A hidden lost world. A powerful crystal crown. This gripping fantasy adventure (inspired by a real kid's idea) doubles as a creative writing guide for young writers! An enchanted arrow pierces the wall of Hillview--the city is under attack! Years ago, a powerful crystal crown was stolen from a group of magic wielders called Lysors. Lacking the crown's protection, the Lysors hid themselves behind the city walls, shut off from the rest of the world. But with danger upon them once more, can Laura, a spunky girl with a knack for adventure, journey outside Hillview . . . and reclaim the crystal crown? "Changing kids' lives, one story at a time" is the motto of the Story Pirates, a group of professional comedians and teachers who bring kids' writing to life in animated short films, on their hit podcast, and in theaters and schools across America. Like the first two books, Stuck in the Stone Age and Digging Up Danger, this imaginative fantasy is based on an idea from a real kid! The story is also a jumping-off point for an introduction to the basics of creative writing. With the help of Story Pirate Captain Vincent Rolo and the Fantasy Creation Zone, readers can use this novel as inspiration to create their OWN great fantasy adventure!

The Last Chance Detectives are searching for a long-lost treasure, but they’re not the only ones. In book seven of the Last Chance Detectives series, readers learn that people aren’t always what they seem—and that some treasures are worth more than gold. Mike and his friends come across an ancient artifact that could unlock riches beyond their wildest dreams. Those dreams are threatened, however, by an unexpected break-in that has the local sheriff puzzled. When a mysterious stranger shows up in town, Mike, Winnie, Ben, and Spence wonder if they are in more danger than they realized. Their hunt for the treasure becomes a race against time as the Last Chance Detectives come face-to-face with perhaps their greatest foe ever! Quest for the King’s Crown is a story of heart-pounding action, age-old mysteries, and several unexpected twists. Does the gang have what it takes to meet this challenge? The Last Chance Detectives won’t stop until the mystery is solved!

Leaving her Dominican Order to stand by a cousin who has been condemned to death by Henry VIII, novice Joanna Stafford and her father are arrested and ordered by the Bishop of Winchester to recover a religious artifact believed to hold a sacred power.

A rich tale of power and forbidden love revolving around a young medieval queen In 1002, fifteen­-year-old Emma of Normandy crosses the Narrow Sea to wed the much older King Athelred of England, whom she meets for the first time at the church door. Thrust into an unfamiliar and treacherous court, with a husband who mistrusts her, stepsons who resent her and a bewitching rival who covets her crown, Emma must defend herself against her enemies and secure her status as queen by bearing a son. Determined to outmaneuver her adversaries, Emma forges alliances with influential men at court and wins the affection of the English people. But her growing love for a man who is not her husband and the imminent threat of a Viking invasion jeopardize both her crown and her life. Based on real events recorded in the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Shadow on the Crown introduces readers to a fascinating, overlooked period of history and an unforgettable heroine whose quest to find her place in the world will resonate with modern readers.

Where is the Fairy Queen's crown? Without it, the fairies can't elect their new ruler. Whoever finds the crown will reign over Faraway Island. Can one of the little fairies succeed? Or will it be a nasty goblin sitting on the throne?

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The thrilling sequel to the beloved worldwide bestseller Ready Player One, the near-future adventure that inspired the blockbuster Steven Spielberg film. NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY THE WASHINGTON POST • “The game is on again. . . . A great mix of exciting fantasy and threatening fact.”—The Wall Street Journal AN UNEXPECTED QUEST. TWO WORLDS AT STAKE. ARE YOU READY? Days after winning OASIS founder James Halliday’s contest, Wade Watts makes a discovery that changes everything. Hidden within Halliday’s vaults, waiting for his heir to find, lies a technological advancement that will once again change the world and make the OASIS a thousand times more wondrous—and addictive—than even Wade dreamed possible. With it comes a new riddle, and a new quest—a last Easter egg from Halliday, hinting at a mysterious prize. And an unexpected, impossibly powerful, and dangerous new rival awaits, one who’ll kill millions to get what he wants. Wade’s life and the future of the OASIS are again at stake, but this time the fate of humanity also hangs in the balance. Lovingly nostalgic and wildly original as only Ernest Cline could conceive it, Ready Player Two takes us on another imaginative, fun, action-packed adventure through his beloved virtual universe, and jolts us thrillingly into the future once again.

Charles Martel's son, Pepin the Short, (who will become Charlemagne's father) yearns to become King of All Franks, a title the Merovingians have claimed for hundreds of years. Even should he succeed, can Pepin fight his beloved older brother, Carloman, for the crown? No such scruples hold him from warring with his younger half siblings. In the absence of a Merovingian on the throne, Pepin and Carloman surprise everyone by jointly ruling the Franks as Mayors of the Palace. When Carloman insists they need a Merovingian figurehead king, Pepin acquiesces. Carloman, in penance for an unforgivable act, resigns his office to become a monk, leaving Pepin in sole power over the Franks, 'ruled' by a do-nothing king. Pepin gains the crown through the power of the pope in Rome, thus establishing the idea of the divine right of kings. Then to protect his mentor, Pepin must scale the formidable Alps to battle the Lombards who threaten the pope and Rome. In donating the cities he wins to the papal chair, Pepin begins what will become the Vatican-geographic territory belonging to the pope. "Deftly written by Diana M. Johnson, Quest for the Crown is a compelling historical novel... engaging and enthusiastically recommended." James Cox, Editor-in-Chief, The Midwest Book Review. "Ms. Johnson is an expert on this family. She will surprise and entertain you; all the time telling a story based on authentic fact." Alan Caruba, Editor, Bookviews.com. Website: http://mysite.verizon.net/~billndi.