Best Selling Books by Diane Stanley

In the little village of Castle Down, in a kingdom plagued by war, lives a peasant girl called Bella. Blessed with a kind family and a loving friend, she manages to create her own small patch of sunlight in a dark and dangerous world. Bella is a blacksmith''s daughter; her friend Julian is a prince -- yet neither seems to notice the great gulf that divides his world from hers. Suddenly Bella''s world collapses. First Julian betrays her. Then it is revealed that she is not the peasant she believed herself to be: She is Isabel, the daughter of a knight who abandoned her in infancy. Now he wants her back, so Bella is torn from her beloved foster family and sent to live with her deranged father and his resentful new wife. Soon Bella is caught up in a terrible plot that will change her life -- and the kingdom -- forever. With the help of her godmother and three enchanted gifts, she sets out on a journey in disguise that will lead her to a destiny far greater than any she could have imagined.

Sweetness, one of eight orphans living with a man who is an unconventional housekeeper, learns to read and writes an important letter to improve their situation.

Strange things have been happening at Franny''s new school. First it was the Jelly Worm Fad. Then came the exploding headaches that kept students home for days. When the latest creepy phenomenon lands her sister in the hospital, Franny and her new friend, Beamer, try to get to the bottom of it. Following a hunch, Franny discovers the one link that all these kids share—they''re rabid fans of I. M. Fine, author of the mega-popular Chillers series. But I. M. Fine is nowhere to be found ... or is he) Admirers of Diane Stanley''s celebrated nonfiction picture-book biographies and her critically acclaimed novel, A Time Apart, are in for a treat as she shows her playful side in this quirky, fast-paced, and humorous mystery.

Against the fascinating tapestry of Frances history during the Hundred Years'' War, Diane Stanley unfolds the story of the simple thirteen-year-old village girl who in Just a few years would lead France to independence from English rule, and thus become a symbol of France''s national pride. It is a story of vision and bravery, fierce determination, and tragic martyrdom. Diane Stanley''s extraordinary gift to present historical information in an accessible and child-friendly format has never been more impressive, nor her skillful, beautifully realized illustrations (here imitating medieval illuminated manuscripts) more exquisite.

"This biography of Queen Elizabeth I does an excellent job of describing the context of her life so that reasons for many of her actions become clear . . . The resulting depth . . . will give the book a wide audience".--Booklist, starred review. Bibliography included. 1990 Notable Children''s Book in the Field of Social Studies.

The time by the lake is everything perfect about a childhood summer…and maybe it also holds the answers Max needs. Give this tender middle grade novel to readers who love the mystery, friendships, and touches of magic in novels by Rebecca Stead and Laurel Snyder! To get Max and Rosie’s minds off their mother’s mysterious disappearance, their grandmother, Mozelle, suggests that they visit the old log cabin where their mom spent her summers as a child. This is a place where, when it gets dark, you go to bed. But according to Mozelle, their mother had her happiest dreams during her nights at the lake. That first night, Max and Rosie travel in their dreams to an almost impossibly beautiful place where they meet a wonderful new group of friends. But was it really just a dream? Or is there something extraordinary and magical about this compound by the lake? As Max slowly grasps what is really going on, he wonders if he might have found the key to the mystery of his mother’s disappearance—and how to bring her safely home.

While her mother undergoes treatment for cancer, 13-year-old Ginny is sent to live with her father in England, where she becomes part of an archeological experiment to investigate life during the Iron Age.

Transformed into a bird for a day, a child joins a flock of wild geese in glorious flight.

