Orphans Home

Inspired by the much-loved classic Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild, Into the Spotlight is a magical new story from best-selling author and acclaimed performer Carrie Hope Fletcher. Brilliant Aunt Maude visits seasides the world over and has become quite the pebble collector. Pebbles of all shapes, sizes and colours and even one that looked a bit like Elvis Presley if you squinted a bit. Her favourite pebbles, however, are Marigold, Mabel and Morris.

Twelve-year-old Jasmine adores her photographer father and wants to be an artist just like him. But when Dad abandons the family, Jasmine is sent to spend the summer with her uncle on a Pacific Northwest Island. Soon, Jasmine is learning stained glass from island glass artist Opal, and thinking she might just be developing a crush on island boy Cole. But, it's not until Jasmine finds herself mentoring another young artist that she can truly let go of her father and call herself an artist on her own terms.

In this third book in the exceptional Curiosity House mystery series by best-selling author Lauren Oliver and mysterious recluse H. C. Chester, four children must uncover the evil Nicholas Rattigan's newest dastardly scheme, wage war with a rival freak show, and deal with a spy who may have infiltrated their happy home.

Pippa, Sam, Thomas, and Max are happy to be out of harm's way now that the notorious villain Nicholas Rattigan is halfway across the country in Chicago. But unfortunately their home, Dumfreys' Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders, is in danger of closing its doors forever. But their troubles only get worse. The four friends are shocked when their beloved friend, famous sculptor Siegfried Eckleberger, is murdered.

When they discover their younger sister is missing, their home burned, and their parents murdered, they seek revenge on their goblin enemies... Their father's last words lead them to Eirian, a powerful sword that will take them to their missing sister, if they can keep it out of the hands of their enemies.

Take one part Roald Dahl, a pinch of Mysterious Benedict Society, and a dash of Lemony Snicket, then add a league of adventurous children, a little magic, and a centuries-old feud with witches, and you get this quirky and hilarious middle-grade series! After their narrow escape from a nefarious kidnapping ring, Anastasia, Ollie, and Quentin (a.k.a. the League of Beastly Dreadfuls!) are looking forward to a relaxing vacation from danger! Intrigue! Catastrophe! Sadly, they’re not going to get one.

Double Luck is filled with examples of how the human spirit can triumph over adversity. In the Chinese language, the word crisis is written with two symbols: one meaning "danger" and the other meaning "opportunity". Although Chi Fa's childhood was filled with crisis, he always looked for opportunity. His successful triumph over crisis after crisis is an inspiration for all who seek hope in the face of great challenges.

Gruhit Brown’s life is a whirlwind of events. He and his two older siblings don’t currently live with their mom and have just moved into their eighth foster home. As if there wasn’t enough on his plate with getting used to the routine in his new foster parents’ big blue house, Gruhit also has to navigate a new school complete with a class bully and other children who don’t have the same color of skin as him.

Thousands of years ago, the Evernight came to the Silver Kingdom and turned everything to darkness and chaos. It was defeated thanks only to the skill and bravery of the Witches. But now, the Evernight is about to return, released by the evil Mrs Hester, and the only spell that might stop it is lost, deep below the great city of King’s Haven. Larabelle Fox stumbles across a mysterious wooden box while treasure hunting in the city’s sewers. Little does she realise she is about to be catapulted into an adventure, facing wild magic and mortal danger - and a man who casts no shadow.

Introverted Bicycle has lived most of her life at the Mostly Silent Monastery in Washington, D.C. When her guardian, Sister Wanda, announces that Bicycle is going to attend a camp where she will learn to make friends, Bicycle says no way and sets off on her bike for San Francisco to meet her idol, a famous cyclist, certain he will be her first true friend. Who knew that a ghost would haunt her handlebars and that she would have to contend with bike-hating dogs, a bike-loving horse, bike-crushing pigs, and a mysterious lady dressed in black.

Brimming with mystery and treasure, this action-packed tale sends a boy in need of luck and a girl in need of a friend on an adventure that will change their lives forever. Meet George, the third Lord of Devonshire and the unluckiest boy in London. Why is George so unlucky? First, he's an orphan. Second, unless he sells everything, he's about to lose his house.

In one vast and sparkling city, everyone can fly. Almost everyone. A few, nicknamed leadfeet, are sentenced by a trick of nature or fate to forever spend their lives closer to the ground. But one night, a girl named Gurl - a leadfoot, an orphan, a nobody - discovers that she can do something much better than fly. She can become invisible. This amazing power will help her uncover the secret mysteries of the city. But even with her newfound talent, Gurl can't seem to hide from a giant rat man with a taste for cats.

When Olivia Williams and her two younger brothers awake from a car crash, they're positive their world has changed. The talking horse is a big clue. And he has a lot to say. According to Thunder, fairies, magic, and good ol' St. Nick are all for real - on some level. Which would be incredibly awesome, but there's a problem: A rift has formed between the layers of existence, and evil Sliders are taking advantage of it - bringing violence, fear, and hatred with them.

In the wake of the devastating destruction of the luxury yacht Persephone, just three souls remain to tell its story - and two of them are lying. Only Frances Mace knows the terrifying truth, and she'll stop at nothing to avenge the murders of everyone she held dear. Even if it means taking down the boy she loves and possibly losing herself in the process.

In an alternative England of the 1930s where the laws of mechanics govern even the most talented engineers, a mismatched group of mechanicals want nothing more than to feel human. Under the guardianship of the devious and unlicensed Gregory Absalom, an engineer who creates mechanical children, they have no choice but to help him in his unlawful practice. But through his unethical work, Absalom winds up creating a loyal and lively group of friends who will go to the ends of the Earth for one another.

Best friends Ray and Jose are not your typical teenagers. They've escaped foster care and juvenile detention centers to live on their own together in an abandoned stationhouse in New York City's Ten Mile River Park. Ray and Jose are as close as brothers. But then they meet Trini, the smart, beautiful, and confident girl from their local barber shop, and they both fall for her immediately. As tension creeps into their relationship, Ray must struggle to find an identity separate from Jose and try to envision a future for himself beyond Jose and Ten Mile River.

When 12-year-old Casey's sole guardian - her stepmother Sylvia - doesn't come home one night, Casey believes she's run off with her boyfriend. The question is - will Sylvia come back? And even more urgent - how will Casey fend for herself in their New York City apartment?

Through a series of fascinating events, Homer's older brother has been illegally sold to the Union Army. It is up to Homer to find him and save him. Along the way, he encounters strange but real people of that era: two tricksters who steal his money, a snake-oil salesman, a hot-air balloonist, and finally, the Maine regiment who saved Little Round Top at the Battle of Gettysburg and won the war for the Union.

Based on a true story originally written by one of the survivors, Neta Lohnes Frazier's account of seven children traveling westward still has the power to astonish. In the 1840s, the Sager family set off on the Oregon Trail, a dangerous and adventure-filled journey. Tragedy struck when both the mother and father succumbed to fever, orphaning the youngsters - one just a newborn. The entire wagon train adopted them, until they arrived at the Whitman Mission in Oregon.

Jarrett doesn't trust Kevon. But he's got to share a room with him anyway. It was one thing when Jarrett's mom took care of foster babies who needed help. But this time it's different. This time the baby who needs help has an older brother - a kid Jarrett's age named Kevon. Everyone thinks Jarrett and Kevon should be friends - but that's not gonna happen. Not when Kevon's acting like he's better than Jarrett - and not when Jarrett finds out Kevon's keeping some major secrets.