Books with author elizabeth Claire

Out in the Park one day, children, I met a little boy not bigger than you are, who told me that he liked stories about a boy and a dog and the things they did together. He said that it must be a real boy and a real dog, and there must be other animals in the story, not great, big, fierce ones, but just neighborly ones-animals a boy might, perhaps, meet when he went for walks in the woods-and take pictures of and get to know. So this is the story of the way a real boy and a real dog spent their first summer in the real country; and the fun they had together.

The quiet of Dani's hiding place in the dark graveyard was disturbed by the sound of someone panting close by. Instantly awake, he saw a wild looking figure: a tall thin creature who stood starting at him, poised for flight." Mamo is sold into slavery after his mother's death and escapes. Dani is on the run from his rich but controlling father. The two boys come from very different worlds but are drawn together as they learn to survive on the city streets.

Jake is an unhappy little boy whose dream is to live in a tower, protected by a moat and a drawbridge. His room would be at the tower's very top, where he would always be safe and happy. In real life, Jake is never safe and he's seldom happy. He is often beaten by his mother's boyfriend, and his real father is somewhere far away. All Jake knows is that his real father gave him a cuddle and a fluffy duck on the day he was born, then went away, never to return. But that was many years ago. Finally, life becomes so unbearable for both Jake and his mother that they run away, seeking protection at the home of a formidable grandmother who has always refused to acknowledge Jake's existence. Jake's Tower is a powerful and realistic story for young readers that recounts a child's painful journey from despair to hope and love. (Ages 9-12)

"A recipe for happiness: four women, one medieval Italian castle, plenty of wisteria, and solitude as needed. The women at the center of The Enchanted April are alike only in their dissatisfaction with their everyday lives. They find each other-and the castle of their dreams-through a classified ad in a London newspaper one rainy February afternoon. The ladies expect a pleasant holiday, but they don't anticipate that the month they spend in Portofino will reintroduce them to their true natures and reacquaint them with joy. Now, if the same transformation can be worked on their husbands and lovers, the enchantment will be complete."

A storming high-seas adventure from a prizewinning authorWhen 12-year-old John Barr is forced to join the navy his life takes a dangerous turn. As he trains to become a powder monkey on board the mighty HMS Fearless, he soon learns that the ship hides many secrets. Thrust into a sinister world of spies and covert operations, John must go ashore accompanied by fellow shipmate Kit. But when their mission goes awry, the friends are abandoned and watch from the shore as the Fearless sail away. Can they now survive behind enemy lines?

In seventeenth-century Scotland, saying the wrong thing can lead to banishment—or worse. Accused of being a witch, sixteen-year-old Maggie Blair is sentenced to be hanged. She escapes, but instead of finding shelter with her principled, patriotic uncle, she brings disaster to his door. Betrayed by one of her own accusers, Maggie must try to save her uncle and his family from the king’s men, even if she has to risk her own life in the process. Originally published in the UK, this book has a powerful blend of heart-stopping action and thought-provoking themes.

“Lead us not into temptation, deliver us from evil.” These words ring true for seventeen-year-old Saydi Gardiner upon discovering her ancestry. But if she has any doubts, further confirmation is forthcoming and it comes in the form of a wickedly gorgeous Nathanael Braxton, when he steals her heart and cuddles into her sole – the last place the boy should be. Nineteen-year-old Nathanael’s unrelenting good looks aren’t the only thing that make him dangerous – and he knows it! However, his caring half-human self struggles with a loyalty – a loyalty that binds him to the hunt for the soul that will give his family the power they seek. There’s only one problem: When he finds her, Nathanael falls in love with his prey – Saydi.

At 12 years old, John Barr is cruelly separated from his father and pressganged into the Navy. Now a powder monkey onboard the mighty HMS Fearless, John has his first taste of bloody sea battle and soon learns that the ship hides many secrets.His new knowledge thrusts John into a shadowy world of naval espionage, right to the centre of a covert operation. Accompanied only by fellow shipmate, Kit, he must go ashore into hostile territory and outwit a nest of French spies. But when disaster strikes, the friends find themselves abandoned behind enemy lines…