Caligula

A lively, truthful look at the meanest figures of times past, perfect for fans of history and for those who realize that the stories of the evil are often more rich and complex than one might think. This second volume presents Caius Julius Caesar Germanicus, known as Caligula, Roman emperor from the years 12 to 41. His reputation is that of an insane, criminal leader, but was he really all that crazy and mean as we’ve made him out to be all these years?

For her eighth birthday, Nola receives a marvelous present: her late mother Annah’s music box. It has the most enchanting melody, and inside the globe… is that a little girl waving? And calling for help?! Before she knows it, Nola has shrunk down in size, slipped through the keyhole, and entered the world of Pandorient, where even the most ordinary-looking citizens can have extraordinary powers—and where danger could lurk down every hallway. Nola must help her new friends save their mother from a mysterious malady—all the while making surprising discoveries about Annah’s past, and—maybe—her own future…

Ariane takes Nino back to the Middle Ages to find out what started the Crusades—and why there were so many of them. They travel to Jerusalem (where it all started) and they meet kings and popes and emperors and sultans… including Richard the Lionheart and his famous adversary Saladin. Along the way, Nino discovers that the Crusades weren’t just about religion and the Holy Wars weren’t just Christians vs. Muslims. Like most of history, it was a little more complicated than that, as Ariane explains…

1907: In a small town in the Pyrenees, a young soldier regularly climbs one of the tallest peaks to deliver supplies to an observatory. There, he makes a friend whose great passion for the Tour de France pushes ambitious Amédée to take up cycling and dream of winning the Tour himself. But the road to the Tour de France is more challenging and dangerous than he thought, and a terrible accident leaves him handicapped. Still, Amédée remains undaunted and trains even harder, which sets him on the road to cycling stardom… until war breaks out and interrupts his plans yet again. An inspiring tale of courage and human achievement, set against the fascinating backdrop of one of the world’s most grueling tests of endurance.

When she gets home from school, Nola senses a strange presence. What’s happening? Has someone crossed into the Hexaworld? With help from Igor and Andrea, the mysterious trespasser is unmasked. What a reckless breach! Anton and Mathilda were clear: no one should pass through the gates of Pandorient! So when a group of Pandorientians appears in Nola’s room on a quest to find Pandoccident, she and her friends have no choice but to fear the worst. Are both worlds now in danger?

Atom Vercorian is trying to make it as a private detective in post-war Paris, and he just needs that one big case to make a name for himself. His father, a police detective, isn’t making any headway in the case of a jewelry theft in the south of France. Atom, however, gets a lead that takes him and his partners, Mimi and Jojo, south to Marseille, where they meet ex-resistance fighters, gangsters, and henchmen. With audacity and enthusiasm, Atom and his cohorts dance their way through the worlds of organized crime, pro wrestling, and the ultra-rich in the pursuit of Miss France 1930’s stolen jewels. This could be Atom’s big break—if he survives the experience!

Having recently discovered the world of Pandorient, Nola can’t resist the temptation to go back. Unfortunately, she didn’t choose the best day! The streets of Pandorient are packed with people. Today, they’re celebrating the 350th birthday of King Hectorian the First! It’s not easy for her to blend in. Luckily, Anton the great Merlinian is there to give her camouflage powder. But it’s no time for festivities! Nola, Igor, and Andrea have a mystery to solve: will they learn the secret of Cyprian, Anton’s son? And will they be able to thwart the terrible plot brewing in the shadows?

Joaquim, a boy from Barcelona, and Manu, whose family is from Guinea, seem to have nothing in common, except for one thing: a passion for football. At age twelve, they both join the FC Barcelona youth team at “La Masia,” the club’s football academy. But not just anyone can make it with Barça. Together, Joaquim and Manu will face immense challenges as they try to turn their dreams into reality. An adventure of friendship at the heart of a legendary club.

Spirou and Fantasio are caught up in another amazing adventure, set in a real historical context. It’s summer 1989, a few months before the fall of the Berlin Wall, and the evil Zantafio is trying to take over East Germany. When he kidnaps the Count of Champignac, our two heroes find out and try to rescue him. But to do that, they have to cross Europe’s most heavily guarded border. East Germany’s notorious Secret Police, the Stasi, are soon hot on their trail, and Fantasio is arrested. So Spirou now has to free his friend as well as foil Zantafio’s diabolical scheme.

Raowl is not a hero for the faint of heart: he slices, dices, and decapitates anyone standing between him and a kiss from a princess. Unfortunately for Raowl, the first princess he encounters doesn’t find him to her liking. So when Raowl rescues a second princess, he doesn’t take no for an answer—and as it turns out, the two have a lot in common! Raowl’s rage is all the greater when the princess is kidnapped and taken to a castle full of cannibals, and he doesn’t waste any time leaping into the mouth of the beast! A rollicking rewrite of classic fairy tales, filled with guts, quips, and colorful characters.