New Releases by TONY ABBOTT

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Cats don''t bark. They meow. Or at least they did before Eric used Droonian magic in the Upper World. When he cast a spell with the wand of Urik, everything got messed up - now weird stuff, like barking cats, are all over!Eric and his friends hurry down the magic staircase only to find more trouble. Earthquakes have rocked Droon; and Galen''s under a nasty spell. Time for some back-up! The brave Knights of Silversnow could help, but they''re in a deep sleep in the Ice Hills. The knights have the power to make things right again, but only if the wand of Urik has the power to wake them up.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! A new villain is running wild in Droon. Princess Salamandra is on a hunt for the flying Dragon Ship. Eric, Neal, and Julie must find it first, before Salamandra uses it to it try and take over the world! Only problem is that the ship is in pieces, and they are hidden in different places throughout Droon. It''s a scavenger hunt like no other - because magic can be found around every corner....

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Eric is tossing and turning in his sleep! And his wild dream can only mean one thing - he is being called back to the land of Droon. But when Eric, Julie, and Neal step off the rainbow stairs, they find that something is very wrong in their magical world. Someone has been stealing people''s dreams! And the kingdom of Droon is getting awfully tired of it. So now it''s up to our friends to stop this dream thief, before he becomes a serious nightmare...

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Galen''s in trouble! He''s disappeared into the evil land of Goll, and it''s up to Eric, Julie, Neal, and Keeah to help him. The Wand of Urik is the powerful tool Galen needs. But the Wand''s been missing for years. The only way to find it is by studying the powerful words of The Moon Scroll, an ancient chronicle of Droon history. Everyone knows that the Scroll holds mysterious secrets. And following its clues to the Wand of the Urik is sure to be cool. But no one has any idea just how exciting the journey will be - until the Moon Scroll leads them back through time!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! When Neal''s dog Snorky slips into the magical closet, the kids have no choice but send him to Droon. It''s a lucky thing they do, though, because a strange thing has just occured in the land of Oobja, an earthquake has uncovered the remains of an ancient Droon city called Tarkoom - and, what''s more, the city has started to come back to life!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! When the Turtle City of Droon vanished, all that remained was the Ruby Orb of Doobesh. Spar''s powerful, magical red orb. Nobody knew then what evil the mysterious object held-but they are about to find out. Soon after Eric, Neal and Julie return to Droon, Max becomes a prisoner of the evil charm, and is whisked far away. Galen and Keeah are intent on finding him, and of course the kids want to help their friends. But to find the Ruby Orb, they must first locate its companion, the blue Sapphire Star. And that search will take them far out onto the wild sea in a epic voyage aboard the Jaffa Wind. A voyage that could only happen in the magical world of Droon.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! The sea witch Demither is stirring up a storm in Droon. Keeah has to stop her! This mission could make or break Keeah''s wizard training. And Eric, Neal and Julie think they can help their friend. But many surprises await them in Demither''s underwater world-and many secrets will be revealed.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Move over, Lord Sparr-there''s a new bad guy in town. Prince Maliban is the creepy ruler of the Turtle City. And Maliban''s mysterious mask maker, Hob is crafting an awesome new mask. The mask is very cool but very powerful. So Eric, Neal, and Julie have to make sure the mask doesn''t fall into the wrong hands otherwise, it could mean serious trouble for Droon.

The Singapore Lecture Series was inaugurated in 1980 by the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute (formerly Institute of Southeast Asian Studies) with a founding endowment from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), and augmented by generous donation in 1983 from Exxon Mobil Asia Pacific. The Singapore Lecture is designed to provide the opportunity for distinguished statesmen, scholars, and writers and other similarly highly qualified individuals specializing in banking and commerce, international economics and finance and philosophical and world strategic affairs to visit Singapore. The presence of such eminent personalities will allow Singaporeans, especially the younger executive and decision-makers in both the public and private sectors, to have the benefit of exposure to — through the Lecture, televised discussions, and private consultations — leaders of thought and knowledge in various fields, thereby enabling them to widen their experience and perspectives. On 29 June 2015, the 35th Singapore Lecture was delivered by The Honourable Tony Abbott MP, Prime Minister of Australia under the distinguished Chairmanship of Mr Teo Chee Hean, Deputy Prime Minister, Coordinating Minister for National Security and Minister for Home Affairs, Singapore.

