The Box And The Dragonfly

Experience the fantastic adventure filled with magical objects, secret sects, and life as we know it on the line! Mixing magic and physics, Ted Sanders has created an epic story that has the feel of classic fantasy but twists it into something new and innovative. From the moment Horace F. Andrews sees the sign from the bus—a sign with his own name on it—everything changes. The sighting leads him underground, to the House of Answers, a hidden warehouse full of mysterious objects. But there, he finds only questions. What is this curious place? Who are the strange, secretive people who entrust him with a rare and immensely powerful gift? And what is he to do with it? When Horace finds the Box of Promises in the curio shop, he quickly discovers that ordinary-looking objects can hold extraordinary power. From the enormous, sinister man shadowing him to the gradual mastery of his newfound abilities to his encounters with Chloe—a girl who has an astonishing talent of her own—Horace follows a path that puts the pair in the middle of a centuries-old conflict between two warring factions in which every decision they make could have disastrous consequences.

In this electric follow-up to Newbery Medal–winner The Crossover, soccer, family, love, and friendship take the field as twelve-year-old Nick learns the power of words as he wrestles with problems at home, stands up to a bully, and tries to impress the girl of his dreams. Like lightning/you strike/fast and free/legs zoom/down field/eyes fixed/on the checkered ball/on the goal/ten yards to go/can’t nobody stop you/ can’t nobody cop you . . . Nobody can stop Nick . . . at least not on the field. Off it is a different matter. But helping him along as he deals with bullies and problems at home are his best friend and sometimes teammate Coby, and The Mac, a rapping librarian who gives Nick inspiring books to read. This heartfelt novel-in-verse by poet Kwame Alexander bends and breaks as it captures all the thrills and setbacks, action and emotion of a World Cup match!

Read the USA Today bestseller from the author of Roses, a "sumptuous, full-bodied, and emotional" novel about five young spies embedded among the highest Nazi ranks in occupied Paris (Adriana Trigiani, NYT bestselling author of Tony's Wife). At the height of World War II, a handful of idealistic young Americans receive a mysterious letter from the government, asking them if they are willing to fight for their country. The men and women from very different backgrounds -- a Texan athlete with German roots, an upper-crust son of a French mother and a wealthy businessman, a dirt-poor Midwestern fly fisherman, an orphaned fashion designer, and a ravishingly beautiful female fencer -- all answer the call of duty, but each for a secret reason of her or his own. They bond immediately, in a group code-named Dragonfly. Thus begins a dramatic cat-and-mouse game, as the group seeks to stay under the radar until a fatal misstep leads to the capture and the firing-squad execution of one of their team. But is everything as it seems, or is this one more elaborate act of spycraft?

For fans of Wrinkle in Time and The School of Good and Evil, the New York Times bestseller The Mark of the Dragonfly is a fast-paced adventure story about a mysterious girl and a fearless boy, set in a magical world that is both exciting and dangerous. Piper has never seen the Mark of the Dragonfly until she finds the girl amid the wreckage of a caravan in the Meteor Fields. The girl doesn’t remember a thing about her life, but the intricate tattoo on her arm is proof that she’s from the Dragonfly Territories and that she’s protected by the king. Which means a reward for Piper if she can get the girl home. The one sure way to the Territories is the 401, a great old beauty of a train. But a ticket costs more coin than Piper could make in a year. And stowing away is a difficult prospect—everyone knows that getting past the peculiar green-eyed boy who stands guard is nearly impossible. Life for Piper just turned dangerous. A little bit magical. And very exciting, if she can manage to survive the journey. Praise for The Mark of the Dragonfly: ★ “This magnetic middle-grade debut…[is] a page-turner that defies easy categorization and ought to have broad appeal.”—Publishers Weekly, Starred ★ “Heart, brains, and courage find a home in a steampunk fantasy worthy of a nod from Baum.”-- Kirkus Reviews, Starred ★ “A fantastic and original tale of adventure and magic...Piper is a heroine to fall in love with: smart, brave, kind, and mechanically inclined to boot.”—School Library Journal, Starred “A complex and impeccably developed plot—there is plenty to recommend in this novel.”—The Bulletin “Appealing characters and lots of action make it a good choice for young adventure readers.”—Booklist

Horace F. Andrews and his friend Chloe are Keepers of magical objects of extraordinary power. But as the presence of a new Keeper is made known, they are drawn into a struggle to find out who she is and where her loyalties lie. A gripping sequel to The Box and the Dragonfly, the first book in Ted Sanders’s Keepers series, hailed by the New York Times Book Review as a “satisfying and original quest tale.” As Horace and Chloe adjust to their newfound talents—Horace can see the future and Chloe can walk through walls—a girl called April is drawn toward the Keeper stronghold, the Warren. She comes with a Tan’ji of her own, though it is damaged and there is no telling what will happen if it cannot be made whole again. Accompanied by a mysterious woman with a power of her own and the young boy leading them in the right direction, April is being pursued by a pack of sinister hunters. Will she reach the Warren in time, and will it offer safety or only more danger? Ted Sanders’s series has the feel of classic fantasy with a science fiction twist, and this second book, The Harp and the Ravenvine, will thrill readers with adventure, intrigue, and the unexpected at every turn.

Illustrated in full color. Just in time for the presidential election comes Caldecott medalist Emily Arnold McCully's stirring tale of a young girl's act of bravery inspired by the great Elizabeth Cady Stanton. It is the fall of 1880, and Cordelia is more interested in horse riding than in hearing her neighbor, Mrs. Stanton talk about her fight for women's suffrage. But on Election Day, Mrs. Stanton tells the heart-wrenching story of her childhood. Charged with the story's message, Cordelia determines to go with Mrs. Stanton to the polls in an attempt to vote--above the jeers and taunts of the male crowd. With faces, landscapes, and action scenes brought to life by McCully's virtuosic illustrations, Cordelia's turning-point experience is sure to inspire today's young girls (and boys) everywhere.

Don’t miss the epic and heart-pounding conclusion to Ted Sanders’s Keepers series! For centuries, the Keepers and the Wardens have been guarding the mysterious Mothergates, a source of incredible power. But now the Mothergates are dying, and Horace and his fellow Keepers know that the weakened gates may unleash a dangerous force that will consume the world—and destroy everyone in it. While their enemies are willing to take this careless risk, Horace and his friends are prepared to sacrifice themselves for the preservation of the world. With their strongholds destroyed and many of their friends captured, the Keepers’ chance of succeeding hangs by a thread. But all hope is not lost, as a mysterious talisman of power is discovered. It may hold the key to saving the universe . . . if they can unlock its secret in time. This fourth and final book in Ted Sanders’s gripping Keepers series brings Horace and Chloe’s story to a heart-pounding conclusion, where friendships are tested, dangers are faced, and the ultimate sacrifice must be made.

The silly goose, Petunia, investigates the grass on the other side of the fence.