Synopses & Reviews
Thirteen-year-old Natalie Minks loves machines, particularly automata—self-operating mechanical devices, usually powered by clockwork. When Jake Limberleg and his traveling medicine show arrive in her small Missouri town with a mysterious vehicle under a tarp and an uncanny ability to make Natalie’s half-built automaton move, she feels in her gut that something about this caravan of healers is a bit off. Her uneasiness leads her to investigate the intricate maze of the medicine show, where she discovers a horrible truth and realizes that only she has the power to set things right.
Set in 1914, The Boneshaker is a gripping, richly textured novel about family, community, courage, and looking evil directly in the face in order to conquer it.
Review
* "An enchanting, empowering, and cozy read."
—Booklist, starred review
Review
A National Book Award Nominee
* andquot;An enchanting, empowering, and cozy read.andquot;
andmdash;Booklist, starred review
* andquot;An abundantly diverting mystery.andquot;
andmdash;Kirkus, starred review
andquot;The legends and folktales Milford creates add to Nagspeakeand#39;s charm and gently prepare the ground for a fantasy twist.andquot;
andmdash;Publishers Weekly
andquot;Give this one to fans of Trenton Lee Stewartand#39;s The Mysterious Benedict Society.andquot;
andmdash;School Library Journal
andquot;The intricately woven connections, large cast of memorable characters, and beautifully detailed writing come together to make this exceptionally engaging story leap off the page.andquot;
andmdash;VOYA
andquot;Milford employs a Westing Game level of cunning in setting up clues, revealing their importance, and immediately pivoting to a higher level of mystery, gratifying readers as she pulls them into the story.andquot;
andmdash;Horn Book Magazine
Review
Intrepid Theosodia, age 11, narrates a fantasy steeped in invented and authentic Egyptology, clashing secret societies and pre-WWI European intrigue.
Kirkus Reviews
It's the delicious, precise, and atmospheric details (nicely extended in Tanaka's few, stylized illustrations) that will capture and hold readers, from the contents of Theodosia's curse-removing kit to descriptions of the museum after hours, when Theodosia sleeps in a sarcophagus to ward off the curses of "disgruntled dead things." Kids who feel overlooked by their own distracted parents may feel a tug of recognition as Theodosia yearns for attention, and those interested in archeology will be drawn to the story's questions about the ownership and responsible treatment of ancient artifacts. A sure bet for Harry Potter fans, as well as Joan Aiken's and Eva Ibbotson's readers. This imaginative, supernatural mystery will find word-of-mouth popularity.
Booklist, ALA, Starred Review
"Vivid descriptions of fog-shrouded London and hot, dusty Cairo enhance the palpable gothic atmosphere, while page-turning action and a plucky, determined heroine add to the book's appeal. . . A fine bet for a booktalk to classes studying ancient Egypt." School Library Journal
"There are surprises aplenty in LaFevers's spirited debut, a sort of Indiana Jones for girls and a perfect blend of mystery and humor. . . . Loads of evocative Egyptian history and an oh-so-plucky, resourceful narrator make this the first volume in a series to watch." Publishers Weekly, Starred
"Danger, mysterious museums stuffed with exotic treasures, and children who best adult evildoers are surefire ways to engage young readers, and LaFevers has combined them to good advantage here." Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"...with Theo Throckmorton...girls have a truly independent role model." TimeOut New York
"Readers interested in archaeology will be drawn to the story's questions." Book Links January 2008 Book Links, ALA
Review
A 2011 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Book
"Not to be confused with Cherie Priest's steampunk novel of the same name (though there is just the barest whiff of steampunk here), this historical fantasy uses the classic devil-at-the-crossroads motif as the foundation for an elaborate and intricate gearwork story set in the little town of Arcane, Missouri, in 1913...Both impressive and ambitious, Milford's first novel rarely overreaches as it lays out an eerie and atmospheric vision of early-twentieth-century Americana, electrified by supernatural traces and a generously complex look at good, evil, and the wide swath in between."—Booklist, starred review
"The tale is shrouded in mystery and explores themes of gaining confidence and recognizing evil, and Milford's detail-rich prose makes it all the more haunting ("In the gaslight and what morning sun that filtered through the heavy curtains, startling shapes began to resolve themselves into familiar objects. Seeing them clearly didn't make her like them any better")."—Publishers Weekly
"This unusual story, with elements of folklore, tall tales and steampunk, has rich details of small-town America in the early 20th century as well as the impact of budding technology. Natalie is a well-drawn protagonist with sturdy supporting characters around her. The tension built into the solidly constructed plot is complemented by themes that explore the literal and metaphorical role of crossroads and that thin line between good and evil."—Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Like all Karen Cushman's gorgeous novels, Grayling's Song delves into the past to let us know what we must ask of our future. I want Cushman's books to raise my children for me: that way I can be assured they'll grow up witty, vastly knowledgable, and tough as nails." - Lena Dunham (Girls)
Synopsis
A rambling old inn, a strange map, an attic packed with treasures, squabbling guests, theft, friendship, and an unusual haunting mark this smart middle grade mystery in the tradition of the Mysterious Benedict Society books and The Westing Game.
