New Releases by Kenneth Oppel

A small bat blown off course makes the perilous journey home with new friends in the adventurous middle grade odyssey from award-winning author Kenneth Oppel—this bestselling story is now available in graphic novel format! Shade the young silverwing bat may be the runt of his colony, but he’s determined to prove himself on the long, dangerous winter migration to Hibernaculum—millions of wingbeats to the south. Too soon, his hopes are dashed when a fierce storm catches Shade in its grasp. Driven far from the others by the unforgiving winds, Shade is left alone. On his journey back to his family, Shade meets other winged loners. Marina is a Brightwing bat with a strange metal band on her leg, Zephyr the mystical albino bat has an unusual gift, and Goth the carnivorous vampire bat is the largest bat Shade has ever seen. Shade will need all the help he can get if he hopes to reunite with his colony, but with a long and perilous flight ahead, how will he know who to trust?

Quand une petite goutte d''encre devient l''ami de la famille et transforme les maux en mots ! La famille Rylance est bloquée dans une impasse : Ethan, qui a promis d''illustrer un projet pour l''école, n''a aucune compétence artistique. Papa, un auteur de BD, est en proie au syndrome de la page blanche. Quant à Sarah, la petite soeur, elle ne cesse de se lamenter à propos du chiot qu''elle voudrait avoir. Jusqu''à cette étrange nuit où, l''encre d''un carnet de croquis s''anime, et s''échappe du papier. La goutte d''encre, Splash, est pile ce dont ils avaient besoin ! Mais quand elle est enlevée par l''éditeur machiavélique de Papa, c''est la panique générale. Comment vivre sans elle alors qu''elle était la solution à tous leurs problèmes ?

When Gabe accidentally awakens the ghost of Rebecca Strand, murdered by a wicked creature, he and his friends become swept up in a thriller that threatens not only them but the whole of humankind ...

"The perfect book right now for young readers searching for hope, strength, inspiration — and just a little horticultural havoc."—New York Times The first book in a can''t-put-it-down, can''t-read-it-fast-enough action-thriller trilogy that''s part Hatchet, part Alien! The invasion begins--but not as you''d expect. It begins with rain. Rain that carries seeds. Seeds that sprout--overnight, everywhere. These new plants take over crop fields, twine up houses, and burrow below streets. They bloom--and release toxic pollens. They bloom--and form Venus flytrap-like pods that swallow animals and people. They bloom--everywhere, unstoppable. Or are they? Three kids on a remote island seem immune to the toxic plants. Anaya, Petra, Seth. They each have strange allergies--and yet not to these plants. What''s their secret? Can they somehow be the key to beating back this invasion? They''d better figure it out fast, because it''s starting to rain again....

La vie trépidante d''un garçon trop bien rangé, ou comment devenir voleur professionnel à 12 ans Un matin d''avril, le jeune Charlie Fisher est témoin d''une scène insolite au coeur de Marseille. Sous ses yeux s''opère un spectaculaire vol orchestré par... des enfants ! Par un prodigieux tour de passe-passe, l''un d''entre eux parvient même à lui dérober son stylo. Époustouflé, le garçon est prêt à tout pour intégrer le gang secret des Whiz, un clan international d''astucieux pickpockets entraînés par la mystérieuse école des Sept Clochettes... " Une touche de Dickens, une pincée de J.K. Rowling et l''esprit de Robin des Bois. " Publishers Weekly

"Astonishing"—The New York Times Book Review A brilliantly funny, highly illustrated story about how a little ink splot changes a family forever. Perfect for those who love Hoot, Holes, or Frindle! The Rylance family is stuck. Dad''s got writer''s block. Ethan promised to illustrate a group project at school--even though he can''t draw. Sarah''s still pining for a puppy. And they all miss Mom. Enter Inkling. Inkling begins life in Mr. Rylance''s sketchbook. But one night the ink of his drawings runs together--and then leaps off the page! This small burst of creativity is about to change everything. Ethan finds him first. Inkling has absorbed a couple chapters of his math book--not good--and the story he''s supposed to be illustrating for school--also not good. But Inkling''s also started drawing the pictures to go with the story--which is amazing! It''s just the help Ethan was looking for! Inkling helps the rest of the family too--for Sarah he''s a puppy. And for Dad he''s a spark of ideas for a new graphic novel. It''s exactly what they all want. It''s not until Inkling goes missing that this family has to face the larger questions of what they--and Inkling--truly need. • A New York Times Notable Book • A New York Public Library Best Book of the Year -- top ten selection • "A true-to-life family, some can''t-put-it-down excitement, a few deep questions, and more than a little bit of magic. This book is everything, and I loved every page." —Rebecca Stead, Newbery Medalist for When You Reach Me

