Black Island LITERATURE •  1975 •   • 62 PAGES • FAMILY Set in Scotland, in this seventh adventure (updated in the 1960s), Tintin and faithful canine companion confront a gang on the mysterious island of the title. (SCT149, $10.99)
Great Northern?, A Scottish Adventure of Swallows and Amazons  •  Arthur Ransome TRAVEL NARRATIVE •  2003 •  PAPER  • 128 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) The last in a series of 12 sailing adventures for youngsters, originally published in the 1947 and wonderfully literate. In this tale the youngsters Dick and Dorethea Callum get mixed up with a villain (who is out to get the birds of the title), meet a Scottish laird and have a blast aboard the cutter Sea Bear. Based on his own travels, Ransome's tales mix adventure, seamanship and lots of local lore. Ransome (1884-1967), who also wrote travel accounts and transcribed Russian fairy tales, was a foreign correspondent for the Manchester Guardian. (SCT78, $14.95)
Mary, Bloody Mary  •  Carolyn Meyer LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 240 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS An unusually generous protrayal of the young Mary Tudor, nicknamed "Bloody Mary" by her Protestant subjects. Popular young-adult author Meyer richly recreates the Tudor era and its religious conflicts for audiences ages 11 and up. (GBR333, $6.99)
Once Upon a Time in Great Britain, A Travel Guide to the Sights and Sounds of Your Favorite Children's Stories  •  Melanie Wentz GUIDEBOOK •  2002 •  PAPER  • 274 PAGES • FAMILY A guide for any family of ardent readers. The author, an American teacher, devotes each chapter to a particular British children's book and the locations that inspired it. Included are such books as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Winnie-the-Pooh, The Railway Children, Kidnapped, The Secret Garden, Harry Potter, Thomas the Tank Engine and plenty more. A very useful planning tool, with somewhat eccentric (storybookish?) maps. (GBR379, $15.95)
The Queen's Own Fool  •  Robert J. Harris  •  Jane Yolen LITERATURE •  2001 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS This excellent historical young adult novel relates the life of Mary Queen of Scots as witnessed by her jester, a spunky orphan named Nicola. Following Nicola (and Mary) from France to Scotland, the authors expertly recreate an era of intrigue, nationalist conflicts and entrenched class divisions. (SCT55, $7.99)
Ring of Bright Water  •  Gavin Maxwell NATURAL HISTORY •  1966 •  PAPER  • 224 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS • COMING IN This magical book, treasured by generations of children and their parents, is known primarily for its wonderful portrayal of otters and the naturalist who loves them. But Maxwell's vivid descriptions of the Scottish coast are equally entertaining. (SCT17, $13.00)
This Is Edinburgh  •  M. Sasek CULTURAL PORTRAIT •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 64 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) First published in 1958, this is a facsimile edition of Sasek's charming original portrait of the city, its culture, attractions and spirit for young readers. (SCT106, $17.95)