#22 Hero City


Book Description

You wake up with superhero powers-so what are you going to do with them? Be a hero or rule the city as a super villain? Use your mighty brains or take advantage of your awesome brawn? Or will you turn down the great responsibility that comes with great power? You decide! Every Twisted Journeys® graphic novel lets YOU control the action by choosing which path to follow. Which twists and turns will your journey take?




Hero City


Book Description

One of the greatest ever sieges is masterfully brought to life by a leading expert on the Eastern Front. At the height of World War II the people of Leningrad endured a bitter 900-day siege, struggling against bombing, shelling, and starvation. Prit Buttar tells the story of how the siege was finally broken. The Red Army had suffered multiple setbacks in the preceding two years but achieved a partial success by breaking the blockage in early 1943. However, this was followed by further failed attempts to lift the siege completely. But by simply enduring the siege in the face of impossible odds, Russian soldiers and civilians beat the Germans. By the end of 1943 the German forces, themselves broken by deprivations and extreme weather, began to pull back. Here was the opportunity the Soviet forces had been waiting for. The Red Army launched a decisive attack that broke through and ended the siege. Their determination to hold out has become a hugely significant part of Russian history, the echoes of the battle helping to define both a country and its politics. This compelling history uses original Russian source material to vividly describe the deprivations visited upon those trapped. But it also details the tactical successes and strategic failures of both sides as well as the appalling war crimes that have forever stained the ground in and around this historic city.




Russia's Hero Cities


Book Description

World War II, known as the Great Patriotic War to Russians, ravaged the Soviet Union and traumatized those who survived. After the war, memory of this anguish was often publicly repressed under Stalin. But that all changed by the 1960s. Under Brezhnev, the idea of the Great Patriotic War was transformed into one of victory and celebration. In Russia's Hero Cities, Ivo Mijnssen reveals how contradictory national recollections were revised into an idealized past that both served official needs and offered a narrative of heroism. This triumphant narrative was most evident in the creation of 13 Hero Cities, now located across Russia, Belarus, and Ukraine. These cities, which were host to some of the fiercest and most famous battles, were named champions. Brezhnev's government officially recognized these cities with awards, financial contributions, and ritualized festivities. Their citizens also encountered the altered history at every corner—on manicured battlefields, in war memorials, and through stories at the kitchen table. Using a rich tapestry of archival material, oral history interviews, and newspaper articles, Mijnssen provides a thorough exploration of two cities in particular, Tula and Novorossiysk. By exploring the significance of Hero Cities in Soviet identity and the enduring but conflicted importance they hold for Russians today, Russia's Hero Cities exposes how the Great Patriotic War no longer has the power to mask the deep rifts still present in Russian society.




#21 Safari Survivor


Book Description

You're setting out on a sightseeing safari, looking for real adventure. But are you really ready to cross paths with hungry lions, venomous snakes, and dangerous poachers? Wildlife could turn out to be a lot wilder than you expected!




Sherlock Sam and the Alien Encounter on Pulau Ubin


Book Description

When weird things happen while camping on Pulau Ubin, Sherlock Sam is convinced that aliens are to blame! Eager to investigate, Sherlock Sam and his not-so-eager sidekick robot Watson journey into the wilderness and discover a mystery that’s out of this world. Will these close encounters get the better of Singapore’s Greatest Kid Detective, or will he prove to be of a higher life form?




Sherlock Sam and the Cloaked Classmate in MacRitchie


Book Description

In the sixth book of this series, Sherlock Sam encounters his most important mystery yet! His classmate has gone missing at MacRitchie Reservoir, and no one can find him. Fearing the worst, Officer Siva refuses to let the Supper Club help, but there’s never been a mystery Sherlock, Watson and their friends could ignore! This book is also the first of The Fiendish Mastermind Trilogy! An exciting trilogy that will keep you at the edge of your seat.




Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong


Book Description

Introducing the Sherlock Sam series by A.J. Low—a fresh, cross-cultural twist on the classic Sherlock Holmes stories, tailored for middle-grade readers. Set in iconic Singapore locations, the series follows the mystery-solving exploits of smart, observant, food-loving 10-year-old Samuel Tan Cher Lock (a.k.a. Sherlock Sam), Watson, his reluctant robot sidekick, and the rest of the Supper Club (a “Scooby Doo gang,” of sorts) as they prove that mysteries are best solved through teamwork. In Sherlock Sam and the Missing Heirloom in Katong, Auntie Kim Lian’s precious Peranakan cookbook disappears, and Sherlock Sam cannot eat her delicious ayam buah keluak anymore! Will Sherlock Sam be able to use his super detective powers to find this lost treasure? Praise: “A promising adventure series with Super Sleuth Sherlock Sam! His insatiable appetite to sample Singapore’s popular foods and never-give-up attitude to solving mysteries will keep readers glued till the last page.” —Adeline Foo, author of the bestselling series The Diary of Amos Lee “A thrilling kid’s detective romp in the grand tradition of Famous Five, with a lovable robot and delicious Peranakan food!” —Otto Fong, author of Sir Fong’s Adventures In Science “Sherlock Sam and Watson are set to become one of Singapore’s favourite detective duos! Sam’s preoccupation with food struck a familiar chord with the Singaporean in me and Watson’s deadpan one-liners had me laughing out loud. What afun-filled, food-filled adventure story! This is a delicious read that will certainly warm your heart like a good serving of ayam buah keluak!” —Emily Lim, award-winning author of Tibby, the Tiger Bunny and Prince Bear & Pauper Bear “Watson is a delightful creation. He follows a rich line of great robot companions from Star War’s R2D2 to Star Trek’s Data; no detective should leave home without one!” —Sonny Liew, Eisner-nominated author of Malinky Robot “A genius kid detective would be good. A genius kid detective with a wise-acre robot sidekick is even better. Add a wicked sense of humor and you’ve one of the sharpest, funniest books you’ll read all year.” —Hal Johnson, author of Immortal Lycanthropes “This book will definitely draw you in with its twists and turns that will leave you guessing with each turn of the page who the culprits are. There are also many funny lines from Watson that will cause you to burst out in laughter.” —Seow Kai Lun, ?Singapore's Child “A clever, entertaining and funny children's novel...a promising start to a new book series [with] bold and whimsical illustrations by drewscape” —Tina Gan, Red Dot Diva “This debut local novel is rich (in local references) and satisfying (as a mystery story).” —Stephani Yeo, Young Parents “BOTH boys were clamouring to read the book first, so I was left with no choice but to read the book TOGETHER with the both of them...I found it to be utterly captivating enough to make me want to complete the book in one sitting...the localized dialogue is hilariously tongue-in-cheek and the book's subtle appeal to a child's instinct for the mysterious proved to be just what kept both Ash and Ayd deeply intrigued.” —Kelvin Ang, Cheekiemonkies “A.J. Low have created an intriguing tale which would keep young readers eager to find out what happens next, while subtly documenting old-school landmarks such as Chin Mee Chin Confectionery and Katong Antique House. Looks set to be a betseller.” —Clara Chow, My Paper “I like this book because it leaves you with questions in your mind which make you want to keep reading.” —Greta Roberts, 9, in Expat Living Singapore




Sherlock Sam and the Vanished Robot in Penang


Book Description

Sherlock Sam and the Supper Club are off to Penang for a holiday! Of course, Sherlock Sam can’t go anywhere without bumping into a mystery. An antique tin robot vanishes from a toy museum without a trace! Did it walk off on its own? Was it teleported away? Will Singapore’s Greatest Kid Detective be able to resist all the local delicacies and focus on his most dangerous case yet?




Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning


Book Description

The adventures of Sherlock Sam continue! Together with his loyal sidekick robot Watson, Sherlock Sam is fast becoming Singapore’s Greatest Kid Detective! In Sherlock Sam and the Ghostly Moans in Fort Canning, mysterious sounds fill the air at one of Singapore’s most-loved historical attractions. Ghosts don’t exist, or do they? Will this mystery prove too difficult for Sherlock Sam to solve?