Traces the medieval fur trade which stretched from western Europe to China.

The tale begins over three-hundred years ago, when the Fair People—the goblins, fairies, dragons, and other fabled and fantastic creatures of a dozen lands—fled the Old World for the New, seeking haven from the ways of Man. With them came their precious jewels: diamonds, rubies, emeralds, pearls... But then the Fair People vanished, taking with them their twelve fabulous treasures. And they remained hidden until now... Across North America, these twelve treasures, over ten-thousand dollars in precious jewels, are buried. The key to finding each can be found within the twelve full color paintings and verses of The Secret. Yet The Secret is much more than that. At long last, you can learn not only the whereabouts of the Fair People's treasure, but also the modern forms and hiding places of their descendants: the Toll Trolls, Maitre D'eamons, Elf Alphas, Tupperwerewolves, Freudian Sylphs, Culture Vultures, West Ghosts and other delightful creatures in the world around us. The Secret is a field guide to them all. Many "armchair treasure hunt" books have been published over the years, most notably Masquerade (1979) by British artist Kit Williams. Masquerade promised a jewel-encrusted golden hare to the first person to unravel the riddle that Williams cleverly hid in his art. In 1982, while everyone in Britain was still madly digging up hedgerows and pastures in search of the golden hare, The Secret: A Treasure Hunt was published in America. The previous year, author and publisher Byron Preiss had traveled to 12 locations in the continental U.S. (and possibly Canada) to secretly bury a dozen ceramic casques. Each casque contained a small key that could be redeemed for one of 12 jewels Preiss kept in a safe deposit box in New York. The key to finding the casques was to match one of 12 paintings to one of 12 poetic verses, solve the resulting riddle, and start digging. Since 1982, only two of the 12 casques have been recovered. The first was located in Grant Park, Chicago, in 1984 by a group of students. The second was unearthed in 2004 in Cleveland by two members of the Quest4Treasure forum. Preiss was killed in an auto accident in the summer of 2005, but the hunt for his casques continues.

Captivating True Story of God's Supernatural Love at Work As a child, Leanna's young world pulsed with adventure, including emergency moves across the country in an old Dodge Dart with a dismantled airplane strapped to the roof. By age fifteen, she had become an equestrian champion with sights fixed on the Olympics. Then, in a series of stunning revelations, Jesus appeared to her and revolutionized her life. A few years later, not expecting to return alive, she wrote a will for her parents, left everything behind, and embarked for northern India with a one-way ticket and a mission: to rescue people trapped in darkness. This firsthand, often-supernatural account follows the rigors, heartaches, and miracles of a life propelled by faith into one of the poorest and darkest places on earth. Leanna's fearless determination to shine Jesus' light into the shadows--whether helping the destitute in small villages or reaching girls abused in the sex-trafficking trade--will thrill and inspire you to believe his power can change even your most trying circumstances.

From Newberry Honor winning author Christina Soontornvat comes an enchanting conclusion to the Changelings duology—Can Izzy and the Changelings find the lost King's Key in time to save Earth? Life hasn't been the same since Izzy found out she was a Changeling during a trip to the magical land of Faerie. Sure, she's glad to be back on Earth with her human family, but she can't stop thinking about the amazing friends she left behind. Even worse, Izzy can't seem to change anymore. She can't stand the thought of losing all ties to the one place she felt like she truly belonged. So when Izzy gets a chance to return to Faerie, she's quick to say yes. But when a new evil threatens not only Faerie, but Earth itself, will Izzy get her magic back in time to help save everyone she loves? Praise for The Changelings: "A richly drawn fairy world that will have readers staying way up past their bedtime to read what their plucky herione, Izzy, does next."—Jen Calonita, author of the Fairy Tale Reform School series "Fresh and imaginative—new inventions on every page. I loved every ingenious twist and turn right up to the wonderfully satisfying ending."—Katherine Catmull, author of The Radiant Road and Summer and Bird. "The Changelings is charming! Perfect for readers who love stories full of magic, adventure, mystery and fairies, topped off with a satisfying and very happy ending. Soontornvat's debut sparkles and delights!"—Nikki Loftin, author of The Sinister Sweetness of Splendid Academy

One moment of misguided generosity throws estate sale organizer Audrey Nealon's life into turmoil. She loses a client's money, cripples her budding romance, and witnesses a murder. Strapped for cash, she accepts a questionable project: clearing out the home of a mentally ill hoarder who may have hidden valuable Civil War letters. What really lies at the bottom of twenty years' worth of collected buttons and antique dolls and stuffed owls and atlases? As Audrey digs through the hoarder's obsessions, she unleashes a vengeful response from all sides--the hoarder's angry neighbors, his alienated family, and the police. The house has destroyed lives in the past. Will Audrey and those she loves--her friends, her father, and even her dog--be its next victims? As the final twist reveals, secrets can remain buried, but they never disappear.