Unwanted at home, Molly goes to work for the king of Westria as a humble scullery maid. She arrives at the castle with no education, no manners, and a very disturbing secret: She sees visions, and those visions always come true.One day, while she's working in the king's great hall, young Prince Alaric passes by. Molly finds him unbearably handsome--but also unbearably rude. But what does it really matter? She'll probably never see him again.In time Molly is promoted to polishing silver and is given a priceless royal treasure to work on: the king's great ceremonial hand basin. But there's something odd about it. The silver warms to her touch, a voice commands her to watch and listen, and then the visions appear. They tell the story of a dreaded curse that has stalked the royal family for years. There have already been deaths; soon there will be more.As tragedy after tragedy strikes the royal family, Molly can't help but wonder: Will the...

A heartfelt and magical middle grade novel in the tradition of Tuck Everlasting and Bridge to Terabithia, about family, wishes, and the power of true friends to work magic. While cleaning out her reclusive grandfather's house, Joplin discovers pieces of a broken platter in a cookie tin. After having the platter repaired, Joplin wishes that she could both find a friend at school, and befriend the girl pictured in the platter. The next day, Joplin befriends a boy named Barrett, and also notices a girl outside her apartment. A girl who looks remarkably like the girl in the platter...The girl introduces herself as Sofie, and she has a terrible secret. Cursed to grant wishes for the owner of the platter for all of time, she has been trapped for centuries. Joplin and Barrett vow to help her, but freeing Sofie is more complicated than they could have imagined, and the three friends end up against a sinister foe who could put them all in terrible danger.

In the little village of Castle Down, in a kingdom plagued by war, lives a peasant girl called Bella. Blessed with a kind family and a loving friend, she manages to create her own small patch of sunlight in a dark and dangerous world. Bella is a blacksmith's daughter; her friend Julian is a prince — yet neither seems to notice the great gulf that divides his world from hers.Suddenly Bella's world collapses. First Julian betrays her. Then it is revealed that she is not the peasant she believed herself to be: She is Isabel, the daughter of a knight who abandoned her in infancy. Now he wants her back, so Bella is torn from her beloved foster family and sent to live with her deranged father and his resentful new wife. Soon Bella is caught up in a terrible plot that will change her life — and the kingdom — forever. With the help of her godmother and three enchanted gifts, she sets out on a journey in disguise that will lead her to a destiny far greater than...

Molly's exciting story concludes in this final book of Diane Stanley's acclaimed trilogy, which began with The Silver Bowl and The Cup and the Crown--a perfect series for fans of Megan Whalen Turner.With tensions rising between the kingdoms of Westria and Austlind, Molly and Tobias accompany King Alaric to Cortova, where he hopes to form an alliance with the powerful King Gonzalo--an alliance that would be sealed by Alaric's marriage to Gonzalo's daughter, the beautiful Princess Elizabetta. But the devious Gonzalo has plans of his own. Upon arriving in Cortova, Alaric is shocked to find that there is already another suitor vying for Princess Elizabetta's hand: his own cousin, Prince Rupert of Austlind.As the days pass, Alaric, Molly, and Tobias find themselves trapped in a suspenseful game of courtly intrigue that soon takes a dangerous turn. For once, Molly's magical visions are little help--they reveal nothing beyond hazy threats....

The country is at war, terrorists strike at random, widespread rationing is in effect, and the power grid is down. But thirteen-year-old Sky Brightman is remarkably untouched by it all. She lives off the grid on sixty acres of rural New Mexico ranch land with chores to do and horses to ride and no television or internet to bring disturbing news into her family's adobe house. Sky's schoolmates think she's a little weird.Then a string of mysterious arrests begins, and her new friend, Kareem, becomes a target. Sky is finally forced to confront the world in all its complexity. Summoning her considerable courage and ingenuity, she takes a stand against injustice. With humor, hope, and fierce determination, she proves that even a child can change the world.

