New Releases by Kate Thompson

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''My name is Renee Salt. I am 94 years old, I am a witness to history. I am a survivor. This is my attempt to make sense of a story which I can scarcely believe happened to me. Some of these pages are drenched in horror, but every so often a little light of hope and humanity shines through. There is love, too - so much love.'' Renee and her mother Sala never left each other''s sides. From invasion to liberation, September 1939 to April 1945, as Renee was marched, herded and shoved from ghetto to camp, there was one constant. One hand which clutched hers - her mother''s. Every day for six years, mother and daughter were tangled together in hell. From ghettos to slave labour, from Auschwitz to Bergen-Belsen, they were a powerful source of solace and hope to one another. Renee knows that she is only alive today because of her mother, that it was the sheer force and power of her love that gave them both something fragile but beautiful to cling to in an ugly, depraved world. It was her mother who hid her, lied to the SS, went right when she was directed left - whose small actions had lifesaving consequences. Now, for Renee, the need to share has finally overcome the desire to forget. This is a love letter to a mother eighty years in the making.

I wonder, my little one, who will you be when you''re out in this world, big and wide? A bundle so precious and tiny and loved, you will carry my heart by your side . . . A beautiful and inspiring letter of hope and love to a child taking their first steps into the big, wide world. This heartwarming book expresses every parent or carer''s hope that their child will grow to be kind, true to themselves and, above all else, happy. Beautifully illustrated throughout, this is the perfect rhyming book to share together to help children find their way in the world with confidence and kindness as they grow. With stunning, dreamy artwork by new illustrator Kitty Harris, and words by an exciting new voice in picture books, Kate Thompson.

Palestine A - Z is a collection of short, clear explanations of some of the terms and issues behind the headlines

Inspired by true events, The Wartime Book Club is an unforgettable story of everyday bravery and resistance, full of romance, drama, and camaraderie and a tribute to the joy of reading and the power of books in our darkest hour. The Isle of Jersey was once a warm and neighborly community, but in 1943, German soldiers patrol the cobbled streets, imposing a harsh rule. Nazis have ordered Grace La Mottée, the island''s only librarian, to destroy books that threaten the new regime. Instead, she hides the stories away in secret. Along with her headstrong best friend, she wants to fight back. So she forms the Wartime Book Club: a lifeline, offering fearful islanders the joy and escapism of reading. But as the occupation drags on, the women''s quiet acts of bravery become more perilous – and more important – than ever before. And when tensions turn to violence, they are forced to face the true, terrible cost of resistance . . . Based on astonishing real events, The Wartime Book Club is a love letter to the power of books in the darkest of times – as well as a moving page-turner that brings to life the remarkable, untold story of an island at war.

An uplifting and inspiring novel based on the true story of a librarian who created an underground shelter during World War II, perfect for readers of The Paris Library or The Last Bookshop in London. London, 1944: Clara Button is no ordinary librarian. While war ravages the city above her, Clara has risked everything she holds dear to turn the Bethnal Green tube station into the country’s only underground library. Down here, a secret community thrives with thousands of bunk beds, a nursery, a café, and a theater—offering shelter, solace, and escape from the bombs that fall upon their city. Along with her glamorous best friend and assistant Ruby Munroe, Clara ensures the library is the beating heart of life underground. But as the war drags on, the women''s determination to remain strong in the face of adversity is tested to the limits when it may come at the price of keeping those closest to them alive.

Nell Gunn, Snowball and Esther will be back, along with more characters from Britain''s biggest beauty factory, as they battle the twists and turns of war in Stratford. Will Nell find lasting love? Will Snowball reveal what forced him onto the streets? And will Esther be able to tame the wild child she takes under her wing as part of her new bursary? As flowers and vegetables blossom in the Shoot''s new Dig for Victory allotment, can the inhabitants really bury their pasts?