In the late nineteenth century, a budding romance develops between Rachel and Samuel, two teenagers from rival families of fossil hunters heading out to the badlands in seach of a rare dinosaur skeleton.

“The Nest leaves a lasting mark on the memory.” —The New York Times Book Review Steve just wants to save his baby brother—but what will he lose in the bargain? Kenneth Oppel’s (Silverwing, The Boundless) haunting gothic tale for fans of Coraline, is one of the most acclaimed books of the year, receiving six starred reviews. Illustrations from Caldecott Medalist Jon Klassen. For some kids summer is a sun-soaked season of fun. But for Steve, it’s just another season of worries. Worries about his sick newborn baby brother who is fighting to survive, worries about his parents who are struggling to cope, even worries about the wasp’s nest looming ominously from the eaves. So when a mysterious wasp queen invades his dreams, offering to “fix” the baby, Steve thinks his prayers have been answered. All he has to do is say “Yes.” But “yes” is a powerful word. It is also a dangerous one. And once it is uttered, can it be taken back? Celebrated author Kenneth Oppel creates an eerie masterpiece in this compelling story that explores disability and diversity, fears and dreams, and what ultimately makes a family. Includes illustrations from celebrated artist Jon Klassen.

Convicted murderer David Haines sits on death row. Meanwhile, researcher Dr. Laura Donaldson discovers that Haines’s blood may hold the cure to cancer. When she unwittingly helps Haines escape, she and FBI agent Kevin Sheldrake embark on a terrifying manhunt. It is imperative that Haines be brought back alive—but he’d sooner kill himself than offer his blood to medical science.

When eternal darkness threatens to invade, Shade and Marina must journey to the far southern jungle to save the world in this thrilling sequel to Silverwing. Shade, a young Silverwing bat in search of his father, discovers a mysterious Human building containing a vast forest. Home to thousands of bats, the indoor forest is as warm as a summer night and teeming with insects to eat. And through the glass roof, the bats can finally see the sun, free from the tyranny of the deadly owls. Is this Paradise the fulfillment of Nocturna’s Promise to return the bats to the light of day? Shade and his Brightwing friend Marina aren’t so sure. Shade has seen Humans enter the forest and take away hundreds of sleeping bats for an unknown purpose. And where is Shade''s father? It isn’t long before Shade and Marina are swept up on a perilous journey that takes them to the far southern jungle—the homeland of Goth, now king of all the Vampyrum Spectrum: cannibal bats with three-foot wingspans. With the help of an abandoned owl prince and General Cortez’s rat army, Shade must use all his resourcefulness to find his father—and stop Goth from harnessing the dark powers of Cama Zotz to create eternal night. In this continuation of Shade’s saga, Kenneth Oppel recaptures the adventure and poignancy of Silverwing, which Smithsonian magazine called “a tour-de-force fantasy,” and takes it to a new level of excitement.

Originally published in hardcover in 2014 by Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

Tragedy has forced sixteen-year-old Victor Frankenstein to swear off alchemy forever. He burns the Dark Library. He vows he will never dabble in the dark sciences again, just as he vows he will no longer covet Elizabeth, his brother''s betrothed. If only these things were not so tempting

WITH BONUS MATERIAL: Pages from Victor Frankenstein''s sketchbook and an excerpt from the upcoming sequel, Such Wicked Intent, available August 2012. Victor Frankenstein leads a charmed life. He and his twin brother, Konrad, and their beautiful cousin Elizabeth take lessons at home and spend their spare time fencing and horseback riding. Along with their friend Henry, they have explored all the hidden passageways and secret rooms of the palatial Frankenstein chateau. Except one. The Dark Library contains ancient tomes written in strange languages, and filled with forbidden knowledge. Their father makes them promise never to visit the library again, but when Konrad becomes deathly ill, Victor knows he must find the book that contains the recipe for the legendary Elixir of Life. The elixir needs only three ingredients. But impossible odds, dangerous alchemy and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn. Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science and love—and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

