New Releases by Joan Lowery Nixon

The middle-grade answer to Christina Baker Kline''s New York Times bestselling Orphan Train, this is a shockingly timely historical adventure. Imagine being taken from your home. Imagine your mother is the one who lets it happen. This is the fate that befalls the Kelly children. It’s 1856, and their widowed mother has sent them west from New York City because she’s convinced that she can’t give them the life they deserve. The Kellys board an “orphan train” and are taken to St. Joseph, Missouri, where their problems only grow worse. It was bad enough that they had to say goodbye to their mother, but now they’re forced to part ways with their fellow siblings as well. Thirteen-year-old Frances won’t stand for it. She’s going to protect her brothers and sisters, even if it means dressing up like a boy and putting herself in danger. Will Frances be able to save her siblings? And what about her mom—was splitting up their family really her greatest act of love? Ride the rails with Frances and her siblings to find out! “This is as close to a perfect book as you’ll buy this year.” –VOYA

Soon after she and her mother come to the small Texas town of Kluney and experience a series of menacing events, Katie begins to suspect that there is something sinister going on.

Sixteen-year-old Liz''s summer job with an expensive hotel involves her in a staged murder mystery weekend and a real murder.

In 1879 seventeen-year-old Sarah travels from Chicago to the violent town of Leadtown, Colorado, to locate her missing father, but she finds that the mention of his name brings her strange looks and an attempt on her life.

A teenage girl is kidnapped, but when freed, is accused of masterminding the scheme to extort money from her wealthy grandmother.

Sarah risks her life to clear her murdered father''s name and expose big time criminal activity in the lawless mining town of Leadville. Sequel to "High Trail to Danger."

Cary finds her life in danger when she uncovers a plot to sabotage her father''s political campaign for governor of Texas.

Rebekah, a fifteen-year-old Jewish immigrant arriving in New York City in 1902, almost abandons her dream of getting an education when she is forced to work in a sweatshop.

Sixteen-year-old Cassie, daughter of a famous comedienne, wishes she could spend more time with her sought-after mother and at the same time be recognized as a separate identity.

The Nic-Nac kids, who solve neighborhood mysteries together and write their own newspaper, the Nic-Nac News, investigate the case of The Great Giovanni, a mysterious man on their block.

Deeply unhappy about her family''s separation because of poverty, Megan gradually finds contentment and purpose in her new home on the Kansas prairie with a kind and loving adopted family.

Happy living with her Texas grandmother and looking forward to celebrating a family Christmas, thirteen-year-old Maggie is devasted when she is summoned by her movie-director father to spend Christmas with him and her very young stepmother in California.

Twelve-year-old Maggie, living with her grandmother in Houston, joins the drama club at school, wins a part in a play, begins to make friends, and learns to deal with feelings of loneliness, selfishness, being in love, and having an unusual family life and background.

When they are left with a mysterious, witchlike babysitter on Halloween, Susan and Mike try to figure out whether she really has magical powers.

Kleep and Till befriend a stranger who is seeking a way to free his people enslaved by Thrugg''s magic power.

Gloria Chipmunk has a real problem to solve when she must stay home to take care of her little brother on the same day as the class play in which she has a part.

Amateur detectives Susan and Mike figure out the identity of a mysterious clown on April Fools'' Day.

David finds all sorts of missing items for other people but cannot locate his own possessions.

A little boy assembles the clues to the mysterious prowler: he has a round nose, he rides a bicycle with a patched tire, and he squeaks instead of talks.

Paul, with his Indian ancestry, not only guesses what is in Michael John''s box, but knows how to find it when it escapes.

A plan to secretly help their community nearly backfires for a group of children when they find themselves involved with real gangland criminals.