Readers who love the adventure in Megan Whalen Turner’s Newbery Honor novel The Thief will be captivated by Molly’s dangerous magical quest in this thrilling sequel to Diane Stanley’s novel The Silver Bowl. Night after night, Molly has visions of a beautiful goblet: one of her grandfather’s loving cups, which he filled with magic that bound people together. So it hardly surprises Molly when handsome King Alaric asks her to find a loving cup to help him win the heart of the beautiful Princess of Cortova. As Molly and her friends Winifred and Tobias journey in search of a loving cup, a mysterious raven joins their quest and appears to guide them all the way to the hidden city of Harrowsgode. There, Molly discovers secrets about her own family as well as the magic of the loving cup. But Harrowsgode is hidden for a reason, and leaving is more difficult than Molly imagined. Will she be able to escape, let alone bring a loving cup to King Alaric?

Molly''s exciting story concludes in this final book of Diane Stanley''s acclaimed trilogy, which began with The Silver Bowl and The Cup and the Crown—a perfect series for fans of Megan Whalen Turner. With tensions rising between the kingdoms of Westria and Austlind, Molly and Tobias accompany King Alaric to Cortova, where he hopes to form an alliance with the powerful King Gonzalo—an alliance that would be sealed by Alaric''s marriage to Gonzalo''s daughter, the beautiful princess Elizabetta. But the devious Gonzalo has plans of his own. Upon arriving in Cortova, Alaric is shocked to find that there is already another suitor vying for Princess Elizabetta''s hand: his own cousin, Prince Rupert of Austlind. As the days pass, Alaric, Molly, and Tobias find themselves trapped in a suspenseful game of courtly intrigue that soon takes a dangerous turn. For once, Molly''s magical visions are little help—they reveal nothing beyond hazy threats. Everything turns around Princess Elizabetta, but is she truly a friend or simply another player in her father''s crafty game?

Franny is thrilled when she''s accepted by the Allbright Academy, an elite private boarding school designed to train leaders. But she knows she''s not as smart as the other kids there—or as beautiful, accomplished, confident, or mature. The fact is, the Allbright students—from their shining teeth and flawless complexions to their sky-high test scores and long lists of honors—are absolutely perfect. Then the Allbright magic begins to rub off on Franny, too. The question is: Is this a good thing? Can Franny and her friends Cal, Brooklyn, and Prescott un-ravel the Allbright Academy''s secret, or will they, too, succumb to its eerie perfection?

Celebrate 400 years of Shakespeare''s legacy with this repackage of award-winning author Diane Stanley''s tribute to the world-famous playwright William Shakespeare. Nobody knows exactly when or why William Shakespeare left his boyhood home of Stratfor

Peter the Great, crowned tsar of Russia at the age of ten, believed that whatever he wanted he should have -- and the sooner the better. What he wanted most was to bring his beloved country into the modem world. He traveled to the West to learn European ways -- the first tsar ever to leave Russia -- disguised as a common soldier. He explored the West with excitement and curiosity and returned home ready to undertake a series of momentous social reforms. And to satisfy his boyhood dream of a Russian naval port, he began to build, on a freezing swamp, a glittering new capital to be named St. Petersburg. In this welcome reissue of Diane Stanley''s acclaimed picturebook biography, her meticulously researched text and sumptuous illustrations capture the fabulous world of seventeenth -- and eighteenth-century tsarist Russia and the greatness of its larger-than-life leader -- a man of huge stature and tremendous spirit whose impatience and vision, insatiable curiosity and boundless energy transformed half a continent.

When two paintings hanging across from each other in a museum fall in love, a resourceful art student finds a way to unite the lovers.

