New Releases by Liz Kessler

The NEW YORK TIMES best-selling series -- now making a big splash as a boxed collection of all three enchanting mermaid adventures. What if you dove into a pool and came up a mermaid? For twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap -- girl on land, finned creature in the water -- it''s a discovery that spurs not only breathtaking escapades and brushes with high suspense, but also issues of friendship and family that resonate with middle-grade fans everywhere. Now a beguiling boxed set allows readers to dive into all three Emily Windsnap tales: THE TAIL OF EMILY WINDSNAP EMILY WINDSNAP AND THE MONSTER FROM THE DEEP EMILY WINDSNAP AND THE CASTLE IN THE MIST

Readers can dive right into the first two adventures in the New York Times best-selling series with this appealing bind-up edition. The Tail of Emily Windsnap Twelve-year-old Emily Windsnap makes a startling discovery about her own identity, the mysterious father she’s never met, and the thrilling possibilities and perils shimmering deep below the water’s surface. Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep Half-mermaid Emily Windsnap wakes the Kraken, a legendary sea monster, putting her family and friends, both merfolk and human, in great danger. Can she set things right before it’s too late?

Swim with the dolphins and cheer for the protection of sea mammals in this early-reader adventure inspired by the New York Times best-selling Emily Windsnap series. Best mer-friends Emily, Shona, and Aaron are wandering the ocean in search of something to do when they see a boat advertising “attractions” at a place called Sea Park. Finally, a great way to spend their day! But on their way to the boat, the trio pass a pair of frantic dolphins caught in nets. Carefully, they set the animals free, only to have the dolphins repay the favor by blocking their way to the boat. Could it be that Sea Park isn’t the fun destination they had hoped for—and that its attractions could involve captured dolphins, or even mermaids? It’s a close call, and they’re all safe for now, but other animals might not be so lucky. How can the mermaids and other sea creatures show the boat’s crew that sea animals should be playing free, not in a tank? With a crescendo of leaps and flips, this fourth early-reader adventure starring Emily Windsnap and friends is sure to please fans of the series—and champions of the ocean and its creatures.

A young girl learns of her grandmother and great-aunt’s involvement in the Dutch Resistance during World War II in this heartbreaking middle grade story of family, history, resilience, and hope from acclaimed author Liz Kessler. Thirteen-year-old Liv’s beloved ninety-two-year-old grandmother, Oma, is moving into a home where she can be cared for as her dementia worsens. As Liv helps her father empty Oma’s house, she finds an old chest which opens up a whole world that Liv never knew about: the hidden world of Oma’s childhood. Through the letters and other mementos, Liv learns that Oma, given name Mila, had a sister, Eva, that no one in Liv’s family ever knew about. In 1942, Mila and Eva are sent away from their parents to a non-Jewish family so they will survive the war. Twelve-year-old Mila believes that they will soon be reunited with their parents and go back to their normal lives, but fourteen-year-old Eva knows better, and soon gets involved in the Resistance. Eva takes on more and more dangerous assignments until a betrayal forces her to decide between running away with her sister or fully committing to mission. Tragedy strikes, and Mila goes to England on her own to restart her life from scratch, vowing never to talk about her childhood again. In the present day, Liv reads how Mila builds something new from the shattered pieces of her childhood while giving beloved Oma all the support she can. Both Liv and Mila grapple with loyalty, family, and love as they discover what it means to be brave and go above and beyond to offer someone else a life of dignity, happiness, and freedom.

"Aaron wishes he were special like his best friends, Emily Windsnap and Shona Silkfin. But nothing exciting ever happens at his castle in the middle of the ocean. That is, until a mysterious ship visits, and all the crew members are strangely interested in Aaron''s trident pendant. One even asks to take a closer look at it . . . and later Aaron realizes he never got it back! With Emily and Shona by his side, Aaron swims to the ship to retrieve his pendant"--

With her best friend’s help, can mermaid Shona get up the nerve to share her singing talents at school? A new reader for younger fans based on the New York Times best-selling Emily Windsnap novels. Emily Windsnap’s best friend, Shona Silkfin, is a mermaid who loves to sing . . . but only when she is by herself. So when Shiprock School announces a talent show whose winner will have the honor of meeting King Neptune, everyone is excited to perform—except Shona, who is too nervous to sign up. But when Emily overhears her friend singing, she’s amazed by Shona’s beautiful voice. With Emily’s encouragement, Shona decides to enter the talent show—and when she anxiously takes the stage, Shona knows that her best friend is cheering her on, giving her the courage to sing loud and proud in front of everyone, even the King of the Oceans. Based on the New York Times best-selling series by Liz Kessler, this underwater adventure offers a sweet story about a confidence-bolstering friendship to new readers.

