Duck Thief & Other Stories


Book Description

David Langlinais weaves textured, evocative tales of family and outdoorsmanship, of the human struggle to find identity in an ever-changing landscape. Duck Thief and Other Stories--set mostly in Louisiana's southern parishes--is reminiscent of Ellen Gilchrist, with stories rich in the native culture and French patois. Langlinais's voice is clear, straight-forward and seemingly effortless. Pride, race, death, mental illness, infidelity--no subject is off-limits. Cajun narratives, as well as those taking place in big-city Texas, shine a light on characters trying to find their way through the world, to make sense of situations that make no sense at all.




Snake's Pillow and Other Stories


Book Description

Jiangnan, that part of east-central China watered by the Yangzi River, is the ironically Edenic setting for these six powerful tales of devotion, betrayal, and defilement. Zhu Lin, a uniquely angry female voice on China’s literary scene, takes a particular interest in the plight of young women whose exceptional qualities condemn them to exploitation by men. No other contemporary Chinese writer renders the hostility of rural society toward women in such stark and ultimately tragic terms. Serpents tyrannize the innocent in this fictional Jiangnan garden. The title story refers to a fragrant, blood-red flower known as the snake’s pillow, which symbolizes an innocent girl betrayed and violated by a male figure of authority. Immersed in the heady and sensual imagery of the natural world, Zhu Lin’s female protagonists invite comparisons not only with Eve but also with Thomas Hardy’s Tess. Zhu Lin has said of her fiction that its purpose is to “summon the souls” of readers who have lost themselves in the turbulence of a society in the transition to modernity—and then to restore these lost souls to the bodies they have left. An evocation of both flesh and spirit, these Jiangnan stories give voice to the complex and disturbing experience of women in a changing society.




The Thief in the Night and Other Stories


Book Description

Fast-paced and fun, ‘The Thief in the Night and Other Stories’ is a collection of six tales from the pen of one of the 20th Century’s most prolific writers. The title story follows Inspector Jack Danton as he investigates a proliferation of poison pen letters and thefts to and from wealthy young debutantes. Other novelettes, such as ‘Findings are Keepings’ and ‘The Compleat Criminal,’ are laced with Wallace’s trademark wit and critical appraisal of life in the upper echelons during the early 20th century. A superb read for fans of Wallace's body of work. Born in London, Edgar Wallace (1875 – 1932) was an English writer so prolific, that his publisher claimed that he was responsible for a quarter of all books sold in England. Leaving school at the age of 12, Wallace made his first steps into the literary world by selling newspapers on the corner of Fleet Street. He worked as a war correspondent after joining the army at age 21, which honed his writing abilities. This led to the creation of his first book, ‘The Four Just Men.’ Wallace is best remembered as the co-creator of ‘King Kong,’ which has been adapted for film 12 times (most notably directed by ‘Lord of the Rings’ director, Peter Jackson, and starring Jack Black and Naomi Watts). However, he leaves behind an extensive body of work, including stories such as ‘The Crimson Circle’ and ‘The Flying Squad’.




The Patron Thief of Bread


Book Description

A beautifully crafted middle-grade novel spiced with magic--and gargoyles!--from the acclaimed author of Hour of the Bees and Race to the Bottom of the Sea. Fished from the river as an infant and raised by a roving band of street urchins who call themselves the Crowns, eight-year-old Duck keeps her head down and her mouth shut. It's a rollicking life, always thieving, always on the run--until the ragtag Crowns infiltrate an abandoned cathedral in the city of Odierne and decide to set down roots. It's all part of the bold new plan hatched by the Crowns' fearless leader, Gnat: one of their very own will pose as an apprentice to the local baker, relieving Master Griselde of bread and coin to fill the bellies and line the pockets of all the Crowns. But no sooner is Duck apprenticed to the kindly Griselde than Duck's allegiances start to blur. Who is she really--a Crown or an apprentice baker? And who does she want to be? Meanwhile, high above the streets of Odierne, on the roof of the unfinished cathedral, an old and ugly gargoyle grows weary of waiting to fulfill his own destiny--to watch and protect. Told in alternating viewpoints, this exquisite novel evokes a timeless tale of love, self-discovery, and what it means to be rescued.




