One morning there was a new girl in Jane's class whose name was Staffa. Staffa was quite small for her age; she looked more like eight than eleven. She dressed and spoke in an old-fashioned manner. She said that she was looking for one best friend, which she found in Jane. Jane invited Staffa to her house, called the boy garden because of all her brothers. Staffa invited Jane to the hotel where she was staying, for tea and to meet her mother, who was weird in a scary way and insisted on being called Lady Matilda. Nevertheless, Jane was delighted when Staffa asked her to join them, when they went home, for a little vacation. Jane was excited when Lady Matilda insisted on buying her beautiful dresses fit for a princess. She was very curious about the little box they carried with them, and kept in a private room in the hotels they visited along the way. Then Jane discovered that Staffa and her mother were royalty from another world. What are their plans for Jane? Will she be able to return to the boy garden?

Similar books: Coraline by Neil Gaiman

Reviewed by: vverscaj

Date read: 9/9/2009

ISBN-10: 0312369611

ISBN-13: 9780312369613

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Every hundred years a human is born to vampires. Kevin Vlad is that one human child. Will Kevin deal with the embarrassment of his parents at a school dance for a chance with Miranda? Why does everyone end up screaming?

Reviewed by: rn

Date read: 10/30/2009

ISBN-10: 1902260678

ISBN-13: 9781902260679

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The journey of wizard Nevery Flinglas and apprentice Conn continues in the city of Wellmet as darkness turns to urgency when 'Shadows' haunt the streets and turn all they touch to stone. An elusive locus stone, experiments with explosives, banishment, a powerful sorcerer King, and those 'Shadows' lead Conn on a deadly quest. The trilogy begins with The Magic Thief and continues with Lost.

Reviewed by: adf

Date read: 9/4/2009

ISBN-10: 0061375918

ISBN-13: 9780061375910

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From the Sydney, Australia, home of a grandmother she believes is a witch, fifteen-year-old Reason Cansino is magically transported to New York City, where she discovers that friends, and foes, can be hard to distinguish. Book one of the Magic or Madness trilogy.

Reviewed by: sc

Date read: 3/27/2009

ISBN-10: 1595140700

ISBN-13: 9781595140708

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Conn, what a great name for a pickpocket street urchin, enters the world of magic when he steals from the wizard, Nevery Flinglas. The adventure begins when Conn becomes Nevery's apprentice and his days are filled with magic lessons. Soon, Nevery is tasked by the Duchess to find who or what is stealing the city's magic and darkness surrounds Conn and Nevery as they struggle with the Underlord to restore's Wellmet magic. The trilogy begins with The Magic Thief, and continues with Lost.

Awards nominated: Rebecca Caudill Award Nominee 2012

Reviewed by: adf

Date read: 9/4/2009

ISBN-10: 0061375888

ISBN-13: 9780061375880

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