion and customs, laws and literature, society and family, culture and lifestyle. Mosaics, paintings and sculpture; poems, plays and prose; amphitheatres, baths and temples; the many gods and goddesses of ancient Rome: all help tell the story of how people lived, worshipped and interacted during one of the cultural peaks of world history. Detailed cross-sections and drawings of the Colosseum, the Pantheon and other beautiful World Heritage buildings reveal Roman construction techniques and architectural styles. Find out about everyday lives and routines in the home for families, women, children and slaves as well as the sometimes shocking lives of notorious emperors as Caligula and Nero and the controversial histories of leading citizens, including Mark Antony and Ovid. An authoritative and accessible text is augmented with 450 photographs, illustrations, maps and diagrams.

Ancient Egypt has captivated visitors for centuries. This beautifully illustrated volume offers an intriguing insight into the religious and burial practices of the ancient Egyptians. It reveals the tombs of the three most famous ancient burial sites in Egypt: Giza, Saqqara and the Valley of the Kings, where the famous tomb of the boy-king Tuthankhamun was discovered, and investigates the numerous temples of the pharaohs, gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt,  including Luxor and Karnak. Lavishly illustrated with wonderful photographs and detailed plans of the major sites, this informative book will provide the reader with a fresh and authoritative view of this ancient civilization. A fascinating tour of the temples built to worship the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt, including Philae, Karnak and Abydos. A detailed survey of the famous tombs of the pharaohs, their queens and their royal officials. Compelling insights into the daily lives and religious practices of the ancient Egyptians. Illustrated with over 500 photographs and paintings of the major sites.

A military and political history of one of the world’s most remarkable leaders, with over 250 photographs, illustrations, maps and battleplans. This concise and expert book describes the might of Alexander’s armies, and the arms, troops, ships and war machines crucial to his campaigns. It includes detailed coverage of every significant battle, from Alexander’s early commands to the final campaigns, and analysis of his greatest opponents. Alexander’s brief reign is placed in the context of the rise of  Macedonia and the disintegration of his immense empire after his death, from Philip II of Macedon until Hadrian in ad138.

This expert book covers the fascinating and romantic history that reveals the order of the Knights Templar. It charts the rise and influence of the order, its changing fortunes, losing the base in Jerusalem in the Third Crusade, the fall of Acre, and the destruction of the order by Pope Clement V and Philip IV of France. The speculative myths and questions about these legendary knights are fully discussed, as are controversial claims and conspiracies that have surrounded them for centuries. Among these are whether the Templars discovered America and if they were the guardians of the Holy Grail. With well-researched text and evocative illustrations this volume shows the historical legacy of the Templars and how they have influenced contemporary organizations, art, literature and legend. An in-depth illustrated chronicle of one of history’s most secretive brotherhoods, from its origins as a champion of Christ in the middle ages to its mysterious legacy in the present day. Charts the rise and fall of the order, from humble men of the Cross to powerful warrior-monks. Investigates the templars’ mysteries, handed down through the centuries, and their links to the Holy Grail, the Turin shroud, the ark of the covenant, the skull of Sidon, and involvement in the history of freemasonry. Examines the debate on whether the knights were brave crusaders, servants of Christ, treacherous heretics or mercenary outlaws. A comprehensive and fascinating guide, with 200 illustrations.

From the legends of the Trojan War to the world conquests of Alexander the Great, Greece is the bedrock of Western civilization. Above all, the Greeks were pioneers in political thought and creators of the world’s first democracies. The first half of this fascinating military and political history details how the Greeks recovered from the collapse of the first Minoan, Cretan and Mycenaean civilization. It highlights the Persian Wars, and shows Athens during its brilliant Golden Age, before it was wrecked by the long wars with Sparta. It describes the men and women who have made Greece’s name resonate down the ages: Solon, the great reformer; Pericles, the supreme democrat; and Dionysius, the Sicilian tyrant. The second part of the book opens with the rise of Macedonia under Philip II, father of Alexander the Great. Alexander, one of the most heroic and controversial figures in history, was a military genius who transformed the world, and who overthrew the Persian empire and helped spread Greek civilization and culture across half of Asia. His untimely death resulted in his eventual successor becoming the Roman empire. Over 500 photographs, illustrations, maps and battleplans bring this ancient history to life. With illuminating information on weapons, fleets and armies, on military tactics, and the organization of the great armies of Dionysius of Syracuse, Philip II and Alexander the Great, this is a breathtaking analysis of 2,000 years of impassioned politics, warfare and culture. An authoritative and beautifully illustrated account of ancient Greece, describing its classical heritage and influence on the history of the Western world. Chronicles political development in ancient Greece and explores the democracies, oligarchies and autocracies of Pericles, Solon and Leonidas. Explains the military techniques and strategies, operations and training of the Greek armies, with a special focus on the life, tactics and conquests of Alexander the Great. Includes detailed accounts of all the major conflicts – from the time of the Persian and Peloponnesian wars, charting Alexander the Great’s campaigns across the known world, to the reigns of Cleopatra, the last queen of Egypt, and Emperor Hadrian of Rome. Over 500 photographs, illustrations, specially commissioned battleplans and maps show Athens, Sparta and other ancient Greek city-states in magnificent detail.

