Children of the Fox

Children of the Fox
Author: Kevin Sands
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 349
Release: 2021-10-05
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0593327535

NPR BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR AMAZON BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH "This stunning tale of betrayal, trickery, and friendship takes the reader on a wild ride." —School Library Journal Ocean's Eleven meets The False Prince in this thrilling heist story for young readers, in which five kids with unusual talents are brought together to commit an impossible crime. Failure is unacceptable ... but success could be deadly. From the bestselling author of the Blackthorn Key series, this magic-infused fantasy brings together a ragtag group of kids to pull off a crime so difficult, countless adults have already tried and failed. Lured by the promise of more money than they've ever dreamed of, five young criminals are hired to steal a heavily guarded treasure from the most powerful sorcerer in the city. There's Callan the con artist, Meriel the expert at acrobatics (and knives!), Gareth the researcher, Lachlan who can obtain anything, and Foxtail, whose mysterious eyeless mask doesn't hinder her ability to climb walls like a spider. Though their shadowy backgrounds mean that they've never trusted anyone but themselves, the five must learn to rely on each other in order to get the job done. But as Callan has been warned most of his life, it's best to stay away from magic. It can turn on you at any moment, and make you think you're the one running the con game, when in reality you're the one being fooled. Faced with these unsurmountable odds, can the friends pull off this legendary heist, or has their luck finally run out?

Seekers of the Fox

Seekers of the Fox
Author: Kevin Sands
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 351
Release: 2022-10-18
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 059332756X

A dying friend, a terrible bargain, an underwater quest, and dangerous magic . . . the adventure continues in this sequel to CHILDREN OF THE FOX. Fans of twisty, clever stories like The False Prince and Ocean's Eleven will love this newest series from Kevin Sands, author of the bestselling Blackthorn Key. Rule number one: Never mess with magic. Even so, a life-or-death situation calls for Callan and his criminal friends to make a deal with the Eye—the sinister, sentient artifact they stole from a sorcerer. It's Lachlan's life in exchange for a future task, and the gang has no choice but to agree. But even as Lachlan is resurrected, it's not without cost. Through the Eye, Callan can see a tiny purple stain inside Lachlan's soul, which will eventually consume him. The cure—and their part of the deal—lies with the Dragon's Teeth, a pair of swords with extraordinary powers, and the search for them leads the thieves on a quest that will unravel the mystery of the Eye. Old friends, new betrayals, and an even more daring break-in than the last culminate in a confrontation that will take all the gang's skill and power to resist—or they'll die trying.

Champions of the Fox

Champions of the Fox
Author: Kevin Sands
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 0
Release: 2023-11-07
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 059362095X

In this conclusion to the thrilling Thieves of Shadow series, bestselling author Kevin Sands delivers a jaw-dropping heist that sees five young thieves masterminding a prison break from the empire’s most impenetrable island fortress. Fans of The False Prince and Ocean’s Eleven will be mesmerized by this page-turning series filled with twists and turns. “Follow my instructions, and when our task is done, I will release you.” Commanded by the magical artifact known as the Dragon’s Eye, junior con artist Callan and his friends are eagerly reaching the end of the epic quest that will finally free him from the Eye’s sinister hold. But their final task is their most ambitious: sneaking into the emperor’s private island prison and rescuing a man from a jail cell that has been locked tight for forty years. This impossible heist will strain the gang’s unique abilities to thieve and deceive everyone from the guards, the city elite, the warden, and even the nefarious local crime boss who warns them to stay away. As the friends plan out their last and most difficult con job, Callan begins to question what they’re helping the Eye to achieve. Aided by magical hints and fitful dreams, Callan slowly uncovers the Eye’s true desires. To his horror, he realizes that he may be the one being conned all this time . . . and his mistake could cost the world’s entire existence.

The Raven's Revenge

The Raven's Revenge
Author: Kevin Sands
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 512
Release: 2023-01-17
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1534484612

Christopher finally uncovers the Raven’s identity in this sixth novel of the award-winning Blackthorn Key series. The stakes are higher than ever when the Raven sets Christopher up for a horrible crime, leading him to be locked away in London’s most notorious prison. This terrible act is the first in a series of games the Raven plans to play with Christopher…games that are as dangerous as they are challenging. Once free from prison, Christopher, Tom, and Sally engage in a cat and mouse game with the Raven that takes them all over London. Can Christopher outwit the Raven one final time and finally unmask him? And what price might he have to pay to achieve that? This is the thrilling conclusion to the Blackthorn Key series that fans have been waiting for!

