Most Popular Books by Cynthia Voigt

The iconic start to the timeless, Newbery-winning series from Cynthia Voigt. “It’s still true.” That’s the first thing James Tillerman says to his older sister, Dicey, every morning. It’s still true that their mother has abandoned the four Tillermans in a mall parking lot somewhere in the middle of Connecticut. It’s still true that they have to find their own way to Great-aunt Cilla’s house in Bridgeport. It’s still true that they need to spend as little as possible on food and seek shelter anywhere that is out of view of the authorities. It’s still true that the only way they can hope to all stay together is to just keep moving forward. Deep down, Dicey hopes they can find someone to trust, someone who will take them in and love them. But she’s afraid it’s just too much to hope for....

When hard times among the People revive the old stories of the hero Jackaroo, an innkeeper''s daughter follows her own quest to unlock the secret reality behind the legend.

Elske is a girl with no future—until her grandmother''s sacrifice saves her from certain death. Beriel is an imperious princess—determined to claim the kingdom that is her birthright. Fate brings them together, both exiles, one servant to the other. To Beriel, the mistress, Elske offers steadfast loyalty and courage—hard to come by in her dangerous quest to regain the throne she has been denied by treachery. To Elske, the handmaiden, Beriel’s proud example provides a perhaps even more precious gift: the strength to find her true self.

Bullet Tillerman is a track team star who answers to no one. He''d rather be cut from the team than work with the promising new runner, Tamer Shipp. But Bullet finds his own rules are becoming too painful to live by. "A powerful, intensely moving novel . . . unforgettable".--Horn Book, starred review.

There are some who say that the Lady Fortune has a wheel, and all men are fixed upon it. The wheel turns, and the men rise, or fall, with the turning of the wheel. Birle has agreed to be wed to the huntsman Muir as an escape from the drudgery of life at her father''s inn -- but the moment she looks into the bellflower blue eyes of the man she comes upon stealing one of her father''s boats, Birle knows she cannot marry Muir. Even after she discovers the mysterious stranger is Orien, a Lord and as unreachable to an innkeeper''s daughter as a star, Birle is determined to travel with him as far as he will allow. Their travels take Birle to a world far from home, a world where Lords may become slaves, where Princes rule by fear, and where Fortune''s Wheel turns more swiftly and dangerously than Birle could have imagined. Newberry Medalist Cynthia Voigt''s second novel of the Kingdom, set two generations later than Jackaroo, is a memorable combination of thrilling adventure and heart-stopping romance.

Letting GoThe four Tillerman children finally have a home at their grandmother''s rundown farm on the Maryland shore. It''s what Dicey has dreamed of for her three younger siblings, but after watching over the others for so long, it''s hard to let go. Who is Dicey, if she''s no longer the caretaker for her family?Dicey finds herself in new friends, in a growing relationship with her grandmother, and in the satisfaction of refinishing the old boat she found in the barn. Then, as Dicey experiences the trials and pleasures of making a new life, the past comes back with devastating force, and Dicey learns just how necessary -- and painful -- letting go can be.

A dashed dream leads to a rash decision in the fifth installment of Cynthia Voigt’s Tillerman cycle. Mina Smiths lives to dance, so her scholarship to ballet camp seems like a dream come true. She doesn’t even mind being the only black girl in the troupe—that is, until she is told she’ll never be a classical dancer. It’s then that Mina begins to face some difficult truths about race and identity and transfers her passion for dance to Tamer Shipp, the summer minister for her church. The problem is, he’s a grown man with a family, but she can’t stop wishing for more to their friendship than simply pastor and parishioner. Cynthia Voigt’s incomparable mastery of character and community shines forth in this stirring novel from her acclaimed Tillerman cycle.

