When he learns that Lucky is not his real name, but only a nickname given to him by his grandfather, a young boy's outlook on his whole life changes.

When he learns that Lucky is not his real name, but only a nickname given to him by his grandfather, a young boy's outlook on his whole life changes.

What if you suddenly had everything you’d ever dreamed of? That’s exactly what happens to 10-year-old Joe Smith in this hilarious, brand-new comedy adventure from bestselling author, comedian and presenter Danny Wallace, with illustrations throughout from Gemma Correll. Perfect for children age 8+ and fans of David Baddiel, Stephen Mangan, David Walliams, Andy Griffiths, Jenny Pearson and Helen Rutter. Joe Smith is average in every way. He is average height. He lives in an average town, on an average street, in an average house, with a very average family. But when a survey identifies him as the most average kid in the country – well that makes him very special indeed. Suddenly, everyone wants Joe to test out their latest products. Overnight he is sent mountains of gifts ­– the best trainers, the coolest bike, the most exciting new tech, the latest flavours of ice cream – and so much more. He gets special cinema screenings and the entire water park all to himself. Joe now has everything he could possibly want in the world – and that’s far from average. But is going from zero to hero all it’s cracked up to be? This brilliantly warm-hearted, laugh-out-loud family adventure will leave you thinking about friendship, family and why everyone is special just the way they are. Other books by Danny Wallace: The Day the Screens Went Blank Hamish and the Worldstoppers Hamish and the Neverpeople Hamish and the Gravity Burp Hamish and the Baby Boom Hamish and the Terrible Terrible Christmas and Other Stories Hamish and the Monster Patrol Praise for The Day the Screens Went Blank: 'So funny' Noel Fielding 'Brilliantly funny' Shappi Khorsandi 'Hilarious' Tim Minchin 'Warm and funny' Frank Cottrell-Boyce

Why Earth’s life-friendly climate makes it exceptional—and what that means for the likelihood of finding intelligent extraterrestrial life We have long fantasized about finding life on planets other than our own. Yet even as we become aware of the vast expanses beyond our solar system, it remains clear that Earth is exceptional. The question is: why? In Lucky Planet, astrobiologist David Waltham argues that Earth’s climate stability is what makes it uniquely able to support life, and it is nothing short of luck that made such conditions possible. The four billion year-stretch of good weather that our planet has experienced is statistically so unlikely that chances are slim that we will ever encounter intelligent extraterrestrial others. Citing the factors that typically control a planet’s average temperature—including the size of its moon, as well as the rate of the Universe’s expansion—Waltham challenges the prevailing scientific consensus that Earth-like planets have natural stabilizing mechanisms that allow life to flourish. A lively exploration of the stars above and the ground beneath our feet, Lucky Planet seamlessly weaves the story of Earth and the worlds orbiting other stars to give us a new perspective of the surprising role chance plays in our place in the universe.

Read Pam Allyn's posts on the Penguin Blog The books to read aloud to children at the important moments in their lives. In What to Read When, award-winning educator Pam Allyn celebrates the power of reading aloud with children. In many ways, books provide the first opportunity for children to begin to reflectively engage with and understand the world around them. Not only can parents entertain their child and convey the beauty of language through books, they can also share their values and create lasting connections. Here, Allyn offers parents and caregivers essential advice on choosing appropriate titles for their children—taking into account a child’s age, attention ability, gender, and interests— along with techniques for reading aloud effectively. But what sets this book apart is the extraordinary, annotated list of more than three hundred titles suitable for the pivotal moments in a child’s life. With category themes ranging from friendship and journeys to thankfulness, separations, silliness, and spirituality, What to Read When is a one-of-a-kind guide to how parents can best inspire children through reading together. In addition, Pam Allyn includes an indispensable “Reader’s Ladder” section, with recommendations for children at every stage from birth to age ten. With the author’s warm and engaging voice throughout, discussion questions to encourage in-depth conversations, as well as advice on helping kids make the transition to independent reading, this book will help shape thoughtful, creative, and curious children, imparting a love of reading that will last a lifetime. These Penguin Young Reader's Books are referenced in What to Read When Sylvia Jean: Drama Queen by Lisa Campbell Ernst (Penguin Young Reader’s Group: 2005) Two Is For Twins, by Wendy Cheyette Lewison, illustrations by Hiroe Nakata (Penguin Young Readers: 2006) Remember Grandma? by Laura Langston (Penguin Group (USA): May 2004) Soul Looks Back in Wonder compiled by Tom Feelings (Puffin Books) Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey (Penguin Books USA, Incorporated: December 1957) When I was Young in the Mountainsby Cynthia Rylant illustrated by Diane Goode (Penguin Young Readers Group: January 1993) Nana Upstairs and Nana Downstairs by Tomie DePaola (Puffin Books, an imprint of Penguin Books, Inc.:1973) Good Night, Good Knight by Shelly Moore Thomas, illustrations by Jennifer Plecas (Penguin Young Readers Group: 2002)

Just looking at Katie Roskova, you'd think she had it all: she was pretty, popular, an A-student at an exclusive private school, and on her way to becoming a champion figure skater. But there was another Katie, the one she hid from the world, who was having trouble dealing with the mounting pressures of her young life. And it was this Katie who, with no other means of expression available to her, reacted to her overbearing mother, her absent father, her unforgiving schedule, and her oblivious classmates by turning her self-doubt into self-hatred. And into self-mutilation. In his previous novel, The Best Little Girl in the World, Steven Levenkron brought insight, expertise, and sensitivity to the painful subject of anorexia nervosa. Now he applies these same talents to demystifying a condition that is just as heartbreaking, and becoming more common everyday. Through his depiction of Katie's self-mutilating behavior, she is called "a cutter" by her peers, and her triumphant road to recovery, he offers a compelling profile of a young girl in trouble, and much-needed hope to the growing numbers who suffer from this shocking syndrome.

"Every kid in America would love to work as a batboy for major league baseball, on the bench for an NBA team, or on the sidelines for an NFL team. Only one kid in America got to work in the dugout and inside the locker room for the Milwaukee Brewers, sit on the bench with the 1971 world champion Milwaukee Bucks, and work for the Green Bay Packers who won the first two Super Bowls. Pat McBride describes escaping from a dysfunctional home and finding mentors in the world of professional sports. In 7 years McBride met some of the most famous athletes, politicians and celebrities in the world, but most importantly worked his way into medical school. He became a nationally recognized professor and dean of a medical school, but more importantly, a father and husband of a stable and wonderful family. Come along and read the story of the luckiest kid in the world!"- Amazon.com.