Albatros Media

This young adult mystery horror takes us to a remote borderline village in an intentionally unspecified place and time where people still live by their own rules and still believe in old gods.

Twelve years ago, four children suddenly disappeared without trace. Now during the winter solstice, three of them returned out of nowhere as teenagers with no memory of what happened to them.

Astrid, Tom and Sonja have to unite to face the prejudice of the villagers and to find out, what happened to them and where the fourth missing child is—Astrid’s brother Max. Twelve nights after the winter solstice is the most dangerous time of the year as the border between human world and underworld is thin. And the kids—now adults—will discover that the ghosts from their nightmares are real and waiting for them.

41 plants that will literally take your breath away. Or even eat you! There are many books about Plants. This title does not show the best known, but the most weird and phantastic ones.

Welcome to this botanical garden, where human feet have not trodden for many years. Actually, one has-or rather a pair of them have. They belong to a passionate botanist who spends all his time in the company of flowers. He does not seem interested in people, as he feels himself to be a plant rather than a member of the species homo sapiens. He may seem strange-or even scary, like anything unknown-but rest assured that he is completely harmless just like his plants are . . . unless you’re a fly or a beetle, which his carnivorous plants love to eat, that is. No worries, those meat lovers might possibly snatch at your snack if you have a ham sandwich or a sausage in your bag, but that’s all.

hough some of the plants from this forgotten botanical garden look predatory at first sight, even spooky, they are still just plants that can never catch you. Enough talking, though! Keep your hats on as our tour of the botanical garden begins . . .

We start our journey on boats and we end up in the space. A history of transport told by terrific illustrations.

Travel back with us as we explore the world‘s most important milestones in the development of travel and transportation. From little-noticed ideas that launched a technological revolution, through expeditions that reached for the stars, to tragedies that ended vast projects once and for all.

As this book will show, every ending stands at the beginning of something new. Take a ride with us on the fastest, greatest, most awesome, most controversial machines that moved humanity forward.

Proud holder of the California Reading Association Eureka Silver Award for 2022.

How many cat breeds are there? Let's find out! This book belongs to all cat lovers!

Did you know that some cats don't have five fingers, but six? We're not pulling your whiskers—it's true! Whether you have your own pet at home or whether you just like these adorable little rascals—read our illustrated cat atlas, which will introduce you to the most interesting, lazy, cuddly, and wild cat breeds in the world, from the common European tabby to the silky-haired Persian cat and the unusual Lykoi. And don't worry, that one over there isn’t a tiny werewolf—it just looks like one.

And if you enjoy bedtime stories, don't forget to cuddle up in bed and immerse yourself in the Meow News, a newspaper that comes with the atlas. It contains many stories, interviews, and news from around the world of renowned feline celebrities, as well as lesser-known cat heroes and heroines.

Did you know that you can find 76 objects just in one doll's house? Find out how many things you need to compose one different thing.

You may be surprised to learn how many individual parts make up the things around us. Do you know all the things that go into alphabet soup, a sandpit, or a clock? Can you imagine how lovely all the parts look when sorted and arranged side by side?

You can’t? Well then come with us and let an inquisitive cat named Ada show you what makes up lots of ordinary and special things and places.

Learn how to classify various animals from big-sized illustrations!

Vast numbers of animals live here on Earth, from tiny insects to large mammals. The animal world is varied and quite interesting. This encyclopedia will introduce you to several hundreds of the best known and most interesting animals on the whole planet, and to top it off , it will help you put each one of them into the right group.

This book will show you an attractive selection of mammals, rodents, ungulates, primates, predators, cetaceans, birds, fish, cartilaginous fish, amphibians, reptiles, insects, and other animal groups that can be found all over Earth. Beautiful illustrations and simple texts make this book indispensable for all children.

Learn how to classify various plants from big-sized illustrations!

This planet of ours is teeming with vast numbers of plants, from small flowers to giant trees. And there are fungi and lichens too. With this encyclopedia, you will get to know a few hundred of the best known and most interesting plants from all over the world. What’s more, this book will show you groups in which plants, fungi, and lichens can be classified. It will introduce you to mysterious lichens, edible and inedible mushrooms (as well as poisonous ones), and flowering and non-flowering plants. You will also learn about trees, bushes, and herbs from all corners of the globe.

