Serafina And The Black Cloak

"Never go into the deep parts of the forest, for there are many dangers there, and they will ensnare your soul." Serafina has never had a reason to disobey her pa and venture beyond the grounds of the Biltmore estate.There's plenty to explore in her grand home, although she must take care to never be seen. None of the rich folk upstairs know that Serafina exists; she and her pa, the estate's maintenance man, have secretly lived in the basement for as long as Serafina can remember. But when children at the estate start disappearing, only Serafina knows who the culprit is:a terrifying man in a black cloak who stalks Biltmore's corridors at night. Following her own harrowing escape, Serafina risks everything by joining forces with Braeden Vanderbilt, the young nephew of the Biltmore's owners. Braeden and Serafina must uncover the Man in the Black Cloak's true identity...before all of the children vanish one by one. Serafina's hunt leads her into the very forest that she has been taught to fear. There she discovers a forgotten legacy of magic, one that is bound to her own identity. In order to save the children of Biltmore, Serafina must seek the answers that will unlock the puzzle of her past.

In 1899, a twelve-year-old rat catcher on North Carolina's Biltmore estate teams up with the estate owner's young nephew to battle a great evil and, in the process, unlocks the puzzle of her past.

Serafina's defeat of the Man in the Black Cloak has brought her out of the shadows and into the daylight realm of her home, Biltmore Estate. Every night she visits her mother in the forest, eager to learn the ways of the cat¬amount. But Serafina finds herself caught between her two worlds: she's too wild for Biltmore's beautifully dressed ladies and formal customs, and too human to fully join her kin. Late one night, Serafina encounters a strange and terrifying figure in the forest, and is attacked by the vicious wolfhounds that seem to be under his control. Even worse, she's convinced that the stranger was not alone, that he has sent his accomplice into Biltmore in disguise. Someone is wreaking havoc at the estate. A mysterious series of attacks test Serafina's role as Biltmore's protector, culminating in a tragedy that tears Serafina's best friend and only ally, Braeden Vanderbilt, from her side. Heartbroken, she flees. Deep in the forest, Serafina comes face-to-face with the evil infecting Biltmore—and discovers its reach is far greater than she'd ever imagined. All the humans and creatures of the Blue Ridge Mountains are in terrible danger. For Serafina to defeat this new evil before it engulfs her beloved home, she must search deep inside herself and embrace the destiny that has always awaited her.

In the highly-anticipated next installment of the Serafina series, Serafina must confront the darkest threat she's ever encountered at Biltmore Estate. She knows she can face anything with her best friend and closest ally, Braeden Vanderbilt, by her side. But when a sinister force tears them apart, Serafina scrambles to uncover the mystery of her most formidable challenge yet...and about herself and the destiny that awaits her.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Robert Beatty comes a spooky, thrilling new series set in the magical world of Serafina. Move without a sound. Steal without a trace. Willa, a young nightspirit of the Great Smoky Mountains, is her clan's best thief. She creeps into the homes of day-folk in the cover of darkness and takes what they won't miss. It's dangerous work—the day-folk kill whatever they do not understand. But when Willa's curiosity leaves her hurt and stranded in a day-folk man's home, everything she thought she knew about her people—and their greatest enemy—is forever changed.

This enchanting companion to Robert Beatty's instant #1 New York Times bestseller Willa of the Wood is perfect for any reader who cares deeply about the natural world. Willa and her clan are the last of the Faeran, an ancient race of forest people who have lived in the Great Smoky Mountains for as long as the trees have grown there. But as crews of newly arrived humans start cutting down great swaths of the forest she loves, she is helpless to stop them. How can she fight the destroyers of the forest and their powerful machines? When Willa discovers a mysterious dark hollow filled with strange and beautiful creatures, she comes to realize that it contains a terrifying force that seems to be hunting humans. Is unleashing these dangerous spirits the key to stopping the loggers? Willa must find a way to save the people and animals she loves and take a stand against a consuming darkness that threatens to destroy her world. Filled with a compelling mixture of history, mystery, and magic, Robert Beatty's books are loved by readers from 8 to 108. Grow your middle grade fantasy collection with these best-selling fan favorites: Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty Willa of the Wood by Robert Beatty If We Were Giants by Dave Matthews and Clete Barrett Smith The Percy Jackson and the Olympians series by Rick Riordan The Fowl Twins by Eoin Colfer

RECOVER WHAT TRAUMA HAS STOLEN FROM YOUR CHILD - Children from traumatic backgrounds (including foster and adoptive children) have often been asked to give up pretend, play, and childhood in order to survive in an adult world. This is unfortunate as we tend to learn crucial lessons about the world and ourselves within the confines of childhood play. While children might be removed from the cause of chronic trauma, the concept of play will not come naturally for them. This book (along with the complimentary parent activity guide) will help you and your child to discover a world of pretend where your child can also conquer issues in relationship.

