Synopses & Reviews
Step inside Mr. Elives' magic shop, where the shelves are stocked with strange and mysterious goods. The children in these five books each leave the shop with magical items intended especially for them. In The Monster's Ring, Russell Crannaker, bullied all his life, gets a chance to fight back when he is given a monstrous magical item. In Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher, a boy receives a small marbled dragon's egg—and when it hatches, his wildest dreams take wing. In Jennifer Murdley's Toad, a girl "in a plain brown wrapper," buys a talking toad who knows a thing or two about the true nature of beauty. In The Skull of Truth, Charlie Eggleston, the biggest liar in town, steals a skull from the shop, and it puts him under some sort of spell: He can only tell the truth—but now no one believes him! And in Juliet Dove, Queen of Love, a shy girl suddenly becomes the most popular girl in school when she wears the ancient amulet given to her at the magic shop. These funny and fantastic tales are collected in a boxed set, perfect for gift-giving.
Review
Praise for DEEP AND DARK AND DANGEROUS:
“Stormy weather, a deep, dark lake, and many unanswered questions (keep) mystery and ghost story fans turning pages right up to the end."—TeensReadToo.com
"Satisfyingly chilly."--Kirkus Reviews
Praise for WAIT TILL HELEN COMES:
* "A first-rate thriller."--Booklist, starred review
"Genuninely scary, complete with dark secrets from the past, unsettled graves, and a very real ghost."--Bulletin
Praise for ALL THE LOVELY BAD ONES:
"Deliciously spooky."--Kirkus Reviews
"[A] fast-paced ghost story that readers will relish, shivering all the while."--SLJ
Review
"Hahn expertly shows how the expectations of others influence Gordy's behavior, as he struggles to step away from his bad old self; in the end he takes that step, though not without a realistic amount of backsliding….While Gordy's anger is the dominant feeling here, flashes of humor and deftly inserted historical details of the postWW II era lighten the load."--
Kirkus Reviews Review
The poignant story of World War II back home at last
Finally, the paperback edition of one of Mary Dowing Hahns most gripping and personal stories. Culled from her memories of growing up under the shadows of WWII, this story has touched young readers for more than fifteen years. We are so excited to have it back with us in paper, with a fantastic new cover, available for young readers for many, many more years to come.
Margaret and Elizabeth support everything about the war: the troops, the reasons for going to war, even the food rations. After all, this is the good war and the Americans are the good guys.
But when the girls stumble upon a classmates secret, their feelings about the war begin to change. Is it really a good war? Is there ever such a thing?Hahn succeeds in raising questions that are as valuable as they are vexing Publishers Weekly
Plenty of action and page-turning suspense.
School Library Journal, Starred
Review
A chilling supernatural tale!
Just before summer begins, thirteen-year-old Ali finds an old photograph. She recognizes the two children. Ones her mother, the other her aunt Dulcie
but who is the third person, the one whos been torn out of the picture? Ali will have all summer to figure it out, since shes spending the summer with her aunt and her cousin in the same house her mom and aunt used to visit when they were kids.
Then Ali meets Sissy. Sissy is mean, spiteful, and determined to ruin Alis summer. Sissy also has a secret. Could it have something to do with the old photo? Ali is dying to find out, and if shes not careful, thats exactly what might happen to her.
