A timeless Buddhist tale about the things that matter most: truth, generosity, compassion, and love. When a group of children are having a playful day at the beach, the fun of building sand castles is forgotten when they start arguing about whose castle is best. While fighting over “I,” “me,” and “mine,” they end up destroying and abandoning the castles they so carefully constructed. The timely arrival of a magical wise man teaches the children that unlike the sand castles, it is the things we can’t see that really matter most. Delicately illustrated by the beloved and award-winning author Demi, The Secret of the Sand Castles teaches children the joy of creating a harmonious world in which to live—with an open heart and love for one another.

A timeless Buddhist tale about the things that matter most: truth, generosity, compassion, and love. When a group of children are having a playful day at the beach, the fun of building sand castles is forgotten when they start arguing about whose castle is best. While fighting over “I,” “me,” and “mine,” they end up destroying and abandoning the castles they so carefully constructed. The timely arrival of a magical wise man teaches the children that unlike the sand castles, it is the things we can’t see that really matter most. Delicately illustrated by the beloved and award-winning author Demi, The Secret of the Sand Castles teaches children the joy of creating a harmonious world in which to live—with an open heart and love for one another.

The thirty-eight volume Judy Bolton series was written during the thirty-five years from 1932-1967. It is one of the most successful and enduring girls' series ever published. The Judy Bolton books are noted not only for their fine plots and thrilling stories, but also for their realism and their social commentary. Unlike most other series characters, Judy and her friends age and mature in the series and often deal with important social issues. To many, Judy is a feminist in the best light-smart, capable, courageous, nurturing, and always unwavering in her true beliefs; a perfect role model.

Imagine a place where dreams come true! With a young child's imagination and a touch of magic, a boy named Tony found such a place. Every summer, Tony and his family spend two months vacationing at their beach house. One special summer, however, stood out among the rest and life as Tony had known it would be changed. Tony's favorite pastime was building sandcastles by the water's edge. He would roam the beach in search of the perfect sand to build the strongest castles that a little boy could. Tony built plenty of castles, but one in particular had a secret hidden inside. This story illustrates how children use what is around them to show the world what their heart is in search of, even when they might not know it themselves. Tony didn't realize he was in search of a lifelong friend. He felt an absence of something in his life, but he wasn't sure what it was. Then on one ordinary vacation, Tony just happened to have created a very unordinary sandcastle. With this enchanting chain of events, it helped Tony express to his parents what was really in his heart. You will have to see what a little boy's imagination, mixed with his hidden desires, unlocks the secret of the sandcastle!

The twins vacation in Beachcliff Bay is an unusual one. Is the Wilson house haunted?

WINNING A LOTTERY ... who hasn't dreamed of it? Wendy Hodene, for one. She has always been one of those people for whom just enough is plenty. She's married to a charmer, has a young son she loves, and lives close to family in a small New England house that her great-grandfather built. True, she'd love to have room for a three-cushion couch (and of course more closet space), but all in all, she's happy with her life. Happy, until her husband Jim goes and wins a lottery, upending every reassuring aspect of Wendy's existence. The man she thought she was married to for a decade turns out to be someone else entirely; the house she thought she wanted renovated turns into a stress-inducing pile of dust and demolition; the son who once desired nothing more than a new video game now wants a big new house on the beach; and the mysterious contractor who shows up among the crew on a fine June morning turns out to be a man who's both able and willing to destroy all that Wendy holds dear. Zack Tompkins has better things to do than to knock down walls and put in floor joists, but his fragile and heartbroken sister Zina is convinced that the lottery winner whose photo she's seen in a newspaper is the man who once married and then abandoned her. It doesn't take long after he's signed on as crew in the Hodene renovation for Zack to see that Zina was right. His choice then becomes all too clear: wound his sister, or tear apart a family. As dreams and schemes are washed away like sand castles from an incoming tide, one truth remains: some hearts, not fully broken, can mend and still be whole again. Editorial Reviews "Well-drawn, sympathetic characters, exceptional writing, and an intriguing premise that puts a new spin on a classic plot combine to produce a riveting story of selfishness, betrayal, and love that readers will find hard to put down. Stockenberg is a RITA Award-winning author and is noted for her compelling, emotionally involving stories." --Library Journal "A powerful suspense thriller ... the characters are a superb group, especially the key foursome. The plot is filled with twists and turns ... fans of taut thrillers with a romance will want to read this strong intrigue." --Harriet Klausner, Bookbrowser "Moral dilemmas abound in this intriguing and compelling tale." --Booklist "A beautiful story filled with imagination, complexity, and sweet love, SAND CASTLES had plot twists that had me tearing through the pages to find out what happened next. A keeper and a must-have for all lovers of romance." --The Word on Romance "Antoinette Stockenberg is a consummate storyteller, and SAND CASTLES is another example of how well she has mastered her craft. The author is in top-notch form. The characterizations are wonderfully drawn and believable in their actions and reactions. There are enough plot twists and turns to keep a reader highly interested. A sure-fire winner and highly recommended reading!" --NewAndUsedBooks.com "Antoinette Stockenberg continues to display an immense talent for creating powerful and gripping dramas that give readers the full range of human emotions." --Romantic Times "This book was wonderful! In fact, I was so caught up in the story, I forgot to analyze anything. Twists, good dialogue and a question to answer at the end .... Kudos ... an excellent read. --Old Book Barn Gazette

The twins vacation in Beachcliff Bay is an unusual one. Is the Wilson house haunted?