A Newbery Honor–winning installment of the Cynthia Voigt’s classic Tillerman series. Jeff Greene was only seven when he came home from school to find a note from his mother. She felt that the world needed her more than her “grown up” son did. For someone who believed she could see the world’s problems so clearly, she was blind to the heartache and difficulties she pushed upon her son, leaving him with his reserved, undemonstrative father. So when, years later, she invites Jeff to spend summers with her in Charleston, Jeff is captivated by her free spirit and warmth, and a happiness he’s been missing fills him. But Jeff''s second visit ends with a devastating betrayal and an aching feeling of loneliness. In life, there can be emotional pits so deep that seemingly nothing will grow—but if he digs a little deeper, Jeff might just come out on the other side.

It''s not fair that Clothilde''s father has returned from World War I so disfigured that he retreats to the boathouse as a recluse. It''s not fair that her brother has abandoned the family to live with his rich grandfather in Boston. It''s not fair that her mother has reverted to the role of a lady, leaving Clothilde to do all the housework. And it''s certainly not fair that the Maine peninsula that Clothilde inherited from a great-aunt may have to be sold to support the family. Then a mysterious Voice speaks to Clothilde, giving her the chance to change the life fate has dealt her and the people she loves. But Clothilde''s wishes come true in unexpected, frightening ways -- and at a price she isn''t sure she has the courage to pay.

Phineas and Althea''s father receives an unexpected appointment as curatorof a collection of Egyptian antiquities, including one mummy. When the mummy is stolen, Phineas and Althea find themselves involved in a mystery that quickly escalates to kidnapping and attempted murder.

Will a common cause unite two brothers—or drive them further apart? Find out in the sixth installment of Cynthia Voigt’s Tillerman cycle. If James and Sammy Tillerman agree on anything, it’s that they have nothing in common. Sammy is a tough jock, while James is an intellectual who has begun to question his identity. Then James enlists his brother’s help to find Francis Verricker, who may be the father who deserted them long ago. Through this quest, the brothers learn more about themselves than they thought possible. Cynthia Voigt writes realistically of human failure—and triumph—in this poignant novel from her acclaimed Tillerman cycle.

Dicey struggles to make a go of a boatbuilding business while facing family concerns, romantic problems, and the uncertainties of a drifter who offers to help her in her work.

Now that they’re in seventh grade, Mikey and Margalo decide it’s time to be popular—or at least, time to be less unpopular. The trouble is, typical, normal kids are what work in junior high, and if there’s one thing Mikey and Margalo aren’t, it’s typical and normal. Mikey’s first attempt to crack seventh grade society ends, predictably, in disaster, but, undaunted, the friends persevere. They’ve got the will, they’ve got the smarts, and most importantly, they’ve got each other. What chance does junior high have against the Bad Girls?

Although eighth grade is halfway over, Mikey never does anything halfway. So it’s no surprise that when she develops a not-so-secret crush on Shawn Macavity, the heartstoppingly gorgeous star of the school play, she goes a bit overboard. Soon Mikey—Mikey?—has a stylish new wardrobe, and she’s baking Shawn cookies, writing their initials on blackboards, even buying him a T-shirt emblazoned “I LOVE ME.” Fellow Bad Girl Margalo tries to get Mikey to turn things down a notch, but why should Mikey listen to her? After all, what does Margalo know about being in love? Or is Margalo hiding a romantic fantasy of her own? In this fourth book in Cynthia Voigt''s Bad Girls series, as Mikey and Margalo struggle to understand that funny thing called love, they find that boys may come and go, but bad girls are bad for life.

Love stories aren’t about how they end. A chance meeting on a street corner with her childhood friend Orfe plunges Enny into the tough world of popular music. As Orfe’s business manager, Enny sees Orfe and her band, the three Graces, arrive at the brink of success—and watches Orfe''s dangerous obsession with Yuri. Yuri, with his black, tightly curled hair that hangs like the tendrils of grape vines. Yuri, with his dark eyes that look right into yours as if he doesn’t want to miss anything about you. Yuri, with a problem that may be deeper and stronger than the love he and Orfe share. Orfe’s music has always been her salvation, but it may not be enough to save Yuri. And without Yuri, what will become of Orfe herself?

