Susan Cooper – författare

Enter the magical world of Susan Cooper. Perfect for fans of His Dark Materials.It's Christmas-time in the Stanton family house: presents, carol singing, good cheer. But for eleven-year-old Will Stanton, something sinister has begun, inching round his subconscious, shouting silent warnings he can't decipher. Then on Midwinter Day, Will wakes up to a different world: silent, covered in snow and ancient forest, a world of another time. A world where evil lurks.Because Will is not the ordinary boy he always thought he was. He is the last of the Old Ones and the power to vanquish the evil magic of the Dark lies within him.Includes exclusive material: In the Backstory you can read an interview with the author and discover the ancient beliefs that inspired the story.

An engaging classroom playscript. Nat is a young actor performing as Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream. As the rehearsals intensify, Nat's health begins to fail and the cast is horrified to hear that he has been rushed to hospital with bubonic plague.New, innovative activities specifically tailored to support the KS3 Framework for Teaching English and help students to fulfil the Framework objectives. Activities include work on Speaking and Listening, close text analysis, and the structure of playscripts, and act as a springboard for personal writing.

Emily and Jess Volnik have returned for another Scottish adventure, joining their old friend Tommy and Mr Maconochie, the new owner of Castle Keep, on a trip to Loch Ness, where a new expedition is determined to find the fabled monster.The fun-loving Boggart - a mischievous shape-shifting spirit who has lived in the castle for centuries -comes along for the ride, but this time the Boggart has a serious mission. His cousin Nessie is trapped in the monster shape he took on long ago, and it's up to the Boggart to keep Nessie from being discovered by the expedition's high-tech equipment. Is modern science any match for the Boggart's ancient magic?

Accidentally transported from his remote Scottish castle to the bright, fast-moving, hi-tech city of Toronto, the highly mischievous Boggart simply can't resist the opportunity for pranks, and wreaks havoc for the Volnik family, inheritors of his distant castle home. But the Boggart doesn't mean any real harm, and when he begins to pine for the rolling Scottish mists and the sound of bagpipes, he turns to his two young friends, Emily and Jessup Volnik, for help.

A brand new, funny Boggart mystery from Susan Cooper, renowned author of the Dark is Rising sequence.Once again, there's magic afoot in Scotland when Allie and Jay visit their grandfather and are eagerly greeted by the Boggart, an ancient sprite, and his cousin Nessie, formerly known as the Loch Ness Monster. Things are rarely peaceful with two boggarts around, but this time a real estate developer is the one causing a disturbance - a man named Trout.Trout is building a luxury resort, and is desperate to buy up everything in town - including Allie and Jay's grandfather's shop. He's willing to do almost anything to raze the store to the ground, but with his beloved family under attack, the Boggart doesn't stay silent for long: soon bulldozers are mysteriously driving themselves into the loch, and surveying flags are floating off into the sky, but Trout is unmoved. When Nessie tries to scare him by transforming into the Loch Ness Monster, Trout is delighted - what a sensational tourist attraction he's found!Allie, Jay, and the boggarts will have to use all of their wits to outsmart the developers and save their home - even if it means waking up all the Old Magic creatures. Even the deadly ones...

This night will be bad and tomorrow will be beyond imagining.It's Midwinter's Eve, the day before Will's eleventh birthday. But there is an atmosphere of fear in the familiar countryside around him. This will be a birthday like no other. Will discovers that he has the power of the Old Ones, and that he must embark on a quest to vanquish the terrifyingly evil magic of the Dark.The second novel in Susan Cooper's highly acclaimed Dark is Rising sequence.

In their desperate quest to find the grail, stolen by the forces of the Dark, the Drew children have returned to Trewissick. One night, in a strange ceremony, Jane watches the village women construct the Greenwitch: an ancient offering to the sea. Overcome by the Greenwitch's power, Jane makes a perilous wish - one that will tip the balance in the ongoing struggle between good and evil.The third haunting, magical book in the highly acclaimed Dark is Rising sequence.