"Vienna. 1936. Three young friends--Leo, Elsa, and Max--spend a perfect day together, unaware that around them Europe is descending into a growing darkness and that they will soon be cruelly ripped apart from one another. With their lives taking them across Europe--to Germany, England, Prague, and Poland--will they ever find their way back to one another? Will they want to?"--

Introducing an exciting new line of readers that brings half-mermaid Emily Windsnap—star of the New York Times best-selling series—to a younger audience. Even though she lives in a houseboat, Emily Windsnap doesn’t know how to swim. Her mother has always cautioned her to stay out of the water. But it’s hard to make friends at the beach when everyone else is having fun in the waves! So when swimming lessons start at school, Emily is excited to finally have the chance to learn. Standing beside the pool, she feels the water calling her, but when she jumps in, she gets a strange, kind of scary sensation . . . like her legs are stuck together. Eager to figure out what’s happening, Emily later dives into the sea. She gets that weird feeling again, but this time she looks down to see that her legs are gone—replaced by a shiny, beautiful tail! Welcome to Emily’s Big Discovery, the first in a sparkling, charmingly illustrated series of readers. With a mermaid tail and an entire ocean awaiting her, Emily is eager to meet new friends and swim off on big adventures in this inviting new series for the younger set, based on the best-selling middle-grade series by Liz Kessler.

Emily Windsnap doesn''t know how to swim. Her mother has always cautioned her to stay out of the water. But it''s hard to make friends at the beach when everyone else is having fun in the waves! So when swimming lessons start at school, Emily is excited to finally have the chance to learn. Standing beside the pool, she feels the water calling her, but when she jumps in, she gets a strange, kind of scary sensation ... like her legs are stuck together. Eager to figure out what''s happening, Emily later dives into the sea. She gets that weird feeling again, but this time she looks down to see that her legs are gone--replaced by a shiny, beautiful tail!

Emily Windsnap must travel through time in order to save the people of her hometowns — both human andmerfolk — in the exciting ninth book of the New York Times best-selling series. When Emily makes a wish on a magic stone, she gets a glimpse of what the future holds — and it’s a disaster! She tries to make things right, but each trip through time takes Emily to a future where things turn out badly for either the humans of Brightport or the merpeople of Shiprock. Plastic pollutes the ocean, garbage overflows the landfills, and the two towns are no longer getting along. Emily realizes she can''t save her hometown and the ocean alone, but with help from her best friends, Shona and Mandy, she’ll have to find a way to get humans and merpeople to work together. Will Emily be able to create a better future for everyone, including herself? This new adventure gives readers a glimpse at what Emily and her friends could be like as grown-ups, with a fresh story that explores how uniting communities can make a future that’s bright for everyone.

While on vacation, Emily Windsnap finds herself swept up in an ancient prophecy as the New York Times best-selling series continues. Emily is headed to a tropical island for a relaxing vacation with friends and family. And this time, Emily promises her best friend, Shona, there will be absolutely no adventure — just plenty of fun. But somehow excitement always seems to find Emily, and before she knows it, she ends up on the other side of a powerful waterfall on a forgotten island no one else can get to. Well, no one that isn’t a half-mer like Emily and her boyfriend, Aaron. The people who live on the island believe in a prophecy that foretells how they can be saved from an imminent, devastating earthquake — and this prophecy seems to revolve around Emily and Aaron, as well as a mysterious, mythic giant. Will they be able to find the giant — and fulfill the prophecy — before it’s too late?

Emily Windsnap ends up surrounded by pirates — and on a life-changing adventure — in the eighth installment of the New York Times best-selling series. Traveling home by cruise ship should be a relaxing break after Emily’s latest adventure, but things take a turn when the ship is overtaken by a pirate king and his crew. After the pirates collect everyone’s riches, they steal something even more valuable: Aaron. The pirate king’s eldest son takes Aaron captive, forcing him to help guide the pirates to the mythical Trident’s Treasure. So Emily dives into action and joins the younger son’s crew in hopes of saving Aaron. But while experiencing life on the waves, Emily is surprised to find herself not only enjoying the pirate life, but actually bonding with the crew — especially Sam, the pirate king’s son. Between helping Sam unravel riddles to beat his brother to the treasure and making sure that her friends are safe, Emily realizes that she needs to be true to herself. Will she cast aside her mermaid life to join her new friends, or will she find a way to follow her own path?

An Early Reader about friendship featuring Jenny the Pony, from bestselling EMILY WINDSNAP author, Liz Kessler, and Laura Tonge, with illustrations from Mike Phillips. Jenny the pony is always getting into trouble ... until she meets James, a little boy in a wheelchair. James and Jenny are the perfect match, and are a perfect team when they compete in the big Spring Gala together.

"First published in Great Britain by Hodder and Stoughton"--Title page verso.