Cynthia Voigt crafts a novel about discovery, perspective, and the meaning of home—all through the eyes of an affable and worried little mouse. Fredle is an earnest young fellow suddenly cast out of his cozy home behind the kitchen cabinets—into the outside. It''s a new world of color and texture and grass and sky. But with all that comes snakes and rain and lawnmowers and raccoons and a different sort of mouse (field mice, they''re called) not entirely trustworthy. Do the dangers outweigh the thrill of discovery? Fredle''s quest to get back inside soon becomes a wild adventure of predators and allies, of color and sound, of discovery and nostalgia. And, as Fredle himself will come to understand, of freedom.

Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt presents this charming middle grade novel about two border collie puppies growing up on a farm—a brother and sister who couldn''t be more different from each other...or so they think. "Voigt''s touch with dogs is as deft as it is with humans," raved The Horn Book. Angus and Sadie are siblings, but that doesn''t mean they''re the same. Angus is black-and-white and bigger. He is a good, brave, and clever dog—and he likes that. Sadie, on the other hand, is red-and-white and small. She isn''t as quick to learn—or to obey. Angus thinks she''s scared of everything, but Sadie knows that''s not true. She''s just different. This heartwarming story of two wonderful border collie siblings growing up on a farm in Maine is perfect for young readers who enjoyed Ann M. Martin’s A Dog’s Life and John Grogan’s Marley books, animal lovers of all ages, and anyone who''s ever had—or wondered what it would be like to have—a brother or sister just like themselves, but very, very different.

YA. Powerful tale of sexual abuse.

From the award-winning author of Homecoming and Dicey''s Song comes a heartfelt adult novel perfect for readers of Judy Blume. Rida is an orphan out of California who dances for the troops in the USO. Spencer is a naval officer with roots deep in New England’s upper crust. They meet during World War II at an Officer’s Club dance, and Spencer might have been dissuaded if he saw just one engagement ring on her finger, but instead, he sees four. The courtship is easy, Rida wins him and wears his ring alone. But Rida is a wild card, and Spencer’s family can’t accept her unconventional approach to marriage, motherhood, and life. Even Rida’s four daughters struggle to understand her, but for them it becomes a quest—to untangle the mystery of their stubborn, off-beat, clear-sighted, loving, and above all mesmerizing mother. Award-winning author Cynthia Voigt has penned a novel for readers who grew up loving her Newbery Award-winning novels for children and young adults. By Any Name features an indelible woman who sees lines as meant to be crossed, changing the lives of all who come into contact with her indefatigable spirit.

Think carefully. That’s the advice Jean Wainwright always gets from her beloved Aunt Constance, Jean’s guardian and headmistress at the boarding school where she lives. It’s advice that proves valuable when Jean finds herself spending the summer far from home, sorting out family papers for the reclusive Mr. Thiel, a trustee of Aunt Constance’s school and the widower of her childhood friend Irene Callender. At Mr. Thiel’s isolated country estate, Jean is surrounded by bewildering questions from the past. Why is there such hatred between Mr. Thiel and his late wife’s brother? Was her death an accident? And what happened to their child, who disappeared after Irene Thiel’s death? Do the answers lie in the Callender papers? And will searching for the answers put Jean’s own life in jeopardy?

What would it be like to be older than your father? Brann Connell is sick of hearing his parents argue all the time. Seems to Brann his dad could stand up for himself more, instead of building a wall of excuses to hide behind. But some things never change—after all, his dad has always been this way. Or has he? Brann never imagined that he would actually get the chance to find out. But suddenly he is hurled back in time to spend the day with his father as a young boy. In this single mystifying day of adventure, Brann discovers that there is more to his dad—and fate—than he thought.

The trappings of high society are brought to life in this sparkling novel by the Newberry medalist who’s considered “a master of pure story” (Kirkus Reviews). We are none of us what we seem. Gregor has an eye for the expensive. It’s a talent that makes him a fine appreciator of art and a stellar butler. Handsome and barely in his thirties, Gregor’s choice of work baffles even his employer, wealthy playboy Theo Mondleigh. If only he knew how Gregor spent his free time. While Theo’s parents strong-arm him into marriage, Gregor’s looking for a match of his own. His one requirement: money, and a lot of it. When Gregor’s not working, his days are spent charming the wealthiest single women he can find. His latest mark is Alexis. She’s got money, youth, and the disenchantment to match, but the more time he gambles spending with her, the deeper he finds himself falling in love. She’s charming, intelligent, and engaged to the one man that could strip Gregor of his veneer of wealth. When worlds collide, much more is at stake than their fledgling love.