Filled with pulse-pounding action and cryptic codes, The Golden Vendetta is the third engrossing book in bestselling author Tony Abbott''s cloak-and-dagger series for young readers. Fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson will love this adventurous series. It''s been two months since the Kaplan family hunted down the Serpens relic, but when the evil Galina Krause suddenly and violently reappears, Wade, Darrell, Lily, and Becca have no choice but to face her again. Now they must race to find an artifact said to be crafted by Leonardo da Vinci himself—perhaps the strangest Guardian of all. Along the way, they uncover another layer to Galina''s sinister endgame . . . and there might not be enough time to stop it. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

Travel deeper into the mysterious world of the Copernicus Legacy with the Copernicus Archives: exciting, fast-paced novellas that get you close to the characters and the heart of the adventure. The Copernicus Archives #2: Becca and the Prisoner''s Cross is studious language expert Becca''s thrilling first-person account of the next stop in the Kaplans'' perilous journey. As Becca and her family race through London, it''s up to Becca to make sense of the strange time blackouts she''s experiencing before the evil Teutonic Order beats them to the next relic. Or worse, hurts the people she loves. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson, Becca and the Prisoner''s Cross continues the thrilling Copernicus Legacy quest and brings one of the characters into the spotlight. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Zoom! It seems like all of Droon is competing in the Quest! And Princess Keeah wants to win the prize, since it might break the magic spell on her mother. But some people aren''t playing fair. Can Eric, Neal, and Julie stop the other racers from stealing a victory?

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Aha! Lord Sparr has put Princess Keeah under a magic spell. Eric, Julie, and Neal can help her if they go to the Land of the Lost. But only ghosts live there. And if they don''t get out soon, the kids will turn into ghosts themselves!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Lord Sparr has found a new weapon to use against the city of Droon. He''s woken up a mean old giant that will now obey his every command! It''s a good thing Eric, Julie, and Neal are around to help their friends try to stop Lord Sparr. It''s a giant job, but somebody''s got to do it!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Somebody has robbed the Lumpies'' village! And it can''t be Lord Sparr - because he has mysteriously disappeared. The rumor is that a terrible beast is behind the crime. So Eric, Julie and Neal set off with Khan and Princess Keeah to find the creature. Instead they find a big surprise!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Oops! Julie made a big mistake when she brought a bracelet home from Droon. Now she''s upset the balance between worlds-and strange things are starting to happen. Eric''s dad has disappeared into Droon. And Lord Sparr himself might march into Eric''s basement with the help of his Golden Wasp!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Eric, Julie, and Neal have just found something magic in Eric''s basement. They have discovered a staircase to another world! The world of Droon is amazing - full of magic, flying lizards, and fun, furry creatures. But how will Eric, Julie, and Neal find their way home? Maybe their new friend, Princess Keeah, can help?

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Brrr! Jaffa City is under a spell of ice and snow. Even Galen the wizard is frozen solid! Eric, Julie, Neal, and Princess Keeah have to figure out a way to break Lord Sparr''s curse. But they better hurry or they might get frozen, too.

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Splursh! Ka-thoom! Eric, Julie, and Neal are sailing with Princess Keeah. Suddenly, they are caught in the middle of a magical ocean storm. They are shipwrecked on an island that belongs to one of Lord Sparr''s witches. Now Eric, Julie, Neal, and Princess Keeah have to get off the island before Lord Sparr gets them!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Eric, Julie, and Neal have a problem. The nasty Lord Sparr has stolen a magic jewel from their friend Princess Keeah. The princess really needs their help. The good news is the jewel is in Lord Sparr''s secret palace. The bad news is the secret palace is in a volcano!

