New Releases by James McDonald

Sami and Thomas continue their adventure in this vibrantly illustrated collection of contemporary poems for children. Whether it''s celebrating the value of family and friends or trying to quiet kittens with pairs of mittens, these poems will make you laugh, remember and imagine.

Sami and Thomas Learn to Read Book 2 gives more learning material for beginning readers to confidently build their reading skill. Vocabulary development combined with entertaining stories that have simple sentences keep children engaged and excited about their reading accomplishments. Using a combination of words that can be sounded out and common sight words, Learn to Read with Sami and Thomas is the perfect continuation of your child''s reading journey. Vibrant images with captivating characters help young readers want to read again and again. For Beginning Readers ages 5 and up

On a sunny day, With two kids at play, A problem comes about. But rather than fight, And use their might, They decide to figure it out. Come along with Sami and Thomas on their adventure of cooperation, where a brother and a sister learn that working together makes for a much brighter day.

Across the solar system and on to the Milky Way! School’s out for the summer and Sami and Thomas have big plans. They’ve built a spaceship in their tree house and are going to blast off for a tour of the solar system, but one of the planets holds a special surprise. Vibrant images and flowing verse bring this imaginative story to life. Space lovers and adventurers of all ages are sure to love this cosmic journey.

Alnwick Castle is at the heart of Northumberland, England''s most northerly county, a land filled with ancient market towns, golden beaches, moorland, and the remains of Hadrian''s Wall. This imposing medieval castle sits by the River Aln on the edge of Alnwick town overlooking a landscape by Capability Brown. The home of the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, Alnwick Castle has belonged to the Percy family for over seven centuries. One of the largest inhabited castles in Britain, it is also visited by hundreds of thousands of people every summer. Some visitors are intrigued by the staterooms, some because the castle was used as ''Hogwarts'' in the first two Harry Potter movies: very few until now have seen the private rooms. With unique access to both the castle and the Percy family archives, and the full cooperation of the Duke and Duchess, their staff, builders and interior designers, James Mcdonald takes the reader on a tour of twenty-first century castle living. He goes behind the scenes to talk to those who help make the castle function as a home for a modern family, and he visits both the extraordinary garden and the surrounding Hulne park. While describing the changes each generation of Dukes and Duchesses has bought, above all this is the story of Jane Northumberland, who since becoming Duchess in 1995 has remade the private side and has renovated the state rooms, blending English country house style with the existing Italianate grandeur. Illustrated with archive pictures and some 300 new photographs of both public and private rooms, this sumptuous book is a revealing portrait of one of the world''s great castles, its magnificent recent restoration, and the people who live and work here.

Amidst the turbulence and gaiety existing in American society during the last decade of the 20th century, the paths of two young men and a young woman merge. Each is inexorably drawn to a midnight rendezvous on a lonely road in northern Kentucky, and ghastly and fatal consequences result.

Managing the Development of Software-Intensive Systems provides both an introduction to project management for beginner software and hardware developers as well as unique advanced materials for experienced users. This beneficial resource presents realistic case studies for planning and managing verification and validation for large software projects, complex software, and hardware systems, as well as inspection results and testing metrics to monitor project status. Industrial practitioners and students will learn ways to improve how they manage and develop their project management applications and techniques to establish large software applications and systems.

"A recurring theme is that of open secrets facts well known to historians and other academics in the Church, but kept from the faithful masses. These open secrets are not actively denied, just avoided so as not to cause offence to those who are familiar only with the Sunday-School version of events. Many Christians see their system of belief as dating from the earliest times, but this idea becomes difficult to sustain in the light of when and how key doctrines were established. Many ordinary Christians would be shocked to discover, for example, the prominent role played by violence and forgery in developing and promoting Christian doctrine."--Amazon website.

"In a trawl through the entire sweep of sub-Saharan history, the authors have written an accessible introduction for students and general readers. The opening chapter on geography and climate frames the discussion, demonstrating how the environment has shaped the societies and cultures of those living in the region. Thereafter they describe the rise of states and empires in the classical period, the slave trade within Africa and beyond to the Americas, and the European conquest. The concluding section focuses on Africa in the twentieth century as it gains independence and searches for a new identity beyond colonialism. While the authors mull over the debates which have shaped the study of African history, at the centre of this story are the tragedies, triumphs and the resilience of the African people. The book is illustrated with photographs, maps, and sidebars which feature the salient points on either side of the debates."--Publisher''s description, from p. [4] of cover.

LIVERPOOL 1923 A series of murders took place that rocked the nation. Someone was killing the remaining members of the Liverpool Pals Battalion who had survived the carnage of the Great War. Who was committing these crimes and why?.....

A complete book on breeding and marketing the most popular species of pet birds for the pet industry. The author has 25 years of experience in the field of exotic birds.

Burns (history, Clemson U.) examines the relationship between cinema and society in colonial Africa, with a particular focus on the colonial settler state of Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He discusses several aspects including production, distribution, censorship, and audience reception. He analyzes seventy years of public discussion regarding the appropriate role of cinema in colonial society, the attempt by the colonial state to use film as an instrument of social and cultural hegemony, and ways in which the state lost its control over the medium. Source material for the study included official and unofficial written documents and scores of films at the National Archives in Harare, as well as interviews with both black and white filmmakers and African audience members. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

James McDonald has put his experiences over 60 years in the oil busines into his book Gettyrama. While an officer of Tidewater Associated Oil Co (Flying A). he worked closely with George Getty, son of J.Paul Getty, and indirectly with J.Paul himself. In the first part of the book, he recites a number of "tales" about the Gettys which were not generally known outside of a few in the company. In the second part of the book, McDonald has included a number of articles which were published in Pacific Oil World over a period of years when he was an editor of the publication. He had a vast experience in the industry over 60 years and is cosidered an expert in the industry both domestically and worldwide.

Aimed at newcomers to this branch of farming, this is a clearly laid-out, illustrated guide covering property selection, land improvements, goat nutrition, breeding and health, cashmere and mohair production, goat classing and goat meat. Illustrations show fencing styles, enclosures, judging a goat''s age, and shearing techniques. The authors are on the staff of the Department of Primary Industry, Queensland.