Alex Bell

Kak zarodilos chelovechestvo? Vopros proiskhozhdenija Homo sapiens porozhdaet spory sredi uchenykh vot uzhe mnogo let. Otkuda u nashego predka pojavilas mysl, chto osedlaja zhizn luchshe kochevoj? Kak proiskhodila selektsija rastenij, kogda ne bylo dazhe takogo slova - "genetika"? Na mnogie voprosy odnoznachnykh otvetov net i segodnja. Odnako eta kniga - zakhvatyvajuschee puteshestvie ot drevnikh vremen do XVIII veka, kogda obschestvo priobrelo znakomye nam cherty. Vy prochitaete o vozmozhnykh predkakh cheloveka, projdetes po raznym istoricheskim i kulturnym epokham, a takzhe uznaete: * dejstvitelno li chelovecheskij razum - sluchajnoe porozhdenie evoljutsii; * kakie tajny khranilis v velikikh sooruzhenijakh drevnosti; * mog li ne past ot varvarov Drevnij Rim; * kak pravili imperatory Kitaja i Rossii; * pochemu naselenie mira rastet, a ljudi zhivut vse jarche i bogache; * kakimi byli istoricheskie osnovy glavnykh tendentsij sovremennosti... ...I mnogoe-mnogoe drugoe.

We live in a time of crises in a state with no moral purpose. This generation could become great by tackling Scotland’s domestic problems, and the wider issues facing the world. That is only possible if we take charge, set the goal of equality and give ourselves twenty years to transform our society. We can lead ourselves to a better world. ALEX BELLFormer Head of Policy to First Minister Alex Salmond, Alex Bell puts Scotland’s future in a global context and sets out a way for Scotland and the UK to reform. This is a manifesto for the future free of party lines or the usual orthodoxies – if you read only one book on the referendum, make it this one.The sort of original thinking that has been so sorely missing in the debate. - BEN THOMSON, Reform ScotlandBadly needed as a guide for the general reader to the issues facing the Scottish people. - KENNETH ROY, Scottish ReviewA rare work – a stimulating read that you would hope party manifestos would aspire to but rarely do. - JOHN McLAREN, Centre for Public Policy for RegionsA manifesto for the future. - ANDY WIGHTMAN, author of The Poor Had No Lawyers… an eloquent and alarmingly persuasive book. - THE SCOTSMAN, on Peak Water

Trouble is brewing for Bess at the Odditorium, where the secret door to the dark and dangerous Land of Fairytales is about to open… Can she finish what her grandfather started and bring down the Evil Queen Cinderella once and for all?

All aboard for The Train of Dark Wonders The second book in the magical must-read middle-grade series. Bess can't wait to see her friends from the Train of Dark Wonders and head off on another adventure together. But she has her duties as owner of the Odditorium to think about. Most importantly, the gateway to other worlds needs a new animal guard and it's her job to find one. When the train stops by on route to The Land of Cursed Creatures, Bess hops on board. Here, she encounters zombie ducks, haunted lobsters and poisonous swans. She also hears tales of the most mysterious and secretive creature of all - the cursed unicorn. As creatures begin to go missing, Bess and the gang set out on a daring rescue mission, venturing deep into a land of living nightmares...

All aboard for The Train of Dark Wonders! The second book in the magical must-read middle-grade series. Bess can’t wait to see her friends from the Train of Dark Wonders and head off on another adventure together. But she has her duties as owner of the Odditorium to think about. Most importantly, the gateway to other worlds needs a new animal guard and it’s her job to find one. When the train stops by on route to The Land of Cursed Creatures, Bess hops on board. Here, she encounters zombie ducks, haunted lobsters and poisonous swans. She also hears tales of the most mysterious and secretive creature of all – the cursed unicorn. As creatures begin to go missing, Bess and the gang set out on a daring rescue mission, venturing deep into a land of living nightmares…

Jump aboard for a journey to strange and spectacular lands... The magical must-read middle-grade novel from the bestselling author of THE POLAR BEAR EXPLORERS' CLUB and FROZEN CHARLOTTE. Bess has always loved her grandfather's collection of curiosities. So she's delighted when she's handed the keys to his Odditorium. But unless she finds a way to draw in the crowds, she'll have to close its doors for good. When a mysterious train pulls into town, bound for The Land of Halloween Sweets, Bess hatches a plan and sneaks onboard. She is soon discovered by Beau the puppeteer, Louie the violinist and Maria the fire witch. Eager to join their adventure, Bess sets out to search for the rarest sweet of all - the ghostly gobstopper. But the land is ruled by the fearsome Candymaker. And beneath the sugary surface, things are more dangerous than they first appear...

