The Paper Sword

The Paper Sword
Author: Robert Priest
Publisher: Dundurn.com
Total Pages: 223
Release: 2014-07-26
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1459708288

A painted sword is their only protection from evil sorcery, strange creatures, and enemy forces. On the spell-crossed Phaer Isle, teenage Xemion dreams of being a great swordsman. When he finds a blade-shaped stick, he fashions it to look like a real sword. Knowing that the laws of their cruel Pathan conquerors would require a death sentence for possession of such an object, his friend Saheli demands he destroy it. He agrees, but insists on performing just one sword ceremony. When his mastery of the weapon, a skill long forgotten, is witnessed by a mysterious man named Vallaine, the two friends are invited to join a planned rebellion. At first they refuse, but when a sadistic official discovers their transgressions, they are forced to flee their home and embark on a dangerous journey to the ruins of the ancient city of Ulde, where rebel forces are gathering. Armed with only their wits and the painted sword, they face Thralls, Triplicants, dragons, rage-wraiths, and a host of other spell-crossed beings. As they approach the Great Kone, source of all spell-craft, Saheli’s fear of magic and Xemion’s attraction to it bind them in a crossed spell of their own — one that threatens to separate the two forever.

The Paper Sword

The Paper Sword
Author: Robert Priest
Publisher: Dundurn.com
Total Pages: 225
Release: 2014-07-26
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 145970827X

After shaking hands with a man with a red hand, Xemion and Saheni must flee their forest home and cross dangerous lands haunted by creatures caught in the forces of conflicting spells, while being pursued by a traitorous Examiner. They head for the city of Ulde, where a rebellion is brewing against the ruthless rulers of Phaer Isle, the Pathans.

Darth Paper Strikes Back (Origami Yoda #2)

Darth Paper Strikes Back (Origami Yoda #2)
Author: Tom Angleberger
Publisher: Abrams
Total Pages: 180
Release: 2012-08-07
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1613122780

The hilarious, clever, and much-anticipated follow-up to the breakout hit, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda! It is a dark time at Ralph McQuarrie Middle School. After suffering several Origami Yoda–related humiliations, Harvey manages to get Dwight suspended from school for being a “troublemaker.” Origami Yoda pleads with Tommy and Kellen to save Dwight by making a new case file—one that will show how Dwight’s presence benefits McQuarrie. With the help of their friends, Tommy and Kellen record cases such as “Origami Yoda and the Pre-eaten Wiener,” “Origami Yoda and the Exploding Pizza Bagels,” and “Origami Yoda and Wonderland: The Musical.” But Harvey and his Darth Paper puppet have a secret plan that could make Dwight’s suspension permanent . . . This is the second case file in the blockbuster bestselling Origami Yoda series, written by Tom Angleberger, author of Star Wars: Return of the Jedi: Beware the Power of the Dark Side, showcasing his proven knack for authentically capturing the intrigues, fads, and dramas of middle school in “a satisfying tale of friendship and just resistance to authority” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review). Praise for Darth Paper Strikes Back STARRED REIVEW“Angleberger’s just-as-funny follow-up to The Strange Case of Origami Yoda delves deeper into the mystery of the helpful paper Yoda in a satisfying tale of friendship and just resistance to authority.Pitch-perfect middle-school milieu and enough Star Wars references (and laughs) to satisfy fans and win new ones.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review “In this imaginative sequel…author Tom Angleberger has his finger puppet squarely on the erratic pulse of middle-school life, with its shifting allegiances, squeals, moans and misgivings.”—Washington Post “As with this story’s predecessor, the well-observed middle-school dynamics (and Angleberger’s sharp sense of humor) are greatly amplified by the book's design, which includes faux wrinkled pages, abundant doodles, and other scrawled marginalia. It's a natural step up from the Wimpy Kid series, with more text and narrative complexity, but just as much on-target humor and all-around fun.” —Publishers Weekly “This book is honest, funny, and immensely entertaining. The illustrations and design will engage readers. Based on the positive reception Origami Yoda has received, kids will be clamoring for this sequel. They won’t be disappointed.” —School Library Journal “The Force is with Tom Angleberger in this sequel to his funny and clever novel/comics hybrid, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. A sequel to equal the funny and clever novel/comics debut of the Origami Yoda, as Dwight’s friends try to save him from reform school.—Shelf Awareness “With the same deft touch that made The Strange Case of Origami Yoda a pleasure, Angleberger takes readers through the ups and downs of adolescence.” —Portland Book Review “Darth Paper offers further proof that Angleberger really understands middle-schoolers and the daily dramas that engulf them, while still finding the humor inherent in their situations.—Scripps News

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda
Author: Tom Angleberger
Publisher:
Total Pages: 141
Release: 2010-01
Genre: Eccentrics and eccentricities
ISBN: 9780810996502

Sixth-grader Tommy and his friends describe their interactions with a paper finger puppet of Yoda, worn by their weird classmate Dwight, as they try to figure out whether or not the puppet can really predict the future. Includes instructions for making Origami Yoda.

