The Designer Puffin Classics Collection, published by Puffin, six hardback titles, 2nd September 2010, £100 each, limited numbered editions

The Designer Puffin Classics are:

1. James and the Giant Peach by British sculptor Antony Gormley

2. Little Women by fashion designer Orla Kiely

3. Oliver Twist by artist and godfather of British pop art, Sir Peter Blake

4. The Secret Garden by Charlie and Lola author and illustrator, Lauren Child

5. Treasure Island by architect and sculptor Frank Gehry

6. Around the World in Eighty Days by architect David Adjaye

To celebrate its 70th anniversary, Puffin is releasing six exclusive classic Puffin titles beautifully designed by some of today’s best-known cultural figures and designers from the worlds of architecture, fashion, arts and books.

The exclusive Designer Puffin Classics collection consists of six iconic, highly collectable classic Puffin titles which have been re-imagined by top cultural figures in a limited, numbered edition of 1000. Each book comes packaged in a Perspex slipcase and is produced with exceptional production values. Published by Puffin, the six titles will be available from 2nd September 2010 priced at £100 each.

Create a buzz this Christmas with out of this world savings on family trips to Disneyland Paris with vente-privee.com

Flash sales innovator and market leader vente-privee.com is joining forces with Disneyland Paris to host its first ever travel sale on the UK website, offering amazing savings on family trips this winter. Gates to the sale will open on Wednesday 25 August for a very limited time, offering exclusive savings of up to 53% on two, three, and four night breaks. From 9 November to 16 December 2010 you can take your kids on a once-in-a-lifetime trip to the wonderful world of Disney.

The little whippersnappers are sure to love Disney’s Hotel Cheyenne where they can live like a cowboy in this Hollywood Western styled hotel. One of the highlights of the hotel is the log cabin children’s play area with a lookout tower and Indian village.

Alternatively, you can pack up your brood and take them to Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch where you can book an individual self-catering log cabin set in 57 hectares of forest. There is a wide range of activities to keep everyone busy from pony rides and tennis courts to face painting and a wild animal enclosure.

With six themed resort hotels taking part in the offer and situated near the theme parks and Disney Village, there is sure to be something to suit everyone. Disney hotels, ranging from two to four keys, are designed to suit all tastes and budgets, with top quality service, restaurants and shops as well as a variety of sports and leisure facilities. Between the six hotels there are 4,800 rooms of which most can accommodate up to four people (Disney’s Davy Crockett Ranch rooms can accommodate up to six people). Residents of the six Disney Hotels enjoy exclusive advantages including a further opportunity to meet Disney characters and being closer to the magic.

vente-privee.com continues to extend its offering in the leisure and entertainment sector for the UK market, giving savvy shoppers exclusive deals on a variety of fantastic products.

vente-privee.com
Founded in 2001, vente-privee.com organises exclusive events-based sales for its 11.5 million members. The website features designer brands from a wide range of product categories: fashion to homeware, sports products to electronics. The members-only sales last only two to four days and offer irresistible discounts of up to 70%. Registration is free with no obligation to buy.

CHILDREN'S AUTHOR PETER COREY & LEARNDIRECT'S TOP 10 TIPS TO MAKE READING FUN
Learndirect has teamed up with top children’s author Peter Corey to help parents boost their children’s reading skills during the final week of the summer holidays and help families re-charge for a new school year - with tips for reading together as a family as well as top recommended reads.

Mums, Dads and their children can also enjoy two free online storybooks by logging on to www.learndirect.co.uk/readtogether. Both are perfect for helping prepare children for the challenge of starting or going back to school. Further information is also available at www.learndirect.co.uk/readtogether.

Learndirect research has revealed that more than half (54%) of parents admit to brushing up on their English and maths to improve aspects of their life such as work and almost one in three (32%) parents want to brush up on their basic English and maths to support their children’s learning and development, such as reading together.

Peter Corey & Learndirect's Top 10 Tips for making reading a great experience for kids of all ages:
Read little and often – ten to fifteen minutes every day is great. For younger children, use bedtime or bath time if finding a moment isn’t easy during the day.