"Mister Max, Solutioneer, helps the mayor investigate a string of mysterious fires, while attempting to solve the mystery of his parents'' disappearance on the side"--

Life had always been predictable for Ann…until she met her college roommates, Niki and Hildy. Niki is always in motion, brash, often vulgar, with a philosophy of “win at any cost.” And Hildy’s aura of serene wisdom cloaks a most unusual way of looking at things. The trio becomes inseparable—until something happens that changes their lives forever.

It’s not easy being Mikey Elsinger and Margalo Epps in ninth grade. It seems like things are changing. Now some people want to sit at the same lunch table with them, and some even ask them for advice. What are the two friends to make of this strange behavior? Frankly all the attention cuts into the little time they have together and distracts attention from their own interests, like tennis and drama, and their own problems, like cheating in tennis and things not going the way Margalo plans they will in drama. In the opinion of these two bad girls, ninth grade can’t end fast enough! But no matter how bad things get, one thing’s for sure: They’ll have each other. The final book in the acclaimed Bad Girls series, Bad Girls, Bad Girls, Whatcha Gonna Do? is another funny, insightful, and realistic novel from Newbery Medal winner Cynthia Voigt.

“A sweet and uplifting read.”—Publishers Weekly Celebrated Newbery Medal–winner Cynthia Voigt introduces Little Bird, a tiny crow with a big imagination and an even bigger heart, in this timeless read-alone and read-aloud just right for the young middle grade audience. Little Bird features black-and-white illustrations by Newbery Medalist Lynne Rae Perkins throughout. When a wild fisher cat attacks their nest, Little Bird and her flock are devastated. Not only does the fisher cat harm the fledglings, but it also makes off with the shiny pendant that the superstitious crows rely on for good luck. Little Bird believes that she can find the lucky pendant and return it to the nest before disaster strikes. The other crows aren’t so sure—after all, Little Bird is so little and undependable and meek. But with the help of some new friends—including a very funny goat—Little Bird journeys through forests and over lakes and fields, challenging her wits and survival skills along the way. The crow who returns home is wiser, braver, kinder, and ready—at last—to spread her wings. Newbery Medal–winner Cynthia Voigt’s gentle humor, sense of fun and adventure, and delightful main character sing off the page in this timely short novel about bravery and friendship, illustrated by Newbery Medal–winner Lynne Rae Perkins. A page-turning read-aloud for families and classrooms, and a terrific book for fans of Nuts to You, by Lynne Rae Perkins, and Avi’s Poppy books.

Meet Toaff: a lovable squirrel, and new standout character, searching for a place to call home in this gem of a story by a Newbery Medal-winning author. Toaff is a small squirrel full of big questions. Why must I stay away from the human''s house? Why shouldn''t I go beyond the pine trees? Why do we fight with the red squirrels across the drive? His sister shrugs--that''s just the way things are. His brother bullies--because I said so. And the older squirrels scold--too many questions! Can Toaff really be the only one to wonder why? When a winter storm separates him from his family, Toaff must make his own way in the world. It''s a world filled with danger--from foxes and hawks and cats to cars and chainsaws. But also filled with delight--the dizzying scent of apple blossoms, the silvery sound of singing, the joy of leaping so far you''re practically flying. Over the course of a year, Toaff will move into (and out of) many different dreys and dens, make some very surprising friends (and a few enemies), and begin to answer his biggest questions--what do I believe and where do I belong? Master storyteller Cynthia Voigt offers readers a rich and rewarding story of finding one''s way in the world.

