Most Popular Books by Helen Cooper

A new edition of Helen Cooper''s comprehensive single-volume guide to the The Canterbury Tales, bringing together a wide range of material and providing an accessible commentary on all aspects of the work.

A LibraryReads Pick Be careful who you sleep with...They''ve already made their bed. Lucy and her husband, Adam, have been best friends with another couple, Cora and Scott, for years. The four are practically family—they vacation together, co-own a beach cottage, and their children are inseparable. So Lucy is devastated when, while looking at a colleague’s photos of a trip to the Maldives, she spots a picture of Scott, apparently on vacation with another woman. Then she learns that the woman in the photo has gone missing. Lucy can’t help but fear that Scott was involved. But searching for answers might uncover secrets about Scott, Cora, and even her own husband that could destroy the picture-perfect lives they have built together. Or maybe she was never part of the picture at all. Is it possible everyone knows more than they are letting on? If so, what are the consequences of exposing the truth?

The Basic Guide to How to Read Music will teach you the principles of reading music in staff notation quickly and painlessly. If you could once read music but have forgotten how, it will refresh your memory. It contains all the terms and symbols you are likely to come across when studying music and explains them fully. Helen Cooper explains the written language of music in greater detail than you might get from your teacher. This book is ideal for the classroom, private lessons, and the home.

Every day, Cat, Squirrel and Duck make pumpkin soup - the best you''ve ever tasted. But one day, disaster strikes - there''s not a single ripe pumpkin to be found! So, they make fish soup, mushroom soup and beetroot soup, but will the new soups be as delicious as their favourite? Duck doesn''t think so - in fact he won''t even try them! Poor Duck gets hungrier and hungrier and grumpier and grumpier, until at last Cat comes up with a soup that might just be . . . delicious!

Recognised on its first appearance as the most comprehensive single-volume guide to The Canterbury Tales yet produced, this third edition brings the Tales up to date in relation both to recent criticism and to the changing expectations of modern readers. The Guide provide tale-by-tale information on textual variations and sources, together with a readable commentary on thematic issues, structure, style, generic affiliations, and the contribution of each tale to the work as a whole. It concludes with a survey of the many imitations of the tales down to the early seventeenth century. This new edition also takes account of the latest scholarship, theory, and criticism and new interpretations of the tales, including such matters as gender identity, consent, and racial and religious difference. The book is the most comprehensive single-volume guide to the Tales yet produced, bringing together a wide range of disparate material and providing a readable commentary on all aspects of the work. It combines the comprehensive coverage of a reference book with the clarity and coherence of a critical account. Since its first publication in 1989, the Guide has established itself as an indispensable aid for any reader looking to develop their understanding of The Canterbury Tales.

An addicting and twisty debut about an apartment building devastated by the disappearance of a teenage girl--and by the secrets that won''t be kept behind each closed door--that will thrill fans of Lisa Jewell and Shari Lapena. One House. Three Families. Countless Secrets. From her downstairs apartment in suburban London, Emma has often overheard the everyday life of the seemingly perfect family upstairs--Steph, Paul and teenage daughter Freya--but has never got to know them. Until one day, she hears something that seizes her attention: Freya has vanished and the police are questioning Steph and Paul about their life. Do either of you have any enemies? Anyone who might want to harm or threaten you? The effects of Freya''s disappearance ripple outward, affecting not just her parents, but everyone who lives in the building, including Emma and local driving instructor Chris, who was the last person to see the teenager before she went missing. Each character''s life is thrown into sharp focus as devastating mistakes and long-held secrets are picked apart and other crimes come to light--including a child gone missing twenty-five years earlier, and a shocking murder--that make clear that the past never stays where we leave it, and that homes can be built on foundations of lies.

The invitation was delivered by bees. It wasn''t addressed to anyone at all, but Ben knew it was for him. It would lead him to an old, shambolic museum, full of strange and bewitching creatures. A peculiar world of hidden mysteries and curious family secrets . . . and some really dangerous magic.Filled with her own wonderful illustrations, The Hippo at the End of the Hall is Helen Cooper''s debut novel.

A baby who does not want to go to bed has a series of imaginary encounters with a tiger, soldiers, the moon, and others, all of whom convince him to change his mind.

What if mother doesn’t know best…? In a close-knit English village, Chrissy and Alice were once best friends. So were their sons, Leo and Robbie. Until the night Leo killed Robbie with a single, devastating punch. Now Leo has gone to prison, Chrissy has lost her pub, and Alice has been pouring her anger into a twisted project . . . As Leo’s parole date approaches, the villagers are incensed and fearful about the prospect of his return. But when Chrissy arrives to collect Leo from prison, he isn’t there. The staff tell her he has already been released, but nobody knows where he’s gone. As the village closes ranks, Chrissy realizes her former friends are suspects in her son’s disappearance, not the least of which is still-bitter Alice. Is Leo being punished for what happened that terrible night? Or do the answers lie further back, in a dark past none of them wants to revisit?