A hidden door. A magical staircase. Discover the world of Droon! Uh-oh! Neal has a problem. He''s turned into a bug-again. Eric and Julie hope someone in Droon can help. Princess Keeah thinks there might be a cure in the City in the Clouds. Too bad the friends only have one day before the city disappears!

Bestselling author Tony Abbott returns with the next full-length book in the Copernicus Legacy series, a globe-trotting adventure packed with more riddles, puzzles, and secret histories. The hunt for Copernicus''s first relic sent Wade, Darrell, Lily, and Becca to the far reaches of the world and put them in serious danger. But they never imagined Sara Kaplan—Darrell and Wade''s mother—would be kidnapped by the conniving Galina Krause. Now they must race the evil Teutonic Order to find the Serpens relic and rescue Sara before it''s too late. Fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson will love this epic series, which is filled with suspense and action. Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts

The quest for the relics continues. Travel deeper into the mysterious world of the Copernicus Legacy with the Copernicus Archives: exciting, fast-paced novellas that get you close to the characters and the heart of the adventure. Wade and the Scorpion''s Claw picks up right where The Copernicus Legacy: The Forbidden Stone left off, with the Kaplan family seeking the next Copernicus relic. Now Wade, the curious, analytical, yet starry-eyed member of the group, leads the chase for another relic through the busy streets of San Francisco while on the run from one of Galina Krause''s most treacherous henchmen. Perfect for fans of Rick Riordan and Ridley Pearson, Wade and the Scorpion''s Claw continues the thrilling Copernicus Legacy quest and brings one of the characters into the spotlight. Supports the Common Core State Standards

“This affectionate if somewhat irreverent homage would probably win a chuckle from Twain himself” as pals tumble into Tom Sawyer (School Library Journal). Sixth graders Devin and Frankie—short for Francine—are the greatest goof-offs in the history of their school. When their teacher tells them to read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, they skip it. When there’s a surprise test on the novel, they hide. But when they accidentally drop the school’s prized Mark Twain autograph through the library’s magic metal detector, they find themselves transported to the world of Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn. Soon these modern middle schoolers learn that being a troublemaker is timeless, as they whitewash a fence, run away from home, solve a murder mystery, become pirates, and search for hidden treasure along with Tom and Huck, the original slackers. “Reminiscent of Mary Pope Osborne’s ‘Magic Tree House’ series, but for an older audience,” the second book in Tony Abbott’s Cracked Classics series is a perfect introduction to Mark Twain for reluctant readers (School Library Journal).

Sixth graders Devin and Frankie try to save star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet when they’re magically transported into Shakespeare’s classic play. When their teacher assigns Devin and Frankie—short for Francine—the lead roles in their class production of Romeo and Juliet, the two best friends aren’t thrilled. How are they supposed to say their lines when they don’t even sound like they were written in English? Luckily, the library’s magic security gates come to their rescue again, and they leap into Shakespeare’s famous tragedy. Unfortunately, they land right in the middle of a sword fight between two warring families, the Montagues and the Capulets. When they find out that Romeo Montague has fallen in love with Juliet Capulet, Devin and Frankie decide it’s up to them to make sure this unlikely couple lives happily ever after. But can they change the book’s tragic end and save the young lovers from their fate? “The message that reading is important and can be fun comes through loud and clear,” writes School Library Journal about the Cracked Classics series. “The short chapters make this an ideal read-aloud and a treat for reluctant readers.”

“A treat for reluctant readers,” as two sixth graders discover, when you can travel into books, going around the world is easy (School Library Journal). Middle schoolers Devin and Frankie—short for Francine—have found a unique shortcut to passing English. When their teacher gives them a book to read, they just toss it through the magic metal detector in their school library, which transports them into the world of the novel, allowing them to live the book firsthand and always get an A. The system works great until the librarian hires a repairman to fix what the kids call the “zapper gates.” While trying to distract him, Devin and Frankie drop a book through the detector, and find themselves on a whirlwind tour of the globe in Jules Verne’s classic adventure. In the company of mad explorer Phileas Fogg, Devin and Frankie embark on a round-the-world journey by train, ship, and hot air balloon. But they’ll have to race to beat the clock, or risk getting stuck in the book forever. As with other books in Tony Abbott’s Cracked Classics series, “the message that reading is important and can be fun comes through loud and clear. The short chapters make this an ideal read-aloud and a treat for reluctant readers” (School Library Journal).