'A daring adventure . . . will engage even the most reluctant readers.' Kirkus'Absolutely spellbinding.' Books for Topics'A feast for every imagination and an unputdownable adventure.' Armadillo Magazine'Full of magic.' Erika, Aged 12, Books up North'A glorious adventure!' Books for Keeps'A must-read.' The BookbagAn out of this world magical adventure with talking animals, risk-taking and friendship aplenty! A new standalone magical story from the best-selling author of the Explorers' Club series.Twelve-year-old Eli is an apprentice librarian at the largest library in the world. But when his grandmother falls ill, he enters the Glorious Race of Magical Beasts to raise money for her treatment.This annual race is always held in the most perilous places and is full of spiky dangers. Most participants seek out unicorns and dragons to help them on their conquest. But not Eli. He embarks on this journey with his trusted pet and friend, Humphrey, his moon tortoise. Moon tortoises aren't suited to racing and Eli is no natural adventurer. But he soon finds himself in an unlikely partnership with Raven, a rule-breaker and skilled archer, and her ice hare - one of the fastest animals in the world.If the two children put aside their differences and work together, they might just reach the finish line!

The magical must-read middle-grade novel from the bestselling author of THE POLAR BEAR EXPLORERS’ CLUB and FROZEN CHARLOTTE. Bess has always loved her grandfather’s collection of curiosities. So she’s delighted when she’s handed the keys to his Odditorium. But unless she finds a way to draw in the crowds, she’ll have to close its doors for good. When a mysterious train pulls into town, bound for The Land of Halloween Sweets, Bess hatches a plan and sneaks onboard. She is soon discovered by Beau the puppeteer, Louie the violinist and Maria the fire witch. Eager to join their adventure, Bess sets out to search for the rarest sweet of all – the ghostly gobstopper. But the land is ruled by the fearsome Candymaker. And beneath the sugary surface, things are more dangerous than they first appear...

Directly below was a sight none of them had ever seen before - a kind of spiral, with glowing ruby-red lights that curved outwards like tentacles.In the middle was a dark circle, inky black.

On Bird Rock, gannets circle and thick mist surrounds the lighthouse at its centre, hiding the secrets of a tragic past within . From the second they set foot on the island to join their dad and his new family, Jess and Rosie feel that something's wrong. Nightmares haunt their dreams and there seems to be someone, or something, else with them in the lighthouse - their home for the summer. Counting down the days until they can leave, Jess and Rosie decide to investigate. But when Rosie disappears, the countdown takes on a new meaning. Especially when no one but Jess remembers Rosie at all. Alex Bell's chilling novel is part of the Red Eye series, perfect for fans of Juno Dawson's?SAY HER NAME and Kat Ellis's HARROW LAKE.

In their fifth thrilling adventure, the explorers journey deep into the Bubble Ocean on their quest to stop the evil Collector, but time is running out . . .The Poison Tentacle Sea was home to the powerful Bone Current. As they had feared, it gave a sudden surge and pulled them in.Half-mermaid Ursula Jellyfin has always longed for adventure, and this time the stakes are higher than ever. The Collector is holding a group of children prisoner on Pirate Island, and it's up to Ursula and her friends Jai, Max and Genie to set them free. Armed with a magical mermaid trident, and with new recruit Zara the pirate fairy on board, their mission is filled with danger. The explorers must face zombie skeletons, make a daring rescue from a whirlpool and travel through a dinosaur graveyard. But even if they do make it to Pirate Island, can they fool the Collector and get in to an impenetrable fort?Fast-paced, magical storytelling in a breathtaking underwater world. Alex Bell's inventiveness and attention to detail is a joy to read.Praise for the series:'A magical adventure of friendship, bravery and derring-do in a richly imagined world.' The Bookseller'A fantastic frosty adventure.' Sunday Express'Wintry, atmospheric, highly imaginative fantasy.' Metro'The most huggable book of the year . . . An (iced) gem.' SFX

In the final book of the whimsical Polar Bear Explorers' Club series, Stella and the gang go on their most perilous adventure yet to find a cure for their cursed friend. Stella Starflake Pearl has been expelled from the Polar Bear Explorers' Club. But that's not going to stop her and the rest of the junior explorers from embarking on another exceptionally perilous expedition. It hasn't been long since Shay was bitten by a witch wolf, but he's in danger of turning into one himself. Only an ice queen's long-lost spell book and Stella's ice princess magic has the power to break the curse. The one thing standing in their way is a treacherous monolith no explorer has ever returned from...the Black Ice Bridge. Can Stella and the rest of the gang overcome their most fearsome quest yet? Or will distrustful mermaids, screeching red devil squids, irksome trolls, and a centuries-old curse stop them in their tracks?

