Book 3 (Order of Darkness): Fools’ Gold

Tasked to expose a coin counterfeiting scheme, Luca and Isolde, whose romantic attraction continues to grow, travel to Venice in 1454, where they meet an alchemist who plans to create the Philosopher’s Stone, a mystical substance said to be capable of turning base metals into gold and producing the elixir of life.

Oliver

Paper-over-board novelty book with ribbon that shows Oliver the egg on one side and Oliver the chick on the other in penultimate spread. “Oliver was an egg. There was nothing he could do about it.  He could roll to one side.  He could roll to the other.  He could even stand on his head.  But he was simply an egg and that was that.  Until one day, everything changed because miracles happen.”

Stone Giant

Michelangelo saw something–someone–special in the stone. No one wanted the “giant.” The hulking block of marble lay in the work yard, rained on, hacked at, and abandoned—until a young Michelangelo saw his David in it. This is the story of how a neglected, discarded stone became a masterpiece for all time. It is also a story of how humans see themselves reflected in art.

Piano Piano

Marcolino hates practicing his scales on the piano, but feels he must because he is the reason his mother never became a grand pianist–until his grandfather lets them both in on a little secret.

Romeo and Juliet

She’s a Capulet. He’s a Montague. But when Romeo and Juliet first meet, they don’t know they’re from rival families– and when they find out, they don’t care. Their love is honest and raw and all consuming. But it’s also dangerous. How much will they have to sacrifice before they can be together? In a masterful adaptation faithful to Shakespeare’s original text, Gareth Hinds transports readers to the sun-washed streets and market squares of Shakespeare’s Verona.

The Romans

Meet Dormeo: gladiator, dormouse, berry-nibbler, and guide to ancient Rome. He’s about to lead a tour — from the temperamental gods and goddesses of Mount Olympus to the wolf-raised Romulus and Remus, from the birth of the Roman Republic to the death of Julius Caesar. On the way are fascinating glimpses of life as a Roman citizen, from families to festivals, gladiators to guards, as well as a look at some of Rome’s best-known emperors (good and not so good). Vibrant, engaging, and packed with Marcia Williams’s trademark warmth and humor, this graphic storybook is a young reader’s ideal introduction to the rise and fall of the Roman Empire.