All Gib ever wanted was to be adopted, but life with a family isn't quite what he thought it would beGib was sent to an orphanage when he was six years old, and with each year, he knows it becomes less likely that he will be adopted into a loving family. As kids get older, they are more likely to be adopted onto a farm, meaning a hard life of unpaid labor. And after seeing a friend come back battered and near death, Gib is understandably worried.When his turn for adoption finally comes, Gib is surprised to learn that life on the farm isn't too difficult. His new "parents," the Thorntons, are kind to him, and his job in the stables is fun and interesting. It is as close to the home of his dreams as he could possibly imagine. And though Gib doesn't remember much of his past before the orphanage, as time passes, Gib realizes that his new family may be more connected to his real family than he ever imagined. This smart, touching novel is based on the life of author Zilpha...

Hallie Meredith is angry at God and feeling sorry for herself. Her beloved father died in a car accident, and her whole life has turned upside down. Her mother has had to find a job, and they've moved to a cramped apartment in an old mansion, away from Hallie's old friends and her school. Looking for somewhere--anywhere--to hide from her lousy life, Hallie discovers the old mansion's mysterious attic, and a secret window where she can spy straight into another family's life.At first it's a game, sneaking up to the attic, forgetting her own troubles for a while as she watches the strange doings of this oddly dysfunctional family. But as the mystery of what is going on on the other side of the window deepens, Hallie becomes increasingly involved in the intimate lives of people she really doesn't know, and the game turns into a kind of addiction. When she sees signs of danger, Hallie tries to help, and that may be the best way she can help herself as well.From the...

The Stanley family is moving to Italy! David, Janie, and twins Esther and Blair are thrilled. But their moody stepsister Amanda, thwarted from spending time in California with her father, spends the trip alternately moping or boasting about how rich her father is. And precocious Janie translates everything Amanda says to all the neighbors. But such bragging does not go unnoticed. One terrible night, the children are kidnapped. David tries to make friends with the kidnappers to protect his family. But that’s hard to do when Janie lectures them on how to write a ransom note and Esther complains about the terrible food. Can David and Amanda use their siblings’ hijinks to outsmart the kidnappers? This classic novel by Zilpha Keatley Snyder is by turns exciting, hilarious, and scary as it follows the plight of these rambunctious siblings.

Finding a special place where you can be at peace is difficult—but holding onto it is even harderThe last three years of Robin Williams's life have been very difficult. She's had to move with her large, poor family multiple times as her father seeks jobs as a migrant worker. Now, her father has a new job at the McCurdy Ranch and Robin often wanders off in order to cope with the constant change and difficulty surrounding her.Near the McCurdy Ranch is the Palmeras House, an old abandoned house that Robin is told repeatedly not to explore. However, with a little help, she finds herself inside the building, in the one place it seems she has always been looking for: the Velvet Room. This plush room is the most beautiful place she has ever seen. Robin is fascinated and enchanted, but she can't help but wonder: Why is it there?This ebook features an extended biography of Zilpha Keatley Snyder.

Life in the trees of Green-sky is easy and peaceful, but in the caverns below the forest floor, Teera must fight for her survivalWhile the Kindar thrive in the leafy utopia of Green-sky, the Erdlings struggle to survive in their underground caves and tunnels. Hunger threatens, and Teera, an eight-year-old Erdling, is forced to run away before her pet, Haba, is killed for food.Once away, Teera finds her way to the beautiful forest floor, where the sights are breathtaking and the food is abundant. There, she meets the friendly Ol-zhaan Raamo and Neric. Teera and her new Ol-zhaan friends want to reveal the truth about life above and below the trees, but powerful forces are at work to ensure that the two worlds remain apart.This ebook features an extended biography of Zilpha Keatley Snyder.