When Jack Jolly moves from the city to the tiny Northern village of Grindle, he thinks his life's just become a lot more boring. But then he finds himself plunged into the middle of a terrifying mystery, and confronting an ancient evil - the Grindle Witch. But when Jack and his new friends, Paddy and Leila, take drastic measures to stop the Grindle Witch, they realise that they may have unleashed more than they bargained for. A creepy supernatural tale that will have readers on the edge of their seats.

Romance takes center stage in this rockin' love story from the author of the City Love trilogy Great for fans of Jenny Han and Sarah Dessen! Sterling is crazy in love with Ethan. Not only is he the sweetest boy she’s ever met, but he's an incredibly talented guitarist, singer, and songwriter. And since forever, he’s believed he has what it takes to be a star. When Ethan becomes an overnight sensation, he’s thrown head-first into the glam world of celebrity—and so is Sterling. Before she knows it, she’s attending red-carpet premieres, getting free designer clothes, and flying around the country to attend Ethan’s monumental sold-out concerts. It’s a dream come true…but whose dream is Sterling living? And what do you do when “forever” comes to an end?

What if the Great Fire of London wasn't an accident? London, 1666. Eleven-year-old Jem Green is a lonely but resourceful kitchen boy, always in trouble with the cook for pilfering from the larder. He's fascinated by the wealthy visitors he glimpses in the Dukes' household but when the powerful and frightening Count Cazalon requests to meet him, it becomes clear that his life might actually be in danger. And he is not the only child involved in the Count's sinister plan. As Jem starts meeting secretively with Ann, a young sorceress, and Tolly, a mute slave boy who can mind-speak, the three of them piece together the Count's terrible plans to devastate the City of London, and try to understand why Jem is at the heart of it all. 'Recalls Joan Aiken and Sally Gardner in its confident blend of historical fact with creepy fantasy' THE TIMES

From the creator of the bestselling series The Last Kids on Earth, this hilarious middle grade adventure follows a young boy thrust into the world of selling hot dogs in space! Over the course of one very strange night, Cosmoe went from being an adventure-seeking, thirteen-year-old Earthling orphan to a hot-dog-slinging space traveler. He has all the adventure he once craved and more aboard the Neon Wiener—part spaceship, part food truck—selling their trademark “Galactic Hot Dogs.” Cosmoe and the rest of the crew journey to food competitions across the universe serving up the wildly popular wieners…until they gain a troublesome stowaway. The half-evil, half-awesome Princess Dagger doesn’t plan on going anywhere, and her presence on the ship means her all-evil mother is gunning for the Neon Wiener. Cosmoe rallies his friends to fight space jerks in all their many forms and vows to protect the princess. But can a group of hot dog enthusiasts face down an evil space queen?

The second volume in an epic fantasy trilogy that will thrill everyone who loves rich stories of wonder and magic.

Rules for Raising Little Girls "As the father of a daughter, I wish I'd read this very funny book sooner, if only to know that it's OK for a grown man to wear a tutu." - Dave Barry "Required reading for any parent who doesn't know pants from leggings." - Dan Zevin, author of Dan Gets a Minivan: Life at the Intersection of Dude and Dad It's easy to imagine how you'd raise a boy--all the golf outings, lawnmower lessons, and Little League championships you'd attend--but playing dad to a little princess may take some education. In Oh Boy, You're Having a Girl, Brian, a father of three girls, shares his tactics for surviving this new and glittery world. From baby dolls and bedtime rituals to potty training and dance recitals, he leads you through all the trials and tribulations you'll face as you're raising your daughter. He'll also show you how to navigate your way through tough situations, like making sure that she doesn't start dating until she's fifty. Complete with commandments for restroom trips and properly participating in a tea party, Oh Boy, You're Having a Girl will brace you for all those hours playing house--and psych you up for the awesomeness of raising a daughter who has you lovingly wrapped around her little finger. "Somehow, Brian Klems has taken one of the most traumatic situations known to a father--having a daughter--and made it into something so completely hilarious you'll laugh until you've got oxygen deprivation!" - W. Bruce Cameron, author of 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter

‘A book for children from 8 to 80. I love the humanity of this story and how one man’s efforts can change the future for so many. It’s a real message of hope.’ Michael Morpurgo Discover this beloved masterpiece of nature writing that is a hymn to creation and to the power of the individual to do their bit to change the world for the better. In 1910, while hiking through the wild lavender in a wind-swept, desolate valley in Provence, a man comes across a shepherd called Elzéard Bouffier. Staying with him, he watches Elzéard sorting and then planting hundreds of acorns as he walks through the wilderness. Ten years later, after surviving the First World War, he visits the shepherd again and sees the young forest he has created spreading slowly over the valley. Elzéard’s solitary, silent work continues and the narrator returns year after year to see the miracle he is gradually creating: a verdant, green landscape that is a testament to one man’s creative instinct. A beautiful story of hope, survival and selflessness, The Man Who Planted Trees resonates as strongly with readers today as when it was first published.

