Fantasy Languages

Inspired by myth, fairy tale, and folklore, number one New York Times best-selling author Leigh Bardugo has crafted a deliciously atmospheric collection of short stories filled with betrayals, revenge, sacrifice, and love.

London, 1923. Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get an internship studying dragon languages, and make sure her little sister never has to risk growing up Third Class. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war.

Le Guin’s sharp and witty voice is on full display in this collection of twenty-four essays, revised by the author a decade after its initial publication in 1979. The collection covers a wide range of topics and Le Guin’s origins as a writer, her advocacy for science fiction and fantasy as mediums for true literary exploration, the writing of her own major works such as A Wizard of Earthsea and The Left Hand of Darkness, and her role as a public intellectual and educator.

Gwen Harper left Pendleford thirteen years ago and hasn't looked back. Until an inheritance throws her into the mystical world she thought she'd escaped. Confronted with her great-aunts legacy, Gwen must finally face up to her past. The magic she has long tried to suppress is back with a vengeance but, gift or burden, for Gwen it always spells trouble. She has to stay—she has nowhere else to go—but how can she find her place in the town that drove her out after branding her a witch?

The Penderwicks meets Howl’s Moving Castle in this thrilling middle grade fantasy adventure about a trio of royal siblings who unlock a long-forgotten magical language in their bid to reclaim their stolen throne - from Ember and the Ice Dragons author Heather Fawcett. Perfect for fans of Kelly Barnhill and Robert Beatty.

In their first adventure as Master Librarians, Jack and In their first adventure as Master Librarians, Jack and Annie go to the city of Pompeii to bring back an ancient story that is in danger of being lost forever. Little do they know they are saving the myth of Hercules! But before they can find it, the town's volcano erupts in a mighty explosion. Just when things look hopeless, Jack and Annie get some unexpected help from a certain mythic hero...and the rest, as they say, is history.

Each unique fantasy story comes with highlighted vocabulary and definitions before and during the story. This guide also offers vocabulary exercises after each tale, allowing you to practice your newly learned terms and idioms. Get ready for another set of exciting fantasy tales that will both entertain and educate the English learner. The Learn English with Short Stories series does not need to be read in order, as all of the stories are independent from one another. Read one, or read them all.

Seventeen-year-old Shae has lived her entire life in awe of the Bards - and afraid of the Blot, a deadly disease spread by ink, which took the life of her younger brother five years ago. Ever since, Shae fears she's cursed. But when tragedy strikes again, and her mother is found murdered with a golden dagger - a weapon used only by the Bards - Shae is forced to act.

Unlock the future of storytelling with "German Sci-Fi Short Stories: 10 Short Stories written in German with English Translations"! This captivating collection in color features ten mesmerizing science fiction tales, written in German with English translations, perfect for both sci-fi enthusiasts and language learners. Immerse yourself in futuristic adventures, explore parallel universes, and experience the thrill of cosmic mysteries while enhancing your bilingual skills.

Do you want to master German? Do you like fantasy novels? Are you tired of reading boring textbooks in order to learn German? If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, this is a book you should consider.

In the fourth book in the Frank Einstein series, Frank - along with his best friend, Watson, and Klink and Klank - once again finds himself in competition with his classmate and archrival, T. Edison, and his sign-language-speaking sidekick, Mr. Chimp, over Frank's newest invention: the EvoBlaster Belt, which allows the user to evolve and devolve into other forms of life, blasting from one species to another.

In Search of Hua Ma is one of a series of novels in Chinese that are fun to listen to and proven to accelerate language learning. Every book in the Mandarin Companion series is carefully written to use characters, words, and grammar that a learner is likely to know. The breakthrough level is written using only 150 unique Chinese characters and is intended for Chinese learners who have obtained a low elementary or novice level of Chinese.

On the last page of the Caldecott-winning book Jumanji, young Danny Budwing is seen running after his brother, Walter, with a game tucked under his arm. Now 20 years later, Chris Van Allsburg is ready to reveal what happened when Danny and Walter rolled the dice. This time the name of the game is Zathura, and the battling Budwing boys are in for the ride of their lives. Soon Zathura unleashes intergalactic challenges that require the quarreling brothers to learn how to work together as a team.

Filled with wit and humour, Nesbit's 1902 fantasy tells the adventure of five siblings sent to spend the summer with their uncle. One day, when the children wander from the strange house by the sea to play in old gravel pits, they uncover 'It', a prehistoric Sand-fairy. The unusual Sand-fairy grants the children one wish a day, each lasting until sunset. Though wishes can come true, they are not always as pleasant as they might seem, which the children soon discover.

Unlock the future of storytelling with "French Sci-Fi Short Stories: 10 Short Stories Written in French with English Translations"! This captivating collection features ten mesmerizing science fiction tales, written in French with English translations, perfect for both sci-fi enthusiasts and language learners. Immerse yourself in futuristic adventures, explore parallel universes, and experience the thrill of cosmic mysteries while enhancing your bilingual skills.

Petty criminals Bill and Sam decide to kidnap 10-year-old Johnny for ransom money from his wealthy father. The plan turns on its head, however, when Johnny “Red Chief” Dorset decides he likes his captors better than his father.

Dragons soar through the skies and protests erupt on the streets, but Vivien Featherswallow isn’t worried. She’s going to follow the rules, get a summer internship studying dragon languages, be smart, be sweet, and make sure her little sister never, ever has to risk growing up Third Class. She just has to free one dragon. By midnight, Viv has started a civil war. With her parents and cousin arrested and her sister missing, Viv is brought to Bletchley Park as a codebreaker—if she succeeds, she and her family can all go home again. If she doesn’t, they’ll all die.

A child is born in a tin can. A switchboard operator finds himself in hell. Three corpulent women float somewhere beyond time. Welcome to the weird world of Karin Tidbeck, the visionary Swedish author of literary sci-fi, speculative fiction, and mind-bending fantasy who has captivated fans around the world. Originally published by the tiny press Cheeky Frawg - the passion project of Ann and Jeff VanderMeer - Jagannath has been celebrated by listeners and critics alike, with rave reviews from major outlets and support from lauded peers like China Mieville and even Ursula K. Le Guin herself.

A boy's family travels to the Allegheny Mountains in order for the entomologist father to find an undiscovered moth he remembers seeing there in his youth. Over the course of the summer, the boy's sister, who suffers from autism, finds she can speak the language of various insects and creatures of nature, allowing her to understand the world around her for the first time in her life.

After the success of the first edition of Learn by Reading, we decided to bring you the second volume. This book uses the second volume in the Mind Dimensions series as the underlying text. If you haven't listened to volume one, we recommend you start there. Though you could still get the educational benefits by starting from this volume, you will be missing critical information required for enjoyment of the story - and in our opinion, enjoyment is critical to the learning process.