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THE HAUNTING OF GRANITE FALLS
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
“When Hiram C. Hopgood purchases
a Scottish castle, called Castle Cara, for
his daughter, Helen, and has it shipped
back to Texas, he has no idea that he
has also acquired a coterie of ghosts that
have lived in the castle for hundreds of
years. But after Helen and the castle’s
former owner, 12-year-old orphan Alex
MacBuff, who has accompanied Hopgood
to America, are kidnapped, it’s the
resident ghosts…who come to the rescue.
Ibbotson…excels in her depiction of
quirky characters, and the idea of Scottish
ghosts in rural Texas adds absurdity
to the convoluted, comical plot.”
—Booklist
Rec: BL, C, H
5 1/16 x 7 7/8 224 pp. 2005
978-0-14-240371-6 $5.99
THE ISLAND OF THE AUNTS
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
When the kindly old aunts decide that
they need help caring for creatures who
live on their hidden island, they know
that adults can’t be trusted. What they
need are a few special children who can
keep a secret-a secret as big as a magical
island. “At once funny and poignant, the
story is a fascinating tapestry comprising
vivid human characters, powerfully imagined
magical creatures, and an engrossing
plot.” —Booklist
Rec: BL, C, K, PW, SLJH
5 1/16 x 7 7/8 304 pp. 2001
978-0-14-230049-7 $5.99
JOURNEY TO THE RIVER SEA
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Accompanied by Miss Minton, a fiercelooking,
no-nonsense governess, Maia, a
young orphan, sets off for the wilderness
of the Amazon, expecting curtains of
orchids, brightly colored macaws, and
a loving family. But what she finds is an
evil-tempered aunt and uncle and their
spoiled daughters. “The unconventional
cast of characters is highly appealing,
and Ibbotson does a wonderful job of
turning genre themes topsy-turvy in
delightfully humorous style, at the same
time adding fine details that expand and
enrich the traditional orphan-adventure
plot.” —BooklistH
Rec: BLH, C, H, KH, PW, SLJH, V
5 1/16 x 7 7/8 304 pp. 2003
978-0-14-250184-9 $5.99
NOT JUST A WITCH
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
“Two witches, longtime best friends at
their school (their motto was ‘Witches
against Wickedness’), vow to use their
powers to make this world a better place.
At graduation, however, the women
feud, then go their separate ways until a
dastardly villain tricks them into casting
wicked spells for his benefit. The witches
eventually draw together again and work
to undo the magic they have done. The
fast-moving plot, sympathetic characters,
and moments of humor keep the story
humming along to its satisfying conclusion.”
—Booklist
Rec: BL, SLJ
5 1/16 x 7 7/8 192 pp. 2004
978-0-14-240232-0 $5.99
THE SECRET OF PLATFORM 13
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
When the prince of a magical island is
kidnapped by a London housewife, a
strange band of rescuers must find him
and bring him home. “Ibbotson’s lively
fantasy is full of fun...[readers] will be
delighted by the adventure.”
—School Library JournalH
Rec: CLJ, HG, K, PW, SLJH, SLJ
5 1/16 x 7 3/4 240 pp. 1999
978-0-14-130286-0 $6.99
THE STAR OF KAZAN
Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
“Abandoned as a baby, Annika is found
and adopted by Ellie and Sigrid, cook
and housemaid for three professors.
Growing up in early-20th-century Vienna,
she learns to cook and clean and is
perfectly happy until a beautiful aristocrat
appears and claims to be her mother,
sweeping her off to a new life in a crumbling
castle in northern Germany…Almost
every character is distinct, but
the ones that stand out are the ‘regular
folk,’ individuals whose sense of decency
propels them into amazing acts of courage…An
intensely satisfying read.”
—School Library JournalH
Rec: BLH, C, H, KH, PWH, SLJH, V
5 1/16 x 7 7/8 416 pp. 2006
978-0-14-240582-6 $6.99
WHICH WITCH?
Illustrated by Annabel Large
Arriman the Awful, the Wizard of the
North, needs a wife, and naturally, the
only woman can marry is a witch. But
which witch will Arriman choose? Warty,
wicked, or just plain rude—witches
galore enter his spell-casting competition
including poor Belladonna whose spells
conjure up pink begonias or ice-cream
sundaes instead of vipers or toads.
Rec: BH, BL, C, K, NYT, SLJH
5 1/16 x 7 3/4 240 pp. 2000
978-0-14-130427-4 $5.99
See index for more titles by Eva Ibbotson.
135 ◆
Ages 8-12 • Intermediate Independent Reads