The VERY Embarrassing Book of Dad Jokes is full to the brim with jokes that only your dear old Dad would dare say - jokes that will make you groan, sigh ... and then probably make you groan again.

Why did the banana go to the doctors?

Because he wasn't peeling very well!

Proving the age-old maxim that 'it's in the way that you tell them', Dads - for the best part of forever - have always been renowned for being truly god-awful joke tellers. Whether it's telling them at the wrong moment, misremembering the punchline or it just simply being one of those jokes that were terrible to begin with, Dads are an embarrassment to the whole family when it comes to trying to tell jokes.

The VERY Embarrassing Book of Dad Jokes is full to the brim with jokes that only your dear old Dad would dare say - jokes that will make you groan, sigh ... and then probably make you groan again. Dads take great pleasure in these kinds of jokes and some of them are so rubbish they actually blossom into proper rib-ticklers - but don't tell your dad that, it'll only encourage him!

A light-hearted look at art through canine eyes.

Join dachshunds Ned and Henry for an energetic romp through the world of art, encountering famous paintings and sculptures from a four-legged perspective.

Watch them lead their gang of hounds - including schnauzers, jack russells, greyhounds, border terriers and labradors - on an eventful trip through the gallery, taking in modernist masterpieces and much-loved Old Masters.

On their way they encounter Whistler's Mother, Picasso's The Dream, Matisse's The Fall of Icarus, Magritte's Lab and a Dachshund Pollock - all culminating in a doggy version of Campbell's Soup, Warhol's Squirrel Soup for dogs!

Illustrator Joy FitzSimmons shows us beloved works of art playfully re-imagined by man's best friend. From Rousseau to Riley, Hokusai to Hockney, this canine homage takes us across the globe from Tate to the Prado to MoMA, to the British Museum and beyond.

Fresh from the award-winning Woodmansterne studio, Hysterical Heritage juxtaposes imagery inspired by the Bayeaux Tapestry with modern day expressions and dilemmas, resulting in a hilarious and unique, new humour range.

In this, their first book, Hysterical Heritage regales some of the common pitfalls, quandaries and incidents of the midlife crisis all viewed through the lens of medieval history. Full of colourful imagery and relatable humour, this is the perfect gift for the mothers, fathers, aunts and uncles in your life.

The book showcases 75 beautiful words evocative of the wild, from all around the world, that describe natural happenings in nature. It includes words that describe weather, or a feeling you have when in nature as well as sensory words that explain the smell or sound of a place.

The words used to express what is seen in the world are vital to an appreciation of it - language is a key component in the call of the wild. As words vanish from a language, it follows that what they describe may disappear. Words deepen understanding of what is seen, and what is seen comes more vividly to life through the words used to describe it. As the natural world and the time spent in it diminish in the face of modern life, it's more vital than ever to recall it into being with the magic of language.

Each of the 75 words will have a 100-word description, including its pronunciation, a geographical/historical/cultural background, as well as reflecting on the emotional/mindful response the natural phenomenon can inspire. Each word will be paired with an illustration

Examples of words:
Mångata. Sweden. Noun. The path of light that the moon makes on water.
Sugar weather. Canada. Noun. A period of warm days and cold nights - the perfect weather to start the sap flowing in maple trees.
Rudenja. Lithuania. The way nature begins to feel as autumn takes hold and the vestiges of summer disappear.
Komorebi. Japan. Noun. Beams of sunlight filtering down through the trees.

From highly-acclaimed illustrator, graphic designer and author, Anita Mangan, comes The Chinese Zodiac, an ideal gift book for fans of astrology and lunar cycles.

In this time of self-awareness and self-interest, The Chinese Zodiac takes an alternative and hilarious look at all 12 signs of the Chinese Zodiac, mixing together animal and human facts and drawing on themes such as personality, love, health and lifestyle, school/work to create a fresh and entertaining look at ourselves accompanied by quirky and colourful illustrations in this full-colour gift book.

