It's a great discovery. Right there, at the bottom of the garden, bobbing on the river, is a canoe. The Minnow. David can't help wishing he could keep her . . . The Minnow leads him to Adam, and an extraordinary summer begins. Armed with a mysterious, ancient clue, the two boys set out along the river by boat. They're determined to find the legendary lost treasure, hidden by one of Adam's ancestors hundreds of years before. But they are not the only people looking for treasure, and soon they are caught in a dangerous race against time . . .
An epistolary novel set on a fictional island off the South Carolina coastline, 'Ella Minnow Pea' brings readers to the hometown of Nevin Nollop, inventor of the pangram 'The Quick Brown Fox Jumps Over the Lazy Dog'. Deified for his achievement in life, Nevin has been honored in death with a monument featuring his famous phrase. One day, however, the letter 'Z' falls from the monument, and some of the islanders interpret the missing tile as a message from beyond the grave. The letter 'Z' is banned from use. On an island where the residents pride them-selves on their love of language, this is seen as a tragedy. They are still reeling from the shock when another tile falls. And then another... In his charming debut, first published in 2001, Mark Dunn took readers on a journey through the eyes of Ella Minnow Pea, a young woman forced to create another clever turn of phrase in order to save the islanders’ beloved language.
"Tom is not prepared for what is about to happen when he hears the grandfather clock strike thirteen. Outside the back door is a garden, which everyone tells him does not exist."--Page 4 de la couverture.
**THE BOOK THAT INSPIRED SACRED LIES, DEBUTING JULY 27 ON FACEBOOK WATCH** A hard-hitting and hopeful story about the dangers of blind faith—and the power of having faith in yourself. Finalist for the Morris Award. The Kevinian cult has taken everything from seventeen-year-old Minnow: twelve years of her life, her family, her ability to trust. And when she rebelled, they took away her hands, too. Now their Prophet has been murdered and their camp set aflame, and it's clear that Minnow knows something—but she's not talking. As she languishes in juvenile detention, she struggles to un-learn everything she has been taught to believe, adjusting to a life behind bars and recounting the events that led up to her incarceration. But when an FBI detective approaches her about making a deal, Minnow sees she can have the freedom she always dreamed of—if she’s willing to part with the terrible secrets of her past. Gorgeously written, breathlessly page-turning and sprinkled with moments of unexpected humor, this harrowing debut is perfect for readers of Emily Murdoch's If You Find Me and Nova Ren Suma's The Walls Around Us, as well as for fans of Orange is the New Black.
Minnow is an otherworldly story of a small boy who leaves his dying father's bedside hunting a medicine for a mysterious illness. Sent by his mother to a local druggist in their seaside village, Minnow unexpectedly takes a dark and wondrous journey deep into the ancient Sea Islands, seeking the grave dust of a long-dead hoodoo man to buy him a cure. With only a half-feral dog at his side, Minnow's odyssey is haunted at every turn by the agents of Sorry George, a witch doctor who once stirred up a fever that killed fifty-two men. Meanwhile, a tempest brews out at sea, threatening to bring untold devastation to the coastal way of life. Minnow is a remarkable debut novel that evokes the fiction of Karen Russell and Lauren Groff--a Lowcountry "Heart of Darkness" about the mysteries of childhood, the sacrifices we make to preserve our families, and the ghosts that linger in the Spanish moss of the South Carolina barrier islands.
Winner of the Text Prize for Young Adult and Children's Writing, 2013. Shortlisted, The Children's Book Council of Australia Book of the Year for Older Readers, 2015. Tom survived a devastating flood that claimed the lives of her sister and parents. Now she lives with Bill in his old shed by the lake. But it's time to move out. Tom is pregnant with Bill's baby. Jonah lets her move in with him. Mrs Peck gives her the Fishmaster Super Series tackle box. Nana is full of gentle good advice and useful sayings. And in her longing for what is lost, Tom talks to fish: Oscar the carp in the pet shop, little Sarah catfish who might be her sister, an unhelpful turtle in a tank at the maternity ward. And the minnow. The Minnow is a moving and powerful coming-of-age story with a whimsical element that belies the heartbreaking truth of grief and loss. Tom is a character you will never forget. Diana Sweeney is a university lecturer and fashion model. She was born in Auckland, and moved to Sydney at the age of twelve. She now lives in northern New South Wales. The Minnow is her first novel. Book club and teaching notes are available from the Text Publishing website. 'Quietly powerful and compelling. A tender, lyrical book about love, loss and starting over.' Meg Rosoff. 'Diana Sweeney gives Tom a believable voice: innocent, headstrong, anxious but determined...this strong debut will resonate with young people and adults alike.' Books+Publishing 'The Minnow has all the breath-holding intensity and aching beauty of swimming underwater.' Romy Ash 'This is an extraordinary, original, rich and surprising novel...Tom is an unforgettable character.' Magpies 'Sweeney’s first novel is a powerful touchstone of longing and melancholy.' STARRED Review, Publishers Weekly
A young painter, Lily has reached a crossroads in her life. Her career hasn't taken off, her best friend may no longer be the trusted friend she thought, her boyfriend is a disappointment, and now she can't keep up with the rising cost of living in the city. With no one to turn to, Lily is forced to move from her beloved apartment, but while packing she comes across a piece of mail that had slipped to the back of her junk drawer: a letter detailing further action needed to finalize the annulment of a quickie Vegas wedding. Ten years ago! Lily decides it's time to turn over a new leaf and the first item on her list of things to fix is getting the annulment... but you can't just send a reply ten years later, "Hey by the way we are still married." This is something that must be addressed in person. Lily takes to the road to track down her husband - the charming, fun, and sexy man she connected with all those years ago - Ben Hutchinson. Ben Hutchinson left a wealthy dot-com lifestyle behind to return home to his family and the small town he loves, Minnow Bay. He's been living off the grid and the last thing he expects is a wife he didn't know he had to show up on his doorstep. By chance, Lily arrives at the magical Minnow Bay Inn, and there she will discover not just a place to lay her head, but new friends, a thriving art community, and maybe even the love of her life.
Kate never knew her dad, but that doesn't stop her missing him. She often secretly visits the gravestone with his name on it. But when the gravestone disappears Kate has a mystery on her hands. She has to find out what has happened and as she delves deeper into her family's past, she realizes that there are many secrets to uncover and that all the clues point to one place. As Kate races to Sattin Shore her mind is a whirl of emotions: what she finds there will change the shape of her life for ever.
Minnow longs to go hunting with the men, but they say he is not big or strong enough yet. Minnow falls in the river and is swept far away from his home and has to fend for himself. But he is not on his own for very long - and his new found friend is a bear! Together they face the dangers and excitements of life in the wilderness, until Winter forces them to make the difficult jouney home.