As a new wave of protests sweeps the nation and the world, young readers will be inspired by these accounts of activists who refused to be ignored. "This book is right on time."--Nikki Grimes, Children''s Literature Legacy Medal Winner From music to marches, from sit-ins to walk-outs, activists throughout history have defended the disenfranchised and demanded reform, refusing to back down even in the face of violent oppression and overwhelming opposition. Today, a new generation of activists has arisen, speaking up in unprecedented numbers against systemic oppression, bias, and injustice. Resist!, a collection of 21 brief but comprehensive essays accompanied by striking artwork and rich supplementary material by Diane Stanley, reminds us of the activists who came before: the men and women who have used peaceful resistance and non-violent protests to make their voices heard. Featured figures include: Harriet Tubman, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Woody Guthrie, Mohandas Gandhi, Irena Sendler, The Hollywood Ten, Claudette Colvin and Rosa Parks, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, The Greensboro Lunch Counter Sit-in protestors, Martin Luther King, Jr., Larry Itliong, Dolores Huerta, Cesar Chavez, Richard Oakes, The Tree-Sitters of Pureora, Father Luis Olivares, Tank Man, Nelson Mandela, Ryan White, Ai Weiwei, the "It Gets Better" Project, The March For Our Lives protestors, and Greta Thunberg. Diane Stanley, award-winning author and illustrator of many distinctive informational books for young people writes with passion and conviction of the world''s greatest activists, past and present, in this book which is as hopeful as it is inspiring.

What if you could close your eyes and open them to find you were amongst hundreds of pioneers in 1843, packing up your covered wagon to travel the 2,000 miles of the Oregon Trail? Meet twins Liz and Lenny and their unique grandmother, who, with the help of her magic hat, can transport the twins to any time in history. In their first journey, the twins spend eight months crossing the country on foot and by covered wagon, braving the mountain ranges and river valleys, battling floods and droughts, and cooking slam-johns and sowbellies over buffalo chips. Diane Stanley''s spirited, humorous, and historically accurate depiction of day-to-day life on the Oregon Trail is brought to life with Holly Berry''s energetic illustrations. Overflowing with fun, informative details, and word balloons that capture each piece of dialogue, young readers will be transported into an exciting page in American history alongside the adventurous Time-Traveling Twins. Children''s Pick of the Lists 2000(ABA) and Children''s Books 2000-NY Public Lib.

Moe the dog and his friend Arlene can''t afford to spend their winter vacation in Tahiti, so they create their own tropical paradise.

In this version of Rapunzel, the heroine breaks the enchantment put on her by the ogress who keeps her prisoner with the aid of three acorns.

"A fascinating look at Ada Lovelace, the pioneering computer programmer and the daughter of the poet Lord Byron." --

An unwanted child. A brilliant genius. Born in 1452 to a peasant woman and a country gentleman, Leonardo da Vinci was one of the most amazing people who ever lived. He grew up to be a great painter, sculptor, architect, scientist, and inventor. As a boy, Leonardo was apprenticed to a famous artist. But he quickly became more skillful than his teacher, and his passionate interests went far beyond art. Fascinated with the human body, he carried out his own experiments in secret. He filled thousands of pages with plans for incredible inventions including a submarine, an air-cooling system, "glasses to see the moon large," and even a flying machine! In this magnificent addition to a distinguished series that includes Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, and Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare, award-winning author-artist Diane Stanley blends wonderful storytelling with gorgeous illustrations to convey the A 1996 ALA Notable Book A 1997 Boston Globe-Horn Book Honor Book for Nonfiction A 1997 Orbis Pictus Award A 1996 Publishers Weekly Best Books Award 00-01 Land of Enchantment Book Award Masterlist (Gr. 3-6)

Liz, Lenny, and Grandma are back for another time-traveling adventure. With the Fourth of July fast approaching, there''s only one thing for them to do ... Join the Boston Tea Party! With the help of Grandma''s magic hat, the twins journey back to Boston in 1773. From powdered wigs and petticoats to Indian pudding and chamber pots, Liz and Lenny get a firsthand look at life in colonial America. But best of all they actually join the "Mohawks" as they dump tea into Boston Harbor and help begin the American Revolution. Diane Stanley once again blends humor and historical detail in this exciting second installment of the Time-Traveling Twins series. Featuring word balloons packed with comedy and lots of information, and Holly Berry''s inviting illustrations, this book will make readers jump at the chance to join the twins as they learn about history by living it!

