New Releases by Linda Sue Park

Readers can party with a pandaNand all creatures tall and smallNin this endearing new picture book by Newbery Medalist Park and brilliant illustrator Phelan. Full color.

When seven members of their family were kidnapped, thirteen-year-old Dan Cahill and his older sister, Amy, got ready for the fight of their lives. But their enemy, a terrifying group known as the Vespers, remained frustratingly elusive. They stay in the shadows, picking off Cahills one by one.And now the Vespers have landed their most serious blow yet - a blow that strikes at the very heart of the Cahill family. Because Amy and Dan discover that there''s a Vesper mole in their innermost circle. Amy and Dan need to smoke out the traitor before the next hostage dies. They have just days to discover who has their back . . . and who wants to sink a knife into it.

Sous le soleil des Caraïbes et de la Jamaïque, révélations sur le clan Madrigal ! Grâce au médaillon trouvé en Chine, Dan et Amy connaissent leur prochaine destination : les Caraïbes. Ils partent sur les traces de la célèbre pirate Anne Bonny. Désormais, ils refusent de partager leurs découvertes avec Nellie en qui ils n''ont plus confiance. Après une étape aux Bahamas, ils s''envolent pour la Jamaïque. Là-bas, ils rencontrent Lester et sa grand-mère, Mamzelle Alice, qui leur remettent, de la part de Grace Cahill (décidément cette dernière avait tout prévu !) un petit serpent en argent, identique à celui que porte Nellie dans le nez. Les enfants poursuivent leur enquête en accumulant plusieurs indices. Très vite ils se rendent compte que chaque indice est associé à un clan Cahill et, qu''une fois quatre amulettes réunies, ils vont pouvoir ouvrir un mystérieux coffret d''argent. Avec l''aide de Lester, ils subtilisent le coffret. Mais, poursuivis par les Kabra, l''aventure vire au drame : Lester disparaît dans les sables mouvants. Effondrés par la mort de leur nouvel ami, Dan et Amy décident d''abandonner la course. Seulement Nellie ne l''entend pas ainsi. Elle va provoquer une rencontre avec l''homme en noir qui a d''importantes révélations à leur faire sur le clan Madrigal...

From two extraordinary talents, a beautifully crafted picture book for the Christmas season. The three wise men, or the three kings, are familiar figures in the Christmas tradition. Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park has taken the brief biblical references to the three as the starting point for a new story. In it we meet a boy who is learning his father’s trade; a man who gathers resin from certain trees; a merchant in the marketplace; and three strangers in brightly colored robes who are shopping for a gift for a baby. Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline with exquisite paintings, this simple, moving tale of ordinary people involved in an extraordinary event brings new resonance to the well-known gift list of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

The end is near! Book 9 of the #1 NY Times Bestselling series. The shadow of a man in black has followed fourteen-year-old Amy Cahill and her younger brother, Dan, on their worldwide search for 39 Clues that lead to a great power. Amy and Dan know the man in black has tried to kill them. They know he''s a Madrigal, the most secretive and terrifying group hunting for the Clues. Amy and Dan have run hard and fast, but they can''t escape the man following them. And now, in the wake of a terrible tragedy, he''s ready to step out of the darkness for their final confrontation.

Traditional Chinese edition of The 39 Clues, Book 9: Storm Warning In Traditional Chinese. Distributed by Tsai Fong Books, Inc.

A historical novel from Newbery medalist Linda Sue Parks about life, faith, and America''s favorite pastime: baseball. Both Maggie Fortini and her brother, Joey-Mick, were named for baseball great Joe DiMaggio. Unlike Joey-Mick, Maggie doesn’t play baseball—but at almost ten years old, she is a dyed-in-the-wool fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Maggie can recite all the players’ statistics and understands the subtleties of the game. Unfortunately, Jim Maine is a Giants fan, but it’s Jim who teaches Maggie the fine art of scoring a baseball game. Not only can she revisit every play of every inning, but by keeping score she feels she’s more than just a fan: she’s helping her team. Jim is drafted into the army and sent to Korea, and although Maggie writes to him often, his silence is just one of a string of disappointments—being a Brooklyn Dodgers fan in the early 1950s meant season after season of near misses and year after year of dashed hopes. But Maggie goes on trying to help the Dodgers, and when she finds out that Jim needs help, too, she’s determined to provide it. Against a background of major league baseball and the Korean War on the home front, Maggie looks for, and finds, a way to make a difference. Even those readers who think they don’t care about baseball will be drawn into the world of the true and ardent fan. Linda Sue Park’s captivating story will, of course, delight those who are already keeping score. This historical novel is from Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park, whose beloved middle grade books include A Single Shard and A Long Walk to Water.

Amy and Dan dodge the shadow of a man in black as they search for the 39 clues.

The end is near! Throughout the hunt for the 39 Clues, Amy and Dan have encountered some of the darkest aspects of history ... and had to deal with the role their family played. But are they ready for the truth? In this thrilling ninth instalment, Amy and Dan hit the high seas as they follow the trail of some infamous ancestors to track down a long lost treasure. However, the real prize isn''t hidden in a chest. It''s the discovery of the Madrigals'' most dangerous secret and, even more shockingly, the true identity of the mysterious man in black.