The Chinese zodiac follows the moon (rather than constellations, as in the Greco-Roman zodiac system). It is divided into a 12-year cycle, with a different animal representing each year. The philosophy is deeply rooted in Chinese culture, and the zodiac, combined with the principles of yin and yang and the five elements, asserts a remarkable influence over people's decisions and beliefs.

The signs include:
Rat
Ox
Tiger
Rabbit
Dragon
Snake
Horse
Goat/Sheep
Monkey
Rooster
Dog
Pig

A fascinating book, from a leading maths educator and demystifier, that shows how maths is relevant to our everyday lives.

Have you ever wondered how the meter in a taxi works? Or why a lift takes so long to respond to your call? Is there a mathematical secret to making a hit single? And how long is a piece of string? In this fascinating book you will find the answers to these and many other intriguing questions of everyday life. Discover the astonishing '37% rule' for blind dates, how to avoid the gentleman's urinal, and some extraordinary scams that people have devised to get rich quick. Here you will also find the origins of the seven-day week and the seven-note scale, an explanation of why underdogs sometimes win, some clever techniques for detecting fraud, and the reason why epidemics sweep across a nation and disappear just as quickly.

How Long is a Piece of String? is the perfect book for anyone who is curious about the way in which maths underlies so much in our everyday lives. Whatever your mathematical ability level, you will find this book informative, thought-provoking and, most of all, fun.

Word count: 35,000

A colourful, illustrated celebration of wild plants around the world, and why we should love them not loathe them, with 50 graphic illustrations by Paul Farrell.

To call a plant a weed is doing it a real injustice. It's simply a wild plant that is not deliberately cultivated, growing where it is not wanted. By this definition, virtually any plant outside a carefully tended garden is a weed.

The intolerance of weeds is a mark of how we have turned our backs on nature and urbanized our land and lives. In this enlightening survey, illustrator Paul Farrell uncovers the wild beauty in weeds and explains the benefits of rewilding ourselves a little. Weeds can be medicine, food, and an important aid for wildlife. One person's weed is another's wild beauty.

Paul's brilliant modernist illustration style shows us dandelions, thistles and feverfew in a whole new light. Each of the 50 weeds featured is accompanied by a quirky history and its uses in medicine, cooking, arts and even industry.

Sample contents:
US/Canada weeds: Dandelion; Daisy; Groundsell; Chickweed; Nettle; Wild carrot; Sumac.
UK/Europe weeds: Foxglove; Deadly nightshade; Yarrow; Rosebay willowherb; Herb Robert; Scarlet Pimpernel; Violet; Wood Sorrel; Red valerian; Common knapweed

An entertaining guide to how maths is relevant to our everyday lives.

Why is it better to buy a lottery ticket on Friday? Why are showers always too hot or too cold? And which classic puzzle was destroyed by Allied bombing in the war? These and many other questions are answers in this entertaining and highly informative book.

Why do Buses Come in Threes? is for anyone who wants to remind themselves - or discover for the first time - that maths is relevant to almost everything we do. Dating, cooking, travelling by car, gambling and life-saving techniques all have links with intriguing mathematical problems that you will find explained here - including the odd coincidence of 4 July, the exponential growth of Australian rabbits and a surprising formula for running in the rain without getting wet. Whether you have a degree in astrophysics or haven't touched maths since you left school, this book will change the way you view the world around you.

All women become like their mothers. That is their tragedy. No man does, and that is his.

Oscar Wilde

A wonderful collection of quotes and photographs about one of the most important human relationships: mother and daughter. Their connection can be close, challenging, or best friends, but it is unique. This collection of quotations from thinkers and writers celebrates and illuminates this relationship. From Oscar Wilde to Marlene Dietrich, from Simone de Beauvoir's daughter to Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson and Elizabeth Gaskell. Witty, clever, tender and insightful, the quotes are accompanied by wonderful vintage photographs of mothers and daughters.

A handsome book for all mothers and daughters.

*WINNER* 'SHORT BUSINESS BOOK OF THE YEAR' - THE BUSINESS BOOK AWARDS 2021

Unicorns, narwhals, yaks, cows and civets - what have all these creatures got to do with your hard-earned cash?

