Books with author Stephen Gilbert

In most ways, Robert is a typical sixteen year old boy growing up in the small village medieval village of Masden. He attends school, goes fishing with friends, and increasingly, has been learning his father's trade as stable master. As the story begins though, he's frustrated because his father seems to demand so much more from him than his friends' fathers want from their sons. He studies longer and reads more than anyone else. Strangest of all, his father has been teaching him to read, write, and speak in the old tongue, the forbidden language spoken by the nobility.Late one night, his life is turned upside down. He's awakened by loud pounding on the door and is stunned when he pokes his head over the railing of the loft, to see armed soldiers in chain mail pouring into the living room. Suddenly, his father leaps out with his own sword, turning the house into a battle zone. After his father is killed, Robert and his mother flee for their lives. Later, she takes out an old wooden box, opens it, and hands him a heavy ruby ring. "This belonged to your father. Now, I suppose it's yours."Mixing magic, swordplay, and adventure, Casting The Die is the first in a series that follows Robert's search for his true identity.

The first book of the Ruby Ring series, Casting The Die, tells the story of Robert, a sixteen year old boy from the village of Masden, who learns that the life he has been living has been a disguise. He wakes one night, to find that his home has been invaded by soldiers, sent by Duke Henry to capture him and his father. During the ensuing battle, Robert's father is killed and his twin sister kidnapped. Robert and his mother escape and go into hiding in a cave beneath an old hill fort.Several days later, his friend Johnny Tuppence, along with his family, also escape to the cave, bringing food and other supplies. They talk, and Robert discovers that his father was far more than the stable master in Masden, and that his legacy for his son is a large ruby ring that glows mysteriously whenever Robert slips it onto his finger. Johnny's father, Albert, refuses to say more, instead sending him with Johnny to hike across the country to the port of Waterton, where they meet with one of his father's old friends, Andrew Jameson.After a harrowing escape from Waterton, Jameson tells Robert that his father was actually Prince Gerald, son of the murdered King Stefan. When Robert refuses to believe him, Jameson has him put on the ring, which lights the room in a ruby glow. "It's the ring of kingship. It only glows when worn by the rightful King of Bonterra." Later, during one of his conversations with Johnny, Robert learns that his friend's family have always been the king's wizards. Robert scoffs at the idea until Johnny provides examples of his strange 'voice' and other pieces of his magic.The book ends with Robert forming a small group of followers, determined to restore his family to the throne.This book, Seizing The Crown, continues where the first leaves of. The book follows Robert and Johnny, as they work on enlisting allies in their cause. It also tells the story of his sister Marie, imprisoned in the duke's dungeon, and of the people she meets in her struggles to escape and join her brother.The first book introduces Frederick, Duke Henry's son, and the heir to his throne. Frederick becomes a major, and malevolent character in this book, and ultimately, he, Robert, and Marie battle for the throne of Bonterra.This is a story of adventure, swordplay, magic, intrigue, and betrayal. In the end, all of the characters are tarnished, and only one will claim the throne.

Eight year old James knows how difficult life can be. The child of a single mother, he's had to move frequently, always the new kid in the class, and in the town. Finally, he and his mother are able to leave apartment living behind and move into an old house in central California.The first day, while sweeping out the barn, he meets the girl next door. They become fast friends, and she introduces him to his school and to other boys and girls. His life changes though, when she takes him walking down the creek and stops by a shack built under a bridge. "That's Tom's house," she says. "Let's go see if he's home."

In most ways, Robert is a typical sixteen year old boy growing up in the small village medieval village of Masden. He attends school, goes fishing with friends, and increasingly, has been learning his father's trade as stable master. As the story begins though, he's frustrated because his father seems to demand so much more from him than his friends' fathers want from their sons. He studies longer and reads more than anyone else. Strangest of all, his father has been teaching him to read, write, and speak in the old tongue, the forbidden language spoken by the nobility. Late one night, his life is turned upside down. He's awakened by loud pounding on the door and is stunned when he pokes his head over the railing of the loft, to see armed soldiers in chain mail pouring into the living room. Suddenly, his father leaps out with his own sword, turning the house into a battle zone. After his father is killed, Robert and his mother flee for their lives. Later, she takes out an old wooden box, opens it, and hands him a heavy ruby ring. "This belonged to your father. Now, I suppose it's yours." Mixing magic, swordplay, and adventure, The Ruby Ring - Casting The Die is the first in a series that follows Robert's search for his true identity.