Following a serious illness, Will is sent to stay with his uncle in the wild, bleak mountains of Tywyd. He is troubled by vague memories until he meets the mysterious Bran - and suddenly Will knows the task that lies ahead. With Bran's help, Will set outs to find the golden harp and awaken the six sleepers who must join the final battle between the Dark and the Light. But Will is about to encounter his most terrifying opponent yet: the Grey King.

The six servants of the Light - the Drew children, Will, Bran and the mysterious Merriman - have reached their last, desperate fight against the forces of the Dark. They face one final, daunting task: to find the crystal sword. Their search will lead them from their own world to the haunting, magical Lost Land between sea and shore - and they will each stare death in the face before the battle's final moments.The fifth and final spellbinding book in the highly acclaimed Dark is Rising sequence.

“A perfect coming-of-age story” – The Guardian, praise for The Dark is Rising Three siblings embark on an epic quest for a mythic grail in this first installment of Susan Cooper's award-winning The Dark Is Rising Sequence, now with a brand-new look!All through time, Light and Dark have battled for control of the world. Now, after centuries of balance, the Dark is summoning its terrifying forces to rise once more...and three children find themselves caught in the conflict.The Drew siblings – Simon, Jane, and Barney – are on a family holiday in Cornwall when they discover an ancient map. But, they have no idea how special the map is.Together, the three siblings have to take on a quest. They need to band together and discover the secret weapon that can end the war between Dark and Light. But, will they be able to do it in time?And, will they be able to make it out alive?

'This is probably one of the greatest fantasy sequences ever written. Darkly magical and intense Cooper weaves her storytelling wonder over fully realised characters and worlds, drawing in the reader and leading them on a journey that will leave them clambering for the rest of the series.' - BookTrustIt's Midwinter's Eve, the day before Will's eleventh birthday. But there is an atmosphere of fear in the familiar countryside around him. This will be a birthday like no other. Will discovers that he has the power of the Old Ones, and that he must embark on a quest to vanquish the terrifyingly evil magic of the Dark.Puffin Clothbound Classics are stunningly beautiful hardback editions of the most famous stories in the world, now including a beautiful 50th anniversary edition of The Dark is Rising, the atmospheric, triumphant book by Susan Cooper.Collect our Puffin Clothbound Classics:9780241444313 The Little Prince9780241663554 The Jungle Book9780241568811 Charlotte's Web9780241688243 Little Women9780241688250 Peter Pan9780241688267 The Railway Children9780241688236 Chinese Cinderella9780241411216 Treasure Island9780241411209 The Wizard of Oz9780241655702 Watership Down9780241663578 The Worst Witch9780241663547 David Copperfield9780241663561 The Neverending Story9780241623909 Stig of the Dump9780241623916 The Dark is Rising9780241411162 The Secret Garden9780241411148 Black Beauty9780241411155 Dracula9780241425121 Frankenstein9780241425138 Wuthering Heights9780241425114 Tales from Shakespeare9780241425107 Tales of the Greek Heroes9780241411193 A Christmas Carol9780241621196 Grimms' Fairy Tales9780241425145 Hans Christian Andersen's Fairy Tales

Two children cross an ocean, two hundred years apart. One is Sam Robbins, a powder monkey aboard HMS Victory, the ship in which Lord Nelson will die a hero's death at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. The other is Molly Jennings, a present-day English girl transplanted from London to America, fighting a battle of her own against loss and loneliness.This extraordinary time-shifting adventure tells the interwoven stories of Sam and Molly, linked by a mystery. Sam is a farm boy, press ganged to serve in the Royal Navy. In the dangerous world of a warship enduring the Napoleonic Wars, he meets both cruelty and kindness, and survives a fearsome battle whose echoes reach through the years to involve Molly as well. Like him, she has lost her childhood but will find her future, with help from a very unexpected source. Two lives joined forever by the touch of Nelson, the greatest sailor of all time.

