The Constellation of Sylvie


Book Description

Twelve-year-old Princess Sylvie tries to save her storybook kingdom, which lives within the pages of "The Great Good Thing, " when they find themselves aboard a doomed space ship, despite the interference of the jester, Pingree, who schemes to blackmail her into marrying him.




The Great Good Thing


Book Description

A storybook princess breaks the fourth wall and incites a new kind of adventure in this imaginative middle grade fantasy perfect for fans of Chris Colfer and Gail Carson Levine. Sylvie had an amazing life, but she didn’t get to live it very often. Sylvie has been a twelve-year-old princess for more than eighty years, ever since the book she lives in was first printed. She’s the heroine, and her story is exciting. But that’s the trouble: it’s always exciting in the same way. So when a new Reader opens the book at long last, Sylvie breaks the cardinal rule of all storybook characters: she looks up. And sets into motion a new story all her own. Now, Sylvie is in for an adventure beyond any she could have imagined. As her journey takes her from the pages of a book to the landscape of dreams, Sylvie must summon all her courage to save her kingdom, find her way home, and figure out what it really means to do a Great Good Thing.




The Door in the Forest


Book Description

While trying to outwit the soldiers who are occupying their small town, Daniel, who cannot lie, and Emily, who discovers she has magical powers, are drawn to an island in the heart of the forest where townsfolk have been warned never to go.




Sky


Book Description

In New York City in 1959, fifteen-year-old Alec Schuyler, at odds with his widowed father over his love of music, finds a mentor and friend in a blind, black jazz musician.




Into the Labyrinth


Book Description

Princess Sylvie has to rush to her place whenever a new Reader opens the book. Her mother, the queen, is frazzled when the story is loaded onto the Web. But stress is the least of their problems.




A Bitter Magic


Book Description

A deliciously quirky tale of secrets, magic, and illusions. Everything is in place: the packed theater, the Amazing Thummel, and, center stage, the magician's mysterious assistant. Some have called her the most beautiful woman in Europe. Then, in a swirl of light, she vanishes! An astounding illusion, but she never reappears. All that remains are a bloodstained white scarf and her daughter, Cisley, who lives in a glass castle and walks her pet lobster each morning by the sea. Enter Cole, a rambunctious boy from town and Cisley's first true friend. Together they hunt for clues to her mother's disappearance. They puzzle over broken mirrors, ever-shifting labyrinths, a closet full of whispering ball gowns, and a fatal quest for a pure black rose. Roderic Townley spins a deliciously spooky tale of one girl's journey to discover what's real and what is simply an illusion.




The Winter Sister


Book Description

A “haunting debut: suspenseful, atmospheric, and completely riveting” (Megan Miranda, New York Times bestselling author of All the Missing Girls) about a young woman who returns home to care for her ailing mother and begins to dig deeper into her sister’s unsolved murder. Sixteen years ago, Sylvie’s sister, Persephone, never came home. Out late with the boyfriend she was forbidden to see, Persephone was missing for three days before her body was found—and years later, her murder is still unsolved. In the present day, Sylvie returns home to care for her estranged mother, Annie, as she undergoes treatment for cancer. Prone to unexplained “Dark Days” even before Persephone’s death, Annie’s once-close bond with Sylvie dissolved in the weeks after their loss, making for an uncomfortable reunion all these years later. Adding to the discomfort, Persephone’s former boyfriend is now a nurse at the cancer center where Annie is being treated. Sylvie has always believed Ben was responsible for the murder—but she carries her own guilt about that night, guilt that traps her in the past while the world goes on around her. As she navigates the complicated relationship with her mother, Sylvie begins to uncover the secrets that fill their house—and what really happened the night Persephone died. The Winter Sister is a “bewitching” (Kirkus Reviews) portrayal of the complex bond between sisters, between mothers and daughters alike, and “will captivate you from suspenseful start to surprising finish” (Kathleen Barber, author of Are You Sleeping).




Sylvie


Book Description

Meet a flamingo who learns that being yourself is the best thing to be! "Mama, why are we pink?" asks an ever-curious young flamingo named Sylvie. When she learns that it's due to the little pink brine shrimp they eat, Sylvie takes the maxim "You are what you eat!" to a whole new level. Her changed diet leads to some colorful new looks--from scarlet to green to positively purple! Ultimately, Sylvie learns the valuable lesson that sometimes it's best just to be yourself. Young listeners will love trying to guess what happens next. This edition is perfect for little hands, and for stowing in backpacks and strollers for reading on the go! "There is a surprise ending that will surely induce giggles from kids. Sattler's art steals the show; the colors are eye-popping and vibrant, right to the swirling bright endpapers. As Sylvie changes colors the background changes hues as well. This title is sure to create story time magic." --School Library Journal




Joseph Cornell and Surrealism


Book Description

The essays in Joseph Cornell and Surrealism consider connections between Cornell and the Surrealist group during the 1930s and 1940s, during Cornell's artistic development and the heyday of Surrealism in the United States.




Creative Practices for Visual Artists


Book Description

Contrary to popular belief, the practice of art isn’t just a product of innate talent or artistic vision; artwork emerges from an intentionally constructed and maintained artistic practice. Developed from interviews with more than 75 mid-career artists, Creative Practices for Visual Artists examines the methods and approaches highly successful artists use to stay creatively robust for a lifetime. Offering practical strategies and concrete solutions, it also looks at the impacts of digital and social media, as well as recent changes in the educational system that can hinder the formation of a strong artistic practice. Artist and educator Kenneth Steinbach addresses key issues such as: the role of embodied research and non-objective experimentation; reframing one's approach to studio time; forms of productive conflict; the positive role of anxiety; and the importance of failure for the artist. The book will be useful to students and emerging artists, the instructors that teach them, and established artists looking to develop stronger studio habits. The companion website, www.creativepracticesbook.com, provides links to artists' websites and further information.