Two sixth graders are magically swept away to Treasure Island, where they must match wits with legendary pirate Long John Silver. When best friends Devin and Frankie—short for Francine—get a tough assignment in their English class, they know there’s only one way to handle it. Read the book? Nah, that’s for suckers. Devin and Frankie just take the novel to the library and toss it through the magic metal detector, which sucks them into the world of the book, allowing them to experience the novel firsthand. Most of the time, this works great. This time, they get marooned on Treasure Island. The moment they step into Robert Louis Stevenson’s classic pirate novel, Devin and Frankie find themselves neck deep in a hunt for buried treasure along with Long John Silver and his gang of cutthroats. These two wisecracking slackers will need to avoid rocking the boat—or they may have to walk the plank. School Library Journal has called the Devin and Frankie novels “reminiscent of Mary Pope Osborne’s ‘Magic Tree House’ series, but for an older audience.” X Marks the Spot is another lively introduction to the classics for reluctant readers.

For two sixth graders who feel about school the way Scrooge feels about Christmas, a magical trip into Dickens’s tale is just what their spirits need. It’s Christmastime at Palmdale Middle School, and the sixth grade class has organized a holiday banquet for local families in need. Best friends Devin and Frankie—short for Francine—are excited to eat, but they forgot to bring in food donations. They also didn’t read A Christmas Carol for Mr. Wexler’s English class. While the two fight over the school’s last copy, the library’s magic security gates suddenly transport them straight into Charles Dickens’s timeless tale, where they come face to face with grouchy Ebenezer Scrooge, who’s about to get a wake-up call from some ghosts on Christmas Eve. As the ghosts show the stingy Scrooge the consequences of all the selfish choices he’s made in life, Devin and Frankie come to realize that they too have a few things to learn about kindness and generosity. Reluctant readers “Devin and Frankie are wisecracking underachievers and their characterizations and dialogue ring true” in Tony Abbott’s Cracked Classics series (School Library Journal).

Two reluctant readers and mischievous middle schoolers get transported into Bram Stoker’s vampire classic in this “lighthearted spoof” (Publishers Weekly). Devin and Frankie—short for Francine—may be the best of friends, but they aren’t the best of students. After they’re busted for not reading Bram Stoker’s Dracula, their teacher sends them to the library to make amends by mending books. When they accidentally toss an ancient copy of the horror classic through the library’s broken metal detector, a huge crack opens in the wall—and sucks Devin and Frankie right into the novel itself. Now these sarcastic sixth graders will need a few stakes, a lot of garlic, and a sharp sense of humor to defeat the bloodthirsty count. In this first book in Tony Abbott’s Cracked Classics series, “Devin and Frankie are wisecracking underachievers and their characterizations and dialogue ring true. Abbott adroitly blends the language in Stoker’s tale with their conversations, resulting in laugh-out-loud scenes” (School Library Journal).

Huge Tiki heads with a grudge against Grover’s Mill are turning the town back into a jungle—it’s the Weird Zone’s weirdest trouble yet! All Mike and his friends want to do is play a game of baseball on their first day of summer vacation. But when Liz gets up to bat, home plate begins to shake. Suddenly, five odd-looking men carrying long sticks appear in the middle of the field. When they bang their sticks on the ground, Grover’s Mill turns into a jungle, and giant Tiki heads start popping out of the earth. Even worse, these evil Tiki heads are out for revenge against Grover’s Mill! An ancient prophecy predicts that the Tiki heads will destroy Grover’s Mill. The kids must find a way to prevent it from coming true—and then turn back time. But the Tiki heads seem too powerful to beat. Can the kids save the day before they get trapped in the past?