Before there were bats like Shade, Marina or even Goth, there was a young chiropter—a small arboreal glider—named Dusk. . . . It is 65 million years ago, during a cataclysmic moment in the earth’s evolution, and Dusk, just months old, has no way of knowing he will play a pivotal role in creating a new world. What he does know is that he is different from the other newborn chiropters. Not content to use his large sails to glide down from the giant sequoia tree, Dusk discovers that if he flaps quickly enough, he can fly. But this strange gift that makes him feel like an outcast from the colony will also make him its saviour. After most of the colony is savagely massacred by the felids—the earth’s first mammalian carnivores—Dusk must lead his fellow chiropters to a new home, and a new life. Against a tableau of disappearing dinosaurs and the ascent of the mammal kingdom, Oppel has created an adventure fantasy that sets the stage for the birth of the bats, the story of the forebears of Shade, the beloved hero of the Silverwing series. As with all Silverwing books, it is impossible to simply read Oppel’s Darkwing; each of us enters a world of convincing characters, warring theologies, incredible natural history and a story that roars through head, heart and imagination. A tale that can be read as a stand- lone or as a prequel, Darkwing will be a welcome new classic for the millions of Kenneth Oppel fans.

It''s been months since Paul has seen his younger brother, Sam. Now Sam has completely disappeared. Why? The truth lies at the heart of Watertown, a polluted slum afloat in the city''s toxic harbour, where Sam has been working as a research assistant. Paul goes there to find his brother--and encounters people who will do anything to stop him. Can Paul find out the truth? Or does the dead water zone devour everyone who dares to enter it?

Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the award-winning aerial adventure that started it all Winner of the Governor General’s Award, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book, and recipient of many other national and international honours, Airborn fired the imaginations of readers around the world when it was first published in 2004 and its popularity has never waned. Airborn was followed by the acclaimed sequels Skybreaker, winner of the Red Maple Award and the Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children''s Book Award, and Starclimber, a Canadian Library Association Children''s Book of the Year Award Honour Book.With cover illustrations by Jim Tierney, mark a new decade of soaring adventures for this trio of contemporary classics.

Past worlds come crashing into the present... Fourteen-year-old Eric witnesses a strange confrontation in the city museum between an aged curator and an eerily intense young man. Without warning, Eric finds himself in the middle of a bitter, centuries-old conflict. Ancient Alexander, guardian of the secret of immortality, only wants to preserve the past. But his nemesis, Coyle, will do anything to destroy it. Within the mysterious museum, and far below it in the city''s subterranean depths, Eric becomes the pawn in a life-or-death struggle for control over the Live-Forever Machine.

Included in this edition of This Dark Endeavor, enjoy a free edition of Mary Shelley''s classic Frankenstein. The purest intentions can stir up the darkest obsessions. In this prequel to Mary Shelley’s gothic classic, Frankenstein, 16-year-old Victor Frankenstein begins a dark journey that will change his life forever. Victor’s twin, Konrad, has fallen ill, and no doctor is able to cure him. Unwilling give up on his brother, Victor, his beautiful cousin Elizabeth, and best friend Henry begin a treacherous search for the ingredients to create the forbidden Elixir of Life. Impossible odds, dangerous alchemy, and a bitter love triangle threaten their quest at every turn. Victor knows he must not fail. But his success depends on how far he is willing to push the boundaries of nature, science and, love -- and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

Reading is always in, and this free teen e-sampler has something for everyone! Featuring first chapter excerpts from: Everlost by Neal Shusterman Cryer’s Cross by Lisa McMann Blood Red Road by Moira Young Possession by Elana Johnson Love Story by Jennifer Echols Wildefire by Karsten Knight Clean by Amy Reed This Dark Endeavor by Kenneth Oppel

From the Printz-Honor-winning author of Airborn comes an absorbing YA novel about a teen boy whose scientist parents take in a chimpanzee to be part of the family.For thirteen years, Ben Tomlin was an only child. But all that changes when his mother brings home Zan -- an eight-day-old chimpanzee. Ben''s father, a renowned behavioral scientist, has uprooted the family to pursue his latest research project: a high-profile experiment to determine whether chimpanzees can acquire advanced language skills. Ben''s parents tell him to treat Zan like a little brother. Ben reluctantly agrees. At least now he''s not the only one his father''s going to scrutinize.It isn''t long before Ben is Zan''s favorite, and Ben starts to see Zan as more

When Giles’s eccentric Aunt Lillian wants to look younger, she invents a gooey cream to make her wish come true. The only problem is that it turns her into a kid!