Stormy weather, a deep, dark lake, and many unanswered questions (keep) mystery and ghost story fans turning pages right up to the end."TeensReadToo.com
Eerie, suspenseful Booklist, ALA
Review
"A ghost story par excellence in which a difficult seven-year-old is drawn into a frightening relationship with the ghost of a dead child." —
Booklist, ALA, starred review
"Genuinely scary, complete with dark secrets from the past, unsettled graves, and a very real ghost." -- The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"An unusually scary, well-crafted ghost fantasy." -- Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Signature spooky Hahn sends appropriate shivers up the reader's spine ... satisfyingly chilly." —
Kirkus Reviews "Hahn offers another eerie, suspenseful ghost story filled with family secrets." —Booklist, ALA
"Classic mystery elements ... add to the suspense and keep the well-plotted story moving along to a satisfying conclusion." —School Library Journal
"A compact and approachable shiveriness ... an easygoing vacation read." —Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
Review
"Hahn is a master at...suspense....Kids will love this; it's just the right mix of chilling and thrilling." —BOOKLIST Booklist, ALA
"The young characters...are sympathetic and believable...Spooky, but with an underlying sweetness." — KIRKUS REVIEWS Kirkus Reviews
"Hahn's sure hand at haunting is evident...creepy and enjoyable...it'll need no ghostly assistance to fly off the shelves" —BCCB Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books
"Masterfully constructed...taut, spooky, and fast-paced with amazingly credible, memorable characters...riveting...a story of friendship and redemption" —School Library Journal, Starred
"a mystery intertwined with a ghost story...a delicate message of guilt, forgiveness, loyalty, and friendship...a satisfying ending." —VOYA (Voice of Youth Advocates)
Review
p>"Thoughtful, entertaining fare for the middle grades." —
Kirkus Reviews with Pointers
Review
Praise for THE MONSTER'S RING ABAs Pick of the Lists
IRA Childrens Choice “This lively tale . . . [will] appeal, at any time, to anyone who, like Russell, is ‘very fond of monsters.”—The New York Times Book Review “A Halloween romp, with Katherine Covilles illustrations revving up the chills and giggles. . . . A junior Jekyll and Hyde.”—Publishers Weekly Praise for JEREMY THATCHER, DRAGON HATCHER IRA Teachers' Choice Marion Vannett Ridgway Award Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Nevada Young Readers' Award Texas Lone Star Reading List Utah Children's Book Award * "A funny, enjoyable, imaginative story whose serious undercurrents lend it unexpected depth."—Kirkus Reviews, starred review "Will bring laughter and near tears to readers. . . . Dragons really exist for a little while."—School Library Journal Praise for JENNIFER MURDLEY'S TOAD California Young Reader Medal Dorothy Canfield Fisher Award Georgia Children's Book Award "Endlessly funny. . . . A roller-coaster ride of a story, full of humor and even wisdom."—Kirkus Reviews "[A] light, fast-paced fantasy."—Booklist Praise for THE SKULL OF TRUTH A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
Society of School Librarians International Honor Book * "A fast-moving, rollicking, yet serious tale. . . . Will keep youngsters thinking."—School Library Journal, starred review "This skillfully told, fast-paced fantasy ranges in mood from serious to scary, but it's always laced with humor."—The Horn Book Praise for JULIET DOVE, QUEEN OF LOVE "Coville's easy style works well in a tale that has its share of both humor and heartache."—Booklist "Surprising depth, with musings on honor, power, strength, courage, and, above all, love. . . . Interweaves mythological characters with realistic modern ones, keeping readers truly absorbed."—School Library Journal
Review
Winner of the 2010 Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery
“As always, [Hahn] is brilliant at establishing tone—eerie, creepy and surreal. The ‘cold case mystery, the over-the-top fun of the Magic Forest scenes and the even darker mysteries of friendship and school life will make this a sure hit.”—Kirkus Reviews
“Another well-done, action-packed mystery from Hahn. . . . Just the right amount of frightening and dangerous elements to entice readers.”—School Library Journal
Review
"Readers can hardly help rooting for the two girls and hoping that these two appealing characters do remain best friends for a long time." School Library Journal, Starred
Review
"Another solid and enjoyable performance from this popular, award-winning author." —Kirkus Reviews with Pointers
Review
"There is plenty of action and page-turning suspense (and) much to ponder and reflect on as well." School Library Journal, Starred
Review
"Hahn is a master of the supernatural tale, and her legions of fans will revel in this chilling volume, reminiscent of Dickens and Poe." —
Kirkus Reviews, starred review
"A deliciously spine-tingling tale that even the most reluctant readers will enjoy." —School Library Journal
"A truly scary period tale." —Horn Book
Review
"Hahn deftly creates the proper atmosphere and setting for this spine chiller." —Kirkus Reviews
Review
"An intriguing read." —
Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books"Page-turning suspense." —School Library Journal
"An original fantasy/horror adventure...Hahn's fans and devotees of Emily Rodda's many series will be heartily pleased." —Kirkus Reviews
"A fast-paced, suspenseful fantasy in which an appealing heroine stands against forces seemingly beyond her control." —Booklist, ALA
"Hahn's many fans will come right along on this author's first foray into magical fantasy." —Horn Book
"An excellent start for uninitiated fantasy readers." —Horn Book Guide, Pointer
Synopsis
The perfect gift for lovers of ghost stories.