With its magnificent full-color illustrations and simple explanations, this book is not only useful; it is an essential learning companion for young readers.

Tetris challenge accepted! Find out what goes inside a fridge, a school gym, or a music band van!

There are so many things around us that we cannot see inside. All those cabinets, suitcases, and closed doors—be they small, big, mysterious, or even quite plain, they make you wonder what’s inside them.

Food goes inside a fridge. Laundry goes inside a washing machine. That’s obvious, right? But what about a fire truck? Not to mention a garden shed or a henhouse? What goes inside them? Join Bruno the curious dog and let’s find everything out together. You’ll have loads of fun!

Enter a world where we shine a light on the similarities between ourselves and other living beings. Like us, many animals learn and can use tools. They experience emotions, have friends and show their love for one another.

They can construct majestic buildings that provide shelter for many families. They can also communicate with their companions and do all kinds of different jobs. Do you know who we’re talking about? If you guessed humans, you are mistaken. No, in this case we’re talking about termites! Humans have much more in common with them and other creatures than it might seem at first glance.

And that’s exactly what this book is about. Enter a world where we shine a light on the similarities between ourselves and other living beings. Like us, many animals learn and can use tools. They experience emotions, have friends, and show their love for one another. Open your mind and your heart, and learn to treat the living creatures around you with the respect and reverence they deserve. They have much to teach us!

We know what we see. Do we know what they see? 

• Did you know that most animals do not recognize red colour? 
• Did you know that a bird that may only seem uninterestingly black to you can be painted in the most beautiful colours for members of its own species?

Have you ever wondered how animals perceive the world around us? Whether they see the same colors we see? Whether the vision of a fish is blurry underwater like ours? Or whether dogs like to watch TV, or cats really can see in the dark? If you have ever wished you could ask the animals themselves, don’t worry, because the book you are holding in your hands holds the answers to these questions and many more.

We admire the ancient wonders today, but somebody had to build them. No heavy machinery, no semitrucks, no cement mixers. How was it even possible to build such wonders as pyramids and temples in ancient times? 

Each one of the seven wonders of the world is unique, their beauty and magnificence has been lauded by the greatest poets and writers of the ages. In How the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World Were Built, you’ll learn about the techniques and tools used to build them, what it was like to be there during the construction of them, and more!

We’ll touch on each of the seven wonders of the world:

• The Colossus of Rhodes
• The majestic Great Pyramids of Giza
• The Lighthouse of Alexandria (which withstood earthquakes and gales)
• The spellbinding Statue of Zeus at Olympia
• The breathtaking Temple of Artemis in Ephesus
• The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus
• And the Hanging Gardens of Babylon (inspiration for so many myths and legends).

Come with us as we go back in time and learn the secrets of how these gems of ancient architecture were created!

Look through the cut-outs and guess who it is! First a game, then plenty of funny and interesting animal facts.

Find out how frogs survive in the desert, how otters have adapted to life in the water, and which bird can fly the highest. What other extreme conditions can animals survive?

Thanks to the fun layout with cut-outs, at first only a part of the
animal’s body is revealed on the page. Will the young reader be able to tell which animal that tail, that fur, or those legs belong to? All you have to do is open up the page and the animal appears in all its glory, with the child learning why the animal looks the way it does. So let’s get started!

A festive guide to Christmas celebrations around the world that is perfect for children ages 4 and up!

Everyone loves Christmas! But have you ever wondered what Christmas might be like around the world? This book teaches kids about different cultures, leading them to live culturally respectful lives.

In How Kids Celebrate Christmas Around the World, you’ll discover:

• Who brings Christmas presents in Italy?
• Where can we sunbathe on the beach on Christmas Day?
• What is the typical Christmas dish in Japan?
• Would you like to spend Christmas day in Ethiopia?
• Which goodies are always present on festive tables in Greece?
• So much more!

This playful series introduces children to various evolutionary traits that have helped animals adapt to their environment or way of life.

Why does a peacock have such extravagant tail feathers? Why do crocodiles have eyes on the top of their heads? Which animal is a master of camouflage? And who has legs not made for walking? Discover the coolest animal anatomy tricks!

