Showing results by narrator "Ciaran Saward" in All Categories

Harley Hitch is back with another inventive adventure! When the circus comes to town, Harley's curiosity gets the better of her - and she accidentally breaks a cabinet that makes things magically disappear! Soon after, everyone realises that the Moon has gone missing. Time is speeding up, wildlife at night is getting disorientated by the darkness and there's no more tide. Is Harley to blame? Can she sort out the mess before it's too late?

The latest freshers have more than fitting in to fear when a forbidden entity is unleashed in an ancient seat of learning. New arrivals Nick and Annabel feel out of place at university, but when they are attacked by a creature straight out of their worst nightmares, their first term becomes less pass-fail than do-or-die. As the bodies pile up, their college’s dark secret cannot stay hidden for long. And when their tutors fall prey to mysterious forces, can Nick and Annabel enroll the night climber Giles to help banish the beast before freshers’ year becomes their last?

How did life begin? Why are we here? These are some of the most profound questions we can ask. For almost a century, a small band of eccentric scientists has struggled to answer these questions and explain one of the greatest mysteries of all: how and why life began on Earth. There are many different proposals and each idea has attracted passionate believers who promote it with an almost religious fervour, as well as detractors who reject it with equal passion.

What actually is AI? Will it take over the world? And one day, will it tidy your bedroom...? In this beginner's guide, learn everything you need to know about AI, from how it helps us discover epic stuff up in space or under the sea, whether it will help you build your very own dinosaur, and why, it won't actually help you write your homework!

In November 1974, British MP and former cabinet minister John Stonehouse walked into the sea off a beach in Miami and disappeared, seemingly drowned. Then he was found—on the other side of the world, in Australia—and his extraordinary story began to come to light: a Labour cabinet minister and a devoted family man, also in a long-term affair with his secretary, and a spy for the Czech State Security agency, who had committed fraud and attempted to fake his own death to escape catastrophic business failures.

Shiver Point is boring. Nothing interesting ever happens there and there's never anything fun to do. At least that's what Alex has always thought. Until one night, in the dead dark, he spots what looks like a meteorite plummeting into Howlmoor Forest. Intrigued, Alex goes to investigate. But little does he know, four other kids have also spotted the strange streak in the sky: 'troublemaker' Oli, studious Sophia, curious Mo and budding engineer Riley. What they discover is far beyond their wildest dreams - in fact it belongs in their nightmares.

Jojo Locke's dad disappeared six years ago. And what's stranger still, none of his family can really remember him: there’s a hole inside each of them where Dad should be. But then Aunt Pen arrives, a real faerie, with her tricks and wishes. She tests Jojo to see how deep his courage runs, sets him off on a journey to find their memories of Dad, and an adventure far beyond what he could have imagined begins.

This term begins with a school trip to the coast, where Harley stumbles upon a mysterious fossil. Could it be that Harley has discovered an entirely new dinosaur species? Meanwhile, eager to best her class nemesis Fenelda in the contest for best invention, Harley dreams big with her attempt to invent a time travel machine. It doesn't seem to work, but soon strange happenings all over Inventia make her question whether the time travel machine might work after all! But what to do about the huge dinosaur that has been spotted in Forgetown?

Eli Hagin can’t finish anything. He hates his job, but can’t seem to quit. He doesn’t want to be with his girlfriend, but doesn’t know how end things with her, either. Eli wants to write a novel, but he’s never taken a story beyond the first chapter. Eli also has trouble separating reality from fiction. When his best friend kills himself, Eli is motivated, for the first time in his life, to finally end something himself, just as Mike did. Except sessions with his therapist suggest that Eli’s most recent ‘first chapters’ are not as fictitious as he had intended.

To the outside world, the Goodlights are perfect. Julia is a lawyer, Paul a stay-at-home dad who has dedicated his life to helping their daughter Chrissie achieve her dreams as a talented violinist. But on the night of a prestigious music competition, which has the power to change everything for Chrissie and her family, Chrissie goes missing. She puts on the performance of a lifetime, then completely disappears. Suddenly every single crack, every single secret that the family is hiding risks being exposed. Because the Goodlights aren’t perfect. Not even close.

Whiz through the marvellous menagerie of imagination, from honey-hungry bears to hand-holding otters, snowy white owls to not-so-scary monsters. These tales focus on love, friendship and belonging, laced with gentle humour and heart-warming messages—the perfect incentive for little ones to get an early night’s sleep!

All societies, in their very different ways, are orderly. The very term 'society' implies the existence of a degree of organisation and predictability to human life. Orderliness, however, is a matter of degree. It is neither total, nor totally absent. In recent times, however, such concerns have largely given way to a greater preoccupation with disorderliness: with significant and disruptive social change; with rising crime and anti-social behaviour; and with a variety of other social problems. But what has really been happening?

Giles Chamberlain returns to a snowbound Cambridge after Christmas spent with his girlfriend. Determined to prove himself to her family, he sets out to discover what became of her missing brother. But when he encounters a sinister figure prowling the college’s rooftops, he suspects last semester’s creature was not the only entity to cross into our world.

The Iron Forest near Harley’s home is unlike any other - plants and trees grow cogs and hinges and other mechanical parts - and all of Inventia depends on it. So when a strange fungus is discovered, there’s a race to find a solution. Without essential parts for inventions, the town is quickly falling apart. But just who or what is behind the mysterious infestation? Harley decides it’s up to her to save the day - with chaotic results!

The events of the Crucifixion continue to fascinate biblical scholars and artists alike. Amongst the drama of that momentous day was a humble request and the reply that it received, an incident that manages to crystalize something of the essence of Christianity. Dismas - The Penitent Thief: An Introduction seeks to explore what is known of the individual who made that request and discover his story, his significance, and how he continues to inspire others

When 11-year-old Charlie Spruit finds an alien on his doorstep one morning he can hardly believe his luck. Who is he? Why has he come? Charlie soon discovers that his new friend Eeek! is soccer-mad and has run away from space to watch the World Cup Final with him. Charlie hides Eeek! in his bedroom, where he sleeps on the ceiling by night and pores over Charlie's football magazines by day. The only person he lets in on his alien secret is his best friend Jake.

Science and laughs combine in this out-of-this-world adventure from best-selling author Christopher Edge. You might think that this story is going to be an intergalactic adventure filled with UFOs, black holes, killer robots and some very foul-smelling aliens. And you'd be right. But it's mostly about a boy called Jake, his embarrassing dad and the mind-boggling question...are we really alone in the universe?

When David Bowie died on 10th January 2016, it seemed the whole world was united in mourning. His greatest hits were sung tearfully in pubs up and down Britain, garlands of flowers were left at the Aladdin Sane mural in his old stomping ground of Brixton and tributes poured in from a galaxy of stars. To many of us, Bowie was so much more than a pop idol. But why? In Why Bowie Matters, Professor Will Brooker answers that question persuasively, as both a fan and an academic.

Ravi Gupta’s dark secret is unravelling. After years of hiding a dangerous portal discovered through foolish magic, the regretful academic worries his brilliant student has recklessly used it to travel to an alien world. And though he’s loath to go back, he stealthily opens a passage and journeys to the perilous land, desperate to save the missing scholar.

The Aviation Parade is coming to Forgetown this summer, and Harley has her sights set on creating a flying machine that will really stand out – a flying robot hippogriff! And if the creature impresses Cosmo's mum enough, surely Cosmo will be able to keep it as a pet? But Harley wants the flying machine to be a surprise for everyone. She soon finds that keeping secrets leads to tricky explanations and lots of trouble – especially when real hippogriffs arrive and cause chaos!