Three of Mary Downing Hahns scariest ghost stories are in this handsome boxed set: Wait Till Helen Comes, All the Lovely Bad Ones, and Deep and Dark and Dangerous.
Synopsis
While camping near Indian Creek, Matt and his best friend, Parker, get up early to see if they can spot a blue heron. Instead, they find the body of a dead man floating in the clear water. Parker is sure that George Evans, the smooth-talking local antiques dealer, must somehow be connected to the dead man. Matt isnt so surebut then, on Halloween night, while snooping around Evanss antique shop, the boys make another shocking discovery that puts their own lives in danger. There are murderous grownups that would do anything to keep what the boys found in the shop a secret, and now theyre after Parker and Matt. Are the boys clever enough to get away? Or will they, too, end up like the dead man in Indian Creek?
Synopsis
Twelve-year-old Molly and her ten-year-old brother, Michael, have never liked their seven-year-old stepsister, Heather. Ever since their parents got married, she's made Molly and Michael's life miserable. Now their parents have moved them all to the country to live in a house that used to be a church, with a cemetery in the backyard. If that's not bad enough, Heather starts talking to a ghost named Helen and warning Molly and Michael that Helen is coming for them. Molly feels certain Heather is in some kind of danger, but every time she tries to help, Heather twists things around to get her into trouble. It seems as if things can't get any worse.
But they do -- when Helen comes.
Synopsis
Gordy couldn't be more unhappy about moving back to his hometown of College Hill, where everybody knows his family's troubled history. In North Carolina, Gordy's life had finally seemed to be on the right track. But in College Hill, Gordy and his sister, June, move into a cramped apartment with their brother Stu and his new family. The principal at Gordy's school immediately has it in for him, his old pals encourage him to cause trouble, and his one-time nemesis, Elizabeth, hates him more than ever. It seems to Gordy as though the whole world is against him. Will he slip back into his old trouble-making ways for good, or will he be able to keep growing into the successful person he was striving to become?
Synopsis
Look for Me by Moonlight is Mary Downing Hahns eerie, suspenseful tale of dangerous love.
In a remote Maine inn, where Cynda is supposed to be reconnecting with her father and his new family, she is also falling in love for the first time. But this isnt a typical teenage romance. The object of her affection, Vincent Morthanos, is older and worldly, with pale, aristocratic good looks. And he has a secreta secret that could destroy Cyndas family, unless she can free herself from loves deadly embrace.
Synopsis
When Jesse went down to the marsh on that fateful day, he expected to find a turtle for terrapin soup. Instead, he comes across a dying slave woman who makes Jesse promise hell take her young son, Perry, to a relative in Baltimore. Aiding and abetting a slave is against the law, and it also goes against everything Jesse has been taught to believe. But he cant break a promise to the dead, and, more important, he has to follow what he knows in his heart to be right. The journey is more treacherous than Jesse ever imagined. At the crossroads of a country about to plunge into civil war, danger lurks around every corner. Will these boys on the run ever find a safe haven? Includes an author's note.
Synopsis
Diana and her little brother Georgie have been living in the woods behind the old Willis place, a decaying Victorian mansion, for what already seems like forever. They arent allowed to leave the property or show themselves to anyone. But when a new caretaker comes to live there with his young daughter, Lissa, Diana is tempted to break the mysterious rules they live by and reveal herself so she can finally have a friend. Somehow, Diana must get Lissas help if she and Georgie ever hope to release themselves from the secret that has bound them to the old Willis place for so long.
