Wicked Queen Malice has cast a spell on Summer's storybook and unleashed all the fairytale baddies into the Secret Kingdom. Ellie, Summer and Jasmine are called to Swan Palace to help the Swan Queen protect the other swans against a wicked witch on a broomstick. Can the girls catch the witch and get her back in the book, or will they be defeated by her horrible magic?

Enter a magical world of friendship and fun!

Birds have always been a popular and accessible subject, but most books about medieval birds are an overview of their symbolism generally: owl for ill-omen, the pelican as a Eucharistic image and the like. The unique selling point of this book is to focus on one bird and explore it in detail from medieval reality to artistic concept. This book also traces how and why the medieval perception of the swan shifted from hypocritical to courtly within the medieval period. With special attention to ‘The Knight of the Swan’, the book traces the rise and popularity of the medieval swan through literature, history, courtly practices, and art. The book uses thoroughly readable language to appeal to a wide audience and explains some of the reasons why the swan holds such resonance today by covering views of the swan from classic to early modern times.

"Ellie, Summer and Jasmine visit the beautiful Swan Palace, but they're shocked to discover that a wicked witch is frightening the swans. Queen Malice has released another fairlytale baddie into the Secret Kingdom! Will the girls be able to rescue the swans and get the witch back into the book?"--Page 4 of cover.

* A photographic exploration of a Baroque masterpiece, now returned to its former glory* The stunning restoration of the beautiful Di Lorenzo del Castelluccio palace in Sicily* Wonderfully evocative and full of beautiful imagery. A treat for lovers of Lampedusa's The Leopard* An inspiring insight into palatial interiors and gardensWith its sun-drenched sands and Mediterranean waters, Sicily has been a favored destination of travelers for centuries. History is alive on this island, from ancient accounts of the Greeks, Romans, Arabs and Normans; to the journals of wealthy young European men embarking on the Grand Tour. This book captures the sun-steeped aesthetic of the island, while detailing the restoration of one of its finest attractions: the Di Lorenzo del Castelluccio palace. Marquis de Castelluccio was one of the last "servals" or "leopards" of Sicily - wealthy aristocrats who flooded the island with luxury. Following his death, his home fell to ruin. A half-century later, Jean-Louis Remilleux fell in love with this dilapidated 18th-century palace and made it his mission to restore it. Unveiled for the first time in this beautifully illustrated book, the Di Lorenzo del Castelluccio palazzo is one of the finest testaments to Sicilian architecture and art. Today, lush green palm trees welcome you to the palace's imposing front façade. Frescoes, arabesques, masks, imitation marble, ceilings and wainscoting have all restored to their former glory, over decades of elaborate work. This book charts the restoration process and celebrates the astonishing end results. It contains an album's worth of photographs that capture the beauty of this palace beneath the Mediterranean sun.