Letchworth Settlement, an independent adult education centre, is one of the treasures of the world''s first garden city. Starting life as Letchworth Adult Education Settlement, it soon became part of the wider Educational Settlement Association, following the example of Toynbee Hall in London, and is now one of few such institutions still up and running. In its early days, the Settlement embodied the ideals of the young garden city with its ethos of self-help. There was a strong belief that everyone was entitled to an education and to fulfil their potential; the unemployed in the town were regularly helped with free classes and meals. In 1925 the Settlement moved to the former premises of the Skittles Inn in Nevells Road, which it still calls home today. Despite a lack of funds, the number of classes grew steadily and associated societies were formed, including the Settlement Players and the camera club (both still in existence) as well as a choir and orchestra and rambling and camping clubs. The building was listed grade II in 1979; in 1995 the then Letchworth Corporation bought the building and leased it back to the Settlement, ensuring a secure future for an institution seen as an integral part of life in Letchworth. In this lively history, former Hertfordshire County Archivist Kate Thompson looks at the wider context in which the organisation flourished, as well as notable members of staff and key events in its century of sharing knowledge.

A new series from bestselling author Kate Thompson. ''Kate Thompson''s wartime novels always strike a chord and Secrets of the Homefront Girls is no exception. You can almost smell the Yardley violets drifting over the factory as the girls live lives complicated by the trials and tribulations of war'' My Weekly ''Kate Thompson''s put the lives of women working in the Yardley factory during the Blitz at the heart of her latest novel'' Woman''s Hour Stratford, 1939. Britain may be at war, but on the home front keeping up morale and keeping up appearances go hand in hand. For the young women working on the lipstick production line at Yardley''s cosmetics factory, it''s business as usual. Headstrong Renee Gunn is the queen of the lipstick belt - although her cheeky attitude means she''s often in trouble. When Esther, an Austrian refugee, arrives at Yardley''s, it''s Renee who takes her under her wing and teaches her to be a true cockney. But outside of the factory, things are more complicated. Lily, Renee''s older sister, has suddenly returned home after six years away, and is hiding a dark secret. Meanwhile Esther is finding life in England more difficult than expected, and it''s not long before Renee finds herself in trouble, with nowhere to turn. In the face of the Blitz, the Yardley girls are bound together by friendship and loyalty - but could the secrets they are hiding be the biggest danger of all? ''A compelling saga set around the tenacious women of the East End'' Daisy Styles ''Kate Thompson is a skillful and humane storyteller who lights up the sooty face of the old East End with tales full of drama and human interest.'' Annie Murray

First published in 1998, this seventh volume of Social Attitudes in Northern Ireland reports the main findings of the Northern Ireland Social Attitudes survey carried out in 1996. In this survey, views were obtained on community relations in Northern Ireland; the growth of home ownership; attitudes to the countryside; the role of government in Northern Ireland; attitudes to the National Health Service; attitudes to the environment and belief and trust in the political process. The various chapters provide a measure of the feelings, attitudes and beliefs of the people of Northern Ireland on a wide range of matters. Many of the chapters chart trends from the early 1990s and analyse changes in attitudes over the period.

The unsung and remarkable stories of the women who held London''s East End together during not one, but two world wars. ''Inspiring tales of courage in the face of hardship'' Mail on Sunday ''Inspiring . . . Takes you back to a time of community and helping one another'' 5***** Reader Review ''It made me laugh and gasp in equal measure'' 5***** Reader Review ______ Meet Minksy, Gladys, Beatty, Joan and Girl Walker . . . While the men were at war, these women ruled the streets of the East End. Struggling against poverty to survive, and fighting for their community in our country''s darkest hours. But there was also joy to be found. Across the East End the streets were alive - you need only walk a few steps for a smile from a neighbour or a strong cup of tea. From taking over the London Underground, standing up to the Kray twins and crawling out of bombsites, The Stepney Doorstep Society tells the vivid and moving stories of the matriarchs who remain the backbone of the East End to this day. ______ ''Kate Thompson''s study of five working-class women who lived through the blitz shows how informal collectives can provide lasting support and inspiration . . . [a] fascinating account'' Guardian ''An important glimpse into a vanishing world'' Sunday Express ''One of the best books I have read in recent years'' 5***** Reader Review ''Crammed full of fascinating stories'' BBC 2 Steve Wright ''Fascinating . . . It was fascinating to hear how these women kept going'' 5***** Reader Review ''Astonishing'' Radio 5 Live