What other secret is Brandon hiding? Seven years ago, Katie Raymond made a mistake that cost her the love of her life. Now, Brandon Hastings is back in her life and it seems like he is determined to make her pay for her previous mistakes. When Katie overhears a private conversation, she has no idea just how deep the secrets go. She gives, Brandon one last chance to prove his love to her, but when he violates her trust one last time, she doesn''t think she can ever forgive him. But then, Brandon tells her the one thing that is guaranteed to turn her world upside down and she''s not sure if her life will ever be the same again.

Meg had no idea what she was getting herself into when she accepted a job at the Private Club. She also hadn''t planned on meeting a man like, Greyson Twining. A man who''s handsome devilish looks made her forget her principals and her mind. When Meg realizes that there is a lot more going on at the Private Club then she had ever imagined, she decides to stick around to try and figure out exactly what''s going on. Only she never imagined that the truth could be so deadly and worrying. Eventually, Meg finds herself stuck between her attraction to Greyson and the stark facts telling her that, Greyson is a bad man. A very bad man. Meg has to decide what to believe, her heart or her brain, before it''s too late. The Private Club is intended for readers 18 and over due to mature situations and language.

The English Romance in Time is a study of English romance across the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. It explores romance motifs - quests and fairy mistresses, passionate heroines and rudderless boats and missing heirs - from the first emergence of the genre in French and Anglo-Norman in the twelfth century down to the early seventeenth. This is a continuous story, since the same romances that constituted the largest and most sophisticated body of secular fiction in the Middle Ages went on to enjoy a new and vibrant popularity at all social levels in black-letter prints as the pulp fiction of the Tudor age. This embedded culture was reworked for political and Reformation propaganda and for the ''writing of England'', as well as providing a generous reservoir of good stories and dramatic plots. The different ways in which the same texts were read over several centuries, or the same motifs shifted meaning as understanding and usage altered, provide a revealing and sensitive measure of historical and cultural change. The book accordingly looks at those processes of change as well as at how the motifs themselves work, to offer a historical semantics of the language of romance conventions. It also looks at how politics and romance intersect - the point where romance comes true. The historicizing of the study of literature is belatedly leading to a wider recognition that the early modern world is built on medieval foundations. This book explores both the foundations and the building. Similarly, generic theory, which previously tended to operate on transhistorical assumptions, is now acknowledging that genre interacts crucially with cultural context - with changing audiences and ideologies and means of dissemination. The generation into which Spenser and Shakespeare were born was the last to be brought up on a wide range of medieval romances in their original forms, and they could therefore exploit their generic codings in new texts aimed at both elite and popular audiences. Romance may since then have lost much of its cultural centrality, but the universal appeal of these same stories has continued to fuel later works from Bunyan''s Pilgrim''s Progress to C.S. Lewis and Tolkien.

How Can You Teach a Child to Willingly Share What They Love? . . . She gave the worm a push with her round black nose. . . “You happen to be eating one of my tomatoes!” exclaimed Willie, poking her nose even closer . . . Willie loves tomatoes, but she is not willing to share them. Does Willie need to keep all the tomatoes to herself? Discover how three little garden friends help Willie understand that sharing comes from the heart, and when there is a willingness to share, good things happen! Willie and the Tomato Garden is an endearing tale of love, respect, patience, and sharing. Willie’s interactions with Mr. Oliver and the animals she meets in the garden are a beautiful testament to the merits of teaching by example. The understanding and joy Mr. Oliver exhibits towards Willie’s eagerness and inquisitive nature, connects this story to readers of any age, from toddlers to grandparents. ~ Vicky Madden Bonillas, Montessori Teacher I absolutely love this delightful tale, and how Willie is led by her nose through this whimsical garden adventure. ~ Heidi Michalske, videographer This is a light-hearted story, teaching children the valuable lesson of giving to others. The illustrations are delightful and engaging. ~ Kerry Gregoire, business professional I loved Willie from the moment I set eyes on her. The garden adventure reminded me of Peter Rabbit. Everyone has something to learn, especially the willingness to share. ~ Janet Vitt Sommer RN, BSN The author takes her readers on Willie’s journey allowing them to taste and smell the tomatoes along the way. A well-written, descriptive, and creative story teaching the enduring values of sharing and making friends. ~ Gayle Berman

"When the rescuers meet the boat, there are only two people left: a little one and a bigger one. The bigger one remembers the uncertainty of the trip across the ocean, but the little one has stopped thinking about all that. Can the little one and a very special butterfly help the big one move forward?"--

A companion to the best-selling Pumpkin Soup Duck, Cat, and Squirrel, the three animal friends from Pumpkin Soup, are out of salt, a key ingredient of their special recipe. Duck insists upon coming along with Cat and Squirrel on the shopping trip to the city. It''s his first visit, and he''s a little scared, but he forgets everything when he spots a pepper store. What if they bought a pipkin of pepper to add to the soup? When he turns around to tell Cat and Squirrel about his great idea, he realizes they''re gone! This perfect book about getting lost, with the sage reminder to stay put if you do, is illustrated with warm, cleverly detailed paintings. A Pipkin of Pepper is a 2006 Bank Street - Best Children''s Book of the Year.