From the team behind the acclaimed Ada Lovelace, Poet of Science comes a delicious and “lively” (Booklist, starred review) nonfiction picture book biography about pioneering chef Alice Waters who kickstarted the organic food movement. Whenever young Alice Waters tasted something delicious, like the sun-warmed berries from her family’s garden or a crisp, ripe apple picked straight from the tree, she would remember it for the rest of her life. Later, as she tasted many more wonderful foods, she realized what made them so good—they were fresh and ripe, grown or made the old-fashioned way. When Alice grew up, she opened a restaurant called Chez Panisse. As part of her quest to make delicious food, Alice sought out small, local farmers to provide the meat, dairy, and produce. The restaurant made her famous, but it did much more than that—it started a food revolution. Today, home cooks and chefs alike are all discovering the simple secret to the Best! Food! Ever! This book is a celebration of food, cooking, and the woman whose curiosity and devotion to flavor kickstarted America’s interest in buying local, organic food.

Wouldn''t it be great to be part of that famous Thanksgiving feast at Plymouth Plantation back in 1621? Then join the Time-Traveling Twins as they sit down to an enormous FOUR-DAY feast, complete with puddings, pompions, pottages, and, of course, turkeys. Meet Squanto and the other Native Americans. Help with the harvest. Find out what it was like to be a Pilgrim. Once again, historian Diane Stanley''s fun and impeccably researched text is brought to life by Holly Berry''s accessible illustrations. Word balloons, engaging characters, and all sorts of wonderful details about the beginning of this American tradition await the lucky adventurer who journeys back with the Time-Traveling Twins.

0nce upon a time a miller''s daughter was given an impossible task by a cruel and greedy king. She had to spin straw into gold. And who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin. According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller''s daughter are wed. But wait just a minute! This king is definitely not husband material, and there''s someone else who is -- a hardworking guy who''s supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch. Why not marry Rumpelstiltskin? In Diane Stanley''s merry rethinking of the traditional tale, Rumpelstiltskin and the miller''s daughter are wed...and then sixteen years later their only daughter is stuck in the same dilemma: She''s been locked in a room full of straw to spin for a greedy king! She could call for help from her father, but this fairy-tale heroine has some canny plans of her own. How Rumpelstiltskin''s daughter sets things to rights in the troubled kingdom, while achieving a unique place for herself, makes for a wise and witty tale of kindness and cleverness rewarded. Diane Stanley''s wickedly funny text and zesty illustrations put a delightful new spin on a classic fairy tale. Rumpelstiltskin''s daughter may not be able to spin straw into gold, but she is more than a match for a monarch whose greed has blighted an entire kingdom. 2000-2001 Georgia''s Picture Storybook Award & Georgia''s Children''s Book Award Masterlist 01-02 Land of Enchantment Book Award Masterlist (Gr. 3-6) 99-00 Children''s Book Award

When he was born, Michelangelo Buonarroti was put into the care of a stonecutter''s family. He often said it was from them that he got his love of sculpture. It certainly didn''t come from his own father, a respectable magistrate who beat his son when he asked to become an artists apprentice. But Michelangelo persevered. His early sculptures caught the attention of Florence''s great ruler, Lorenzo de'' Medici, who invited the boy to be educated with his own sons. Soon after, Michelangelo was astonishing people with the lifelike creations he wrested from marble--from the heartbreaking Pieta he sculpted when he was only twenty-five to the majestic David that brought him acclaim as the greatest sculptor in Italy. Michelangelo had a turbulent, quarrelsome life. He was obsessed with perfection and felt that everyone--from family members to his demanding patrons--took advantage and let him down. His long and difficult association with Pope Julius II yielded his greatest masterpiece, the radiant paintings in the Sistine Chapel, and his most disastrous undertaking, the monumental tomb that caused the artist frustration and heartache for forty years. With her thoroughly researched, lively narrative and superbly detailed illustrations, Diane Stanley has captured the life of an artist who towered above the late Renaissance--and whose brilliance in architecture, painting, and sculpture amazes and moves us to this day. Children''s Books 2000-NY Public Lib., Books for Youth Editor''s Choice 2000 (Booklist), Lasting Connections 2000 (Book Links), Best Books 2000 (School Library Journal), Top 10 Youth Art Books 2000 (Booklist), and Notable Children''s Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies 2001, National Council for SS & Child. Book Council

The sheriff of a dusty western town rescues Sweetness, an unusually resourceful orphan, from nasty old Mrs. Sump and her terrible orphanage.

