For fans of The Glass Castle and Educated, comes mystery author Toby Neal's personal story of surviving a wild childhood in paradise.Born in 1965 to hippie surfer parents who just want to ride waves, use substances, and hide from society, red-headed Toby grows up as one of only a few hundred Caucasian "haole" people on the rugged, beautiful North Shore of Kauai, Hawaii.Toby's idealistic parents, breaking away from high achieving families, struggle with mental health and addiction issues as they try to live according to their own rules. Despite the hardship and deprivations of life on Kauai, they return again and again to an island whose hold on them is more powerful than any drug.Told from the immersive, first-person view of a child experiencing turbulent times as they occur, Freckled will take you on a journey you won't soon forget as Toby catches an octopus with her bare hands to feed the family, careens on her first bike down a rugged dirt trail deep in the jungle, and makes money by selling magic mushrooms to a drug dealer. Living in tents and off the land without electricity or communication with the outside world, Toby escapes into reading and imagination to deal with racial harassment and indifferent parenting. Sensitive, imaginative, and resilient,like a surfer girl Anne of Green Gables. Toby clings to a dream of academic achievement and a "normal" life. "Neal's prose is often effortless and elegant." ~Kirkus Reviews

Originally published in a different form by Four Winds Press in 1971.

When orphaned Freckles gets a job watching Mr. McLean's valuable Limberlost timber, he thinks that he has at last found a home. But the Limberlost gives him much more than that--a lasting knowledge of nature, a woman who loves him, and the secret of his noble birth. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved.

Long ago, on a remote Irish island simple folks went about their lives unaware that mysterious Mermaids were all around them. These magical mermaids and mermen could even dance on the shore under the full moon. It was on this island that a freckle faced little girl's love for the sea changed her destiny and made her a legend.

Story summary: A multicultural girl struggles with her identity and is made fun of by her classmates for telling them of her Tlingit, Alaska Native heritage. Her parents send her on a trip to Ketchikan, Alaska to reconnect with her grandfather and learn about her heritage. There she has an adventure that helps her to make sense of her identity and develop confidence from knowing who she is. This story seeks to inspire others to learn about their culture and heritage as well and to be proud of it.

Discover this 5-star read: 'Wow' 'Heartwarming' 'Uplifting' 'Thought-provoking' 'One of those rare, special and unique heroines' 'A joy to read' What if the people who have the power to change your life are the ones who have been there all along... Like stars in the night sky, freckles are scattered across Allegra Bird's arms, a legacy from her beloved father. Her legacy from her mother is more complicated - until one question from a stranger inspires a change. What if it isn't about fitting in, but finding the people who make you who you are? Who would those people be? As she searches for connection, Allegra is about to find out that it is our differences that make life worth living - if only someone can help you to join the dots . . . Praise for Freckles 'Fans will adore this heart-warming story about loneliness and connection' Daily Mail 'Funny, thought-provoking and original' Mirror 'A warm and bittersweet tale about finding yourself through family and friendship' Sunday Telegraph 'An endearing story of human frailty, connection and growth' Irish Independent 'Everything a greedy reader wants: a moving story, absorbing characters, engaging writing and as much of a page-turner as you'd expect' Irish Times 'Ahern was born to write and her books to be read by all' My Weekly 'Fresh and timely... asking bolding what and who make us who we are, Freckles manages to team wit and wisdom harmoniously' Echo 'A beautiful, hopeful book when the world needs hope most... inspiring, life-affirming and full of insight' Cathy Kelly Cecelia Ahern's previous novel Postscript was a Sunday Times bestseller w/c 16th September 2019.

What facial features do you have? Freckles are a common feature. So are turned-up noses and unattached earlobes. What determines your facial features? Read this book to find out about how your genes affect your physical features.