Mary Downing Hahn has written a chilling ghost story in the tradition of her most successful spine-tingling novels. The intriguing characters, frightening secrets, and plot twists will delight her many fans.
Synopsis
Daphne is the weird girl in Jessica's class--the one no one wants to talk to or even be seen with. But when the girls are assigned to be partners in the Write-a-Book contest at school, they find they have a lot in common and start spending time together outside of the project. As their friendship deepens, Jessica stumbles on a terrible secret about Daphne's life. Jessica promises not to tell anyone. But sometimes it takes a true friend to break a promise instead of keeping one.
Synopsis
Travis and his sister, Corey, can't resist a good trick. When they learn that their grandmother's quiet Vermont inn, where they're spending the summer, has a history of ghost sightings, they decide to do a little "haunting" of their own. Before long, their supernatural pranks have tourists flocking to the inn, and business booms. But Travis and Corey soon find out that they aren't the only ghosts at Fox Hill Inn. Their thoughtless games have awakened something dangerous, something that should have stayed asleep. Can these siblings lay to rest the ghosts theyve stirred?
Synopsis
Catherine Jinks's high-tech, high-octane adventure series is now available in a complete paperback boxed set. Includes: Evil Genius, Genius Squad, and Genius Wars.
Synopsis
“Cadel rides right up there with Artemis Fowl as a sympathetic anti-villain.”
-Kirkus Reviews, starred review
Cadel Piggot has a genius IQ. Hes caught hacking into government databases at the age of seven. By fourteen, hes studying for his World Domination degree at an institute founded by a criminal mastermind. The three action-packed science-fiction adventures in the critically acclaimed Genius Trilogy track this fascinating character, his amazing friends, and his terrible adversaries through their over-the-top high-tech adventures. This handsome boxed set includes all three books in paperback: Evil Genius, Genius Squad, and Genius Wars.
Synopsis
Molly and Michael aren't very happy about moving with their mother and her new husband into a converted church—and they particularly dislike their younger stepsister, Heather. If that's not bad enough, Heather starts talking to a ghost named Helen and warning Molly and Michael that Helen is coming for them.
Synopsis
Just before summer begins, 13-year-old Ali finds an odd photograph in the attic. She knows the two children in it are her mother, Claire, and her aunt Dulcie. But whos the third person, the one whos been torn out of the picture?
Ali figures shell find out while shes vacationing in Maine with Dulcie and her four-year-old daughter, Emma, in the house where Alis mothers family used to spend summers. All hopes for relaxation are quashed shortly after their arrival, though, when the girls meet Sissy, a kid whos mean and spiteful and a bad influence on Emma.
Strangest of all, Sissy keeps talking about a girl named Teresa who drowned under mysterious circumstances back when Claire and Dulcie were kids, and whose body was never found. At first Ali thinks Sissys just trying to scare her with a ghost story, but soon she discovers the real reason why Sissy is so angry. . . . Mary Downing Hahn is at her chilling best in this new supernatural tale thats certain to send shivers down her readers spines.
Synopsis
When Ashley discovers a turn-of-the-century doll it is just the first of several puzzling events that lead her through the hedge and into a twilight past where she meets Louise, an ailing child whose beloved doll has mysteriously disappeared.
Synopsis
Visit Bruce Coville's Magic Shop in these five fantastic books for middle grade readers, together in a boxed set perfect for gift giving.
Synopsis
A contemporary thriller by the bestselling author of
The Old Willis Place.
Two 13-year-old boys, Arthur and Logan, set out to solve the mystery of a murder that took place some years ago in the old house Logan's family has just moved into. The boys' quest takes them to the highest and lowest levels of society in their small Maryland town, and eventually to a derelict amusement park that is supposedly closed for the season.
Synopsis
Daphne is the last person Jessica wants to work with on the Write-a-Book project, but her feelings change when she gets to know Daphne and stumbles on her terrible secret.
Synopsis
In 1887 twelve-year-old Eliza, disguised as a boy and traveling to Colorado in search of her missing father, falls in with a gentleman outlaw and joins him in his illegal schemes.
