Books with author Diane Stanley

Strange things have been happening at Franny's new school.First it was the Jelly Worm Fad.Then came the exploding headaches that kept students home for days.When the latest creepy phenomenon lands her sister in the hospital, Franny and her new friend, Beamer, try to get to the bottom of it.Following a hunch, Franny discovers the one link that all these kids share—they're rabid fans of I. M. Fine, author of the mega-popular Chillers series.But I. M. Fine is nowhere to be found ... or is he)Admirers of Diane Stanley's celebrated nonfiction picture-book biographies and her critically acclaimed novel, A Time Apart, are in for a treat as she shows her playful side in this quirky, fast-paced, and humorous mystery.

"An engaging fantasy. A most worthy and enjoyable entry in the ‘feisty female’ fantasy genre,” said Kirkus Reviews.Don't miss The Silver Bowl, which received three starred reviews, was named a best book of the year by Kirkus Reviews and Book Links Lasting Connections, and was an ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice.Unwanted at home, Molly becomes a humble scullery maid for the King of Westria. She arrives at the castle with no education, no manners, and a very disturbing secret: She sees visions that always come true.In time, Molly begins polishing the castle's fine silver pieces, which include one priceless royal treasure: the king's great ceremonial hand basin. But whenever she touches it, the silver warms beneath her fingers and the bowl's designs swirl into a vision that only she can see. A dreaded curse has befallen each generation of the royal family—and now it threatens the handsome Prince Alaric.Together with her friends Tobias and Winifred, Molly must protect the prince and destroy the curse. Could a less likely champion be found to save the Kingdom of Westria?

Award-winning author and illustrator Diane Stanley engagingly tells the story of a brilliant boy who grew up to be a complex and often troubled young man—a man who composed some of the most beautiful music of all time. This nonfiction picture book is an excellent choice to share during homeschooling, in particular for children ages 6 to 8. It’s a fun way to learn to read and as a supplement for activity books for children.With stunning and expressive illustrations, she portrays Mozart's turbulent life as a marionette show, inspired by the famous Salzburg Marionette Theatre, using an innovative artistic approach to present the life of a renowned musical genius. In concise and lyrical prose, Stanley presents an honest and sympathetic portrait of the boyhood and tragically short adulthood of a composer whose music has lived on for more than two hundred years.

0nce upon a time a miller's daughter was given an impossible task by a cruel and greedy king. She had to spin straw into gold. And who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin.According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller's daughter are wed. But wait just a minute! This king is definitely not husband material, and there's someone else who is--a hardworking guy who's supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch.Why not marry Rumpelstiltskin?In Diane Stanley's merry rethinking of the traditional tale, Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter are wed...and then sixteen years later their only daughter is stuck in the same dilemma: She's been locked in a room full of straw to spin for a greedy king! She could call for help from her father, but this fairy-tale heroine has some canny plans of her own.How Rumpelstiltskin's daughter sets things to rights in the troubled kingdom, while achieving a unique place for herself, makes for a wise and witty tale of kindness and cleverness rewarded. Diane Stanley's wickedly funny text and zesty illustrations put a delightful new spin on a classic fairy tale.Rumpelstiltskin's daughter may not be able to spin straw into gold, but she is more than a match for a monarch whose greed has blighted an entire kingdom. 2000-2001 Georgia's Picture Storybook Award & Georgia's Children's Book Award Masterlist01-02 Land of Enchantment Book Award Masterlist (Gr. 3-6) 99-00 Children's Book Award

It started with jelly worms...Kids all over the country are acting strangely after reading the latest books in the mega-popular Chillers series. First, it's the seemingly innocent Jelly Worm fad. But it quickly turns sinister, with exploding headaches sweeping the nation, and then a serpent surprise that lands several kids, including Franny's little sister, in the hospital.Franny is convinced that I. M. Fine, author of the Chillers books, is behind it. With the help of her friend Beamer, she is determined to track down the mysterious author and find out once and for all if the books really are causing all the trouble. After all, a book can't be that dangerous, can it?

