Books with author Adèle Geras

This spellbinding collection of eight well-known stories was created and designed especially for children. Acclaimed author Adèle Geras has dramatically retold familiar operas such as The Magic Flute and Aida, giving us timeless tales filled with magic, love, war, friendship, and a host of larger-than-life characters. Eight popular illustrators have brought these splendid stories to life in a colorful array of styles. Additionally, each opera is accompanied by spectacular costume sketches and a brief biography of the composer. The end result is a truly beautiful, fresh, entertaining, and child-friendly collection for the whole family.

The siege of Troy has lasted almost ten years. Inside the walled city, food is scarce and death is common. From the heights of Mount Olympus, the Gods keep watch. But Aphrodite, Goddess of Love, is bored with the endless, dreary war. Aided by Eros's bow, the goddess sends two sisters down a bloody path to an awful truth: In the fury of war, love strikes the deadliest blows. Heralded by fans and critics alike, Adèle Geras breathes personality, heartbreak, and humor into this classic story.

ITHAKA tells the story of the women left behind after the end of the Trojan War. While Odysseus is slowly making his way home, overcoming terrible obstacles sent by the gods, his wife Penelope does not know whether he's alive or dead. How long will she be able to withstand the pressure of the numerous suitors who seek her hand (and Ithaka) - and will she remain as faithful as mythology states, or might she fall in love with one of them? The vivid colours of life on the abundant island of Ithaka are evoked with magic and warmth, as Penelope and those around her tell their own incredible stories. Interspersed with wonderful verse retellings of Odysseus' adventures, this is a thrilling novel with a contemporary feel.

The Tower Room: Loosely based on Rapunzel, this is the story of a sudden, unexpected, passionate relationship and the unforessen yet inevitable results of defying convention. When Megan glimpses Simon from her tower room, their worlds are changed forever. Watching the Roses: A modern version of Sleeping Beauty, this is a haunting tale of treachery and betrayal. An ill-wishing has been placed on Alice, and it seems to be coming true. Pictures of the Night: A retelling of the Snow White fairytale, this is a thirlling story of jealousy and enchantment. Is Bella's stepmother really as wicked as she believes?

1895: Cecily longs to learn the new art of photography and is determined that her widowed father will come to love it too, especially when she realises that her new friend and photographer, Rosalind, would be a perfect match for him. Will her dreams of uniting them ever come true? A touching and beautiful tale set at No.6 Chelsea Walk. Adele Geras has previously been shortlisted for the Whitbread Children’s Book Award and Highly Commended for the Carnegie Medal. "Dramatic stories with a real sense of atmosphere." - The Guardian

When six brothers are turned into swans by an evil queen, their fate falls into the hands of their younger sister. Can she save them - and herself - before it's too late?This story is a magic bean. It may not look much like a bean, but I can promise you that it is. For if you plant it in a young mind, it will grow into a love of story and reading. These beans are favourite fairytales and legends that will delight, thrill and thoroughly entertain. Each story has been brilliantly crafted by one of the best-loved writers for children. This story was published by David Fickling Books as part of the Magic Beans anthology. The complete anthology is available in hardback and in ebook format.

1857: On an extended visit to her cousins in London, country girl Lizzie struggles to adapt to her new life of stiff manners and formal pastimes at No. 6 Chelsea Walk. And her dream of becoming a gardener is certainly frowned upon. But like her elder cousin, who wants to defy her middle-class upbringing and become a nurse, Lizzie has the strength of will to act against stifling Victorian conventions. And the chance to visit the newly opened Kew Gardens presents her with the ideal opportunity to start working towards her grand ambition... Adele Geras has previously been shortlisted for the Whitbread Children’s Book Award and Highly Commended for the Carnegie Medal. "Dramatic stories with a real sense of atmosphere." - The Guardian

Blossom, a plump and contented cat, is horrified when six-year-old Prissy comes to stay with 'her' family. Suddenly there is nowhere she can go and doze without being disturbed, no place she can hide from Prissy. And when Prissy pulls her tail (no-one has done that since she was a little kitten!), Blossom makes up her mind: Prissy must go!All she needs is a plan...

Megan, Bella and Alice inhabit the isolated world of a girl's boarding school, Egerton Hall, buried deep in the English countryside. The Tower Room which they share is remote and high, and from it the three survey the everyday drama of school life. With only months to go until their final exams they are already sensing the dangerous delights awaiting them in the grown-up world. Megan feels a special poignancy about leaving school; orphaned soon after she came to Egerton Hall, she has virtually been brought up there as the ward of the science mistress.But it is Megan who looks down from the Tower Room that unforgettable morning, to meet Simon's inquisitive gaze. As Megan rushes to embrace her fate, her safe, cocooned world is transformed forever . . .Loosely based on the Rapunzel fairytale, this highly original novel is the story of a sudden, unexpected, passionate relationship and the unforseen yet inevitable results of defying convention.

At the dawn of the twentieth century, Mina, Daniel, Yasha, and Rachel are just a few of the many people leaving their countries for America. They have great hopes for their new lives, but before they can achieve their dreams, they must survive the long and difficult voyage across the sea. As passengers in an overcrowded steerage compartment, they must endure hunger, thirst, and even brushes with death. And as they struggle to hold on to their hopes for a better future, they find that even under such harsh conditions, friendship and love can flourish. Includes a reader's guide.

Once Megan, Bella and Alice shared a room. The Tower Room was theirs alone, remote from the rest of Egerton Hall School and here they formed a deep friendship which would continue long after they left their enchanted world. But now something is very wrong with Alice - poisoned by dark memories and unable to speak to a single soul it seems the ill-wishing placed on her has come true. Even her closest friends don't seem able to save her from the nightmare . . . Based loosely on the fairytale Sleeping Beauty, this is a haunting tale of treachery and betrayal.