Letters slipped through a crack connect residents of two very different worlds. Fourteen-year-old Madeleine has lived in poverty in Cambridge, England, since she and her mother ran away from their jet-setting life. Madeleine worries about her mother's increasingly bizarre behavior and wonders why her father hasn't come to find them. Elliot lives in the fantastical kingdom of Cello. He's trying to track down his missing father while surviving the attacks of vicious Colors. Madeleine and Elliot's correspondence provides them with insight and support. Characters are fully developed and both worlds are vividly drawn in this original fantasy about missing persons and finding one's place in the world. Ten to Fourteen. Lisa Cosgrove-Davies
Rendi, a runaway stranded in the peculiar village of Clear Sky, starts trading tales with a storyteller that help him unravel the many mysteries around him, including the biggest—the moon’s disappearance. Chinese folklore interweaves and ties together the lyrical, complex plot and memorable characters.
In this richly developed fantasy, half-human, half-dragon Seraphina, 16, confronts fear and tension in the uneasy truce between humans and dragons.This absorbing blend of intrigue, romance, and self-discovery features a creative, independent heroine.
When Jon starts boarding school in Salisbury, England, malicious ghosts haunt him. With new friend Ella, he calls on the trustworthy ghost of Sir Longspee, sworn to help those in need. Elliot Hill’s narration captures the quiet humor that leavens the suspense of this ghost story, a perfect choice for middle-grade fans of knights and castles. (10-14)
In the companion to Finnikin of the Rock, Froi’s secret mission to the kingdom of Charyn to kill its king features expert world-building and stunning plot twists. In Charyn, Froi discovers shocking facts about his own past and more about the mysterious and intriguing Charynite princess, Quintana.
After her father's death, Liesl is determined to bury his ashes next to her mother's. With the help of Po, a ghost from the Other Side, she escapes her step-mother's attic, steals the box of ashes and sneaks aboard a train. Only, the box doesn't actually contain ashes. Will, an alchemist's apprentice, has bungled his deliveries. Liesl is actually carrying terrifically powerful magic. Narrator Jim Dale shines as the characters and storylines come together for a rather satisfying conclusion. (Appears to be available for download only. Both Fairfax and Arlington have copies via Overdrive). Audiobook. Colleen Beaupre