Synopsis
A white boy helps a black child escape slavery in the midst of the Civil War
Synopsis
When he goes to spend the summer with his great-aunt in the family's old house, eleven-year-old Drew is drawn eighty years into the past to trade places with his great-great-uncle who is dying of diphtheria.
Synopsis
In 1944, when her brother is overseas fighting in World War II, eleven-year-old Margaret changes her mind about the school bully, Gordy, after she discovers he is hiding his own brother, a deserter.
Synopsis
When twelve-year-old Florence boards the crowded horse-drawn coach in London, she looks forward to a new life with her great uncle and aunt at Crutchfield Hall, an old manor house in the English countryside. Anything will be better, she thinks, than the grim London orphanage where she has lived since her parents' death.
But Florence doesn't expect the ghost of her cousin Sophia, who haunts the cavernous rooms and dimly lit hallways of Crutchfield and concocts a plan to use Florence to help her achieve her murderous goals. Will Florence be able to convince the others in the household of the imminent danger and stop Sophia before it's too late?
Synopsis
Two boys make a grisly discovery
Synopsis
When sixteen-year-old Cynda goes to stay with her father and his second wife, Susan, at their remote bed-and-breakfast inn in Maine, everything starts off well despite legends about ghosts and a murder at the inn. But Cynda feels like a visitor in Dad's new life, an outsider. Then intense, handsome stranger Vincent Morthanos arrives at the inn and seems to return Cynda's interest. At first she is blind to the subtle, insistent signs that Vincent is not what he seems-that he is, in fact, a vampire. Can Cynda free herself-and her family-from Vincent's power before it's too late? Full-bodied characterizations and page-turning suspense ensure that this eerie, riveting novel will appeal to middle school fans of mystery and horror.
Synopsis
When her widower father inherits a castlelike estate in the mountains of West Virginia, 12-year-old Jen is thrilled. It seems like a wish come true. But she quickly realizes that not all change is positive. Her dad has a mysterious new girlfriend, Moura, who slowly drives a wedge between Jen and her father. Furthermore, Moura has an unusually strong—almost obsessive—interest in the antiques that fill the mansion, especially a beautiful glass globe that Jen finds hanging in a window. When Jens cat accidentally breaks the globe, which Moura calls a “witch catcher,” strange things begin to happen. . . .
An odd-looking girl wearing a torn dress appears, seemingly out of nowhere, and Mouras behavior becomes more sinister, leading Jen to believe that her father is a pawn in an evil scheme. Soon Jen finds herself caught in the midst of a supernatural war, with the fate of an enchanted race—and her family—at stake.
Inspired by the age-old legend of witch catchers, Mary Downing Hahn brings a magical cast of characters to life in this compelling fantasy adventure. Authors note.
Synopsis
A mischievous brother and sister awaken spirits at an old inn
About the Author
A contemporary thriller by the bestselling author of THE OLD WILLIS PLACE.
Two 13-year-old boys, Arthur and Logan, set out to solve the mystery of a murder that took place some years ago in the old house Logan's family has just moved into. The boys' quest takes them to the highest and lowest levels of society in their small Maryland town, and eventually to a derelict amusement park that is supposedly closed for the season.Winner of the 2010 Edgar Award for Best Juvenile Mystery
“As always, [Hahn] is brilliant at establishing toneeerie, creepy and surreal. The ‘cold case mystery, the over-the-top fun of the Magic Forest scenes and the even darker mysteries of friendship and school life will make this a sure hit.”Kirkus Reviews “Another well-done, action-packed mystery from Hahn. . . . Just the right amount of frightening and dangerous elements to entice readers.”School Library Journal
MARY DOWNING HAHN is the Edgar Award-winning author of many popular ghost stories and mysteries, includingDeep and Dark and DangerousandThe Old Willis Place. A former librarian, an avid reader, traveler, and all-around arts lover, Ms. Hahn lives in Columbia, Maryland with her two cats, Oscar and Rufus.www.MaryDowningHahnBooks.com