Thanks to the fun layout with cut-outs, at first only a part of the animal’s body is revealed on the page. Will the young reader be able to tell which animal that mouth, skin, or eye belongs to? All you have to do is open up the page and the animal appears in all its glory and the child learns why the animal looks the way it does. So let’s get started!

Who said ordinariness is boring? This book shows ordinary things, along with their origins and inventors, in a new light. Come explore their secrets! 

They’re all around us. We use them daily, pass them by, and it never occurs to us to stop and think about where they came from. What, you ask? The most ordinary things in the world, of course! Shoes, umbrellas, toothbrushes, toothpicks, socks, dolls, and so on and so forth. How did they come to be? Who invented them, how did they develop and change over time? 

If you’d like to know the answer to these questions, to peek behind the curtain that drapes the most ordinary stuff in mystery, then definitely read on and learn the story of common things.

This sequel to Atlas of Extinct Animals maps out the fates of 40 endangered species that are on the brink of extinction due to human actions.

There are many kinds of animals and species that once walked the Earth, but didn’t survive until the present day. And you may be surprised, how many of the existing animals are about to face the same fate. This book is about the most significant creatures that might not see the light of next century. Read about them now, because the next moment, they might belong to the past.

The author Radek Malý encourages people to think about their actions. The ambitiously conceived atlas is accompanied by remarkable fullpage illustrations by Pavel Dvorský, supplemented by scientific illustrations by his wife Pavla Dvorská. This book provides both a wake-up call and hope. If we behave responsibly toward nature, these species can still be saved.

The first book in the Large Encyclopedias series presents animals that once walked the Earth but have vanished due to the actions of humankind.

In Atlas of Extinct Animals, award-winning poet Radek Malý tells the stories of forty-one extinct species and studies the causes of their sad demise. The large-format in Atlas of Extinct Animals is supplemented with beautifully expressive full-page illustrations by gifted artist Jiri Grbavcic and detailed pictures by renowned scientific illustrator Pavel Dvorsky.

The gorgeous, detailed depictions and descriptions of species and their eventual extinction serves as a reminder and a warning of how much life has already disappeared from the Earth. The atlas also shows that species continue to disappear. As we get closer and closer to present day, we are introduced to creatures that still existed in recent years, like the Zanzibar leopard (until 1996) and the Chinese river dolphin (until 2007). And in the end, we are left with a bitter question: Which creature will next be added to this atlas?

This book was selected by White Ravens 2020 for the annual catalog of book recommendations in the field of international children’s and youth literature.

Come abroad, young readers, as we discover holiday traditions and different cultures from around the world!

Good company, great food and drink, and most importantly, lots of fun—we all like celebrating holidays! But have you ever wondered how people spend holidays across the world? In How Kids Celebrate Holidays Around the World, readers will travel the world, experiencing many celebrations and cultures.

In this festively illustrated guide that’s perfect for ages four and up, children will discover and learn:

• What Halloween is like in Ireland?
• Why Ethiopia celebrates Timkat?
• How Brazil celebrates Ash Wednesday
• The significance of Eid Al-Adha
• The importance of tolerance for other cultures and religion
• And more!

From a skyscraper to a houseboat, kids live in all kinds of places. Peek inside their dwellings across the globe and see their amazing cultures!

Have you ever wondered how kids live in other countries? This book gives you a great opportunity to look inside homes on all continents and discover how different kids’ lives can be. People build their homes for comfort and to suit local conditions.

Do you know how children live in Mongolia? Or what life’s like in an icy igloo? How about in a rainforest? Come with us to take a look at homes in all parts of the world, and to make new friends who’ll tell you all about their culture.

Roses were very dangerous for Sleeping Beauty—that everybody knows. But do you know other flower beauties from her garden as well? This combination of encyclopedia and fairy tale will help you!

Far, far away after crossing nine mountains and nine rivers lived a charming princess Sleeping Beauty and her great passion was gardening and taking great care of all plants that surrounded her palace. The princess was cursed when she pricked her finger on a thorn one day. She fell fast asleep, and the entire garden became shrouded in brier roses, hawthorn, and weeds.