Synopsis
New York TimesBestseller
National Book Award Nominee
Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery
It s wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler s inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers adopted son, plans to spend his holidays relaxing. But on the first icy night of vacation, out of nowhere, the guest bell rings. Then rings again. And again. Soon Milo s home is bursting with odd, secretive guests, each one bearing a strange story that is somehow connected to the rambling old house. As objects go missing and tempers flare, Milo and Meddy, the cook s daughter, must decipher clues and untangle the web of deepening mysteries to discover the truth about Greenglass House and themselves."
Synopsis
New York Times Bestseller * National Book Award Nominee * Winner of the Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery
It's wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler's inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers' adopted son, plans to spend his holidays relaxing.
But on the first icy night of vacation, out of nowhere, the guest bell rings. Then rings again. And again...
Soon Milo's home is bursting with odd, secretive guests, each one bearing a strange story that is somehow connected to the rambling old house. As objects go missing and tempers flare, Milo and Meddy, the cook's daughter, must decipher clues and untangle the web of deepening mysteries to discover the truth about Greenglass House--and themselves.
Synopsis
It's wintertime at Greenglass House. The creaky smuggler's inn is always quiet during this season, and twelve-year-old Milo, the innkeepers' adopted son, plans to spend his holidays relaxing. But on the first icy night of vacation, out of nowhere, the guest bell rings. Then rings again. And again. Soon Milo's home is bursting with odd, secretive guests, each one bearing a strange story that is somehow connected to the rambling old house. As objects go missing and tempers flare, Milo and Meddy, the cook's daughter, must decipher clues and untangle the web of deepening mysteries to discover the truth about Greenglass House and themselves.
Synopsis
Theodosia Throckmorton has her hands full at the Museum of Legends and Antiquities in London. Her father may be head curator, but it is Theoand#151;and only Theoand#151;who is able to see all the black magic and ancient curses that still cling to the artifacts in the museum.
When Theoand#8217;s mother returns from her latest archaeological dig bearing the Heart of Egyptand#151;a legendary amulet belonging to an ancient tomband#151;Theo learns that it comes inscribed with a curse so black and vile that it threatens to crumble the British Empire from within and start a war too terrible to imagine. Intent on returning the malevolent artifact to its rightful place, Theo devises a daring plan to put things right. But even with the help of her younger brother, a wily street urchin, and the secret society known as the Brotherhood of the Chosen Keepers, it wonand#8217;t be easy . . . she quickly finds herself pursued down dark alleys, across an ocean, through the bustling crowds of Cairo, and straight into the heart of an ancient mystery. Theo will have to call upon everything sheand#8217;s ever learned in order to prevent the rising chaos from destroying her countryand#151;and herself!
Synopsis
From Newbery medalist Karen Cushman, the enchanting tale of a young woman’s quest to reverse an evil spell, in a setting much like medieval England—but with magic.
Synopsis
In the thrilling and fast-paced third installment of the illustrated Eddie Red Undercover series, elusive art thief Lars Heinrich returns to New York City looking to settle a score. Super sleuth seventh-grader Edmund Xavier Lonrrot will need not only his photographic mind and artistic talents, but any skill he possesses with cracking codes as a string of the cityand#39;s historical monuments become potential clues in what could become one of the greatest heists in history.and#160;
About the Author
Kate Milford is the author of
The Boneshaker and
The Broken Lands, has written for stage and screen, and is a regular travel columnist for the Nagspeake Board of Tourism and Culture. She lives in Brooklyn, New York. To learn more, visit www.clockworkfoundry.com.
Jaime Zollars has illustrated children's books, magazines, newspapers, and ad campaigns for clients that include United Airlines, Random House, The American Red Cross, Scholastic, and the L.A. Weekly. Jaime is inspired by fairy tales and Flemish painters, non-fiction books, forgotten paper, found textures, and flea market photographs. She lives and works in Baltimore, Maryland, with her husband and son. To find out more, visit www.jaimezollars.com.