Dive into all six of Emily Windsnap’s magical adventures with this enchanting set. Half-mermaid, half-human, and all magic, Emily Windsnap has had middle-grade readers under her spell for more than a decade. All six of her shimmering underwater adventures are now available in one beautiful collection with a bonus twelve-page friendship booklet for readers to share with their BFFs. Includes books 1 through 6: The Tail of Emily Windsnap Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist Emily Windsnap and the Siren’s Secret Emily Windsnap and the Land of the Midnight Sun Emily Windsnap and the Ship of Lost Souls Bonus! Best Friends with Emily Windsnap booklet

In her first novel for young adults, New York Times best-selling author Liz Kessler tells a story about finding a kindred spirit and becoming your true self. Ashleigh Walker is a mediocre student with an assortment of friends, a sort-of boyfriend, and no plans for the future. Then a straight-from-college English teacher, Miss Murray, takes over Ash’s class and changes everything. Miss Murray smiles a lot. She shares poetry with curse words in it. She’s, well, cool. And she seems to really care about her students. About Ashleigh. For the first time, Ash feels an urge to try harder. To give something — someone — her best. Before she knows it, Ashleigh is in love. Intense, heart-racing, all-consuming first love. It’s strong enough to distract her from worrying about bad grades and her parents’ marriage troubles. But what will happen if Miss Murray finds out Ashleigh is in love with her?

"First published in Great Britain in 2015 by Orion Children''s Books"--Title page verso.

Poppy the Pirate Dog is in charge of keeping the treasure safe, so what happens when some jewelry goes missing? It’s Mom’s birthday, so Tim and Suzy are planning a special pirate show for her. Poppy’s job is to guard the treasure, but while on duty, she hurts her eye and has to go to the vet. Worse yet, she comes home not with a pirate eye patch, but with a big plastic cone around her neck! While the rest of the family searches for Dad’s missing present—a sparkly necklace for Mom—Poppy sulks alone outside. But then Poppy catches sight of something twinkling in the grass. Is this her chance to redeem herself as the best pirate dog ever? This third early reader from Liz Kessler sparkles with warmth, humor, and a dash of pirate gold.

"First published in Great Britain by Orion Children''s Books"--Title page verso.

Liz Kessler’s sparkling series about Philippa Fisher and her spunky fairy godsister. Philippa Fisher would like nothing more than to summon a fairy. Still, she is taken aback when Daisy, the new girl at school, announces that she is Philippa''s fairy godsister—and is reluctantly obliged to grant her human charge the customary three wishes. Now, if only Philippa would wish for something that makes her life better, not worse! With warmth and whimsy, the creator of Emily Windsnap tells a story of friendship, luck, and how we decide what we really want.

Early Readers are stepping stones from picture books to reading books. A blue Early Reader is perfect for sharing and reading together. A red Early Reader is the next step on your reading journey. It''s Mum''s birthday and Poppy and her family are putting on a pirate show. It''s Poppy''s job to be the treasure keeper. The only trouble is, she isn''t very good at it...

When her owners notice that Poppy the pirate dog is lonely, they decide to get her a friend, but Poppy doesn''t expect it to be an orange kitten.

Continues the undersea adventures of the intrepid young half-mermaid, who plunges into a scheme to reunite with her father.

Emily Windsnap lives on a boat, but her mother has always been oddly anxious to keep her out of the water. It is only when Emily has her first school swimming lesson that she discovers why: as soon as she gets into the water, she grows a tail! Soon Emily discovers a glorious underwater world of fishes, coral, shipwrecks and mermaids - and even makes a mermaid best friend, Shona Silkfin! With Shona and her other friends by her side, Emily embarks on a series of exciting and magical adventures, tackling everything from an angry sea god to a monstrous kraken.

Looking forward to spending a seaside vacation with her family and sharing an adventure on the open sea as a fierce pirate dog, Poppy the Dalmatian loses her courage in the face of numerous bobbing boats, splashing waves and scary sea creatures.

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Emily Windsnap series comes a captivating adventure about family, friendship, and the bonds that bridge time. The sleepy seaside village of Porthaven hides a mystery: Mia’s grandad has vanished, and nobody knows why. When Mia and her mom rush to Porthaven to help her grandmother, Mia imagines long dreary days with no one to talk to except for the old-time fisherman at her grandparents’ pub. But that’s before Mia finds a diary on an empty, docked fishing boat and starts exchanging notes with a local girl named Dee, a girl who seems much like her. Mia is excited about having a new friend, but why do their plans to meet each other never materialize? And why does Dee claim to be stuck at home due to violent storms when Mia sees only sunny skies? Will Mia be able to solve the mystery of where — and when — her grandfather and friend might be before time and tide forever wash away their futures?

Enchanted by Emily Windsnap? Now readers can immerse themselves in all of her adventures with this swishy boxed set. Dive in! Half-mermaid, half-spunky girl, all magic — Emily Windsnap swept a generation of middle grade readers under her spell. Avid fans or those discovering Emily for the first time, kids will swimmingly to this beautiful collection of four Emily Windsnap episodes: The Tail of Emily Windsnap Emily Windsnap and the Monster from the Deep Emily Windsnap and the Castle in the Mist Emily Windsnap and the Siren’s Secret