From the New York Times bestselling author and “masterful storyteller”* behind The Art of Arranging Flowers comes a new novel about the search for what really matters in life... Driving from North Carolina to New Mexico with her three-legged dog, a strange man’s ashes, and a waitress named Blossom riding shotgun isn’t exactly what Alissa Wells ever wanted to be doing. But it’s exactly what she needs... It all starts when Alissa impulsively puts a bid on an abandoned storage unit, only to become the proud new owner of Roger Hart’s remains. Two weeks later, she jumps in her car and heads west, thinking that returning the ashes of a dead man might be the first step on her way to a new life. She isn’t wrong. Especially when Blossom, who just graduated from high school, hitches a ride with her to Texas, and Alissa has to get used to letting someone else take the wheel. Posting about their road trip on Facebook, complete with photos of Roger at every stop, Blossom opens Alissa’s eyes to the road in front of her—and to how sometimes the best things in life are the ones you never see coming… READERS GUIDE INSIDE *Darien Gee, international bestselling author
The adventure of a lifetime is only one click away! Sid Cooper, a fifth grade history buff, gets the chance of a lifetime to visit the Taj Mahal in the enchanted land of India. After a setback and a change in plans, Sid and his friend Raj are magically transported... 350 years into the past, to when the monument was still being built. Things get crazier when they encounter Emperor Shah Jahan, who is furious because precious gems crucial to the completion of the Taj Mahal are missing. The excitement of actually becoming a part of history fuels their sense of adventure and they decide to find the gem thief, but there's just one problem. Even if Sid and Raj find the missing gems needed to complete the Taj, how will they get back to the present? In Missing Gems of the Taj Mahal, author Lyndon Cerejo transports young readers on a magical journey. The sights and sounds of ancient India come alive in a beautiful tapestry that both educates and entertains. They can follow along as Sid and Raj try to save history - and themselves - while learning all about the history of the Taj Mahal, as well as the efforts to preserve this wonder of the modern world. Aside from fascinating recent pictures, Sid's journey comes to life with beautiful illustrations by fifth grader Ananya Chopra. She's a lot like Sid - friendly, adventurous, and unwilling to let anything stop her from pursuing her dreams. Your young reader will feel the same way after reading this book. And as the first book in the Mysteries in History series, they can learn about the Taj Mahal and one of the oldest civilizations on Earth before taking a journey across the globe in future books. So let your child open their minds and their hearts to this exciting tale... as a magical land of adventure awaits.
After Jewish fifth-grader Ava and her Muslim best friend Nadeem are called hateful names at school, Ava's Granny Buena rummages in her closet and pulls out a glittering crystal button box. It's packed with buttons that generations of Ava's Sephardic ancestors have cherished. With the help of Granny's mysterious cat Sheba, Ava and Nadeem discover that a button from the button box will take them back in time. Suddenly, they are in ancient Morocco, where Nadeem's ancestor, Prince Abdur Rahman, is running for his life. Can Ava and Nadeem help the prince escape to Spain and fulfill his destiny, creating a legendary Golden Age for Muslims, Jews and Christians?
Provides a fictionalized account of Jemmy Button, a native boy from Tierra del Fuego who was brought to London to be educated and then returned home to his island.