Sylvie Bartram lives alone with Mr. Jackson the dog and her eccentric composer father, who invents strange and wonderful musical instruments. One day she returns from school to find a message left in toothpaste on the bathroom mirror: her father has been kidnapped. Later that night, the house is visited by a terrifying apparition—a half-man, half-creature who is searching for something and will not rest until he has found it. Sylvie uncovers an underground world of magic and evil, and with help from her friends, she must hold off a power that threatens the lives of all beings in the world. The Songman is at large, and is determined to steal music and use it for his own evil ends.
Europe
Materials from Europe
The Big Snuggle-Up
A snowy day is the perfect time to get cozy and snuggle up around the fire. And even if you have lots of friends who need a warm place to stay, there’s always room for one more. And one more. And one more.
The World Champion of Staying Awake
At bedtime, Stella must find a way to make her toys fall asleep before she can go to sleep.
What’s in the Witch’s Kitchen?
Peek inside a witch’s kitchen, and you’ll either smile or shriek! Cool two-way flaps offer humor and heebie-jeebies in this neon-bright novelty book.
When the World Was Waiting for You
When the world was waiting for you, the air was bright,the sun seemed new. From readying the baby’s crib to the very first visit from friends and family, When the World Was Waiting for You is a lyrical celebration of all the events surrounding a birth.
Blood Red Road
Saba has spent her whole life in Silverlake, a dried-up wasteland ravaged by constant sandstorms. The Wrecker civilization has long been destroyed, leaving only landfills for Saba and her family to scavenge from. That’s fine by her, as long as her beloved twin brother Lugh is around. But when a monster sandstorm arrives, along with four cloaked horsemen, Saba’s world is shattered. Lugh is captured, and Saba embarks on an epic quest to get him back.
Suddenly thrown into the lawless, ugly reality of the world outside of desolate Silverlake, Saba is lost without Lugh to guide her. So perhaps the most surprising thing of all is what Saba learns about herself: she’s a fierce fighter, an unbeatable survivor, and a cunning opponent. And she has the power to take down a corrupt society from the inside. Teamed up with a handsome daredevil named Jack and a gang of girl revolutionaries called the Free Hawks, Saba stages a showdown that will change the course of her own civilization.
A Place To Call Home
Seven little junkyard critters venture out of their small, dark hole on a charmingly madcap quest for a new home, with laugh-out-loud results. When a band of brothers outgrows the dim confines of their birthplace, there is no other choice but to set out into the world on a grand adventure. Timid and terrified at first, they soon find ingenious ways to simulate the safety of their familiar hole. They bravely cross a muddy sea, climb a discarded mountain, survive an appliance-like labyrinth, and finally reach the edge of the world.
Baby Badger’s Wonderful Night
“I don’t like the night,” Baby Badger whispered. Papa Badger took him by the hand. “There’s no need to be frightened,” he said. “The night is wonderful. Let me show you.” Baby Badger is afraid of the night. It’s dark and lonely. But Papa Badger promises there is nothing to fear. Together they take a nighttime walk, and Papa shows Baby the beautiful colors and shining stars, and just how magical the world becomes when the sun goes down.
Count Your Way Through Russia (Count Your Way)
Presents the numbers one through ten in Russian, using each number to introduce concepts about the Soviet Union and Russian culture.
Here Comes the Cat!
A mouse rides a bicycle, boat, plane, and fish in order to elude the cat. Text is in both English and Russian.