Art of the Japanese Sword

Art of the Japanese Sword
Author: Yoshindo Yoshihara
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
Total Pages: 592
Release: 2012-09-10
Genre: Antiques & Collectibles
ISBN: 1462909965

In The Art of the Japanese Sword, master swordsmith Yoshindo Yoshihara offers a detailed look at the entire process of Japanese sword making, including the finishing and appreciation of Japanese blades. Japanese sword art stands out in many ways: functionality as a weapon, sophisticated metallurgy and metalsmithing, the shape of the blade itself--all contribute to the beauty of these remarkable weapons. The Art of the Japanese Sword conveys to the reader Japanese samurai sword history and Japanese sword care, as well as explaining how to view and appreciate a blade. With 256 full-color pages, this sword book illustrates in meticulous detail how modern craftsmen use traditional methods to prepare their steel, forge the sword and create the unique hardened edge. By gaining a good understanding of how a sword is actually made, the reader will be able to appreciate the samurai sword more fully. Topics include: Appreciating the Japanese sword History of the Japanese sword Traditional Japanese steelmaking Making the sword Finishing the sword

The Book of the Sword

The Book of the Sword
Author: A.J. Lake
Publisher: A&C Black
Total Pages: 242
Release: 2012-12-06
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1408829959

Snatched by a dragon at the end of book one, Edmund and Elspeth awake to find themselves soaring over the frozen wastes of the Snowlands, hundreds of miles from home. Escaping the dragon's clutches, they are discovered in the soft snow by Fritha. a charcoal burner's daughter. Edmund wants her help to arrange a passage home, but Elspeth has other ideas. The sword is speaking to her, filling her thoughts more and more. It's destiny is nearby, the purpose for which is was hewn, and where the sword goes, Elspeth must follow, increasingly under it's spell. Edmund and Fritha refuse to let Elspeth travel alone, and so they set out together on a perlilous route to Eigg Loki, the mountain which is drawing Elspeth and the sword, and to the dark secrets which lie at its heart.

Origami Insects

Origami Insects
Author: Robert J. Lang
Publisher: Courier Corporation
Total Pages: 164
Release: 2012-04-24
Genre: Crafts & Hobbies
ISBN: 0486132870

DIVNoted origamist presents step-by-step instructions and diagrams for 20 challenging projects: treehopper, spotted ladybug, orb weaver, tarantula, butterfly, grasshopper, dragonfly, praying mantis, more. Intermediate to advanced level. /div

Stylish Academic Writing

Stylish Academic Writing
Author: Helen Sword
Publisher: Harvard University Press
Total Pages: 160
Release: 2012-04-02
Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines
ISBN: 0674069137

Elegant data and ideas deserve elegant expression, argues Helen Sword in this lively guide to academic writing. For scholars frustrated with disciplinary conventions, and for specialists who want to write for a larger audience but are unsure where to begin, here are imaginative, practical, witty pointers that show how to make articles and books a pleasure to read—and to write. Dispelling the myth that you cannot get published without writing wordy, impersonal prose, Sword shows how much journal editors and readers welcome work that avoids excessive jargon and abstraction. Sword’s analysis of more than a thousand peer-reviewed articles across a wide range of fields documents a startling gap between how academics typically describe good writing and the turgid prose they regularly produce. Stylish Academic Writing showcases a range of scholars from the sciences, humanities, and social sciences who write with vividness and panache. Individual chapters take up specific elements of style, such as titles and headings, chapter openings, and structure, and close with examples of transferable techniques that any writer can master.

Finding Jade

Finding Jade
Author: Mary Jennifer Payne
Publisher: Dundurn
Total Pages: 176
Release: 2016-12-17
Genre: Young Adult Fiction
ISBN: 1459735021

The year is 2030, and climate change is making life on Earth more challenging. Fourteen-year-old Jasmine Guzman is struggling to come to terms with the abduction of her twin sister, Jade, and her mother’s illness. Things go from bad to worse when a series of bizarre occurrences make Jasmine wonder if she’s losing her mind. But, with help from Raphael, a boy at her new school, Jasmine learns she actually has special powers that are putting her life in danger. Most surprising, she learns that her sister isn’t actually missing ... Jasmine just needs to look in the right place: The-Place-in-Between, where the demons dwell.