The country is at war, terrorists strike at random, widespread rationing is in effect, and the power grid is down. But thirteen-year-old Sky Brightman is remarkably untouched by it all. She lives off the grid on sixty acres of rural New Mexico ranch land with chores to do and horses to ride and no television or internet to bring disturbing news into her family''s adobe house. Sky''s schoolmates think she''s a little weird. Then a string of mysterious arrests begins, and her new friend, Kareem, becomes a target. Sky is finally forced to confront the world in all its complexity. Summoning her considerable courage and ingenuity, she takes a stand against injustice. With humor, hope, and fierce determination, she proves that even a child can change the world.

"An engaging fantasy. A most worthy and enjoyable entry in the ‘feisty female’ fantasy genre,” said Kirkus Reviews. Don''t miss The Silver Bowl, which received three starred reviews, was named a best book of the year by Kirkus Reviews and Book Links Lasting Connections, and was an ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice. Unwanted at home, Molly becomes a humble scullery maid for the King of Westria. She arrives at the castle with no education, no manners, and a very disturbing secret: She sees visions that always come true. In time, Molly begins polishing the castle''s fine silver pieces, which include one priceless royal treasure: the king''s great ceremonial hand basin. But whenever she touches it, the silver warms beneath her fingers and the bowl''s designs swirl into a vision that only she can see. A dreaded curse has befallen each generation of the royal family—and now it threatens the handsome Prince Alaric. Together with her friends Tobias and Winifred, Molly must protect the prince and destroy the curse. Could a less likely champion be found to save the Kingdom of Westria?

Queen of Egypt at the age of eighteen, Cleopatra''s passion was to untie the world under Egyptian rule. Legendary leaders risked their kingdoms to win her heart, and her epic life has inspired countless tales throughout history. A timeless story of love, war, and ambition, their pictorial biography is sure to entertain and educate.

Charles Dickens is one of the world''s greatest and best loved writers. To read Great Expectations, A Christmas Carol, or Nicholas Nickleby is to be drawn into a society that still seems fresh and real today: nineteenth-century London with its extraordinary extremes of wealth, progress, poverty, and despair. Dickens captures it all in plots that are by turns wildly comical, wonderfully melodramatic, and tragic to the point of tears. In his writing and later, in his dramatic readings, Charles Dickens was a master showman, mesmerizing the whole world. His novels are stuffed to bursting with unforgettable characters like Mr. Micawber, Ebineezer Scrooge, and Little Nell. Most affecting are his portraits of children abused and abandoned by the Industrial Age. David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, and Tiny Tim are mirrors that reflect the twisted values of their time. The twists of Dickens''s own life encompassed childhood suffering as well as international acclaim. When he was twelve, his father was consigned to debtors'' prison and Charles to working in a blacking factory. Not twelve years later The Pickwick Papers would propel him toward literary stardom. In their lovingly researched, incisively written biography, illustrated with a lushness and attention to period detail of which Dickens would have approved, Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema illuminate his inspirations, his impact on nations of readers, and his gleaming genius that has only brightened with time. A handsome book on the beloved novelist. Dickens''s troubled, well-documented life has plenty to interest children....Lucid, accessible....A lively, entertaining story for children who enjoy A Christmas Carol in its various guises....A must.