What would you wish for? In this young middle-grade novel by the Newbery Medal– and Newbery Honor–winning author, four kids in the same town are each granted two wishes. Full of magic, adventure, friendship, family, surprises, and lots of dogs, this is for readers who love Katherine Applegate and Sara Pennypacker. How do such things happen? Something appears, sudden as disaster. It wasn’t there and now it is. An envelope arrives, in your mailbox, on your dinner table, your dresser, your computer keyboard. It’s in your hand. You are alone when it finds you. No one else sees it, to ask about it or take it from you. There is only your name on the envelope. Inside, two pieces of pale gray tissue paper, each the size of a playing card, and simple instructions: ONE WISH AT A TIME WHISPER IT TO ME BE WISE Magic? Impossible. But what if . . . ? Casey, Zoe, Billy, and Bug live in the same town. They don’t know one another . . . yet. But mysteriously, they are connected by magic. Specifically, they’ve each been given two wishes. What would you wish for? Casey yearns for a dog. Zoe wants her parents to stop fighting. Billy has always wanted a unicorn. Bug would love a Lego kit, a really complicated one. And do their wishes come true? The answer may surprise you.

Fans of classic toy stories like Winnie-the-Pooh by A. A. Milne, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo, and Toys Go Out by Emily Jenkins will love this illustrated novel by Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt. Winner of a Parents Choice Silver Honor Award Teddy is a thinking kind of bear. Of all his friends, he does the most wondering. He lives with a ragtag group of lost toys—a very hungry snake, an elephant who likes to bake, two charmingly silly pigs, and a reclusive penguin—and they all bump along happily together. But their peaceful world gets shaken up when new toys arrive—first a rabbit, who is not as soft and floppy as he looks, and then a beautiful doll with royal ambitions. Will the newcomers learn to fit into the community? Or will the community be forever changed by them? As Teddy the philosopher would answer: Yes. Cynthia Voigt’s charming tale of community and compromise comes alive in the adorable pictures from Paola Zakimi. Fully illustrated and lovingly designed, this book would make a terrific gift or family read-aloud. "An affirming celebration of friendship, kindness, and embracing new experiences and relationships." --Publishers Weekly "This work has a classic sensibility, reminiscent of Winnie-the-Pooh. A great option for one-on-one bedtime read-alouds." --School Library Journal

When fifth graders Mikey and Margalo devise a plan to prevent Mikey''s parents from getting a divorce, the two friends find their scheme foiled by a new girl at school.

A car accident causes fifteen-year-old Izzy to lose one leg and face the need to start building a new life as an amputee.

Originally published as On fortune''s wheel. New York: Atheneum, 1990.

Originally published under the title Jackaroo. New York: Atheneum, 1985.

The prospect of freedom is weighted with danger in this tale of high adventure, the third book in the Tales of the Kingdom series from Newbery Medalist Cynthia Voigt. Oriel has always stood out as someone who would not bend. No matter how much he has had to endure, the Damall’s cruelty cannot corrupt him. Griff, a boy who has watched and admired Oriel, is the opposite. He has learned to keep out of sight, to bow in the face of force. Yet the two became friends, and together they escaped from the terrors of the island and take with them the Damall’s most prized relic—the beryl, a green gemstone engraved with a falcon, its wings unfolding. But as they seek a new life, it’s not as easy as they’d hoped, for ahead lie raiding Wolfers, rival armies, and unspeakable dangers... Previously published as Wings of a Falcon, this classic tale features a new look and a new title.

Newbery medalist Cynthia Voigt presents a rollicking mystery in three acts! Max''s parents are missing. They are actors, and thus unpredictable, but sailing away, leaving Max with only a cryptic note, is unusual even for them. Did they intend to leave him behind? Have they been kidnapped? Until he can figure it out, Max feels it''s safer to keep a low profile. Hiding out is no problem for a child of the theater. Max has played many roles, he can be whoever he needs to be to blend in. But finding a job is tricky, no matter what costume he dons. Ironically, it turns out Max has a talent for finding things. He finds a runaway child, a stray dog, a missing heirloom, a lost love. . . . So is he a finder? A detective? No, it''s more. Max finds a way to solve people''s problems—he engineers better outcomes for them. He becomes Mister Max, Solutioneer. Now if only he could find a solution to his own problems . . .