Sometimes the world can seem boring, harsh and hostile, especially to a teenager. This is certainly what it feels like for the American boy Ben, as he tries to get used to living in a foreign country after his parents’ divorce, when he never wanted to leave his home in the first place. He doesn’t like Budapest, and his new classmates are none too friendly either. He’s happiest retreating into his own little world with his cherished films about the Middle Ages to keep him company, daydreaming about his life as a knight in some parallel universe... Then something happens to make Ben’s wish come true – only not quite in the way he imagined. From one moment to the next, he finds himself transported to a strange, unfamiliar place with the talkative, inquisitive Maya, a girl from his new class at school. They have no idea how and why they got there, or what to make of this unpredictable, magical land. Then there is the mystery of the mysterious paintbrush that Ben found before their unusual journey, and what it has to do with the strange events that unfold. One thing is certain: they have to get to the bottom of the mysteries if they want to get home, but the adventures that await them turn out to be beyond their wildest imaginings.

Scarlet paints perfect pictures with her magic paintbrush until the day the brush is lost, and she fears she'll never be able to paint again. When the brush is found, will Scarlet's own magical creativity emerge?

Shen's magic paintbrush can paint food for the hungry and clothes for the needy, but all the greedy emperor wants is greater riches for himself. But Shen has made a promise to paint only for the poor and it is a promise that she'll never break. Presented in the style of a traditional Chinese tale. Suggested level: junior, primary.

Incredible stories. Award-winning storytellers. Epic adventure, mystery, and fun? We've got it all in Ghostwriter—the extraordinary new series from the Emmy-award winning hit Apple TV+ show, created by your friends at Sesame Workshop. Three tales of middle-grade magic from around the globe! Discover a paintbrush that brings to life whatever is drawn, a mysterious girl who communicates with animals and controls the weather, and an enchanted statue that grants major-league baseball skills in fun remixes of classic folktales by award-winning authors Henry Lien, Jennifer Torres, and Varsha Bajaj. Featuring an introduction by Newbery and Coretta Scott King Award winning poet and writer Kwame Alexander. The book also includes bonus activities: Games Quizzes Puzzles Vocabulary Reading Comprehension and Crafts!

Bring the woodland to life as you brush water over the black and white illustrations in this beautiful book. Sixteen detailed pictures include harvest mice eating berries, brown bears climbing trees, a badger exploring at night and lots more. With a handy fold-out back cover to prevent colours running through to the page beneath.

Open this book to see stylish, black and white illustrations showing various Christmas scenes and seasonal motifs... then brush water over them using the aqua pen provided to see them change before your very eyes, as a rainbow of colours magically reveal themselves and bring each scene to life.