Books with author Thomas R. Ryan

Sequel to The Well of TearsThe Town of Superstition: Book ThreeThaddeus Cane has finally reached the foot of Wraith Mountain. He hopes to find his mother—changed into a dragon by the witch Isadora many years ago—and bring her back to Superstition to live with him and his father. With Teofil, his garden gnome boyfriend, and Teofil’s mother, sister, and their new elf friend, Thaddeus discovers that getting to his mother will not be as easy as they’d hoped. They are forced to shelter in the small town of Iron Gulch where Thaddeus’s father takes a job to secure the equipment they need to climb the mountain. The longer they stay in Iron Gulch, the more Thaddeus comes to believe things in the town are not as pleasant as they appear. When a new and vicious enemy reveals itself, Thaddeus and his group are thrust into a fight not only for their lives, but for the lives of the Iron Gulch residents. As the battle rages, they discover Thaddeus’s mother and struggle to free her and end Isadora’s tyranny once and for all.

How do soaps and detergents clean? Why do metals conduct electricity? How does burning fossil fuel contribute to global warming? The answers to these questions are found by examining the properties and behaviors of atoms and molecules. Insightful explanations and hands-on science activities simplify complicated chemistry principles into pieces of information that are more easily grasped. Sidebars include discussions on animals that can live thirty years without water, the Maillard reaction responsible for the taste and texture of french fries, the increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and how tires provide a cushion of air to smooth our rides. This book allows students to appreciate that when it comes to understanding the world around us, tiny molecules can provide big explanations.

The Town of Superstition: Books One and TwoThaddeus Cane is about to embark on the adventure of a lifetime--and learn a lot about himself along the way.It begins with another move to a new town, a place called Superstition that more than lives up to its name. From his bedroom window, Thaddeus watches his attractive new neighbor tending a magical garden. When curiosity and attraction compel Thaddeus to meet the young man, he discovers Teofil is a garden gnome. And that's just the first of many secrets to come to light in The Midnight Gardener.Thaddeus and Teofil's quest continues in The Well of Tears, when Thaddeus learns he is the son of a powerful witch and wizard. He has never known his mother--who was cursed when he was a baby--and he sets out to find her, accompanied by his boyfriend, Teofil. They encounter magical beings both benign and deadly, and when Thaddeus's father is injured, he is forced to make an impossible decision.

Sequel to The Battle of Iron Gulch The Town of Superstition: Book Four Thaddeus and his family and friends have returned from Iron Gulch and Thaddeus's summer of magical awakening to a very different life. For one, he has both his parents for the first time, though his mother is still haunted by terrors and powers she can't yet control. Teofil, Thaddeus's gnome boyfriend, is consumed with finding Thaddeus's evil uncle Lucian and answers about what happened to his brother, and he spends his days sequestered in Leopold's library, pouring over the old wizard's journals. When Thaddeus starts school and makes friends Teofil doesn't like, there's tension between them for the first time ever. Thaddeus's problems don't end there. It's harder and harder for him to conceal his magic, especially when facing the school bully. He's lost, confused, and lashing out, and for once, he finds no solace in those closest to him. His enemies are hiding in plain sight, biding their time, until the Bearagon reappears and instigates a fight not everyone will walk away from.