Rubies In The Snow

It is June 1911, and ten year-old Anastasia lives a life of parties, strawberry ice and skating on the palace lake. But if this seems like a fairytale, it isn't - Anastasia's beloved Russia is a country in turmoil, and her world is about to change forever.

From the New York Times bestselling author of Rump, comes the true story behind another unlikely hero: a grumpy dwarf who gets tangled up in Snow White's feud with the wicked queen. Ever since he was a dwarfling, Borlen (nicknamed "Grump") has dreamed of visiting The Surface, so when opportunity knocks, he leaves his cavern home behind. At first, life aboveground is a dream come true. Queen Elfrieda Veronika Ingrid Lenore (E.V.I.L.) is the best friend Grump always wanted, feeding him all the rubies he can eat and allowing him to rule at her side in exchange for magic and information. But as time goes on, Grump starts to suspect that Queen E.V.I.L. may not be as nice as she seems. . . . When the queen commands him to carry out a horrible task against her stepdaughter Snow White, Grump is in over his head. He's bound by magic to help the queen, but also to protect Snow White. As if that wasn't stressful enough, the queen keeps bugging him for updates through her magic mirror! He'll have to dig deep to find a way out of this pickle, and that's enough to make any dwarf Grumpy indeed. "Liesl Shurtliff writes the perfect middle-grade page-turners that fourth graders can gobble down on the plane, train, and automobile trips ahead this summer. . . . [she] excels at turning familiar worlds on their heads. --The New York Times Book Review "Hilarious and heartfelt . . . Lovable Borlen's grumpy first-person narration explores themes of belonging, friendship, and doing the right thing. Sure to please fans of reimagined fairy tales." --Kirkus "A hilarious reimagining of its origin story with a wonderfully detailed world and interesting twists on classic characters. Sure to be a hit with fantasy fans looking for comedy." --Booklist "The story moves at a fast pace and deftly balances lighthearted humor with emotional weight. . . .a sure hit for Shurtliff's fans." --School Library Journal

Snow falls all day, all week, all month! Sammy's world is covered in snow. As he clambers up the mountains of snow, he imagines what might lie beneath -- a black bear and her cubs, whales and seals, even elves mining rubies and emeralds! Finally, the weather turns warm and the snow begins to melt . . . This simple but deliriously evocative book is a paean to that magical stuff that fills the winters of those who live in northern climates.

Ana Yartsin is on the verge of becoming a celebrity chef. Her custom Fabergé egg-shaped cakes have brought her national attention, as has the story behind the cakes: Her family owns the spectacular Fabergé Spring Egg snow globe, a magnificent example of the master craftsman's work that includes five ruby-red tulips. As she prepares to be filmed for a reality TV show about the launch of her bakery in Rocky Point, New Hampshire, Ana hires antiques expert Josie Prescott to appraise the precious egg and snow globe. The show's pilot will show Ana planning the desserts for the upcoming wedding of her friend Heather to investment guru, Jason. When Josie arrives at Ana's home, however, she finds Jason murdered and the priceless snow globe smashed beyond repair. All that remains for Josie to examine are bits and pieces—which to her shock reveal that the Spring Egg was a fake. What has happened to the real Fabergé snow globe, if it even existed? And what does that have to do with Jason's murder? Never one to resist a puzzle, Josie teams up with her reporter friend Wes to investigate. With Jane K. Cleland's trademark combination of antiques expertise and ingenious detection, Blood Rubies is an irresistible new mystery featuring the much-loved amateur sleuth, Josie Prescott.

McGrath argues for an original truth theory that combines elements of two well-known philosophical theories--deflationism and correspondence.

"Heather and Snow" by George MacDonald is a heartwarming and poignant tale that takes readers to the Scottish Hightlands. The book follows Kirsty Barclay as she grows from just a naive and wide-eyed child into a wise and deeply thoughtful woman. Through her life, many things change, but one thing she can count on is the loyalty and friendship of her childhood neighbor, Francis Gordon, a man who sticks with her through thick and thin.