“A lively survey…her research and insights make us conscious of how we, today, use books.”—John Sutherland, The New York Times Book Review Two centuries before the advent of radio, television, and motion pictures, books were a cherished form of popular entertainment and an integral component of domestic social life. In this fascinating and vivid history, Abigail Williams explores the ways in which shared reading shaped the lives and literary culture of the eighteenth century, offering new perspectives on how books have been used by their readers, and the part they have played in middle-class homes and families. Drawing on marginalia, letters and diaries, library catalogues, elocution manuals, subscription lists, and more, Williams offers fresh and fascinating insights into reading, performance, and the history of middle-class home life. “Williams’s charming pageant of anecdotes…conjures a world strikingly different from our own but surprisingly similar in many ways, a time when reading was on the rise and whole worlds sprang up around it.”—TheWashington Post

Hi! My name is Alex Pianola. Since the coronavirus lockdown began, I’ve been stuck at home with ten monsters and my parents. Gradually, I’ve realized that everyone else is in the same situation and we all I have to learn to do everyday things differently. I am eager to go outside, but thanks to the monsters and my friend Lidia, I’ve learned more about the virus and the whole point of the lockdown. We have to be responsible. We have to support our healthcare system, research and science, but we also need to take care of the planet and of each other, because we are all in the same boat. This special digital edition guide helps young readers learn to live with the coronavirus and play their part in stopping it from spreading. It encourages children to calmly reflect on what they are experiencing and teaches them how to cope with the anxiety that changes in routine can create. The information about COVID-19 is presented in a kid-friendly format and is easy to understand. Great care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of the scientific facts presented, thanks to the input of specialists such as Salvador Macip (doctor, scientist and writer), Toni Hernández (physicist, linguist and teacher) and Elena Rottier (psychologist). Together we will defeat the virus and there will be more Alex and the Monsters adventures! -- Jaume Copons

Your home is the perfect place for learning, fun, and sibling bonding!The Happy Learning Book for Siblings features 50 hands-on activities you can conduct in the comfort of your home. They are divided into five learning areas (Literacy, Numeracy, Discovery of the World, Motor Skills and Sensory Play, Arts and Crafts), and are scaled for children of different ages to experience together. Spark hours of joyful learning and playful moments for your children, from toddlers to preschoolers and school-aged kids!

The classic, New York Times-bestselling book on the psychology of racism that shows us how to talk about race in America. Walk into any racially mixed high school and you will see Black, White, and Latino youth clustered in their own groups. Is this self-segregation a problem to address or a coping strategy? How can we get past our reluctance to discuss racial issues? Beverly Daniel Tatum, a renowned authority on the psychology of racism, argues that straight talk about our racial identities is essential if we are serious about communicating across racial and ethnic divides and pursuing antiracism. These topics have only become more urgent as the national conversation about race is increasingly acrimonious. This fully revised edition is essential reading for anyone seeking to understand dynamics of race and racial inequality in America.

Help children discover the joy of Christmas 2020 with this timely picture book that affirms the special magic of the holidays even if we're physically separated from our loved ones! Christmas will always mean love. Even if love looks a little different this year. As families and communities come together--and stay apart--in creative ways this holiday season, bring comfort and joy to children with this story about a Christmas like no other. Always Together at Christmas highlights different family traditions and the ways they're changing in 2020: from Santa's elves practicing social distancing to opening presents via Zoom on Christmas morning. And it even includes ideas for new quarantine-appropriate Christmas traditions! The sweet and cozy illustrations add classic touches, making this book the perfect gift to share with family and friends from across the miles.

A practical guide for modern-day parenting geared towards stay-at-home dads, offering advice on everything from learning to cook and clean with children, to dealing with mental health and relationships and addressing male loneliness, with the easygoing perspective that dads can use their natural talents to parent any way that they choose. The Ultimate Stay-at-Home Dad manual takes the best advice and wisdom from a dads' group, and puts it into a format to help new stay-at-home fathers. Characterized by actionable and direct advice to fathers, the book takes on parenting from a father's point of view and encourages dads to use their natural talents to become a better parent. That advice is further bolstered by an additional 57 other dads who also give advice. All this advice is framed by the author's personal stories, which help the reader connect with the content and drives the advice home. This is a book that takes on day-to-day parenting, not just as a stay-at-home dad--working fathers could benefit from this book as much as at-home dads.