From Newbery Medalist Avi comes a richly imagined, action-packed companion to his bestselling medieval mysteries Midnight Magic and Murder at Midnight
* 'The novel's pace is quick, and. . . the ending completely satisfying.' - Booklist, starred review
When King Claudio sends Mangus the Magician and his faithful servant, Fabrizio, to Venice to steal a manuscript that explains a magical method of making money, they must succeed in their mission or risk death. The manuscript is key to obtaining great profits for the king-and a secure future for Mangus and Fabrizio.
But Venice in 1492 is a dangerous place, full of foggy canals, cunning informers, and harsh punishments for those who steal its secrets. Before long, Mangus is snatched away into prison, and it's up to Fabrizio and his secretive new friend, Bianca, to navigate the city, find the manuscript before their enemies do, and keep Mangus alive!
Twelve-year-old Aurora is an artist like her father. Through a hundred drawing lessons, he guided her hand. Together they plan to paint a beautiful mural for Rory's mother. But then Rory finds her father in his studio kissing another woman. She is so mad that she burns her sketchbook.
Swirling riffs of language and a propulsive beat set this gritty, transcendent novel in motion.
Amid the sparkle and hum of a New York City winter, Jed and his best friend, Flyer, are filming a documentary of their neighborhood. All around them are images that Jed's older brother Zeke wrote about: drummers, drunks, dog walkers, and the beautiful water towers that dot the city's skyline. But what Jed is really in search of is Zeke, a poet who loved jazzman Charlie Bird Parker and who left behind his CDs, a notebook, and a lot of unanswered questions.
When Jed encounters a mysterious homeless girl he thinks holds the key to connecting him to Zeke, it could be his only way to unlock his deepest sorrow and discover how to be who to be on his own.
"This production is an example of how an audiobook can surpass its print parent. Dion Graham's first-person narration captures the grief, confusion, and search for meaning that Jed wrestles with."AudioFile