After a shocking death at a luxurious Italian resort, two very different women must question everything—and everyone—they love in order to untangle truth from lies in this twisty, captivating read. One year ago, Leah’s feisty 21-year-old niece, Amy, mysteriously drowned in the beautiful lake near her family-owned resort in Northern Italy. Now, Leah’s grief has caught up with her, and she decides to return to Lake Garda for the first time since Amy’s death. What she finds upon her arrival shocks her—her sister, brother-in-law, and surviving niece, Olivia, seem to have erased all memories of Amy, and fought to have her death declared an accidental drowning, despite murky circumstances. Leah knows she must look beyond the resort’s beautiful façade and uncover what truly happened to Amy, even if her digging places both her family ties and her very life in danger. Meanwhile, in Central England, thirtysomething Joanna is recovering from a surprising break-up when she is swept off her feet by a handsome bartender. But when she learns that he is on the run from something in his past, and that their meeting may not have been a coincidence, Joanna realized that he may just a bit too good to be true. What follows is a propulsive cat-and mouse game set against the Italian lakeside as the two seemingly-unconnected women are caught up in a dangerous conspiracy.

What is the Private Club? When Meg Riley accepted a job at the Private Club she didn''t expect to be thrown into a world of deception and lust. She doesn''t know who she can trust, but that doesn''t stop her from falling for Greyson Twining. Greyson Twining is the handsome owner of the club. He is charismatic, alluring and way out of her league. While his smile sets her heart on fire, everything else about him makes her want to run away. Especially when Meg finds out that her roommate and confidante, Nancy has gone missing. Meg isn''t sure if she can trust her heart, but as more secrets are revealed, she fears that she may already be in too deep. The Private Club 3 is the last book in the explosive Private Club series. Readers should be 18 or over due to mature language and situations.

Helen Cooper''s unique study examines how continuations of medieval culture into the early modern period, forged Shakespeare''s development as a dramatist and poet. Medieval culture pervaded his life and work, from his childhood, spent within reach of the last performances of the Coventry Corpus Christi plays, to his dramatisation of Chaucer in The Two Noble Kinsmen three years before his death. The world he lived in was still largely a medieval one, in its topography and its institutions. The language he spoke had been forged over the centuries since the Norman Conquest. The genres in which he wrote, not least historical tragedy, love-comedy and romance, were medieval inventions. A high proportion of his plays have medieval origins and he kept returning to Chaucer, acknowledged as the greatest poet in the English language. Above all, he grew up with an English tradition of drama developed during the Middle Ages that assumed that it was possible to stage anything - all time, all space. Shakespeare and the Medieval World provides a panoramic overview that opens up new vistas within his work and uncovers the richness of his inheritance.

Aiden Taylor is devastatingly handsome, sexy, arrogant-- and out of reach. He''s Alice''s best friend''s brother, and one night years ago ... well, neither wants to talk about that; they vowed to keep their secret. It''s just getting harder and harder to keep things secret, now that Liv is getting married, and Alice and Aiden are being thrown together ... and he''s doing things to her now that are make it hard to forget ...

A little girl eats a dog biscuit by mistake and worries about the consequences. Includes recipe for "human-being treats."

Scott Taylor was sex on legs and it was all Elizabeth Jeffries could do to resist him. When Elizabeth Jeffries was hired for a job with her party gram company, she had no idea that her new boss Scott Taylor was going to have such an effect on her. He was a handsome flirt and he liked to push the boundaries of their office relationship. Only Elizabeth, with the guidance of her best friend, has decided to push right back. She wants Scott to know that he''s not the only one that can play games. Thus begins the ultimate game of cat and mouse. They both begin to tease and lure each other into their webs and then something explosive happens. The games go too far and Elizabeth is pushed to the limit. Scott doesn''t know what to think when he finds out Elizabeth''s big secret and the reason why she took the job. The truth causes everything to blow up, however neither one of them were to know that that wasn''t to be the last job that Elizabeth would take that would bring her back into his world.

After being nibbled on by mice and carried off by a cat, Timothy''s frog loses all his rice stuffing, but ends up bigger and braver than before.

New Sexy Standalone from New York Times Bestselling Author Helen Cooper and JS Cooper It was only supposed to be one night We met at a wedding. He was hot. And I’d been in a year’s drought. He smiled. We got drunk. We flirted. We hooked up. I left early the next morning without saying goodbye. It was only meant to be a one night stand. I didn’t want the awkward morning after moment. Not at all. Then I went home for the weekend. And he was there. Sitting on the couch chatting to my dad. Turns out he was more than just a stranger. Turns out that my one night stand was about to cause a whole heap of trouble. Turns out that it never just stops with one night.