Well, far more than you would think at first glance. They are all beasts that appear in the global economic ecosystem. They pop up as warnings, messages, signals and useful analogies in order to help us navigate what can sometimes be a confusing, closed-off world.

In this book, BBC journalists Dhruti Shah and Dominic Bailey guide you through the confusing world of business jargon with a bold, graphic bestiary. As well as more familiar terms such as piggy bank, loan sharks and rat race, there are alligator spreads - which occur when an investor will never be able to make a profit on their transactions, or a lobster trap, which is a type of strategy a company will deploy in order to prevent a hostile takeover. There is even the memorable honorific of 'vampire squid' given to Goldman Sachs.

This fun book, part of the popular Cool series, is a fascinating introduction to world mythology, broken up into handy bite-sized chunks.

It covers all the main world mythologies, including Sumerian, Incan, African, Native American, African, Egyptian, Persian, Hindu, Norse and, of course, Greek and Roman, including the famous Olympians (Zeus, Hera, Poseidon and others).

It begins with a selection of creation myths from different cultures (for example the Dreamtime of Aboriginal Australian mythology) and delves into individual stories from mythology, such as Perseus meeting Medusa and Pandora's box. It covers fantastical mythological creatures from the fearsome Manticore from Persian legend to the modern-day Yeti, plus giants, dragons and the Phoenix. It explores mythological places like Atlantis and various versions of the afterlife, from the idyllic Arthurian Avalon to the rather less pleasant Yomi, the dark and gloomy underworld of Japanese mythology.

Ancient myths are still relevant to today's society, explaining traditions and giving lasting moral lessons. But most of all, they're entertaining adventures that connect us to the past - and this book is the perfect introduction to how cool mythology really is.

Word count: 20,000

This stunt-stuffed book is for kids and grown-ups who love to experiment with peculiar physics, mind-boggling biology, crazy chemistry and want to learn more fascinating factoids than you can shake a Bunsen burner at.

As we all know now, the geeks have inherited the earth and, it's official, science is now cool! With Cool Science you can learn 50 amazing science-related tricks to impress friends at parties or for teaching to children. That's 50 awesome new ways to make 50 new friends. This stunt-stuffed book is for kids and grown-ups who love to experiment with peculiar physics, mind-boggling biology, crazy chemistry and want to learn more fascinating factoids than you can shake a Bunsen burner at.

Just some of the tricks barely contained within the book are Smoking Fingers!, Cola can-can!, Visible Sound Waves!, Disappearing Coins and ... the trick where you achieve the impossible with just a piece of paper! And many, many more!

The enduring appeal of Jane Austen's fiction is captured in this pocket-sized collection of quotations taken from her celebrated works.

The novels of Jane Austen are famed for their ability to perfectly convey the nuances of social interactions in the Regency period. Perhaps what makes the books still so popular is just how recognisable the social situations and character types of two hundred years ago are today. Well-known for her humour, Jane Austen's Universal Truths is a collection of some of Austen's most choice and wry observations. Featuring witticisms on love and marriage, the battle of the sexes, town and country and moral duty, and dipping into all of Jane Austen's six published novels, this collection will delight fans and is the perfect breakdown to introduce a classic author to a new audience. The universal truths are accompanied by illustrations from celebrated artist Polly Fern.

'A very funny book indeed.' - Michael Palin

A hilarious collection of witty and outrageous letters, ranging from inventive job applications and requests for unusual (and often non-existent) items to complaints about the fantastical, the impossible and the mundane.

Full of raucous correspondence, author Michael A. Lee pens an application to become the Beast of Bodmin Moor, enquires where he might be able to purchase a 'corporate ladder' to help his career, and writes a grumbling complaint to Harry Ramsden's about the chip on his shoulder.

Irrereverent, imaginative and sometimes downright silly, these letters provoke responses that are equally funny. There are replies from such venerable institutions as MI5, the office of the Archbishop of York, assorted Royal Societies and peers, the French Navy and even the Pope - absolutely no-one is safe from this author's acerbic pen and unique imagination.

