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Puffin authors share the best books they received for Christmas

That Christmas

From international film phenomenon, Richard Curtis, and awardwinnning illustrator, Rebecca Cobb, comes a heartwarming tale of a magical, unconventional Christmas. 
 
Christmas is the same every year, isn't it? Same food, same routine, same visiting the neighbours and going for a walk. Except for the year of That Christmas... 
 
 
Find out what happens when traditions are upturned, when chaos reigns, and what's really important when people come together... 
 
 
Richard Curtis is an award-winning and international film-director and script writer, and the creator of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Notting Hill, Yesterday and Mr Bean. 
 
Rebecca Cobb has collaborated with the Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and Orange-Prize-winner Helen Dunmore, has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Prize and the prestigious Kate Greenaway Award multiple times.

Richard Curtis (Author) Richard Curtis is an award-winning and international film-director and script writer, and the creator of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Notting Hill and Mr Bean. Rebecca Cobb (Illustrator) Rebecca Cobb graduated from Falmouth College of Arts in 2004. She has collaborated with the Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and Orange Prize-winner Helen Dunmore. Rebecca was the winner of the 2013 Waterstones Prize and has twice been shortlisted for the prestigious Kate Greenaway Award.

The Empty Stocking

The Empty Stocking is a brilliantly funny Christmas story by Richard Curtis and Rebecca Cobb. 
 
In this fantastically funny and heartwarming story by Richard Curtis, scriptwriter of Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love Actually, it's Christmas Eve and there's one very important question on everyone's mind - have YOU been good this year? For twins Sam and Charlie this is a big worry. Charlie has been especially naughty and everyone is sure that she won't get any presents AT ALL. But when Santa makes a mistake, it's up to Charlie to put things right... 
 
Richard Curtis is an award-winning and international film-director and scriptwriter, and the creator of Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Notting Hill and Mr Bean. 
 
Award-winning illustrator Rebecca Cobb graduated from Falmouth College of Arts in 2004. She has collaborated with the Gruffalo author Julia Donaldson and Orange-Prize-winner Helen Dunmore.

It's Christmas Eve and there's one very important question on everyone's mind - have YOU been good this year? 
 
For twins Sam and Charlie this is a big worry. Charlie has been especially naughty and everyone is sure that she won't get any presents AT ALL. But when Santa makes a mistake, it's up to naughty Charlie to put things right. Will her last-minute secret act of kindness be enough to redeem her after all? 
 
A brilliantly funny and heartwarming story for Christmas Eve from acclaimed scriptwriter Richard Curtis and award-winning illustrator Rebecca Cobb

Snow Day

A snowy day, a deserted school and the teacher you least want to see. Welcome to Snow Day, the most magical day of the year . . . 
 
 When Danny goes to school one quiet, snowy morning, the last thing he expects to find is a deserted school and his least favourite teacher. But that's exactly what he does find. And what starts as the worst day imaginable, ends as the most life-affirming and magical day of the year. 
 
 An incredibly moving story about finding friendship in the most unexpected of places from Richard Curtis and Rebecca Cobb.

A snowy day, a deserted school and the teacher you least want to see. Welcome to Snow Day, the most magical day of the year . . . 
 
 When Danny goes to school one quiet, snowy morning, the last thing he expects to find is a deserted school and his least favourite teacher. But that's exactly what he does find. And what starts as the worst day imaginable, ends as the most life-affirming and magical day of the year. 
 
 An incredibly moving story about finding friendship in the most unexpected of places.

Four Classic TV Soundtracks

The Vicar of Dibley

Richard Curtis is a British screenwriter, actor, film director and music producer. Among his screenwriting credits are Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually, whilst for television he created and wrote Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Vicar of Dibley. He created the first Black Adder series with Rowan Atkinson, before going on to write subsequent series with Ben Elton. 
 
Ben Elton is a British comedian, author, playwright and director. His early career was in stand-up comedy, as well as writing for TV series including The Young Ones. He met Richard Curtis, and together they co-wrote the second and subsequent series of Blackadder. Ben Elton went on to success as a novelist and stage writer.

Four classic episodes from the original TV series: Arrival, Songs of Praise, Easter Special and The Christmas Lunch Incident. Welcome to Dibley, a perfect village full of some perfectly peculiar people - including Alice Tinker and her underactive brain, Owen Newitt and his overactive bowels, and Letitia Cropley and her orange cake with Branston pickle icing. Council ruler David Horton has everything running exactly as he wishes - until 102-year-old Reverend Pottle dies. That's when the trouble begins, for the new vicar of Dibley is Geraldine, a babe with a bob and a magnificent bosom. In these instalments, the vicar increases the church-going public, finds something remarkably attractive about television, learns about suffering by giving up chocolate for Lent, and promises herself too many Christmas lunches with too many people. Starring Dawn French, with Gary Waldhorn, James Fleet, Roger Lloyd Pack, Emma Chambers and Trevor Peacock.