How will the charming princess save her garden? Discover the princess’s story, and find out about the wonderful world of gardening with this richly illustrated book with seven gatefolds on each spread.

Bite-sized facts about forests from around the globe, pointing out the animals and plants found in them, as well as the unique features and inner workings of these environments.

Go around the world with us and get to know different types of forests and its inhabitants as well as plant. Our animal friends will join you on this journey. They’re having the adventure of a lifetime: they want to get to the home they belong to. But what if they don’t know where their home is?

Luckily, they have Charlie. He’ll accompany them on their journey to see and discover various forests to find which one is the right one for each of them. And what happens after they reach their final destination? We’ll sure the animals will love to tell you. Join us on our journey along which you’ll learn many new things!

A book about the extraordinary bond between humans and animals, which is everlasting—animals as hard workers, friends, and faithful companions.

They have been with us since time immemorial. Some are close to us, others we treat with great respect. And they help us: dogs as guides, elephants as warriors, cats as gods, cheetahs as hunters, pigeons as postmen, horses as therapists, dolphins as rescuers, pigs as truffle hunters, geese as guards, camels as racers, and cows as carriers.

To find out more, open this book, feast your eyes on its pictures and read the stories about how wild animals became helpers and true friends of humans

Perfect for children ages 10 and up who are ready to dive into the world of diverse shapes and patterns hiding everywhere in nature!

From fish to vegetables, flowers, and shells, you’d be surprised how often the same shapes and patterns are repeated in nature. Even the tiniest ones have a place in nature and a reason to be there.

In Shapes and Patterns in Nature, children and readers will discover the many patterns found in nature and learn what each pattern can tell us about an animal or plant. Discover the marvelous shapes and patterns nature has to offer! 

Get to know the plants of the forest with Hansel and Gretel on their exciting way to the gingerbread house and back in this mix of encyclopedia and fairy tale!

Not far from a deep forest there lived mom, dad and their two children—little boy Hansel and little girl Gretel. And because Hansel and Gretel had always been little fidgets, it was no wonder that one day they got lost deep in the woods and while trying to find their way home they came upon a witch’s house made of gingerbread!

What plants did they see during their wandering in and out of the forest and how did it turn out? You can read the whole story and also get really interesting information about the forests, fields, and meadows in this richly illustrated book with seven gatefolds on each spread.

Welcome to our crazy circus! A unique survey of the most weird and wonderful creatures that inhabit the land and waters of our planet.

Boys and girls, ladies and gentlemen, roll up, roll up! You will hear things you have never heard before, and you will see things you have never before seen, like a frog with a handsome moustache, a butterfly that looks like a bird, a fish with its own light, or a three-eyed lizard. 

Allow our book to present to you all these and many more marvelous creatures, large and small, from all over the world. Take a seat, make yourself comfortable, turn the page, draw aside the curtain, and let the show begin!

A unique collection of over 200 breeds of dogs, with fun facts and witty illustrations, accompanied by heroic stories from the exclusive Dogs’ Post Daily newspaper!

Paw on the heart that you can‘t guess how many dog species there are in the world. In our well-arranged atlas, you can find them all, from the smallest Chihuahua to the hairiest Komondor. Learn basic information about their natures and find your dream dog.

Each breed is playfully introduced, and you will have the opportunity to find out which dogs are among the bravest and most devoted, who is the biggest barker, or who snores loudly when dreaming of a juicy bone. Use our dog to human years converter to discover how old your dog actually is. And, last but not least, if you like bedtime stories, read the Dogs’ Post Daily—a spectacular dog newspaper with a lot of stories, interviews, and reports from the lives of famous dog heroes and heroines!

Get to know the most famous animal inhabitants of the forest. Little Red Riding Hood will guide you through this mix of encyclopedia and fairy tale!

Once upon a time, there was a very curious little girl with a red cap whom everybody called Little Red Riding Hood. You may have heard about her going to the grandmother’s and meeting the wolf on her way there.

But only few people know that on her adventurous journey she met also other forest animals like singing birds, a squirrel, deer, ants, and many others. What are these animals and how do they live? You can find out on the pages of this richly illustrated book with seven gatefolds on each spread.

There are not only dwarves in the underground. This hidden kingdom is full of interesting animals, things, and phenomena, as this mix of encyclopedia and fairy tale will show you.