Michael A Lee is no part-time(waster) letter-writer - this book contains more than 250 razor-sharp missives; all of which will make you laugh uncontrollably, but watch what comes through your own letterbox or lands in your in-tray.

Fix Your Bike is a brilliantly straightforward, stylish and no-fuss guide to DIY bike maintenance and safety that does exactly what it says on the tin - teaching you the basics of bike maintenance so you can simply get on with riding your bike without encountering any further bumps in the road.

Everyone's cycling nowdays. City streets are thronged with cyclists on the latest cool bikes, and more and more of us are cycling for fun at the weekends. You may love to cruise the streets and lanes with the wind in your hair, but would you be able to fix your bike if it let you down?

Fix Your Bike is a brilliantly straightforward, stylish and no-fuss approach to getting you geared up and back on your bike in no time. It's a visually stunning, clear-cut and hands-on guide to DIY bike maintenance and safety that does exactly what it says on the tin. By teaching you the basics in plain terms and straightforward, step-by-step instructions you can simply just get on with riding your bike without encouraging any further bumps in the road. Speedy, easy and proficient, Fix Your Bike is full of shortcuts, tricks and techniques that all cyclists should know to help them get back (and remain) on the road.

Smart and beautifully illustrated, this book will aid and encourage you in all areas of bike maintenance - from puncture repair to gear care, brake-tightening to chain-fixing - this brilliant roadside companion will help you bring out the best in your bike.

Word count: 15,000

Other forthcoming titles in this series: Fix Your Home and Fix Your Garden.

A stylish, practical guide to making your home beautiful and keeping it in tip-top condition, aimed at young urban professionals.

A stylish, practical guide to making your home beautiful and keeping it in tip-top condition.

Fix Your Home is an illustrated little guide to decorating and maintaining your home, aimed at young urban professionals who have just moved into their first flat. With no-nonsense writing and straightforward step-by-step instructions, it gives you all the basic home maintenance information you'll ever need, including putting up shelves, hanging pictures, wallpapering a room, saving energy and when to admit defeat and get the professionals in. On top of that, it contains a wealth of inspiration for decorating your abode on a shoestring, from window treatments to flooring to stylish home offices. Read this book and you'll be able to get all your home's little eccentricities under control, leaving you to get on with living your busy and exciting life

Word count: 15,000

Just moved in and don't know what to do with a messy garden or bleak-looking balcony? Want to stake your claim on a little corner of a shared garden? No gardening experience whatsoever? Fix Your Garden is the perfect solution.

Packed with tips and tricks to get your green fingers going straight away, this beautifully illustrated little book will help you make the most of your outdoor space, even if you've only got a tiny windowbox. Aimed at the first-time homeowner or renter with little or no gardening know-how, it contains a wealth of information on how to make your garden grow and your balcony bloom, from early analysis of the soil to find out which plants will do best, to fixing that weed-covered wilderness of a backyard you've inherited and starting to grow your own fruit and veg. With tips on garden design and how to conquer common pests and diseases, this is a crash course in getting your outdoor space sorted, and also contains information on houseplants so you can bring a little bit of the outdoors in.

Word count: 15,000

'The most eccentric golf book ever' Sports and Leisure Magazine

Golf's Strangest Rounds is an absorbing collection of bizarre tales from the lengthy annals of the sport's history. There are stories of tragedy, eccentricity, tactical slipups and ones that defy categorization altogether - meet 'Mysterious Montague', for example, of the world's best golfers but a man who refused ever to compete in a tournament. You'll find plenty of golfing greats here - Gene Sarazen, Chip Beck, Greg Norman, Nick Faldo - all of whom have played their parts in irrational finishes, record rounds and famous freak shots. The tales within these pages are bizarre, fascinating, hilarious and, most importantly, true.

This brand new edition, redesigned in splendid hardback for 2018, is the perfect gift for any golf fanatic.

Word count: 45,000