After the war, a sickly mother gives birth to twins. Realizing they can’t care for both boys, the parents keep one child and give the other, who was considered to be not normal, to a family member. Though he was well cared for and was given an education and the best of everything, he was resentful of not being raised by his birth family. In addition, he seemed to have inherited some of his mother’s mental instability. He was caught in the grips of changing morals, discovering the sub-culture of covert sexuality. Absorbing the experiences of his first eighteen years, he sought a place where he can develop his personality. Upon finding “flower power” had blossomed in Philadelphia, he fell in love with all the city had to offer. A story of deep love and profound regret, this novel offers a look at one family’s dynamics and demonstrates the consequences of choices made by many throughout the years.

It’s an exciting day for the children in Tulip Class. “We are going on a very special trip to the fire station!” Come along as the children meet Charlie, who shows them just what it takes to be a firefighter. Download the full eBook and explore supporting teaching materials at www.twinkl.com/originals Join Twinkl Book Club to receive printed story books every half-term at www.twinkl.co.uk/book-club (UK only).

Secrets are burning out of control After she broke his heart in college, Faye Walker is the last person fire chief Reese Bristow ever expected to see again, especially as his new EMT. But that's not Reese's only surprise. Faye has an eight-year-old son, Elliott, whose counseling at The Lemonade Stand shelter is her first priority. It's nearly impossible to accept that she had a child with another man—and married that man—right after their breakup. Trusting Faye won't be easy. Especially when she reveals a secret about the boy that might tear them apart for good.

Scott has been in the hostile zone for a couple of days now, and we havent heard from him, nor do we expect to hear from him. I check out a website called iCasualties Afghanistan on a daily basis. Most columns in the database simply say not yet reported, so here I sit wondering if Ill have the satisfaction of ever seeing my oldest son alive again. Lance Corporal Scott Nielsen was deployed to Afghanistan as a US Marine machine gunner from April to November of 2010. His father, Mark began keeping a journal to record his thoughts, the news, and the day to day happenings in his life during his sons seven month absence. MY SON: BOY. MAN. MARINE is that journal. It gives us a glimpse into the life of a Marine who is fighting for our nations freedom in a far-off land, and it offers insight into the lives of the families who hold down the fort while waiting for their loved ones to come home.

On September 11, I dropped my son off at his second full day of kindergarten. The sky was so blue it looked as if it had been ironed. I crossed the street, ordered coffee, and sat to wait for my husband to meet me. It was our eighth wedding anniversary and Dave and I were about to begin a new chapter in our seventeen years together. Sipping coffee, I watched as a line of thick black smoke crept across the sky from Manhattan, oblivious to the fact that my life was about to change forever. On September 11, 2001, Marian Fontana lost her husband, Dave, a firefighter from the elite Squad 1 in Brooklyn, in the World Trade Center attack. A Widow's Walk begins that fateful morning, when Marian, a playwright and comedienne, became a widow, a single mother, and an unlikely activist. Two weeks after 9/11, the city attempted to close Squad 1, which had suffered the loss of twelve men. Known for her feisty spirit and passionate loyalty, Marian, who was still reeling from her profound loss, began to mobilize the neighborhood to keep the firehouse open. From this unlikely platform the 9/11 Widows and Victims' Families Association grew. Over the next twelve months, Marian struggled with the tragedy's endless ripple effects, from the minute and deeply personal—she wonders who will play Star Wars with her son, Aidan, and carry him on his shoulders; to the collective: she works to get families and widows necessary information about the recovery effort and attends private meetings with Governor Pataki, Mayor Giuliani, Senator Clinton, and Mayor Bloomberg. Through it all, Marian's irrepressible humor is her best armor, as well as evidence of her buoyant strength. Written with great heart and humanity, A Widow's Walk is a timely opportunity for remembrance and a timeless testament to love's loss and the resilience of the human spirit.

A young boy imagines the work he will do and the safety gear he will wear when he becomes a fireman some day, as his younger brother first watches then joins him on the job.

When their house is destroyed by fire and everything is lost except a stuffed bear and a family photograph, Mama reminds Maria and her little brother, Pepito, that they still have their most important possessions.