Once upon a time there was a Queen who only cared about her looks. She believed she was the most beautiful woman in the world, except for her stepdaughter Snow White. She was more beautiful and the jealous queen could not accept it, so she decided to get rid of Snow White.

And what happened to the beautiful princess and her evil stepmother? In addition to the well-known fairy tale there are seven richly illustrated gatefolds where you can also learn about what lies underground, who works there apart from the seven dwarves, and which animals live there. You can also learn about underground structures and other curiosities associated with the realm below the Earth’s surface.

A comprehensive overview of the origin of the world’s best-known musical instruments, presenting many fascinating facts along the way.

Niccolo the cricket would like to become a musician. But which instrument should he start with? The violin? The guitar? The trumpet? All at once? Well, he does have six limbs, so why not? In any case, Niccolo and his trusty companion Luciano the nightingale travel the world as they learn about musical instruments of all kinds, from simple drums to the most sophisticated church organs.

Do you know what didgeridoo, shamisen, or vozembouch are? Would you rather become a member of symphony orchestra or a rock band? Let´s find out! If you are interested in music at least a little, join Niccolo and Luciano and learn the stories of musical instruments along with them.

We have all heard of famous people like Albert Einstein, Nikola Tesla, Cleopatra, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, and William Shakespeare. But what do we know about their childhoods?

Play a game and guess which celebrity is hidden on each spread. Clues from their childhood will help you to discover them! There are twenty-five celebrities waiting for you to uncover them. Rulers, inventors, scientists, musicians, and many others lead you through their childhoods and show you what life was like back then, what they liked to play with, and what their interests were—but they will keep their names to themselves.

Each character gives hints to help you figure out who they are. Then lift the flap and find out whether you guessed correctly.

The sequel to a well-reviewed bestseller that has been translated into fifteen languages, this time focused on bright colors and various habitats.

Every habitat in the wide world has been painted by nature’s unique color palette. The frosty polar landscape glitters with blue-white tones, the jungle dances wildly in the colors of tropical fruits, and the grassy savannah silently hides in beige and khaki.

Take a walk with us through the farthest places and discover colors that are connected to them. With our book, you’ll have them right in front of you! Throughout this colorful adventure, you will imagine all sorts of sounds, tastes, and smells. Can you hear the mud bubbling silently right in the middle of the bog? And do you feel the sun warming up every stone in the desert? We had better cool ourselves down in the ocean! And after a walk, whenever you want, you can learn to match colors as harmoniously as nature can.

Superheroes, record holders, and fascinating facts from the animal kingdom! Welcome to our animal Olympics!

The animal world has almost infinite variety. Many of its creatures have strengths similar to superheroes. The world’s fastest animals can move at the speed of a race car; one small creature has the strength of a trained weightlifter; the world’s strongest animal can lift many times its own weight; and the longest-lived animal survives for several hundred years.

Fastest, slowest, strongest, largest, smallest, longest living, furthest jumping, most dangerous, most beautiful, ugliest, deepest diving—these and many other record holders from the animal kingdom fill this book with unexpected, fascinating facts.

Magnificent, hand-painted illustrations by a rising star of Czech watercolor illustration—perfect for beginning painters!

Nature is teeming with incredible colors. But have you ever wondered how the colors green, yellow, pink, or blue might taste or smell? What could they sound like? Or what would they feel like if you touched them?

Nature’s colors are so wonderful and diverse they inspired people to use the names of plants, animals, and minerals when labelling all the nuances. Join us on a journey to discover the twelve most well-known colors and their shades. You will learn that the colors and elements you find in nature are often closely connected.

Inside you’ll find:

• Book filled with magnificent, hand-painted illustrations (in the style of Katie Daisy) by rising stars of Czech watercolor illustration
• A great encyclopedia of animals, plants and minerals
• Unique interactive concepts: the reader can relate individual shades to plants, animals, rock, and various landscapes of the same color in accordance with their names (e.g. raspberry red, turquoise)
• A short lesson on how to mix and combine colors

Will you be able to find all the links in each chapter? And if you are an aspiring artist, take our course at the end of the book and you’ll be able to paint as exquisitely as nature itself does!