A clever account of one gutsy boy's experience outwitting boredom and adversity with imaginative chutzpah in a Catholic orphanage from 1945-1954. This candid memoir will inspire readers of all ages.
In the fall of 1945, five-year-old Tommy McClarren was placed in the German St. Vincent Orphan Home in St. Louis, Missouri, where he would live and go to school for the next nine years. Whether facing Sister Monica in a makeshift boxing ring, scheming to get his prized dice back from Sister Gilbert, or engineering a Robin Hood-style theft of the Chapel coffers right under Sister Columbo's nose, he transformed adversity into one adventure after another. Unlike most orphans, Tom now regards his time spent at the Home as a gift. Eager to offer a different perspective on what many people consider neglected unfortunates, he has compiled his most compelling tales into this candid, witty memoir of a gutsy orphans life. "When a natural born storyteller is placed in an orphanage, he creates magic only found in fairytales. Thanks to his daughter, we can now share these engaging stories told with love and sure the challenge your perceptions." Bill McClellan, columnist for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch "I learned more about the 'Home' reading Tom's book than in all my years as its director of boys' athletics. It's obvious that German St. Vincent's Orphan Home was a very positive transition in the lives of so many young people." Ron Holtman
Queen Bellamouse and King Stumplemouse and their large and happy mischief face a dismal future with just a few morsels left for food. After dismissing members of their nest because they cannot provide for them, Bellamouse and Stumplemouse huddle together behind a cabinet in the cabin they call home and wait for their fate. But just then, the cabin shakes with the thump of footsteps. Everything is about to change for the two frightened mice. As the musty silence is filled with human voices and the aroma of raisins, nuts, and cheese, Bellamouse and Stumplemouse quietly dance in celebration, for they know they are about to be saved by food, glorious food. But what they do not know is that the hermit who occupies the cabin has decided that being alone is not so great after all. When he tempts Bellamouse with a bit of peanut butter, befriends the mice, and names them Mildred and Stump, all three discover an unlikely friendship that provides them with more than they ever imagined. In this delightful childrens tale, two hungry mice and a lonely hermit form a little community where they all learn the true meaning of family and the joy of caring for others.
It is 1498, and the whole of Venice is abuzz. Hidden somewhere in the labyrinthine city is an ancient book, rumoured to contain thorny heresies and secrets of immeasurable power. Luciano, a penniless orphan, has been plucked from the street and taken on as apprentice to the chef at the doge's palace. While learning the alchemy of cooking, he quickly finds himself entangled in the search for the ancient tome, even suspecting the chef, his maestro, may be concealing valuable information. But lurking in the wings are some of the most powerful, dangerous men in Venice, and Luciano's secret will lead him through a perilous maze to the centre of an intrigue that will test his deepest desires and loyalties.
What happens when the five luckiest children in the entire world walk through the doors of Willy Wonka's famous, mysterious chocolate factory? What happens when, one by one, the children disobey Mr. Wonka's orders? In Dahl's most popular story, the nasty are punished and the good are deliciously, sumptuously rewarded. "From the Hardcover edition."