The Allotment Girls is an inspiring and heartwarming novel of wartime hardship, friendship and fortitude from Kate Thompson, author of the Secrets of the Sewing Bee. During the Second World War, life in the iconic Bryant & May match factory is grimy and tough. Annie, Rose, Pearl and Millie carry on making matches for the British Army, with bombs raining down around them. Inspired by the Dig for Victory campaign, Annie persuades the owners to start Bryant & May allotment in the factory grounds. With plenty of sweat and toil, the girls eventually carve out a corner of the yard into a green plot full of life and colour. In the darkest of times, the girls find their allotment a tranquil, happy escape. Using pierced dustbin lids to sieve through the shrapnel and debris, they bring about a powerful change, not just in the factory, but their own lives. As the war rages on, the garden becomes a place of community, friendship – and deceit. As the garden thrives and grows, so do the girls'' secrets . . .

The Wedding Girls is a heartwarming story of love and friendship in the East End, by Kate Thompson, the bestselling author of Secrets of the Singer Girls. If a wedding marks the first day of the rest of your life, then the story starts with the dress. It''s 1936 and the streets of London''s East End are grimy and brutal, but in one corner of Bethnal Green it is forever Hollywood . . . Herbie Taylor''s photography studio is nestled in the heart of bustling Green Street. Tomboy Stella and troubled Winnie work in Herbie''s studio; their best friend and hopeless romantic Kitty works next door as an apprentice dressmaker. All life passes through the studio, wishing to capture that perfect moment in time. Kitty works tirelessly to create magical bridal gowns, but with each stitch she wonders if she''ll ever get a chance to wear a white dress. Stella and Winnie sprinkle a dusting of Hollywood glamour over happy newly-weds, but secretly dream of escaping the East End . . . Community is strong on Green Street, but can it stand the ultimate test? As clouds of war brew on the horizon, danger looms over the East End. Will the Wedding Girls find their happy ever afters, before it''s too late?

Big, friendly eyes will delight children as they read the amusing story about a little pig! In addition to fun googley-eyes, the rhyming text and bright, friendly illustrations will ensure that this adorable book becomes a bedtime favorite.

Orphan Flossy Brown arrives at Trout''s garment factory in Bethnal Green amidst the uncertainty of the Second World War. In 1940s London, each cobbled street is strewn with ghosts of soldiers past, all struggling to make ends meet. Dolly Doolaney, darling of the East End, and infamous tea lady, gives her a particularly warm welcome and helps Flossy settle into wartime life. Dolly sets up a sewing circle and the ladies arm themselves with their needles and set about stitching their way to victory. But when the full force of the Blitz rains down on London, the women of the sewing bee are forced to bear unimaginable horrors.

Big, friendly eyes will delight children as they read the amusing story about a little kitten! In addition to fun googley-eyes, the rhyming text and bright, friendly illustrations will ensure that this adorable book becomes a bedtime favorite.

Big, friendly eyes will delight children as they read the amusing story about a little puppy! In addition to fun googley-eyes, the rhyming text and bright, friendly illustrations will ensure that this adorable book becomes a bedtime favorite.

