A bag mix-up leads Vlad and his monster friends into the middle of a wild art heist. As they uncover the culprits behind the museum theft, they must navigate a series of challenges to protect themselves and recover the stolen artwork. The story blends adventure and humor, showcasing the teamwork and cleverness of the monster gang as they tackle unexpected dangers.
The monsters are enjoying a day at the annual scare fair when Milton runs into trouble. Cursed with bad luck, he breaks all the mirrors in the infamous hall of mirrors. The scare fair is already having money trouble, and Milton must find a way to replace the mirrors and make the fair popular again.
The stories in this debut collection present a harsh and unsentimental view of the mudane, underscored by moments of beauty, humour and pathos. The characters inhabit a world that can seem dangerously indifferent to human feeling, but alive to the thrills of living on the edge.
The Gift of Travel: The Best of Travelers' Tales brings together the editors' favorite stories from their award-winning books in celebration of Travelers' Tales' fifth year of publishing. These stories, from all over the world, reveal in simple and profound ways that travel is one of the best teachers anyone can have in life. As one travel writer observes, "Travel messes everything up," and does so in countless wonderful and alarming ways, rearranging the voyager's psychic and emotional furniture. One rarely returns from a trip unchanged, a point that is not lost on the authors of these wonderful true tales of life on the road.
True Stories from Around the World
The Best Travel Writing 2007 is the fourth volume in the annual series Travelers' Tales launched in 2004 to celebrate the world's best travel writing -- from Nobel Prize winners to emerging writers. These 29 stories cover the globe, from probing the depths of a culture in Jerusalem to riding the rails in India and trying to save a life in Costa Rica. The points of view and perspectives are global, and themes encompass high adventure, spiritual growth, romance, absolute hilarity and misadventure, service to humanity, and encounters with exotic cuisine. In The Best Travel Writing 2007 readers will become a sex slave in Zambia, watch karma play its part in rough travel in Costa Rica, rediscover Jewish roots in Germany, see preconceptions crumble aboard a tramp ferry on the Red Sea, comprehend the social magic of the Mexican taco stand, discover how a restaurant can make miracles with only fish in Italy, hang on the knife's edge between life and death on a mountain in New Zealand, become a kick boxer in Thailand, escape a volcanic eruption in Vanuatu...and much more.
With its wealth of natural attractions, pervasive sense of history, brilliant cuisine and wines, and warm and inviting people, Italy has always held a special place in the hearts of travelers. But Italy offers so much more than its must-see attractions. In this exciting collection, captivating storytellers reveal the possibilities of a long-term stay, covering both the much-loved sites and lesser-known places that unveil the country’s heart and soul. Learn what it’s like to live with a rural Italian family. Be led behind the scenes of the artisan studios in Florence. Meet Frances Mayes in Cortona and a godfather in Sicily. Discover the glories of a meal that is “only fish” in a Mediterranean village. With its story-a-day format, 30 Days in Italy creates a compelling composite portrait of the distinctive pleasures of this enchanting country.