Books with author Mary Hoffman

The Stravaganza series returns with ever-more-dangerous politics and intrigue. Sky, a new Stravagante, is whisked away from his dreary life in London to Giglia, the Talian version of Florence. Featuring favorite characters from the first two titles in the series, including Georgia and Falco, as well as a host of exciting new characters, this breathtaking adventure will not disappoint. But beware-in the beautiful City of Flowers, much that seems beautiful is in fact poisonous...

Set in Talia, a parallel world very similar to 16th-century Italy, the narrative follows Lucien, who in our world is very ill. Given a marbled notebook to use as a diary, the notebook is the unexpected means that transports Lucien to this dangerous new world; a world that thrills to the delight of political intrigue and where a life can be snuffed out with a flash of a merlino blade. The city of Bellezza (Venice in our world) is astonishingly evoked, with a filmic eye to detail, from the sensuousness of silks and velvets, to the thrill and danger of assassination attempts both and foiled and successful. The world of Talia is unforgettably and convincingly real.

To mark the 20th anniversary of the publication of Amazing Grace, the spirited little girl with a big imagination is coming back to Puffin in two fun chapter books! In Encore, Grace!, when Grace's family and group of friends change, Grace turns to her imagination to cope with things like a new girl in school and the death of a family friend. In Bravo, Grace!, Grace deals with more change. This time her mother is remarrying and they are moving to a new house, there's a bully in school, and there's a new baby on the way! But despite all the changes, Grace always has her family and friends to support her, and she always finds a way to handle new situations in positive ways."Hoffman's successful African-American protagonist provides a wonderful role model for today's multicultural school community in this second volume of short, clear, event-filled chapters." - Kirkus Reviews review for Encore, Grace!

The latest installment in the critically acclaimed Stravaganza series begins with Matt, the new Stravagante. Despite having a beautiful and very smart girlfriend, Matt is insecure because he is dyslexic. He discovers that he is capable of traveling between two worlds when a leather-bound book transports him from his home in England to Talia, the parallel-world version of Italy, where he meets a fellow-Stravagante named Luciano-who is hiding from the powerful di Chimici family. Luciano has just killed the head of that family in a duel, and is in grave danger. Banding together, Matt and Luciano must resist the di Chimici family, who are on the verge of making a terrifying breakthrough into our world. Beloved by fans of both fantasy and historical fiction, the Stravaganza series is more exciting than ever. MARY HOFFMAN is the author of the first three Stravaganza books, as well as The Falconer's Knot and the international bestseller, Amazing Grace. Mary has often traveled to research the settings for her many books set in Italy. She has three grown children, and lives with her husband in England. www.maryhoffman.co.uk PRAISE FOR STRAVAGANZA: "Utterly fascinating, this rich, rip-roaring adventure... will no doubt whet readers' appetites for Italian history and culture as well as the next installment."-Booklist starred review, on City of Masks

Sequel to City of Masks and City of Stars, the narrative moves to the Talian equivalent of the city of Florence, where beauty and danger walk - as ever - hand in hand. The focus this time is on the new Stravagante, Sky, whose talisman is an ornate and delicate blue glass bottle. Sky is propelled right into the midst of a deadly feud between the di Chimici and Nucci families, who think nothing of sliding a knife between a man's ribs for revenge . . . A breathtaking and thrilling drama with a very special kind of magic, continuing the stories of Luciano, Arianna, Rodolfo, Falco and Georgia, which fans will sieze upon with glee.

Sequel to City of Masks, the setting is again Talia, the parallel world very similar to 16th-century Italy, but the main character in this book is Georgia - who has a love of horses. She is desperate to buy a little, dusty winged horse that has appeared in a local antique shop. This tiny, winged horse proves to be the talisman that transports Georgia right into the rivalries and the high-octane excitement of the hugely competitive Stellata horse race. Mary Hoffman proved herself a mistress of a narrative tour-de-force with City of Masks and this sequel will not disappoint. Fans will be thrilled too that favourite characters from the first book, such as Lucien and Arianna, again appear.

Who belongs in the fruit bowl? Apples, check. Blueberries, check. Tomato, che-- Wait, what?! Tomato wants to join the other fruits, but does he belong? The perfect mix of botany and a bunch of bananas!All the fruit are in the bowl. There's Apple and Orange. Strawberry and Peach. Plum and Pear. And, of course, Tomato.Now wait just a minute! Tomatoes aren't fruit! Or are they?Using sly science (and some wisdom from a wise old raisin), Tomato proves all the fruit wrong and shows that he belongs in the bowl just as much as the next blueberry! And he's bringing some unexpected friends too!"A fun, brain-teasing food literacy lesson that's a cornucopia of produce and wordplay."--Publishers Weekly, starred review"An a-peel-ing addition."--School Library Journal