In the winter of his eleventh year, Little Hawk goes deep into the forest, where he must endure a three-month test of solitude and survival which will turn him into a man.But outside the woods, the world is changing. English settlers are landing on the shores of the New World, and tensions between native tribes and the invaders are rising.Little Hawk’s fate becomes irreversibly entwined with that of John, a young English boy who dares to question intolerance. He is witness to a secret murder – will he now be witness to bloodshed between nations?SHORTLISTED FOR THE CILIP CARNEGIE MEDAL 2014

Staging Dance is a practical handbook that covers all aspects of putting on a dance production. It highlights the current diversity of dance activities, choosing examples from working dance groups and from individual dancers.The book includes sections on choreography, music and sound, designing and making sets and costumes, lighting design and technical implementation and stage management. Funding, planning and publicity are also covered.Staging Dance will prove invaluable not only to dance artists, but also those working along side them: musicians, designers, lighting technicians, administrators and directors.

Evaluation is an essential element of professional practice. However, there is little in the literature that is designed to help students involve and support young people in evaluating the impact of youth work activities. This comprehensive book explores current thinking about evaluation in the context of youth work and community work and offers both theoretical understanding and practical guidance for students, practitioners, organisational leaders and commissioners. Part 1 provides underpinning knowledge of the origins, purpose and functions of evaluation. It charts the developments in evaluation thinking over the past 50 years, and includes an exploration of ‘theory of change’. Concepts such as impact, impact measurement and shared measurement are critically examined to illustrate the political nature of evaluation. Findings from empirical research are used to illuminate the challenges of applying a quasi-experimental paradigm of evaluation of youth and community work. Part 2 introduces the reader to participatory evaluation and presents an overview of the histories, rationale and underpinning principles. Empowerment evaluation, collaborative evaluation and democratic evaluation are examined in detail, including practice examples. Transformative Evaluation, an approach specifically designed for youth and community work, is presented. Part 3 focuses on the ‘doing’ of participatory evaluation and offers guidance to those new to participatory evaluation in youth and community work and a helpful check for those already engaging. It provides valuable information on planning, methods, data and data analysis and processes for sharing knowledge.This essential text will enable the reader to reconstruct evaluation as a tool for learning as well as a tool for judging value. It provides a comprehensive reference, drawing on a wide range of literature and practice examples to support those involved in youth and community work to develop and implement participatory approaches to evaluating and communicating the meaning and value of youth and community work to a wider audience.

Evaluation is an essential element of professional practice. However, there is little in the literature that is designed to help students involve and support young people in evaluating the impact of youth work activities. This comprehensive book explores current thinking about evaluation in the context of youth work and community work and offers both theoretical understanding and practical guidance for students, practitioners, organisational leaders and commissioners. Part 1 provides underpinning knowledge of the origins, purpose and functions of evaluation. It charts the developments in evaluation thinking over the past 50 years, and includes an exploration of ‘theory of change’. Concepts such as impact, impact measurement and shared measurement are critically examined to illustrate the political nature of evaluation. Findings from empirical research are used to illuminate the challenges of applying a quasi-experimental paradigm of evaluation of youth and community work. Part 2 introduces the reader to participatory evaluation and presents an overview of the histories, rationale and underpinning principles. Empowerment evaluation, collaborative evaluation and democratic evaluation are examined in detail, including practice examples. Transformative Evaluation, an approach specifically designed for youth and community work, is presented. Part 3 focuses on the ‘doing’ of participatory evaluation and offers guidance to those new to participatory evaluation in youth and community work and a helpful check for those already engaging. It provides valuable information on planning, methods, data and data analysis and processes for sharing knowledge.This essential text will enable the reader to reconstruct evaluation as a tool for learning as well as a tool for judging value. It provides a comprehensive reference, drawing on a wide range of literature and practice examples to support those involved in youth and community work to develop and implement participatory approaches to evaluating and communicating the meaning and value of youth and community work to a wider audience.

So the shortest day came, and the year died...As the sun set on the shortest day of the year, early people would gather to prepare for the long night ahead. They built fires and lit candles. They played music, bringing their own light to the darkness, while wondering if the sun would ever rise again... Written for a theatrical production that has become a ritual in itself, Susan Cooper’s poem The Shortest Day captures the magic behind the returning of the light, the yearning for traditions that connect us with generations that have gone before – and the hope for peace that we carry into the future. Richly illuminated by Carson Ellis, this beautiful book evokes the joy and community found in the ongoing mystery of life when we celebrate light, thankfulness, and festivity at a time of rebirth. Welcome Yule!