Materials from Europe
When two well-loved, hand-me-down toys named Mama Ruby and Little Joe arrive at their new home, they’re given an unfriendly welcome by the fine, expensive toys already there. But Mama Ruby and Little Joe have something much more valuable than fancy stuffing inside — they’re filled with the warmth and compassion that come from having a heart.
One pale wooden girl stands on the shore of Black Sand Bay, where the sea meets the sky and the wind meets the water. But Snowbone knows that she and her wooden friends can’t stay here forever. Something is happening deep within the forest. Something—someone—that must be stopped. Determined to save the Ashenpeakers from a dark destiny, Snowbone leads her gang of wooden tiddlins on a perilous chase—on the heels of human slave traders. They encounter feathered flying machines, a mystifying ancient prophecy, a looming volcano, and hungry cannibals. Snowbone, strong and courageous (and a bit stubborn), urges them on, while learning what it means to be a good leader.In a companion novel to Barkbelly, Cat Weatherill weaves another magical tale about the world of Ashenpeake and its lovable wooden heroes.
Eleven-year-old Isabelle is a lace maker in the town of Versailles. One day as she delivers lace to the palace, she is almost trampled by a crowd of courtiers — only to be rescued by Marie Antoinette. Before Isabelle can believe it, she has a new job — companion to the queen’s daughter. Isabelle is given a fashionable name, fashionable dresses — a new identity. At home she plies her needle under her grandmother’s disapproving eye. At the palace she is playmate to a princess. Thrown into a world of luxury, Isabelle is living a fairy-tale life. But this facade begins to crumble when rumors of starvation in the countryside lead to whispers of revolution. How can Isabelle reconcile the ugly things she hears in the town with the kind family she knows in the palace? And which side is she truly on? Inspired by an actual friendship between the French princess and a commoner who became her companion, Kimberly Brubaker Bradley offers a vivid portrait of life inside the palace of Versailles — and a touching tale of two friends divided by class and the hunger for equality and freedom that fueled the French Revolution.
When Tim is followed home by a dog on the street, he’s determined to find out who the friendly stray belongs to. But with a little investigating, Tim discovers that Grk’s owners don’t live in his town, or even in his country. Max and Natascha Raffifi, Grk’s owners, have been kidnapped with their ambassador parents by the evil Colonel Zinfandel and taken to a prison in Eastern Europe! Tim knows he’s about to undertake a mission his parents wouldn’t exactly approve of. He sneaks out of the house in the middle of the night with Grk, catches a taxi to the airport, then hops a plane to Stanislavia. Together he and Grk will have to break into a high-security prison, pilot a helicopter, and make a nail-biting run for the border in this high-octane, international adventure.
Who can sleep on such a beautiful night? Mama Horse, Mama Pig, Mama Sheep want to dance while the little ones are asleep. They put straw on the floor to muffle the sound. While Mama Horse, Mama Pig, and Mama Sheep have a rest, the little ones dance.
Samuel and Martha have just moved to Norway to live with their aunt Eda, and she’s taking some getting used to. She has too many rules, no TV, and insists that they eat local delicacies like brown cheese and reindeer soup. And then there’s the most peculiar thing about her—her irrational fear of her own backyard. Sure, Uncle Henrik hasn’t been heard from since he disappeared into it ten years ago, but that can’t be the forest’s fault.Samuel is skeptical, until he disobeys Rule #1—Never go up to the attic—and finds an unusual book: The Creatures of Shadow Forest, which gives scary descriptions of the fantastic creatures supposedly living in the forest. So when Sam starts seeing strange things venture past the treeline after dark, he can’t help wondering: Could Aunt Eda be right? What really happened to Uncle Henrik?
Skulduggery is afoot!Welcome to Ratbridge. But beware — for there is skulduggery afoot. Young Arthur has fallen foul of the appalling outlaw, Snatcher, and is trapped alone in the town with every way home sealed. Meanwhile Snatcher and his men are working tirelessly in secret on a fiendish and dastardly plan to take over — and destroy — the entire town. With the help of Willbury Nibble, QC; some friendly boxtrolls and cabbageheads; Marjorie the frustrated inventor; and the rats and pirates from the Ratbridge Nautical Laundry, can Arthur thwart Snatcher’s evil plans and find his way home?
When she finally joins her father and brothers in their new home in Switzerland, a twelve-year-old Turkish girl encounters the tremendous difficulty of living in a foreign country without knowing the language and customs.
An original fairy tale about a poor baker who finds a beautiful bed for his wife in a strange new shop–for free! Perhaps his bad luck has turned? But there are more wonders in store, for the bed has magical powers. That night, the couple flies across the heavens to meet a master baker who gives them some magic yeast that will make them the best–and richest–bakery in town! But the yeast comes with a promise that will test the baker’s integrity, and will eventually teach the baker and his wife about the true riches of love and loyalty.
Can a knight sacrifice everything he holds sacred in service to his king? King Richard is being held for ransom in Germany, and England is in chaos without a sovereign. The de Granvilles must deliver the treasure that will win their King’s freedom.
But the Old Man of the Mountain, leader of the Assassins, is ready to take his revenge on Kamil. To do so he will orchestrate a great betrayal, and his tentacles of treachery reach far and deep. Kamil is determined to prevail—the Old Man must not win.
The fate of a king, the bonds of a friendship, and the depth of an enduring love will all be in jeopardy as Will, Ellie, Kamil, and Hosanna face the ultimate loyalty test, and their final battle.