In this irresistibly charming chapter book, the charismatic Violet Mackerel knows how to stay upbeat--even when her throat feels as if there's a cactus in it!Seven-year-old Violet Mackerel has a new theory: If someone has a problem and you give them something small, like a feather, or a pebble, or a purple lozenge, that small thing might have a strange and special way of helping them.Violet gets the chance to put "The Theory of Giving Small Things" to the test when a bad case of tonsillitis requires the removal of her tonsils, and she suspects that the purple lozenge from Doctor Singh may help her in quite an extraordinary way. And indeed, with a freezer stocked with breakfast ice cream, a wonderful new friend in the waiting room, and the certainty that surgery will transform her voice into that of an opera singer on the radio, Violet's recovery proves more than extraordinary--it is, unquestionably, remarkable.

Edna St. Vincent Millay (1892-1950), winner in 1923 of the second annual Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, was a daring, versatile writer whose work includes plays, essays, short stories, songs, and the libretto to an opera that premiered at New York's Metropolitan Opera House to rave reviews.Millay infused new life into traditional poetic forms, bringing new hope to a generation of youth disillusioned by the political and social upheaval of the First World War. She ventured fearlessly beyond familiar poetic subjects to tackle political injustice, social discrimination, and women's sexuality in her poems and prose. In the 1920s and '30s, Millay was considered a spokesperson for personal freedom in America, particularly for women, and we turn to her lines to illuminate the social history of the period and the Bohemian lifestyle she and her friends enjoyed.Yet Millay's poetry is still decisively modern in its message, and it continues to resonate with readers facing personal and...

Deep in the woods of Maine, the Revolutionary War is still fresh in settlers' minds as a young man named Peter Loon sets off at his mother's urging to find a mysterious person. Peter, who has never been away from his home, quickly falls into a series of startling entanglements. He befriends a nomadic parson with a seafaring past and whose humble intelligence and steady head prove useful, especially when the two find themselves in the middle of a bitter land battle. Crisscrossing between the two sides, Peter and Parson Leach tread the razor-thin line between law and justice. With the inimitable storytelling, exquisitely etched characters, and gentle humor that make Reid such a master, Peter Loon is a breathtaking tale of high adventure and great humility.

Join New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shelley Shepard Gray for a visit to Amish Country!Get all three novels in Shelley Shepard Gray's The Days of Redemption series in one delightful e-book, including: Daybreak, Ray of Light, and Eventide. This exciting series from beloved author of Amish romance, Shelley Shepard Gray delves into the workings of three generations of an Amish family, where nothing is as perfect as it seems.

Twenty-nine-year-old Abraham Lincoln has spent his entire adult life running from his past—from the poverty of the dirt-floor log cabin where he was raised, from the dominion of his uneducated father, and from a failed early courtship. But now, Lincoln's past is racing back to haunt him.It is the summer of 1838, and Springfield is embroiled in a tumultuous, violent political season. All of Springfield's elite have gathered at a grand party to celebrate the Fourth of July. Spirits are high—until a prominent local politician is assassinated in the midst of fireworks. When his political rival is arrested, young lawyer Lincoln and his best friend Joshua Speed are back on the case to investigate. It's no ordinary trial, however, as Lincoln and Speed soon face unwelcome complications. Lincoln's ne'er-do-well father and stepbrother appear in town and threaten Lincoln's good name and political future. And before long, anonymous letters start appearing in the...

Jacky Faber embarks on another rousing adventure to delight her ever-growing legion of fans. The irrepressible Jacky Faber, condemned for life to the English penal colony in Australia for crimes against the Crown, has once again wriggled out of the grasp of British authorities. Back on her flagship, the Lorelei Lee, she eagerly heads back to England in the company of friends and her beloved Jaimy Fletcher. But when the voyage is waylaid by pirates, storms, and her own impetuous nature, Jacky is cast into a world of danger that extends from the South China Sea to the equally treacherous waters of London politics. With the help of her loyal friends, Jacky meets her enemies head-on in this tale of love, courage, and redemption.

From the pen of the Edgar Award-winning author of Bootleggers Daughter and Southern Discomfort flows a tale of mystery, money, and murder on the Outer Banks. Populated with colorful, richly drawn characters, Margaret Marons latest novel captures the flavor of life in rural North Carolina. Arriving in Carteret County to fill in for a sick colleague, Judge Deborah Knott finds herself in the thick of battles between sport and commercial fishermen and between old and new money. It is Deborahs bad fortune to discover the body of Andy Bynum, a retired waterman respected by all sides. With no obvious suspects in the murder, Deborah must find the killer in a place where people shoot at loons, sea turtles, and their neighbors. C.J. Critts skillful narration brings Deborah Knott to life, as the judge-detective searches for the truth in her quiet but determined way. Shooting at Loons is Margaret Maron at her suspenseful best.

Originally published in Stalkers 1989

In 1939, with war just declared, a group of privileged people board the most luxurious airliner ever — the Pan American Clipper, bound for New York: an English aristocrat, a German scientist, a murderer under escort, a young wife escaping her husband and a charming, unscrupulous thief. For thirty hours, there is no escape from the flying palace. Over the Atlantic, tension mounts and finally explodes in a dramatic and dangerous climax.