_______________ Shortlisted for Waterstones Book of the Year _______________ In difficult times, what children really need is hope. And in that spirit, bestselling author Katherine Rundell emailed some of the children's writers and artists whose work she loved most: 'I asked them to write something very short, fiction or non-fiction, or draw something that would make the children reading it feel like possibility-ists: something that would make them laugh or wonder or snort or smile. The response was magnificent, which shouldn't have surprised me, because children's writers and illustrators are professional hunters of hope ... I hope that the imagination can be a place of shelter for children and that The Book of Hopes might be useful in that, even if only a little.' This collection, packed with short stories, poems and pictures from the very best children's authors and illustrators, aims to provide just that. Within its pages you'll find animal friends from insects to elephants, high-flying grandmas, a homesick sprite, the tooth fairy, and even extra-terrestrial life. There are 133 contributions from authors and illustrators, including Anthony Horowitz, Axel Scheffler, Catherine Johnson, Jacqueline Wilson, Katherine Rundell, Lauren Child, Michael Morpurgo and Onjali Q. Raúf. A donation from the sale of each book will go to NHS Charities Together, in gratitude for the incredible efforts of all those who worked in hospitals over the quarantine period. _______________ 'An anthology on the theme of hope ... it includes a rich range of images, poetry, stories and non-fiction' - Sunday Times, 'Stories to charm on endless days' Proceeds from this book will be donated to NHS Charities Together. In respect of UK sales, this will be £2.10 and in respect of sales in other territories this will be 16% of net receipts (at least 62p). NHS Charities Together is a charity registered in England and Wales (registered charity no. 1186569).

Idris is a child refugee, born into a world of tents and fences. He has known no other life than this. He has no memories of the world outside. Then the Wisp arrives, floating in on the evening breeze. Everyone who holds it finds their memories reawakened, their hopes of freedom reborn. But what about Idris, who has no memories? What will happen when he holds the magical Wisp?Storytelling and imagination have the power to offer hope in this extraordinary picture book from the Amnesty CILIP Honour-winning author of The Bone Sparrow, Zana Fraillon, and Kate Greenaway Medal-winning illustrator Grahame Baker Smith.

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Barack Obama’s lucid vision of America’s place in the world and call for a new kind of politics that builds upon our shared understandings as Americans, based on his years in the Senate “In our lowdown, dispiriting era, Obama’s talent for proposing humane, sensible solutions with uplifting, elegant prose does fill one with hope.”—Michael Kazin, The Washington Post In July 2004, four years before his presidency, Barack Obama electrified the Democratic National Convention with an address that spoke to Americans across the political spectrum. One phrase in particular anchored itself in listeners’ minds, a reminder that for all the discord and struggle to be found in our history as a nation, we have always been guided by a dogged optimism in the future, or what Obama called “the audacity of hope.” The Audacity of Hope is Barack Obama’s call for a different brand of politics—a politics for those weary of bitter partisanship and alienated by the “endless clash of armies” we see in congress and on the campaign trail; a politics rooted in the faith, inclusiveness, and nobility of spirit at the heart of “our improbable experiment in democracy.” He explores those forces—from the fear of losing to the perpetual need to raise money to the power of the media—that can stifle even the best-intentioned politician. He also writes, with surprising intimacy and self-deprecating humor, about settling in as a senator, seeking to balance the demands of public service and family life, and his own deepening religious commitment. At the heart of this book is Barack Obama’s vision of how we can move beyond our divisions to tackle concrete problems. He examines the growing economic insecurity of American families, the racial and religious tensions within the body politic, and the transnational threats—from terrorism to pandemic—that gather beyond our shores. And he grapples with the role that faith plays in a democracy—where it is vital and where it must never intrude. Underlying his stories is a vigorous search for connection: the foundation for a radically hopeful political consensus. Only by returning to the principles that gave birth to our Constitution, Obama says, can Americans repair a political process that is broken, and restore to working order a government that has fallen dangerously out of touch with millions of ordinary Americans. Those Americans are out there, he writes—“waiting for Republicans and Democrats to catch up with them.”

A moving portrait of school reform in New Orleans through the eyes of the students and educators living it.

One courageous girl used her final wish to fulfill the wishes of 155 other children. When Hope Stout was diagnosed with bone cancer, the Stouts prayed for a miracle. The miracle occurred, but not in the way the Stouts expected. Instead this young girl asked for what seemed to be impossible-that one million dollars be raised in a month to fund the wishes of all the children on the Make-A-Wish Foundation's list for Central and Western North Carolina. Shelby and Stuart Stout felt led to write A Legacy of Hope after compiling a journal of the 191 days from Hope's diagnosis to her death. Both parents were with Hope every step of the way on her journey from a healthy preteen to being dependent on crutches to eventually being bedridden. Their heartfelt story includes the times when they were angry and desperate, as well as the times when Hope's humor and spirit shone through. Academy Award winning screen writers Diana Ossana and Larry McMurtry are developing the screenplay for Hope’s Wish with an expected production date sometime in 2013.

Foreword by M. G. Leonard: 'It's rare to find a book that's as useful as it is inspiring ... essential reading.' The indispensable guide to writing for children and young adults, this Yearbook provides inspirational articles from successful writers and illustrators, as well as details on who to contact across the media. It provides practical advice on all stages of the writing process from getting started, writing for different markets and genres, through to submission to literary agents and publishers as well as on the financial and legal aspects of being a writer. Widely recognised as the essential support for authors and illustrators working across all forms: fiction, non-fiction, poetry, screen and theatre, it is equally relevant to those wishing to self-publish as well as those seeking a traditional publisher-agent deal. New articles for 2022: Christopher Edge Plotting and pace in your middle-grade adventure L. D. Lapinski World-building in your fantasy fiction Anna Wilson Finding your voice and point of view Rachel Bladon The learning curve: writing for the children's educational market Jenny Bowman How to hire a freelance editor Sophie Clarke The life and works of a literary scout Rachel Rooney Writing poetry for children