New Releases by Michaela MacColl

When scientist and explorer Maria Reiche visited Peru’s Nazca Lines in 1941, she was immediately captivated by the larger-than-life animal carvings. But what were they, and why were they there? This STEAM nonfiction picture book for young readers reveals the story behind one of the greatest indigenous artworks in the Americas, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Maria Reiche wanted to put her curious mind to the test. When visiting Peru in 1941, she trekked across the land and discovered hidden lines covered in centuries of clay and sand. Fasciated, she picked up a broom from her tools and began sweeping for miles and miles to uncover more details, taking time to track her movement and sketch out the precise shapes she followed. Her first discovery was a spider-shaped carving spanning hundreds of feet of desert! Sweeping her way across the land, other shapes followed—a monkey, a condor, and a whale. But in the midst of these discoveries, she found out the land was going to be used for farming. She got to work again, this time demanding a press conference to announce her discoveries and stop the destruction of these ancient works of art—and it worked! Her efforts protected the land, which was later named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 thanks to Maria’s tireless efforts. Author Michaela MacColl’s lyrical writing and extensive research showcase Maria’s triumphant tale, accompanied by art from Peruvian illustrator Elisa Chavarri, a past recipient of the Pura Belpré Honor.

Set in the late 1800s, here is the story of Ning, a Chinese American girl who struggles to find her place in the world when she is forced to leave her home in Shanghai to go live in America with a father she barely knows. This middle-grade historical novel is based on the family history of award-winning author Michaela MacColl. Twelve-year-old Ning doesn''t know where she belongs. The daughter of a Chinese woman and American man, Ning doesn''t fit in in 1870s Shanghai, where her American features and unbound feet make her stand out. When she receives news that her father will be visiting from America, Ning excitedly hopes that her parents will become a family. Instead, she learns that her father is taking her back with him to America. Ning wonders if being American will finally give her a sense of belonging, but when she arrives, she discovers that living in America isn''t perfect either. In this coming-of-age novel based on the life of author Michaela MacColl''s great-great-great-grandmother, a young girl learns to accept both sides of her heritage and find a new identity for herself.

Despite her father''s warnings that their tribe is always in danger, Casita, a ten-year-old Lipan Apache girl, has led a relatively peaceful life with her tribe in Mexico, doing her daily chores and practicing for her upcoming Changing Woman ceremony, in which she will officially become a woman of the tribe. But the peace is shattered when the U.S. Cavalry invades and brutally slaughters her people. Casita and her younger brother survive the attack, but are taken captive and sent to the Carlisle Indian School, a Pennsylvania boarding school that specializes in assimilating Native Americans into white American culture. Casita grieves for her lost family as she struggles to find a way to maintain her identity as a Lipan Apache and survive at the school. Includes author''s note and bibliography.

“MacColl’s fidelity to Austen’s biography and family, with a bit of creative license woven in, results in a charming historical mystery.” —School Library Journal Jane Austen’s family is eager to secure her future by marrying her off. But Jane is much more interested in writing her novels, and finds every suitor lacking—until the mysterious Mr. Lefroy arrives. Could he be the one? Before Jane can find out, she must solve a murder, clear her family’s name, and face a decision that might cost her true love. Praise for writing of Michaela MacColl “Equal parts gothic melodrama and Nancy Drew derring-do.” —Kirkus Reviews “Dynamic and engrossing.” —Booklist “The fast-moving plot makes this a well-crafted page-turner.” —School Library Journal (starred review) “MacColl takes a character that most people do not really know much about and brings her to life . . . Fun, interesting reading.” —VOYA: Voice of Youth Advocates

Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Books Paterson Prize for Books for Young People Grateful American Prize – Honorable Mention Missouri State Teachers Association Recommended Books Dred Scott’s daughter learns what it means to pay the price for freedom in this compelling middle-grade historical fiction novel. Eleven year old Eliza Scott has a lot to live for. Eliza and her family will soon be free. She is learning to read and write at a secret school. And she has a new friend she can share her dreams with. But when Eliza is confronted by vicious slave catchers, the spread of cholera, and a devastating fire, she is forced to come to terms with what it really takes to be on her own. Will she ever be able to fulfill her childhood dreams? Michaela MacColl and Rosemary Nichols delve deep into the history of the Dred Scott decision and pre–Civil War America to tell Eliza Scott’s riveting coming-of-age story. Freedom’s Price is the second in the Hidden Histories series about children and little-known events in American history.

Want a sneak peek? Download this free sample of The Revelation of Louisa May by Michaela MacColl. Louisa May Alcott can hardly believe her ears—her mother is leaving for the summer to earn money for the family and her father won''t do anything to stop her. How is Louisa to find the time to write her stories if she has to add taking care of her father and sister to her list of chores? And why can''t she escape the boredom of her small town to have an adventure of her own? Little does Louisa know just how interesting her small world is about to become. Before long she is juggling her stubborn father, a fugitive slave who is seeking safety along the Underground Railroad, and possibly even love where she least expects it. Add the mysterious murder of a slave catcher to the mix, and Louisa has her hands full. Michaela MacColl has once again intertwined the facts of a beloved author''s real life with a suspenseful fictional tale that will not only have readers on the edges of their seats but also, like Louisa, debating right versus wrong, family versus independence, and duty versus love. A Junior Library Guild selection

Bank Street College of Education Best Children’s Book Kansas State Reading Circle Recommended Books, Best of the Best Missouri State Teachers Association Reading Circle Recommended Book Twelve-year-old orphan Rory Fitzpatrick lives with her younger sister Violet at New York City''s Foundling Hospital in the early 1900s. But when Rory discovers that Violet will be sent to the Arizona Territory to be adopted, her world is shattered. Although too old to be adopted herself, Rory—brave and smart—is determined to stay with her sister, even if it means hiding out on a train traveling west. When Rory and Violet arrive in Arizona, everything that could go wrong does go wrong. Will Rory give up? This uplifting novel about the power of faith and the true meaning of family launches the Hidden Histories series, spotlighting little-known tales from America''s past, and the children behind those stories. Includes authors'' note and further resources.

A free sneak preview of Always Emily, the latest book from Michaela MacColl. Download now and enjoy this extended excerpt before the book goes on sale on April 8, 2014. Emily and Charlotte Brontë are about as opposite as two sisters can be. Charlotte is practical and cautious; Emily is headstrong and imaginative. But they do have one thing in common: a love of writing. This shared passion will lead them to be two of the first published female novelists and authors of several enduring works of classic literature. But they''re not there yet. First, they have to figure out if there is a connection between a string of local burglaries, rumors that a neighbor''s death may not have been accidental, and the appearance on the moors of a mysterious and handsome stranger. The girls have a lot of knots to untangle—before someone else gets killed.

When 15-year-old Emily Dickinson meets a charming, enigmatic young man who playfully refuses to tell her his name, she is intriguedNso when he is found dead in her family''s pond in Amherst she is determined to discover his secret, no matter how dangerous it may prove to be.

Sixteen-year-old Liza becomes a lady''s maid to Princess Victoria and finds that the gossipy world of the palace servants gives her the chance to determine her own fate and help Victoria become queen.

Immediately compelling and action-packed, this carefully researched work of historical fiction introduces young readers to the childhood of the famous yet elusive Beryl Markham, the first person to fly solo from England to North America. As in her debut novel, Prisoners in the Palace, MacColl propels readers into a multilayered story with an unforgettable heroine and evocative language that brings the backdrop of colonial British East Africa to life. A fascinating read for anyone with a thirst for adventure.