Blackadder: The Complete Collected Series

The complete soundtracks of all four Blackadder series, plus over three hours of specials and extras

The complete soundtracks of all four Blackadder series, plus over three hours of specials and extras 
 
Through the ages of Britain, from the 15th century to the 21st, Edmund Blackadder has meddled his way along the bloodlines, aided by his two imbecilic sidekicks, Lord Percy and Baldrick, and hindered by an assortment of dimwitted aristocrats. With cunning plans and cutting comedy, listen as the Blackadder dynasty plot their way through history… 
 
The Black Adder – Set in the Middle Ages, this iconic first series follows the fictitious reign of King Richard IV, played by Brian Blessed, through the experiences of his unfavoured second son Prince Edmund “The Black Adder” 
 
Blackadder II - The Blackadder genes resurface in Elizabethan England for more historical comedy 
 
Blackadder the Third - Blackadder turns up as butler to the Prince Regent in the late 18th Century 
 
Blackadder Goes Forth – The scheming Blackadder is dropped into the trenches during the First World War 
 
Also included in this collection are eight Blackadder TV and radio specials: Blackadder’s Christmas Carol, Blackadder: The Cavalier Years, Blackadder: Woman’s Hour Invasion, The Shakespeare Sketch, Blackadder: Back and Forth, Blackadder: The Army Years, Blackadder: I Have a Cunning Plan and the Blackadder instalment of the TV series Britain's Best Sitcom. 
 
Written by film and TV royalty Richard Curtis, Ben Elton and Rowan Atkinson, and starring comedy giants Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Tim McInnerny, Hugh Laurie, Stephen Fry, Miranda Richardson, and Rik Mayall, this is history at its grittiest and funniest. 
 
Track Listing:<ul><li>Chapters 1-6: The Black Adder</li><li>Chapters 7-12: Blackadder II</li><li>Chapters 13-18: Blackadder the Third</li><li>Chapters 19-24: Blackadder Goes Forth</li><li>Chapter 25: Blackadder’s Christmas Carol</li><li>Chapter 26: The Cavalier Years</li><li>Chapter 27: Woman’s Hour Invasion</li><li>Chapter 28: The Shakespeare Sketch</li><li>Chapter 29: Back and Forth</li><li>Chapter 30: The Army Years (Royal Variety Performance)</li><li>Chapter 31: I Have a Cunning Plan</li><li>Chapter 32: Britain's Best Sitcom</li></ul>Cast and credits 
Written by Richard Curtis, Ben Elton and Rowan Atkinson 
 
Edmund Blackadder - Rowan Atkinson 
S. Baldrick - Tony Robinson 
Melchett - Stephen Fry 
Lord Percy Percy – Tim McInnerny 
George – Hugh Laurie 
Queen Elizabeth I / Various – Miranda Richardson 
 
Including standout performances by Rik Mayall, Miriam Margolyes, Patsy Byrne, Brian Blessed, Robbie Coltrane, Jim Broadbent, Gabrielle Glaister, Elspet Gray, Robert East, Helen Atkinson-Wood, Bill Wallis, Stephen Frost, Mark Arden, Lee Cornes, Warren Clarke, Philip Pope, Barbara Miller, David Nunn, Denis Lill, Adrian Edmondson, Nigel Planer, Stephen Frost, Chris Barrie, Jeremy Hardy and Ben Elton. 
 
 
©2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd (P)2019 BBC Studios Distribution Ltd

Richard Curtis (Author) 
Richard Curtis is a British screenwriter, actor, film director and music producer. Among his screenwriting credits are Four Weddings and a Funeral, Notting Hill and Love Actually, whilst for television he created and wrote Blackadder, Mr. Bean and The Vicar of Dibley. He created the first Black Adder series with Rowan Atkinson, before going on to write subsequent series with Ben Elton. 
 
Ben Elton (Author) 
Ben Elton is a British comedian, author, playwright and director. His early career was in stand-up comedy, as well as writing for TV series including The Young Ones. He met Richard Curtis, and together they co-wrote the second and subsequent series of Blackadder. Ben Elton went on to success as a novelist and stage writer.

A BBC Radio Comedy starring Rowan Atkinson

Atkinson’s People

Rowan Atkinson stars as many different characters in four episodes from the classic comedy series, written by Rowan Atkinson and Richard Curtis (&#39;Four Weddings and a Funeral&#39;, &#39;Notting Hill&#39;), which investigates the lives of four great - but imaginary - men. 

We hear about the life and times of master orator, Sir Benjamin Fletcher: writer, statesman, Nobel Prize winner, painter, farmer, diplomat, wit, etc, etc... There’s France’s greatest thinker and philosopher George Dupont; and actor, raconteur and general bore, Sir Corin Basin. Barry Good - the ‘Pope of pop’ - also looks back at his life (before he came a rich tax exile). 

Produced by Griff Rhys Jones, &#39;Atkinson’s People&#39; was one of the first radio series ever to star Rowan Atkinson and was a forerunner to the massively successful &#39;Blackadder&#39; TV series. 

Rowan Atkinson stars in the spoof radio series which looked at the personalities behind the headlines - co-written by Richard Curtis.

Richard Curtis

Rebecca Cobb

From international film phenomenon, Richard Curtis, and awardwinnning illustrator, Rebecca Cobb, comes three heartwarming tales of magical Christmases. 
 
Gathered together for the first time in a beautiful treasury, The Empty Stocking, Snow Day and That Christmas make the ultimate Christmas trilogy – filled with joy, drama and all the trimmings. 
 
Have you been naughty or nice? Will Father Christmas visit and will there be snow? Celebrate all kinds of Christmases in these funny festive tales... 
 
The books have now been woven together into a major animated Netflix film.

Richard Curtis

That Christmas and Other Stories

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