Sailing toward dawn, and I was perched atop the crow''s nest, being the ship''s eyes. We were two nights out of Sydney, and there''d been no weather to speak of so far. I was keeping watch on a dark stack of nimbus clouds off to the northwest, but we were leaving it far behind, and it looked to be smooth going all the way back to Lionsgate City. Like riding a cloud. . . . Matt Cruse is a cabin boy on the Aurora, a huge airship that sails hundreds of feet above the ocean, ferrying wealthy passengers from city to city. It is the life Matt''s always wanted; convinced he''s lighter than air, he imagines himself as buoyant as the hydrium gas that powers his ship. One night he meets a dying balloonist who speaks of beautiful creatures drifting through the skies. It is only after Matt meets the balloonist''s granddaughter that he realizes that the man''s ravings may, in fact, have been true, and that the creatures are completely real and utterly mysterious. In a swashbuckling adventure reminiscent of Jules Verne and Robert Louis Stevenson, Kenneth Oppel, author of the best-selling Silverwing trilogy, creates an imagined world in which the air is populated by transcontinental voyagers, pirates, and beings never before dreamed of by the humans who sail the skies.

A legendary ghost ship. An incredible treasure. A death-defying adventure. Forty years ago, the airship Hyperion vanished with untold riches in its hold. Now, accompanied by heiress Kate de Vries and a mysterious gypsy, Matt Cruse is determined to recover the ship and its treasures. But 20,000 feet above the Earth''s surface, pursued by those who have hunted the Hyperion since its disappearance, and surrounded by deadly high-altitude life forms, Matt and his companions soon find themselves fighting not only for the Hyperion—but for their very lives.

The royal chef takes Max the dog, the royal taster, on several international journeys to find a dish for the land''s pickiest king.

Fantasy-roman.

When a newborn bat named Shade but sometimes called "Runt" becomes separated from his colony during migration, he grows in ways that prepare him for even greater journeys.

As the earth splits and heaves in a terrible quake, Griffin feels his small bat body being sucked into a fissure deep below Tree Haven. Shade, Griffin’s father, soon realizes that his son has been drawn into the Underworld, where legend dictates that if the living stumble into the land of the dead, they have only a short time before death claims them too. Shade knows he must find Griffin quickly. What he doesn’t realize is that Goth, the powerful and evil Vampire bat, is also hunting Griffin. Although Goth is dead and trapped in the Underworld, he can live again—if he steals the life of a living creature caught inside this terrible place. Who will find Griffin first? And who will survive to embark upon the perilous journey to discover the Tree, the only portal back to the living? Firewing, Kenneth Oppel’s latest adventure novel in the megaselling series, should carry a warning: “Do not open unless prepared to consume the entire novel in one sitting.” It’s that good a story, one that will capture readers—adults definitely included—from the very first words. The tale of Griffin, whose feelings of inadequacy stem from his formidable parentage (he’s the son of the heroic Shade and Marina, stars of Silverwing and Sunwing) and his unusual hybrid silver-and red-streaked fur, Firewing plunges the reader into Oppel’s richly imagined world of adventure and fantasy. Here are all of the familiar elements that have made the series a winner: a feisty new hero who must come to terms with his heritage and his self-doubts; a truly evil but entirely believable foe in the form ofGoth, the Vampire bat; and a story that swoops and soars to exciting new heights. Firewing is a guaranteed hit.

Giles Barnes and his family have just moved into a very strange house. Creeks, rustles, and fluttering sounds fill his bedroom. His mother says there are no such things as ghosts, but Giles decides to investigate. With help from new friends Tina and Kevin Quark and their ghostometer, the team solves the mystery, and gets rid of the ghosts for good!