A book about programming, improving skill, and avoiding mistakes. The author spent two years researching every bug avoidance technique she could find. This book contains the best of them. If you want to program faster, with fewer bugs, and write more secure code, buy this book! "This is the best book I have ever read." - Anonymous reviewer "Four score and seven years ago this book helped me debug my server code." -Abraham Lincoln "Would my Javascript have memory leaks without this book? Would fishes fly without water?" -Socrates "This book is the greatest victory since the Spanish Armada, and the best about programming." -Queen Elizabeth http: //www.zerobugsandprogramfaster.net

Expressive writing is life-based writing that focuses on authentic expression of lived experience, with resultant insight, growth, and skill-building. Therapists, coaches, healthcare professionals, and educators have known for decades that expressive writing is a powerful tool for better living, learning, and healing. But until now, few have had access to practical applications that have proven successful. In this groundbreaking collection, you’ll discover: how expressive writing can call us into healing community exciting new discoveries about how writing can support neuroplasticity and actually help change our brains—and thus our thinking and behavior new research on the role of expressive writing for prevention of compassion fatigue in RNs how transformative writing can create art from the ashes of trauma the role of journal writing for emotional balance sensible ideas about the synergy of expressive writing and play therapy for children, teens, and adults interventions and strategies for the use of expressive writing in acute psychiatric care how interactive expressive writing helps deaf teens communicate inarticulate feelings and thoughts how cancer survivors can use expressive writing to reclaim identity and strength post-treatment the role of expressive writing in developing the roots of resilience for practitioners

1942. Sixteen-year-old Poppy Percival turns up at the gates of Trout''s clothing factory in Bethnal Green with no idea what her new life might have in store. There to start work as a seamstress and struggling to get to grips with the noise, dirt and devastation of East London, Poppy can''t help but miss the quiet countryside of home. But Poppy harbours a dark secret - one that wrenched her away from all she knew and from which she is still suffering . . . And Poppy''s not the only one with a secret. Each of her new friends at the factory is hiding something painful. Vera Shadwell, the forelady, has had a hard life with scars both visible and concealed; her sister Daisy has romantic notions that could get her in trouble; and Sal Fowler, a hardworking mother who worries about her two evacuated boys for good reason. Bound by ties of friendship, loyalty and family, the devastating events of the war will throw each of their lives into turmoil but also bring these women closer to each other than they could ever have imagined.

A 100 page journal for you to record your own Bigfoot adventures. Discover the Bigfoot Hunters Code. In the novel Bigfoot Hunters Never Lie by Kate E Thompson, Charlee Radcliffe and Noah Cathcart created a Bigfoot Hunters Journal when they were 10 and were told that only Bigfoot Hunters who are pure in heart can see Bigfoot. They created a Bigfoot Hunters Code together and it became the foundation of their life-long friendship.

DIVDIVIn a small Irish town, an environmental activist and a butcher come together to track down a violent criminal/divDIV For eco-warrior and journalist Sarah O’Malley, a temporary stint managing her sister’s holistic food store is the perfect escape. But her baggage is unavoidable: Haunted by the spirit of her dead lover, Duncan—who dispenses advice whether she wants it or not—Sarah becomes enmeshed in the mystery of a dying calf. Her search for answers brings her into contact with Malachy Glynn, the town butcher. The philosophical Malachy is the antithesis of everything Sarah believes in. But as their community descends into a quagmire of deceit and violence, Sarah and Malachy become unlikely allies in a quest for the truth./divDIV /divDIVA timeless morality tale that exposes the hypocrisy and greed that lurk in all of us, Thompson’s novel is also a profound and affecting meditation on the acts of worship and contrition that we call love./div/div

The Greek god Hermes narrates this extraordinary novel of contemporary romance by award-winning author Kate Thompson “I have a story for you . . . It is a tale of immortals, acted by mortals.” So begins this story of two lonely people who meet at an adult education class. Jessie Parker has just turned forty. Between the recent death of her mother and the local library’s burning down, she feels bereft and adrift. Patrick Robinson, a journalist with artistic tendencies, is also searching for something. With the gods looking down upon them, Jessie and Patrick begin dating. Soon, they find themselves deeply in love, but caught up in the struggles that plague all relationships. Told from the perspective of the immortal Hermes, Down Among the Gods is a riff on the modern romance. By turns funny and moving, this remarkable novel lays bare the intimate yearnings of those who quest after love everlasting—whether on Olympus or right here on Earth.