New Releases by LESLEY SIMS

Gerald, Cathy and Jimmy are out exploring when they discover an enchanted castle. Even better, they meet a princess who says she has a ring of invisibility. But how much is she making up - and how much is pure magic?

Want to sail the high seas? Or battle dragons to the death? Dive into this collection of thrilling stores and choose your adventure. Pirates, monsters, robots, knights and ghosts are all waiting to excite you - or send shivers down your spine. As well as funny, scary and action-packed original tales, you''ll find two seafaring classics, Sinbad the Sailor and Treasure Island.

An amusing and original story for children growing in reading confidence. When the littlest ghost is deemed not scary enough by the Ghost Inspectors, he loses his job at the fairground. Can Jake help him be more scary and win his job back? Featuring the spooky illustrations of Alex de Wolf. Part of the Usborne Reading Programme developed with reading experts at the University of Roehampton.

Gerda''s best friend Kay is kidnapped by the sicked Snow Queen and Gerda is determined to rescue him.

Follows the adventures of Agent Arthur and his dog Sleuth as they try to capture the evil Squid Squad, and includes clues and puzzles to help readers assist with Arthur''s investigation.

Jon, Dirk, and Ally have the educational experience of a lifetime when they board a submarine and explore the depths of the ocean.

" ... three Christmas spirits take Scrooge on a ghostly journey through life. Coming face to face with his past and present is bad enough, but what of his terrifying future?"--Page 4 of cover.

This book traces the history of castles, from early wooden castles to stone castles.

For Su, Em, and Eli it''s just another, boring shopping expedition with Aunt Rose, until they find a magical globe at a junk shop. An amazing adventure takes them all over the world experiencing a safari, mountain tops, deserts, a jungle river, a busy market in India, the Netherlands, and other places from warm to cold climates. Illustrations and puzzles give the reader lots of things to spot and solve.

A boring school trip turns into a thrilling adventure for Nat and Joe, when a model spaceship takes off with them inside. They visit the moon, explore distant planets, and become the first humans to land on Mars. Illustrations and puzzles give the reader lots of things to spot and solve.

Stan must outwit a dragon to feed his large family. Victor must persuade two dragons not to eat him. Tom catches a worm-dragon while fishing and must somehow get rid of it.

Learn everything a beginner needs to know, from getting on and off a horse, to walking, trotting, cantering and jumping. This new Internet-linked edition also contains descriptions of fun and informative horse websites to visit.

DISCOVER WHO LIVED IN CASTLES, WHAT THEY ATE, WHERE THEY SLEPT AND WHAT THEY DID FOR FUN. PHOTOGRAPHS COMBINED WITH COMPUTER GRAPHICS TAKE YOU INSIDE THE WORLD OF CASTLES AS NEVER BEFORE.

Castles have an enduring fascination for children of all ages, and this book is the ideal guide to their rich and exciting history. As well as the history of castles, there are sections on chivalry, castle warfare and feasting. This book also contains Usborne-recommended Web sites that the reader can visit to find out more. For direct links to these sites, and pictures from the book to download, go to Usborne Quicklinks at www.usborne-quicklinks.com.

Presents the subject of the sun and stars through a combination of artwork, photographs and simple text.

Information about clothing, transportation, food, religion and many other aspects of life in ancient Egypt.

A guide to Ancient Egypt containing information every tourist of past ages needs to know. Where to shop and places to eat are combined with facts about politics, history, art and architecture.

Would-be spies can use the CD-ROM to create uncrackable codes to send to their fellow agents while the guidebook, filled with a range of fun activities, will keep children entertained for hours.

Full-length work of fiction, containing all the action and intrigue that readers have come to expect from Usborne.

The book describes the nine planets in our solar system and discusses gravity, the Big Bang, and the formation of the earth.