A heartfelt and magical middle grade novel in the tradition of Tuck Everlasting and Bridge to Terabithia, about family, wishes, and the power of true friends to work magic. While cleaning out her reclusive grandfather’s house, Joplin discovers pieces of a broken platter in a cookie tin. After having the platter repaired, Joplin wishes that she could both find a friend at school, and befriend the girl pictured in the platter.The next day, Joplin befriends a boy named Barrett, and also notices a girl outside her apartment. A girl who looks remarkably like the girl in the platter…The girl introduces herself as Sofie, and she has a terrible secret. Cursed to grant wishes for the owner of the platter for all of time, she has been trapped for centuries. Joplin and Barrett vow to help her, but freeing Sofie is more complicated than they could have imagined, and the three friends end up against a sinister foe who could put them all in terrible danger.

Molly's exciting story concludes in this final book of Diane Stanley's acclaimed trilogy, which began with The Silver Bowl and The Cup and the Crown—a perfect series for fans of Megan Whalen Turner.With tensions rising between the kingdoms of Westria and Austlind, Molly and Tobias accompany King Alaric to Cortova, where he hopes to form an alliance with the powerful King Gonzalo—an alliance that would be sealed by Alaric's marriage to Gonzalo's daughter, the beautiful princess Elizabetta. But the devious Gonzalo has plans of his own. Upon arriving in Cortova, Alaric is shocked to find that there is already another suitor vying for Princess Elizabetta's hand: his own cousin, Prince Rupert of Austlind.As the days pass, Alaric, Molly, and Tobias find themselves trapped in a suspenseful game of courtly intrigue that soon takes a dangerous turn. For once, Molly's magical visions are little help—they reveal nothing beyond hazy threats. Everything turns around Princess Elizabetta, but is she truly a friend or simply another player in her father's crafty game?

In this spirited new version of "Goldilocks," we meet a determined heroine with a mind of her own. Goldie knows exactly what she likes -- and what she doesn't. Can she help it if everyone she invites over is too bossy or too boring or too snobby or too rough? What she desperately wants is a friend who is just right -- someone she can love with all her heart. Then one day, Goldie gets off the bus at the wrong stop, walks to a nearby cottage to find help, and opens the door. . . Diane Stanley, author and illustrator of Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter, once again takes an old tale and gives it a fresh spin that is funny as well as perceptive. Readers will love accompanying Goldie on her up-to-date adventure and discovering the clever, heartwarming surprise at its end.

A heartfelt and magical middle grade novel in the tradition of Tuck Everlasting and Bridge to Terabithia, about family, wishes, and the power of true friends to work magic. While cleaning out her reclusive grandfather’s house, Joplin discovers pieces of a broken platter in a cookie tin. After having the platter repaired, Joplin wishes that she could both find a friend at school, and befriend the girl pictured in the platter.The next day, Joplin befriends a boy named Barrett, and also notices a girl outside her apartment. A girl who looks remarkably like the girl in the platter…The girl introduces herself as Sofie, and she has a terrible secret. Cursed to grant wishes for the owner of the platter for all of time, she has been trapped for centuries. Joplin and Barrett vow to help her, but freeing Sofie is more complicated than they could have imagined, and the three friends end up against a sinister foe who could put them all in terrible danger.

"An engaging fantasy. A most worthy and enjoyable entry in the ‘feisty female’ fantasy genre,” said Kirkus Reviews.Don't miss The Silver Bowl, which received three starred reviews, was named a best book of the year by Kirkus Reviews and Book Links Lasting Connections, and was an ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice.Unwanted at home, Molly becomes a humble scullery maid for the King of Westria. She arrives at the castle with no education, no manners, and a very disturbing secret: She sees visions that always come true.In time, Molly begins polishing the castle's fine silver pieces, which include one priceless royal treasure: the king's great ceremonial hand basin. But whenever she touches it, the silver warms beneath her fingers and the bowl's designs swirl into a vision that only she can see. A dreaded curse has befallen each generation of the royal family—and now it threatens the handsome Prince Alaric.Together with her friends Tobias and Winifred, Molly must protect the prince and destroy the curse. Could a less likely champion be found to save the Kingdom of Westria?