The British Isles provide a temperate climate and a richfeeding ground for many species of animals, birds andfish. From puffins in the Scilly Isles to the graceful reddeer roaming the Scottish Highlands, there is a surprisingdiversity of life in this part of the world. This accessible reference guide provides essential information aboutBritish habitats and the many and varied creatures foundin them. Native and visiting birds and animals are allincluded, so that nature lovers can find out about all thespecies that might be seen around the British Isles. Withentries for over 440 creatures, this book will make anindispensable addition to any nature lover's bookshelf. Illustrated directories feature familiar garden visitors,such as the common frog, hedgehog, blue tit andjackdaw, hawks, deer and rodents, as well as rarely seenanimals such as the Western barbastelle bat, the whitebeaked dolphin and king eider duck. Each main entry details the animal's habitat anddistribution, size, food and breeding information,and includes a description together with helpfulidentification advice. Beautifully illustrated with hundreds of artworks,identification photographs and distribution maps.

Egypt's cultural heritage is vast, and the story of thisancient civilization has long captured our imagination. This fully illustrated book provides a treasure chestof found objects, archaeological sites, hieroglyphicinscriptions and beautiful tomb art from ancient Egypt. It introduces the gods and goddesses of Egypt, describestheir characters and identifying features, the mythssurrounding them, and their role in the creation ofsociety. Quotations from books, hymns, prayers andhieroglyphic paintings give an authentic picture ofculture and society, and maps, chronologies and artworkssupplement the photographs in this masterly history

A coming-of-age story set in the early 1960s between the working-class East End of London and bucolic rural France; two lads find themselves on the run and in the unexpected world of the classic French novel Le Grand Meaulnes. A love of literature, swearing and smoking combine in this witty, rude and beautifully lyrical rites-of-passage novel   It started on our last ever day of school. When the teacher called out “Please stop writing,” we got up from the final exam with the rest of the class and walked across the road to the pub to celebrate, still in our uniforms; two book-loving boys from the East End of London with an uncertain future. Of course, that’s when it all went wrong. We got dragged into a fight with some hooligans from another school; a weapon was pulled, a lad was injured, but nobody saw how badly because we panicked and ran before the police could arrive. We’d already arranged a secret trip to France; the bags were packed, we’d got our passports and francs, and the Morris Minor was ready to go. So, we made a dash for it, worrying about the boy on the pub floor, anxious about the police pursuing us. We got to the ferry and crossed the channel. There was a very nervous road trip, driving south with pork pies and fondant fancies, looking over our shoulders for the gendarmes, disrespecting Ernest Hemingway, smoking, which we all did in those days, and singing along with The Beatles on the radio. Please Please Me. When we finally reached Cousin Jean’s farm, it turned out he was trying to launch a mad make-or-break entertainment business based on the fabulous French coming-of-age story, Le Grand Meaulnes. So, it was agreed we could hide out with him, but only if we joined his magical circus as actors in the Harlequinade. And that’s where the story really began…

This beautifully illustrated collection will introduce children to a lifetime of pleasure in poetry. Carefully selected, the poems open up an enchanting world of rhythm and language, feeling and fantasy. The collection features a wide range of well-known writers including Christina Rossetti, Oscar Wilde, John Keats, William Shakespeare, Lord Byron, William Blake and John Keats. It includes many beautiful poems such as Robin Hood, Waltzing Matilda, Jemima, A Thing of Beauty, A Lark's Nest, Symphony in Yellow, and Spring and Fall. Gathering together classic poems on all manner of wonderous and fascinating themes that children will thrill to explore, the colourful and imaginative illustrations on every page capture the magic of imaginary worlds loved and enjoyed by generations of girls and boys.The volume includes an 'About the Poets' section with a brief biography for each.

This fully updated and extended book is an authoritative history and directory of tanks and their immediate derivatives, such as armoured recovery vehicles, tank destroyers and mine-clearers. It also explores a wide range of AFVs, such as armoured cars, self-propelled artillery and armoured personnel carriers. The history and development of these fighting machines is discussed in depth including the main battles, campaigns and wars in which tanks and AFVs have been deployed. Following each history is a substantial A–Z directory featuring over 450 vehicles in total, from the first tank “Little Willie”, to the contemporary M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank and Varta Armoured Personnel Carrier. Each entry includes a description and history with a specification panel detailing crew size, weight, dimensions, armament, armour, powerplant and performance. With over 1300 wartime and museum photographs, this book brings together the most significant tanks and AFVs in military history.

An authoritative history and visual directory of edged weapons bfrom around the world, shown in more than 800 photographs. This beautifully presented book traces the history of swords, sabres, spears and lances from Paleolithic origins to the twentieth-century demise of the sword as a military weapon. Focusing on eras of historical and military significance, such as the Napoleonic Wars and the American Civil War, the author describes how the development of edged weapons brutally shaped some of our greatest civilizations. At the heart of the book is a wide-ranging and fully illustrated directory, featuring more than 500 examples from around the world. From the spears of Ancient Egypt to the swords of the Russian empire, and from the swords of the Japanese Samurai to the blades used in World Wars I and II, each entry is accompanied by a photograph of the weapon and key details including date, origin and length. The 800 photographs and illustrations of these extraordinary pieces of craftmanship will fascinate anyone interested in the conflicts and weapons that have shaped our history.