Mark of the Plague

Mark of the Plague
Author: Kevin Sands
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 387
Release: 2016-09-06
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1481446762

Christopher Rowe is back and there are more puzzles, riddles, and secrets to uncover in this follow-up to the Indie Next pick The Blackthorn Key, which was called a “spectacular debut” by Kirkus Reviews in a starred review. The Black Death has returned to London, spreading disease and fear through town. A mysterious prophet predicts the city’s ultimate doom—until an unknown apothecary arrives with a cure that actually works. Christopher’s Blackthorn shop is chosen to prepare the remedy. But when an assassin threatens the apothecary’s life, Christopher and his faithful friend Tom are back to hunting down the truth, risking their lives to untangle the heart of a dark conspiracy. And as the sickness strikes close to home, the stakes are higher than ever before…

Danny the Champion of the World

Danny the Champion of the World
Author: Roald Dahl
Publisher: Penguin
Total Pages: 241
Release: 2007-08-16
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1101652977

Can Danny and his father outsmart the villainous Mr. Hazell? Danny has a life any boy would love—his home is a gypsy caravan, he's the youngest master car mechanic around, and his best friend is his dad, who never runs out of wonderful stories to tell. But one night Danny discovers a shocking secret that his father has kept hidden for years. Soon Danny finds himself the mastermind behind the most incredible plot ever attempted against nasty Victor Hazell, a wealthy landowner with a bad attitude. Can they pull it off? If so, Danny will truly be the champion of the world.

The Fox and the Ghost King

The Fox and the Ghost King
Author: Michael Morpurgo
Publisher: HarperCollins UK
Total Pages: 63
Release: 2016-09-22
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 0008215782

A delightful tale of victory against all odds from master storyteller, Michael Morpurgo, lavishly illustrated by Michael Foreman.

Call of the Wraith

Call of the Wraith
Author: Kevin Sands
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 361
Release: 2018-09-25
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1534428496

Christopher Rowe is back and there are more puzzles, riddles, and secrets to uncover in this fourth novel of the award-winning Blackthorn Key series. Christopher Rowe has no idea who he is. After being shipwrecked in Devonshire, he wakes up alone, his memories gone. Villagers tell him he was possessed by an unseen evil, and only became conscious after being visited by the local witch. As Christopher tries to get his bearings, he realizes his current state may be far from coincidence. Dark events have been happening in this corner of Britain—village children are disappearing without a trace. There are whispers that the malevolent ghost of the White Lady has returned to steal the children away, one by one, and consume their souls. Thankfully, friends Tom and Sally find Christopher and help him reconnect with his unique skills and talents, even as his memories elude him. But as motives and secrets are revealed, Christopher finds himself in a desperate race to reclaim his memories and discover the missing children before it’s too late.

The Traitor's Blade

The Traitor's Blade
Author: Kevin Sands
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Total Pages: 384
Release: 2022-06-07
Genre: Juvenile Fiction
ISBN: 1534484574

In 1666, after four months away, friends Christopher Rowe, Tom, and Sally return to London triumphantly but, guided by coded riddles, face a conspiracy that threatens Christopher, as well as the King himself.

Great Lakes Champions

Great Lakes Champions
Author: John H. Hartig
Publisher: MSU Press
Total Pages: 229
Release: 2022-10-01
Genre: Biography & Autobiography
ISBN: 1628954736

The Great Lakes—containing one-fifth of the standing freshwater on earth, covering some 94,250 square miles with a combined 10,210 miles of shoreline—have suffered greatly from human use and abuse since the advent of the commercial fur trade in the late 1600s. Logging destroys or degrades habitats, urbanization and industrialization pour human and industrial wastes into the water, fertilizers flowing off farm fields feed algae that suffocate other creatures, and ships bring in exotic species that decimate the lakes’ biodiversity. In 1985 when the International Joint Commission identified more than forty pollution hotspots around the lakes, few people had faith the Areas of Concern would be cleaned up in their lifetime. Indeed, aquatic ecosystem restoration is extremely difficult: only nine of these hotspots have been removed from the infamous list. But progress is being made, and at the helm are local champions, people with a profound love of the region who lead by example and build broad, diverse coalitions in order to realize a common vision. The stories of fourteen of these champions are told here to inspire necessary action to care for the place they call home, so it may be a home to many living creatures for ages yet to come.