The first book of the Ruby Ring series, Casting The Die, tells the story of Robert, a sixteen year old boy from the village of Masden, who learns that the life he has been living has been a disguise. He wakes one night, to find that his home has been invaded by soldiers, sent by Duke Henry to capture him and his father. During the ensuing battle, Robert's father is killed and his twin sister kidnapped. Robert and his mother escape and go into hiding in a cave beneath an old hill fort. Several days later, his friend Johnny Tuppence, along with his family, also escape to the cave, bringing food and other supplies. They talk, and Robert discovers that his father was far more than the stable master of Masden, and that his legacy for his son is a large ruby ring that glows mysteriously whenever Robert slips it onto his finger. Johnny's father, Albert, refuses to say more, instead sending him with Johnny to hike across country to the port of Waterton, where they meet with one of his father's old friends, Andrew Jameson. After a harrowing escape from Waterton, Jameson tells Robert that his father was actually Prince Gerald, son of the murdered king. When Robert refuses to believe him, Jameson has him put on the ring, which lights the room in a ruby glow. "It's the ring of kingship. It only glows when worn by the rightful King of Bonterra." Later, during one of his conversations with Johnny, Robert learns that Johnny's family has always been a part of the king's court, as wizards. Robert scoffs at the idea until Johnny provides examples of his strange 'voice.' The book ends with Robert forming a small group of followers, determined to restore his family to the throne. This book, Seizing The Crown, continues where the first leaves of. The book follows Robert and Johnny, as they work on enlisting allies in their cause. It also tells the story of his sister Marie, imprisoned in the duke's dungeon, and of the people she meets in her struggles to escape and join her brother. The first book introduces Frederick, Duke Henry's son, and the heir to his throne. Frederick becomes a major, and malevolent character in this book, and ultimately, he, Robert, and Marie battle for the throne of Bonterra. This is a story of adventure, swordplay, magic, intrigue, and betrayal. In the end, all of the characters are tarnished, and only one will claim the throne.

There was always a mystique about bicycle ownership when I was a kid. Part of it was the play that we did on bikes, but another piece was the freedom that a bicycle conferred. Suddenly, the baseball field eight blocks from home wasn't too far away. The same could be said for the market, the tennis courts, and even the skateboard park over two miles from the house. But not all was fun. From the time that I was in the third grade, it was expected that I would ride the mile to school nearly every day. Having a bicycle meant employment too. No longer was I limited to pushing my dad's lawn mower around the neighborhood looking to cut grass. I began delivering newspapers when I was in the sixth grade. Unfortunately, a good bicycle is automatically a target for thieves. My bike was stolen when I was about twelve years old. I'd ridden with some friends to the neighborhood market, probably to buy candy. When we came out, my bike was gone and I was shattered. I reported it to the police, and surprisingly, they found it several days later in the creek that wound through town. It was muddy, and pretty well banged up, and never really rode the same again, but I learned from that. Always lock up the bike, and never ride anything showy. Though I owned several more bikes as a kid, none was stolen. I attributed that to a good lock and an ugly bike that I generally built myself from scavenged parts. Most ran very well, and one could have been used for racing competition, but each looked like it was about to fall apart.Sam Watkins is a sixth grade detective, complete with business cards and attitude. He and his two friends, Tomas and Pauli are in the business of solving mysteries. The loss of a bicycle, or in my previous book, a baseball bat, is mostly annoying to an adult. To a child in elementary school, it's life changing. They've lost something cherished. Baseball is less fun without your own bat. Mobility all of a sudden shrinks without a bike. Even more important than that, is their loss of trust in their fellow students. Sam's job is to identify and track down the thieves and return the stolen goods to their rightful owners.In the Mystery of the Missing Bicycle, Sam is hired by Bobby Matthews to find his bicycle. He'd come to school in the morning and parked his bike in the bike cage. When he went out to go home that afternoon, the bike was gone. Fortunately, Sam heard about the incident and volunteered to help.

And you thought your family was strange. I am dying. . . I might get the chance to know you before death takes me...I would like you to be my guest at Sommerset. . .I have enclosed a check for $ 10,000. . . Should you accept my offer... Uncle Silas has always been greedy, evil, insulting, and extremely rich! But a dying uncle with a vast fortune is definitely one worth getting to know. Even if it means spending 2 months on his secluded island home with a houseful of suspicious servants and a hungry pet crocodile. But what is Uncle Silas really up to? Will Adele, Milo, and Isabella outlive Uncle Silas to inherit his money? And just who is that mysterious "guest" in his basement? Is it worth the money (or their lives) to stick around and find out?

Sam Watkins is a sixth grade private eye, with an inquisitive mind, outgoing personality, and business cards. He's readily available and willing to help his friends to solve mysteries.In this story, Billy, a fourth grade boy, is riding his bicycle home from school. He's had a great day, in part because he got a new baseball bat for his birthday, and used it to hit a home run during recess. Unfortunately, a gang of eighth graders is looking for a new bat. They see Billy go home, and notice the sparkle of his bat in the basket in the back of his bike. They give chase, and manage to steal the bat. All seems lost, until Billy is introduced to Sam, who takes on his case.

Sam Watkins is a sixth grade private eye, with an inquisitive mind, outgoing personality, and business cards. He's readily available and willing to help his friends to solve mysteries.In this story, Billy, a fourth grade boy, is riding his bicycle home from school. He's had a great day, in part because he got a new baseball bat for his birthday, and used it to hit a home run during recess. Unfortunately, a gang of eighth graders is looking for a new bat. They see Billy go home, and notice the sparkle of his bat in the basket in the back of his bike. They give chase, and manage to steal the bat. All seems lost, until Billy is introduced to Sam, who takes on his case.