In this spirited new version of a classic fairy tale, we meet a determined heroine with a mind of her own. Can she help it if everyone she invites over is too bossy or too boring or too snobby or too rough? What Goldie desperately wants is a friend she can love with all her heart. And one day, she finds one who''s just right.

A biography of the nineteenth-century military genius and Zulu chief.

A heartfelt and magical middle grade novel in the tradition of Tuck Everlasting and Bridge to Terabithia, about family, wishes, and the power of true friends to work magic. While cleaning out her reclusive grandfather’s house, Joplin discovers pieces of a broken platter in a cookie tin. After having the platter repaired, Joplin wishes that she could both find a friend at school, and befriend the girl pictured in the platter. The next day, Joplin befriends a boy named Barrett, and also notices a girl outside her apartment. A girl who looks remarkably like the girl in the platter… The girl introduces herself as Sofie, and she has a terrible secret. Cursed to grant wishes for the owner of the platter for all of time, she has been trapped for centuries. Joplin and Barrett vow to help her, but freeing Sofie is more complicated than they could have imagined, and the three friends end up against a sinister foe who could put them all in terrible danger.

In a picture-book biography acclaimed for both its accuracy and beauty, Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema describe how Shaka, a brilliant military strategist, rose from humble beginnings to lead a mighty people nearly two centuries ago. It is an unforgettable story."Stanley presents the life story of Shaka, a Zulu military genius who became king of his people in the eighteenth century....The illustrations are full-color paintings that convey a quiet intensity in their portrayal of Shaka and his people."--Booklist

From master storyteller Diane Stanley comes a spellbinding tale, based on Shakespeare''s The Tempest, of two princes—one chosen, one lost—and a mysterious girl on a magical island, all caught in a great web of destiny. On the day of his birth, Prince Alexos is revealed to be the long-awaited champion of Athene. He grows up lonely, conscious of all that is expected of him. But Alexos discovers that being a champion isn''t about fame and glory—it''s about sacrifice and courage. Alexos follows the course of his destiny through war and loss and a deadly confrontation with his enemy to its end: shipwreck on a magical, fog-shrouded island. There he meets the unforgettable Aria, and faces the greatest challenge of his life.

William Shakespeare was the son of a glovemaker, a small-town boy with a grammar school education. Yet he grew up to become the greatest English-speaking playwright in the world. Bard of Avon: The Story of William Shakespeare is both his story and that of a great art rediscovered in the modern world. Drama had been forgotten since the days of ancient Greece, but it reemerged in Elizabethan London with the building of the first modern theater. Its impact can still be imagined today. There were the theaters, open to the weather and featuring neither sets nor curtains, but equipped with dramatic special effects. There were the companies of actors--the leading men, the comedians, the boys who played women''s roles--and the playwrights who gave them all lines to say. Best of all, there was William Shakespeare, who rubbed shoulders with noblemen and royalty as well as with the rowdy crowds at the foot of the stage. He was suspected of involvement in a treasonous rebellion, and his last play literally brought down the house when cannon effects set fire to the famous Globe theater and it burned to the ground. Award-winning collaborators Diane Stanley and Peter Vennema have once again created a feast of words and pictures to celebrate the life of a remarkable person from the pages of history: William Shakespeare, a man for all time."

Author Diane Stanley brings to life the true & remarkable story of a girl''s unforgettable journey to freedom, & the courage that sustained her. Elena & her four sisters bloomed like flowers in the quiet garden of their mountain home in Mexico. There they learned to sew & sing & perfect the skills befitting proper young ladies. But Elena was different; she dreamed of an education & spent her pesos on books. When it came time for her father to choose her husband, Elena would have no one other than the man she loved. Later, when the Mexican Revolution slashed & burned its way across her beautiful country, Elena was driven to save herself & the family she loved. Juvenile audiences (ages 8 & up).

This morality tale about Plain Jane, beautiful inside but ugly in appearance, and Princess Miserella, beautiful but nasty, involves a misunderstanding with a fairy and a hundred-year sleep