Night after night, Molly has visions of a beautiful goblet: one of her grandfather's loving cups, which he filled with magic that bound people together. So it hardly surprises Molly when handsome King Alaric asks her to find a loving cup to help him win the heart of the beautiful Princess of Cortova. As Molly and her friends Winifred and Tobias journey far beyond the safe borders of Westria, a mysterious raven appears to guide their quest. It leads them through the rugged northlands and through the mountains to the hidden city of Harrowsgode. Molly discovers that although it's difficult to enter the city, it's even harder to leave. With the help of Tobias, a rat catcher named Richard, and her clever and devoted raven, Molly gains her own freedom in a most unexpected way and changes the city of Harrowsgode forever. Master storyteller Diane Stanley returns to the intriguing world of The Silver Bowl to tell Molly's latest exciting adventure. The Cup and the Crown will be enjoyed by fans of Molly and by readers who are meeting this spirited heroine for the first time. From School Library JournalGr 5-8-Molly is a lady of Westria now, raised from servant to noble status by King Alaric in The Silver Bowl (HarperCollins, 2011). Political unrest with neighboring kingdoms means Alaric must secure an alliance by marrying a princess who doesn't want to marry him. He asks Molly to find the Loving Cup, rumored to be made by her grandfather, which will cause anyone who drinks from it to fall in love. He assembles a crew, including Tobias, friend of Molly and fellow former peasant, to go on a quest to find the cup. The journey leads them to Harrowsgode, the land of Molly's magical ancestors, but this village has a sinister secret, and in order to keep it, no one is ever allowed to leave. Richard the Ratcatcher, a particularly well-rounded and delightful character, is key to helping the Westrians complete their mission and escape. The fast-moving adventure is wildly creative, and suspense builds on every page. Readers who already know Molly will be happy to see her again, but this story stands alone. Background information is skillfully placed, and it never interrupts or bogs down the new tale. The strong friendship between Molly and Tobias and slightly awkward growing feelings for one another is sweet and feels genuine. A story to be cherished and read again and again.-Mandy Laferriere, Staley Middle School, Frisco, TXα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. Review“Richly imagined and elegantly conveyed, this is a worthy successor to Molly’s star-studded debut.” (Kirkus Reviews )“A story to be cherished and read again and again.” (School Library Journal )“It is the suspense of the plot that propels the reader through the story, but Stanley enriches that suspense with humor, strong sensory details, and an intelligent, engaging heroine.” (The Horn Book )“The setting remains strong, and Molly and her best friend Tobias continue to be thoroughly engaging characters. An open ending promises a third volume of Molly’s adventures, which will surely delight Stanley fans.” (Booklist )Praise for The Silver Bowl:“Veteran Stanley concocts a delicious blend of familiar fairy-tale motifs and intriguing, well-rounded characters to create an engaging fantasy. A most worthy and enjoyable entry in the ‘feisty female’ fantasy genre.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )Praise for The Silver Bowl:“[T]he pacing is masterful, with new information and character development doled out in exactly the right doses, intercut with thrilling escapes and clever plots...a satisfying yarn of loyalty rewarded and mutual understanding gained.” (Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books )Praise for Saving Sky:“The main characters are well rendered and likable, and, in her portrayal of the earth-centered, nurturing Brightman family, Stanley succeeds in delivering the message that hope trumps fear.” (School Library Journal )Praise for Saving Sky:“This page-turner skillfully captures the irrational fear of a public under siege while giving kids a modern-day, almost-just-like-them female hero who champions hope. Inspiring.” (Kirkus )Praise for Bella at Midnight:“Once begun, it will be hard to put down.” (Kirkus Reviews (starred review) )Praise for Bella at Midnight:“More than a reworking of the familiar, this is a 21st-century fairy-tale, throughly enjoyable in its own right.” (School Library Journal (starred review) )Praise for Bella at Midnight:“Stanley subtly twists strands of the Cinderella story until it’s something quite new and fine.” (Booklist (starred review) )Praise for Bella at Midnight:“Fans of fairy tale retellings will enjoy the fanciful twists in familiar territory, and long remember this engaging heroine, destined for a happily-ever-after life.” (Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA) )

Strange things have been happening at Franny's new school.First it was the Jelly Worm Fad.Then came the exploding headaches that kept students home for days.When the latest creepy phenomenon lands her sister in the hospital, Franny and her new friend, Beamer, try to get to the bottom of it.Following a hunch, Franny discovers the one link that all these kids share—they're rabid fans of I. M. Fine, author of the mega-popular Chillers series.But I. M. Fine is nowhere to be found ... or is he)Admirers of Diane Stanley's celebrated nonfiction picture-book biographies and her critically acclaimed novel, A Time Apart, are in for a treat as she shows her playful side in this quirky, fast-paced, and humorous mystery.

Franny is thrilled when she's accepted by the Allbright Academy, an elite private boarding school designed to train leaders. But she knows she's not as smart as the other kids there—or as beautiful, accomplished, confident, or mature. The fact is, the Allbright students—from their shining teeth and flawless complexions to their sky-high test scores and long lists of honors—are absolutely perfect. Then the Allbright magic begins to rub off on Franny, too. The question is: Is this a good thing?Can Franny and her friends Cal, Brooklyn, and Prescott unravel the Allbright Academy's secret, or will they, too, succumb to its eerie perfection?

From master storyteller Diane Stanley comes a spellbinding tale based on Shakespeare's The Tempest of two princes—one chosen, one lost—and a mysterious girl on a magical island, all caught in a great web of destiny.On the day of his birth, Prince Alexos is revealed to be the long-awaited champion of Athene. He grows up lonely, conscious of all that is expected of him. But Alexos discovers that being a champion isn't about fame and glory—it's about sacrifice and courage. Alexos follows the course of his destiny through war and loss and a deadly confrontation with his enemy to its end: shipwreck on a magical, fog-shrouded island. There he meets the unforgettable Aria and faces the greatest challenge of his life.