In Korea in the early 1800s, news from the countryside reached the king by means of signal fires. On one mountaintop after another, a fire was lit when all was well. If the king did not see a fire, that meant trouble, and he would send out his army. Linda Sue Park''s first picture book for Clarion is about Sang-hee, son of the village firekeeper. When his father is unable to light the fire one night, young Sang-hee must take his place. Sang-hee knows how important it is for the fire to be lit-but he wishes that he could see soldiers . . . just once. Mountains, firelight and shadow, and Sunhee''s struggle with a hard choice are rendered in radiant paintings, which tell their own story of a turning point in a child''s life.

Twelve-year-old Kevin Kim helps Chu-mong, a legendary king of ancient Korea, return to his own time.

A sijo, a traditional Korean verse form, has a fixed number of stressed syllables and a humorous or ironic twist at the end. Like haiku, sijo are brief and accessible, and the witty last line winds up each poem with a surprise. The verses in this book illuminate funny, unexpected, amazing aspects of the everyday--of breakfast, thunder and lightning, houseplants, tennis, freshly laundered socks. Carefully crafted and deceptively simple, Linda Sue Park''s sijo are a pleasure to read and an irresistible invitation to experiment with an unfamiliar poetic form. Istvan Banyai''s irrepressibly giddy and sophisticated illustrations add a one-of-a-kind luster to a book that is truly a gem.

Ten of the world''s most beloved authors contribute chapters in the life of the mysterious George "Gee" Keane, photographer, soldier,adventurer, and enigma. Under different pens, a startling portrait emerges of a man, his family, and his gloriously complicated tangle of a life.This is a suspenseful story that works as a novel. But it''s also a unique way to explore the art and craft of storytelling with ten masters who show how tools like "voice", "perspective", and "character" work in the hands of the experts. As effective with a class of writers as it is with a single reader.

Tree-ear, an orphan boy in a 12th-century Korean potters'' village, dreams of creating his own beautiful pottery someday. When he accidentally breaks a pot, he must work for the master to pay for the damage. He is then sent to the King''s Court to show the master''s pottery. This dangerous journey will change his life forever.

At a busy street market, kids are happily eating ice cream. But disaster strikes when a little dog overturns a spice cart, showering pepper on everyone''s ice cream. Will the kids end up crying or cheering? Energetic art and a lift-the-flap feature make exploring language fun.

In this contemporary novel, Newbery Medalist Linda Sue Park delivers a funny, lively story that illuminates both the process of writing a novel and the meaning of growing up American. "A rich work that treats serious issues with warmth, respect, and a good deal of humor" (Kirkus starred review). Perfect for both independent reading and classroom sharing. Julia Song and her friend Patrick would love to win a blue ribbon, maybe even two, at the state fair. They’ve always done projects together, and they work well as a team. This time, though, they’re having trouble coming up with just the right project. Then Julia’s mother offers a suggestion: They can raise silkworms, as she did when she was a girl in Korea. Patrick thinks it’s a great idea. Of course there are obstacles—for example, where will they get mulberry leaves, the only thing silkworms eat?—but nothing they can’t handle. Julia isn’t so sure. The club where kids do their projects is all about traditional American stuff, and raising silkworms just doesn’t fit in. Moreover, the author, Ms. Park, seems determined to make Julia’s life as complicated as possible, no matter how hard Julia tries to talk her out of it.

Whopper Cake

See what each animal says and a word that is like the sound.

Fleur de Jade vit dans un palais. Comme toutes les jeunes filles, elle n''a pas le droit d''en sortir. Heureusement que son amie Paulownia est là pour lui tenir compagnie. À elles deux, elles inventent mille jeux et farces. Mais Paulownia est en âge de se marier et, bientôt, elle quitte le palais. Fleur de Jade se retrouve seule et n''a plus qu''une envie : franchir les murailles pour découvrir le monde extérieur. Comment faire pour tromper la vigilance des gardiens? Fleur de Jade a plus d''un tour dans son sac !

The Newbery Medal-winning tale of an orphan boy whose dream of becoming a master potter leads to unforeseen adventure in ancient Korea. Tree-ear is an orphan boy in a 12th-century Korean village renowned for its ceramics. When he accidentally breaks a delicate piece of pottery, he volunteers to work to pay for the damage. Putting aside his own dreams, Tree-ear resolves to serve the master potter by embarking on a difficult and dangerous journey, little knowing that it will change his life forever. "Despite the odds against him, Tree-ear becomes courageous, brave and selfless, a hero as enduring as the porcelain Park so lovingly describes." (New York Times) “Intrigues, danger, and a strong focus on doing what is right turn a simple story into a compelling read. A timeless jewel.” (Kirkus starred review) *A broken piece of pottery sets events in motion as an orphan struggles to pay off his debt to a master potter. This finely crafted novel brings 12th-century Korea and these indelible characters to life." (School Library Journal starred review) "Tree-ear''s determination and bravery in pursuing his dream of becoming a potter takes readers on a literary journey that demonstrates how courage, honor and perseverance can overcome great odds and bring great happiness. Park effectively conveys 12th century Korea in this masterful piece of historical fiction." (Kathleen Odean, chair of the Newbery Award Selection Committee)

Impatient with the constraints put on her as an aristocratic girl living in Korea during the seventeenth century, twelve-year-old Jade Blossom determines to see beyond her small world.

When Raffa makes a cure from a rare crimson vine he finds deep in the forbidden forest, the bat he saves transforms into something much more.