Books with author Kristiana Gregory

*** NEW free study guide written by the author: www.kristianagregory.com *** Nessa can't remember a home other than the orphanage, and now she has no choice but to leave. Her plan is to escape on the next stagecoach west -- one headed toward Prairie River, Kansas, a town in the middle of nowhere. When Nessa arrives at the small settlement, she has no money and nowhere to go. Worst of all, she is alone. The townspeople are suspicious of her. They see her as a newcomer with no family and no past. Nessa is about to learn that life on the prairie is hard -- it's a trial of her strength and her faith as a Christian.

*** NEW free study guide written by the author: www.kristianagregory.com ***** " ... terrific ... " - VOYA** "Exciting ... those who have not read 'Legend' will certainly want to do so after finishing this one." - SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL** "Gregory packs her chapters with enough action, drama, and humor to please even hard-core reluctant readers. A painless way to learn American history." - BOOKLIST Award-winning author Kristiana Gregory picks up where THE LEGEND OF JIMMY SPOON leaves off, in this fast-paced, robust historical adventure based on the true exploits of Elijah Nicholas Wilson. Salt Lake City, 1860: It's been several years since young Jimmy Spoon returned from living with the Shoshoni and he's restless. Working at the family store is drudgery. He longs to get out of the city, to breathe fresh air, and to sleep under the stars. One day, he sees a newspaper ad: "WANTED: Young, skinny, wiry fellows not over 18. Must be expert riders, willing to risk death daily, orphans preferred. Wages $25 a week ... " It's the chance of a lifetime. And Jimmy knows he's a perfect candidate. After years with the Indians, he can ride a horse like no other white boy. The trail boss hires him on the spot. But riding for the Express isn't easy. A rider must cover 50 miles a day through rugged terrain that exhausts three or four horses on each trip. Living conditions are primitive. There are outlaws, angry tribes, blistering heat and below-zero winters.And all along, Jimmy yearns to return to his Shoshoni family. Especially to rekindle his friendship with the lovely Nahanee.

*** NEW free study guide written by the author: www.kristianagregory.com ***The cousins discover a mysterious stranger sneaking into the local dump. When bikes, toasters, and other items disappear all over town, they begin to suspect he might be up to no good. But when these items show up again, fixed and freshly painted, Jeff, David, and Claire are confused. What kind of thief repairs and returns his stolen goods?

*** NEW free study guide written by the author: www.kristianagregory.com ***-- California history at its finest. Short chapters and high adventure for reluctant readers with glossary and photo. Highly recommended by fourth-grade teachers. When 12-year-old Danny and six-year-old Judd lose their parents to pneumonia in 1878, they are sent to an orphanage in San Francisco. The headmaster wants to separate the brothers and send them to different families, but because they have only each other they escape. They make their way to the dangerous mining camp of Bodie, California in the High Sierra to be with their Uncle Hank. A tenderhearted croupier named Madame Mustache (true person!) takes them under her wing, along with other orphans roaming the raucous town. When the boys find their Uncle Hank and learn he's involved with a Chinese woman, they realize life with him won't be what they had expected.

*** NEW free study guide written by the author: www.kristianagregory.com ***When a girl's face appears, then disappears, outside a window of their spooky old schoolhouse, the cousins think they've seen a ghost. More strange clues -- piano music lilting through empty halls, a secret passageway, and an old portrait that looks like the girl from the window -- make Jeff, David, and Claire begin to wonder: Is their school just spooky, or could it be ... haunted?

Nessa is still struggling to find her place in Prairie River, and things aren't getting easier. On a personal note, Nessa wants to be Ivy's friend, so she decides to tell her a secret - someone else's secret - and it swells into a devastating rumor. Professionally, Nessa is reinstated as the town's teacher only to learn that countless townspeople still blame her for the death of one of the children. Mr. Applewood warns her that people have doubts about her and she will be under harsh scrutiny. Nessa strives to earn the trust of those around her, knowing it will take time. When a prairie fire sweeps toward the schoolhouse, Nessa must find a way to protect her young students.This is #2 in the series.