Books with author Michelle Moran

The world knows Madame Tussaud as a wax artist extraordinaire . . . but who was this woman who became one of the most famous sculptresses of all time? In these pages, her tumultuous and amazing story comes to life as only Michelle Moran can tell it. The year is 1788, and a revolution is about to begin. Smart and ambitious, Marie Tussaud has learned the secrets of wax sculpting by working alongside her uncle in their celebrated wax museum, the Salon de Cire. From her popular model of the American ambassador, Thomas Jefferson, to her tableau of the royal family at dinner, Marie’s museum provides Parisians with the very latest news on fashion, gossip, and even politics. Her customers hail from every walk of life, yet her greatest dream is to attract the attention of Marie Antoinette and Louis XVI; their stamp of approval on her work could catapult her and her museum to the fame and riches she desires. After months of anticipation, Marie learns that the royal family is willing to come and see their likenesses. When they finally arrive, the king’s sister is so impressed that she requests Marie’s presence at Versailles as a royal tutor in wax sculpting. It is a request Marie knows she cannot refuse—even if it means time awayfrom her beloved Salon and her increasingly dear friend, Henri Charles. As Marie gets to know her pupil, Princesse Élisabeth, she also becomes acquainted with the king and queen, who introduce her to the glamorous life at court. From lavish parties with more delicacies than she’s ever seen to rooms filled with candles lit only once before being discarded, Marie steps into a world entirely different from her home on the Boulevard du Temple, where people are selling their teeth in order to put food on the table. Meanwhile, many resent the vast separation between rich and poor. In salons and cafés across Paris, people like Camille Desmoulins, Jean-Paul Marat, and Maximilien Robespierre are lashing out against the monarchy. Soon, there’s whispered talk of revolution. . . . Will Marie be able to hold on to both the love of her life and her friendship with the royal family as France approaches civil war? And more important, will she be able to fulfill the demands of powerful revolutionaries who ask that she make the death masks of beheaded aristocrats, some of whom she knows? Spanning five years, from the budding revolution to the Reign of Terror, Madame Tussaud brings us into the world of an incredible heroine whose talent for wax modeling saved her life and preserved the faces of a vanished kingdom.

"The Hijab Boutique is a wonderful book that will appeal to young readers age 10 and up. Black and white illustrations add to the message's impact. One of the striking attributes of The Hijab Boutique is its sensitive treatment of the topic of respecting cultural differences, and rethinking automatic responses." —The Midwest Book Review"Michelle Khan's first children's book, The Hijab Boutique, is a quick read with a deep and resounding message... I’m excited to have such a simple yet profound story to share with my nieces, and any other girl who cares to read and learn a meaningful lesson about inner strength, faith, and womanhood through another’s eyes." —Luxury ReadingFarah enjoyed her private girls' school and fun with her friends. Then an assignment meant she had to talk about her mother for "International Woman's Day" in front of the whole class. Compared to her friends' glamorous actress, make-up artist, and tap-dancing mothers, what can her modest mother possibly have that is worth sharing with her classmates? To Farah's surprise, her mother was quite the business woman before putting her career on hold to care for her daughter.Michelle Khan is an award-winning Indian Canadian writer. She started her career at a University of Toronto student paper, and eventually her words hit daily newspaper pages. For six years, Michelle wrote an internationally syndicated youth advice column. Her work led her to win a $5,000 scholarship from book publisher Harlequin Enterprises Ltd. She went onto earn a $15,000 award from Global Television Network. Michelle lives in Toronto, Canada, with her parents and younger sister. This is her first chapter book for kids.

Nefertiti and her younger sister, Mutnodjmet, have been raised in a powerful family that has provided wives to the rulers of Egypt for centuries. Ambitious, charismatic, and beautiful, Nefertiti is destined to marry Amunhotep, an unstable young pharaoh. It is hoped by all that her strong personality will temper the young Amunhotep’s heretical desire to forsake Egypt’s ancient gods, overthrow the priests of Amun, and introduce a new sun god for all to worship. From the moment of her arrival in Thebes, Nefertiti is beloved by the people. Her charisma is matched only by her husband’s perceived generosity: Amunhotep showers his subjects with lofty promises. The love of the commoners will not be enough, however, if the royal couple is not able to conceive an heir, and as Nefertiti turns her attention to producing a son, she fails to see that the powerful priests, along with the military, are plotting against her husband’s rule. The only person wise enough to recognize the shift in political winds—and brave enough to tell the queen—is her younger sister, Mutnodjmet.Observant and contemplative, Mutnodjmet has never shared her sister’s desire for power. She yearns for a quiet existence away from family duty and the intrigues of court. Her greatest hope is to share her life with the general who has won her heart. But as Nefertiti learns of the precariousness of her reign, she declares that her sister must remain at court and marry for political gain, not love. To achieve her independence, Mutnodjmet must defy her sister, the most powerful woman in Egypt—while also remaining loyal to the needs of her family. Love, betrayal, political unrest, plague, and religious conflict—Nefertiti brings ancient Egypt to life in vivid detail. Fast-paced and historically accurate, it is the dramatic story of two unforgettable women living through a remarkable period in history.

At the dawn of the Roman Empire, when tyranny ruled, a daughter of Egypt and a son of Rome found each other... Selene's parents are gone, her country has been taken from her and she has been brought to the city of Rome in chains, with only her twin brother, Alexander, to remind her of home and all she once had. Paraded as captives and brought to live among the ruling family, Selene and her brother attend lessons, learning how to be Roman and where allegiances lie. Devoting herself to her artistic skill and training as an architect, she tries to make herself useful, in hope of staying alive and being allowed to return to Egypt. But before long, she is distracted by the young and handsome heir to the empire. But all is not well in the city and when the elusive 'Red Eagle' starts calling for the end of slavery, causing riots and murder, and the Roman army goes to war, Selene and Alexander, the children of Mark Antony, Rome's lost son and greatest rival, find their lives in grave danger.

Set in Los Angeles during the period of the Great Depression, A Girl Called Pearl tells the story of Pearl Parker, a young child growing up in the foster system.Through years of living with her beloved 'Aunt' Thelma, her abusive stepfather, her psychologically ill mother, and finally in an orphanage, Pearl spends her days reading about film stars, and wishing for a happy life. Finally, a chance comment by her mother sets Pearl off on a journey that will change her life forever... A quest to meet and speak to her idol, Jean Harlow.Will she succeed?

A moving novel about a teenage boy's coming-of-age amid the pressures and hardships of the Great Depression13-year-old Joe Riley lives with his violent father. When his hometown is hit by the Great Depression, his family gets involved with illegal activites to make ends meet. Joe is then sent to live at a Catholic boarding school, where he is faced with new hardships that further test his resilency and character. This is an unsentimental portrait of the 1930's Great Depression era. Impeccably researched and accessible, strong topics—including the realities of the Great Depression, domestic violence, and sexual abuse—are dealt with sensitively and at a level suitable for a young reader.