Four powerful stories of adventure and imagination—in this world and beyond When Keith’s father dies, his mom sells their house and takes Keith with her to live in Scotland. He misses his dad and his home, but most of all he misses Melly, a girl whose father is a lion tamer, and who seemed to come from another world. Keith is in a park in Edinburgh when he sees a girl who looks exactly like Melly, and whose father once worked for the circus, taming lions. To save his best friend’s life, Keith embarks on a perilous quest to untangle the mystery of Melly’s doppelgänger. In these four tales, Peter Dickinson writes with clarity and wit about young people in extraordinary situations, characters whose adventures take place across space, time, and the boundaries of their souls. This ebook features an illustrated personal history of Peter Dickinson including rare images from the author’s collection.

Provides articles covering children's literature from around the world as well as biographical and critical reviews of authors including Avi, C.S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, and Anno Mitsumasa.

Tilja has grown up in the peaceful Valley, which is protected from the fearsome Empire by an enchanted forest. But the forest’s power has begun to fade and the Valley is in danger. Tilja is the youngest of four brave souls who venture into the Empire together to find the mysterious magician who can save the Valley. And much to her amazement, Tilja gradually learns that only she, an ordinary girl with no magical powers, has the ability to protect her group and their quest from the Empire’s sorcerers.

ONCE THE 24 MOST powerful magicians in the Empire pledged to use their magic only to protect the people. But the promise that bound them has now corrupted them. They have become a single terrible entity with a limitless desire for domination. Only the Ropemaker may be able to stop them, but he has not been seen for over 200 years. Into this dangerous world come Saranja, Maja, and Ribek. They seek the Ropemaker so that he might restore the ancient magic that protects their valley. It is the task they were born to, but now it seems there is far more than the valley at stake should they fail. . . .

Here are seventeen original short stories that reflect young adults' views on friendships and prejudice, expectations and disappointments, and connections and confrontations.

Imagine... Nineteen superb stories by today's best-known authors of young adult novels, coming together to create a window of the mind, a vision illuminating the joys and sorrows of young people. These nineteen splendid stories range from tales of tender romance and the delights of mystery and fantasy to the struggles of death, divorce, and growing up. Here are recollections from the past, stories of today, and visions of the future.