In this fourth explorers adventure we meet Ursula, a part mermaid girl who is determined to follow in Stella's footsteps and help her to defeat the Collector!Ursula knew the submarine wasn't designed to go this deep, but what choice did they have? No one wanted to get swallowed up by a colossal sneezing jellyfish!In a distant watery corner of the Explorers Kingdom, a submarine engineer, Ursula, is determined to become an explorer. Unfortunately, she hides an extraordinary secret, which makes her the sworn enemy of the Ocean Squid Explorers' Club were they ever to find out . . . But when The Collector threatens the Club, Ursula throws caution to the wind and leads an expedition through treacherous waters, filled with gremlins, aboard the Blowfish submarine - and joined by her friends Max, Genie and Jai - and even her idol Stella!Thrilling, heart-pounding adventure with exquisite detail throughout. Alex Bell's world-building is second to none. Praise for the series:'A magical adventure of friendship, bravery and derring-do in a richly imagined world.' The Bookseller'A fantastic frosty adventure.' Sunday Express'Wintry, atmospheric, highly imaginative fantasy.' Metro'The most huggable book of the year . . . An (iced) gem.' SFX

"A delightful fantasy adventure." --School Library Journal Stella and the gang travel to Witch Mountain to save Felix and what they find along the way could change the course of their adventures forever in this second novel in the whimsical Polar Bear Explorers' Club series. Stella Starflake Pearl has been eagerly awaiting her next adventure, ever since she and Felix returned from the snowy Icelands. She fears, however, that she might never be sent on another expedition, especially since the president of the Polar Bear Explorers' Club himself is afraid of her ice princess powers. But when disaster strikes and Felix is snatched by a fearsome witch, Stella and the rest of the junior explorers--including a reluctant new ally from the Jungle Cat Explorers' Club--must set off into the unknown on a forbidden journey to the top of Witch Mountain. What awaits them there is a mystery. The only thing they know is this: No one ever returns from Witch Mountain. In the second installment of Alex Bell's magical The Polar Bear Explorers' Club series, Stella and the gang face villainous vultures, terrifying witch wolves, flying sharks, and eerie picnicking teddy bears on their daring quest to save one of their own.

In the final book of the whimsical Polar Bear Explorers' Club series, Stella and the gang go on their most perilous adventure yet to find a cure for their cursed friend. Stella Starflake Pearl has been expelled from the Polar Bear Explorers' Club. But that's not going to stop her and the rest of the junior explorers from embarking on another exceptionally perilous expedition. It hasn't been long since Shay was bitten by a witch wolf, but he's in danger of turning into one himself. Only an ice queen's long-lost spell book and Stella's ice princess magic has the power to break the curse. The one thing standing in their way is a treacherous monolith no explorer has ever returned from...the Black Ice Bridge. In this final, daring installment of the Polar Bear Explorers' Club series, Stella and the rest of the gang embark on their most fearsome quest yet, plagued by distrustful mermaids, screeching red devil squids, irksome trolls, and a centuries-old curse.

In the third magical Stella Starflake adventure the explorers meet gargoyles, sea-gremlins, mermaids, red devil squids - even a Gentleman Flamingo! Ice princess Stella Starflake and her father Felix are in trouble: President Fogg has expelled them from the Polar Bear Explorers' Club, and banned them from going on any further expeditions. Stella's not going to be put off by rules and regulations though. She knows her friend Shay is in danger of turning into a witch wolf himself, since receiving a deadly bite on their last adventure. It's vital that Stella and her friends set out to find the spellbook that could save his life, even if it means travelling over the cursed Black Ice Bridge. It's a formidable and dangerous task, and their journey takes them on a breathtaking, page-turning adventure! Praise for the series: 'A magical adventure of friendship, bravery and derring-do in a richly imagined world.' The Bookseller 'A fantastic frosty adventure.' Sunday Express 'Wintry, atmospheric, highly imaginative fantasy.' Metro 'The most huggable book of the year . . . An (iced) gem.' SFX

Stella and the gang travel to Witch Mountain to save Felix and what they find along the way could change the course of their adventures forever in this second novel in the whimsical Polar Bear Explorers' Club series. Stella Starflake Pearl has been eagerly awaiting her next adventure, ever since she and Felix returned from the Snowy Icelands. She fears, however, that she might never be sent on another expedition, especially since the president of the Polar Bear Explorers' Club himself is afraid of her ice princess powers. But when disaster strikes and Felix is snatched by a fearsome witch, Stella and the rest of the junior explorers--including a reluctant new ally from the Jungle Cat Explorers' Club--must set off into the unknown on a forbidden journey to the top of Witch Mountain. What awaits them there is a mystery. The only thing they know is this: No one ever returns from Witch Mountain. In the second installment of Alex Bell's magical The Polar Bear Explorers' Club series, Stella and the gang face villainous vultures, terrifying witch wolves, flying sharks, and eerie picnicking teddy bears on their daring quest to save one of their own.

A precocious young girl is determined to prove herself as an explorer in the first novel in the whimsical Polar Bear Explorers' Club series. Stella Starflake Pearl knows, without a doubt, that she was born to be an adventurer. It's too bad girls are forbidden from becoming explorers. But Stella's father has never been one to play by the rules. Leaving behind her pet polar bear, Gruff, and beloved unicorn, Magic, Stella and Felix set off on an expedition to the snowy Icelands. There, Stella plans to prove herself as a junior explorer, worthy of membership in the Polar Bear Explorers' Club. So when Stella and three other junior explorers are separated from the rest of their expedition, she has the perfect opportunity. Can they explore the frozen wilderness and live to tell the tale? The first in Alex Bell's imaginative new series, The Polar Bear Explorers' Club is a fun and daring adventure filled with magic, outlaws, and fantastic faraway lands.