Your Duck Is My Duck


Book Description

“[Eisenberg] reminds us in every line of certain saving virtues: wit, wild intelligence, great heart, the beauty of the inquiring human voice. If our culture can produce a writer this wonderful, there must be something beautiful about us yet.” — George Saunders Instead of forcing her characters’ stories into neat, arbitrary, preordained shapes, [Eisenberg] allows them to grow organically into oddly shaped, asymmetrical narratives—narratives that possess all the surprising twists and dismaying turns of real life.” — New York Times “Deborah Eisenberg, one of America’s finest writers, offers new ways of seeing and feeling, as if something were being perfected at the core.” — San Francisco Chronicle “Reading [Eisenberg] makes you wish, as you study the family in front of you in the grocery line, that you could see their thoughts rendered as one of Eisenberg’s stunning inner monologues.” — Los Angeles Times “...[S]uperlative and entertaining...Eisenberg is funny, grim, biting, and wise, but always with a light touch and always in the service of worlds that extend far beyond the page. A virtuoso at rendering the flickering gestures by which people simultaneously hide and reveal themselves, Eisenberg is an undisputed master of the short story.” — Publishers Weekly (starred review) “[Eisenberg] is always worth the wait...so instantly absorbing that it feels like an abduction...This book offers no palliatives to its characters or to its readers — no plan of action. But it is a compass.” — The New York Times “Eisenberg is a gorgeous writer...I thank my stars that there’s a writer in the increasingly imperiled world as smart and funny and blazingly moral and devastatingly sidelong as she is.” — New York Times Book Review “Every character is memorable, every situation seizes our attention, and not a single word is out of place...It’s my fervent hope...that someday we’ll have the opportunity to look back on the many more stories that Deborah Eisenberg has yet to write.” — Financial Times







My Kite Is Stuck! And Other Stories


Book Description

Salina Yoon continues her Geisel Honor-winning early reader series starring Big Duck, Little Duck, and Porcupine, perfect for fans of bestselling series like Elephant & Piggie, Ballet Cat, and Pig in a Wig. Loud and in-charge Big Duck, quiet and clever Little Duck, and friendly and gentle Porcupine return in another delightful trio of stories. First, Big Duck and Porcupine are so busy building her lemonade stand that they forget one very important ingredient. Next, when Porcupine and Little Duck make a new friend Big Duck feels left out. Can they find a way to include everyone? And lastly, after Big Duck gets her kite stuck in a tree, Little Duck's smart suggestion will save the day! These three friends may be different, but they always find a way to have lots of fun. Don't miss these other stories by Salina Yoon! Duck, Duck, Porcupine series Duck, Duck, Porcupine My Kite Is Stuck! And Other Stories That's My Book! And Other Stories The Penguin series Penguin and Pinecone Penguin in Love Penguin's Big Adventure Penguin on Vacation Penguin and Pumpkin Penguin's Christmas Wish The Bear and Floppy books Found Stormy Night Bear's Big Day




The Pearl Thief


Book Description

Don’t miss Elizabeth Wein’s stunning new novel, Stateless Before Verity . . . there was Julie. When fifteen-year-old Julia Beaufort-Stuart wakes up in the hospital, she knows the lazy summer break she'd imagined won't be exactly what she anticipated. And once she returns to her grandfather's estate, a bit banged up but alive, she begins to realize that her injury might not have been an accident. One of her family's employees is missing, and he disappeared on the very same day she landed in the hospital. Desperate to figure out what happened, she befriends Euan McEwen, the Scottish Traveler boy who found her when she was injured, and his standoffish sister, Ellen. As Julie grows closer to this family, she witnesses firsthand some of the prejudices they've grown used to-a stark contrast to her own upbringing-and finds herself exploring thrilling new experiences that have nothing to do with a missing-person investigation. Her memory of that day returns to her in pieces, and when a body is discovered, her new friends are caught in the crosshairs of long-held biases about Travelers. Julie must get to the bottom of the mystery in order to keep them from being framed for the crime. This exhilarating coming-of-age story, a prequel to the Printz Honor Book Code Name Verity, returns to a beloved character just before she first takes flight.




Trent's Trust, and Other Stories


Book Description