2. Reading should always be fun so try not to pressure your child if they feel too tired or lose interest. Laugh together at the funny stuff and enjoy the rhyming words – you’d be surprised how rewarding it feels.

3. Relish the story – talk about it and encourage your child to ask questions. You’ll be able to see how well they have understood what they have read.

4. Enjoying the pictures in a book is as important as the text. They can make the words easier to understand and help bring the story to life.

5. Be brave in your choice of books. Always search around, even if you think you’ve already found you and your child’s favourite author.

6. Use a library to borrow books. Libraries give us lots of choice and are like a dating agency – helping match the right person with the right book!

7. Don’t be scared of long words – they can be broken down into smaller parts which will make them far easier. Some English spellings just don’t make sense at first, so don’t worry if you or your child stumbles, it might be the word’s fault!

8. Don’t be afraid to judge a book by its cover and check what’s written on the back. This should help you decide if you and your child will enjoy the book.

9. Don’t worry if your child wants to read the same book again and again. Kids enjoy repetition as it helps them understand the story.

10. Always praise your child for trying hard at their reading and let them know it’s okay to make mistakes. After all, we all get words wrong – even parents! Practice makes perfect and solving reading problems together is part of what makes story time fun.

When you go down to the Alnwick woods today…take your teddy bear with you!
- Family teddy bear’s picnic at The Alnwick Garden looks set to be roaring fun –

The Alnwick Garden is opening its grand gates to teddy bear’s and their families on Sunday 5th September, hosting The Garden’s first teddy bear’s picnic in the beautiful Cherry Orchard.

Set on a peaceful slope beyond the iconic Grand Cascade, the Cherry Orchard is planted with hundreds of Taihaku cherry trees.

Teddies and their families are encouraged to meet up from 2pm, where they’ll be able to share the lovely surroundings with other teddy families.

As well as being able to take part in the bear print trail to see how many different bears have been hiding in The Alnwick Garden’s trees, visitors will also be able to make special teddy bear’s picnic summer hats.

Alongside making new teddy friends, families will also be entertained by Jay and his unusual animals, from Maku the Meerkat, Peanut the Striped Skunk and Ziggy the green iguana who is nearly 2 metres long!

Remember to bring your favourite picnic food to share with your closest teddy bear friend!

Visit: http://www.alnwickgarden.com for more details.

Garden opening times: 10am - 6pm (last admissions 5.15pm).

YUMMY MUMMY MORNINGS AT THE LOWRY OUTLET MALL
Are you a mum in need of pampering? Well look no further as the Lowry Outlet Mall’s Molton Brown store is launching its exclusive Yummy Mummy Mornings. With the kids at school and the housework done why not indulge in a bit of ‘me’ time? Launching on September 22, the Yummy Mummy Mornings will have limited places available so make sure you and your friends are there by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Yummy Mummies are invited to arrive, between 11am and 2pm. Each will be given a complimentary hand and arm massage and a Molton Brown goody bag. Expert staff will be on hand to give out top tips on pampering at home. Pots of tea, courtesy of Whittard of Chelsea, and cupcakes will be provided whilst you browse the luxurious bath and body collections in store.

The Lowry Outlet Mall will run monthly Yummy Mummy Mornings, at Molton Brown, which are ideal for catching up with friends and a spot of retail therapy! Whether it is shopping, dining or entertainment you are after, The Lowry Outlet Mall has it all under one roof, offering savings of up to 60% off RRP all year round. Boasting over 80 stores including big-name retailers like Marks & Spencer, Molton Brown, Whittard of Chelsea, Nike and Whistles; with a huge selection of fashion, gifts and niche sectors such as homewares, handbags, sportswear and much more.

To book a place for you and your friends at the Yummy Mummy Morning please send your contact details, include name, phone number and address, to the following email address This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . Those that enter will also be in with a chance of winning an exclusive Lowry Outlet Mall gift card, to the value of £20. For more information including latest news and events, opening times, directions and store offers or visit http://www.lowryoutletmall.com/

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