Perfect for Halloween! From the New York Times bestselling author of Escape From Mr. Lemoncello's Library and coauthor of I Funny and Treasure Hunters, comes a series of spine-tingling mysteries to keep you up long after the lights go out. How serious is stage fright? At the Hanging Hill Playhouse, it can kill you. After narrowly escaping a malevolent spirit in The Crossroads, Zack and Judy are hoping to relax during the rehearsals for a show based on Judy’s bestselling children’s books. Little do they know that the director is planning to raise a horde of evil specters from the dead, and to accomplish this, he needs a human sacrifice . . . and Zack fits the bill perfectly. This second book featuring the intrepid Zack and his stepmother, Judy, is full of the same humorous and spine-tingling storytelling that has made Chris Grabenstein a fast favorite with young and old alike.

The whole world seems to transform during the summer of 1965, when Eden’s cousin from Mississippi comes to visit her in L.A. just as the Watts Riots erupt, in this stirring new novel by Coretta Scott King Honor winner Brenda Woods. When Eden’s cousin Winter comes for a visit, it turns out he’s not just there to sightsee. He wants to figure out what happened to his dad, who disappeared ten years earlier from the Watts area of L.A. So the cousins set out to investigate together, and what they discover brings them joy—and heartache. It also opens up a whole new understanding of their world, just as the area they’ve got their sights on explodes in a clash between the police and the Black residents. For six days Watts is like a war zone, and Eden and Winter become heroes in their own part of the drama. Eden hopes to be a composer someday, and the only way she can describe that summer is a song with an unexpected ending, full of changes in tempo and mood--totally unforgettable.

After her cousin Zee arrives from England, thirteen-year-old Charlotte and he must set out to save humankind from denizens of the underworld, Nightmares, Death, Pain, and a really nasty guy named Phil.

Normal 0 false false false EN-GB X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Servalius Window is a story of destiny, change, knowledge and time, combining the ancient story of Gilgamesh and Chinese Proverbs to tell the story of two worlds inextricably linked: Servalius and Earth. Written in three parts, with the first part on Servalius, the reader learns of a perfectly ordered world where everything and everyone lives according to their destined journey. Servalians have no knowledge of their celestial journey that began on Earth but celebrate the images of the Earth's vibrancy through Enya Harding's art and Alfred Canat's music. But when twelve year old Mia learns that she does not fit into her destined path things change forever... In part two, the reader is introduced to Indigo Jasper, a friend of Felix Hutton who is gifted with strange and unexplained memories and extraordinary knowledge. Felix knows that Indigo is different from his other classmates but believes that her exceptional intelligence is what sets her apart until she and everything associated with her ceases to exist and only Felix and other Athenites can remember her at all. Part three involves the reappearance of Indigo's ghostly form as she provides some of the answers to her mysterious disappearance, her travels on Earth and what awaits her when she returns to Servalius (as Mia) having completed this part of her destined journey... /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name: "Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow: yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat: yes; mso-style-parent: ""; mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0cm; mso-para-margin-right:0cm; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination: widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family: "Calibri,""sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;}

The #1 bestselling chapter book series of all time celebrates 25 years with new covers and a new, easy-to-use numbering system! Titanic trouble! Jack and Annie are in for an exciting, scary, and sad adventure when the Magic Tree House whisks them back to the decks of the Titanic. Is there anything they can do to help the ill-fated ship? Will they be able to save anyone? Will they be able to save themselves? Did you know that there’s a Magic Tree House book for every kid? Magic Tree House: Adventures with Jack and Annie, perfect for readers who are just beginning chapter books Merlin Missions: More challenging adventures for the experienced reader Super Edition: A longer and more dangerous adventure Fact Trackers: Nonfiction companions to your favorite Magic Tree House adventures

In England in the late 1920s, The Honourable Daisy Dalrymple Fletcher, on a convalescent trip to the countryside, goes to visit three old school friends in the area. The three, all unmarried, have recently bought a house together. They are a part of the generation of "superfluous women"—brought up expecting marriage and a family, but left without any prospects after more than 700,000 British men were killed in the Great War. Daisy and her husband Alec—Detective Chief Inspector Alec Fletcher, of Scotland Yard —go for a Sunday lunch with Daisy's friends, where one of the women mentions a wine cellar below their house, which remains curiously locked, no key to be found. Alec offers to pick the lock, but when he opens the door, what greets them is not a cache of wine, but the stench of a long-dead body. And with that, what was a pleasant Sunday lunch has taken an unexpected turn. Now Daisy's three friends are the most obvious suspects in a murder and her husband Alec is a witness, so he can't officially take over the investigation. So before the local detective, Superintendent Underwood, can officially bring charges against her friends, Daisy is determined to use all her resources (Alec) and skills to solve the mystery behind this perplexing locked-room crime.