Christina discovers a passion for horses and riding but finds herself part of a strange household, divided by emotional undercurrents and cruelty.

    Her housemother is very strict, she's terribly homesick and the other girls don't seem to have any time for a shy new girl. Then Vicky meets Martha Sherman, and everything changes. Martha introduces Vicky to pie-beds, midnight feasts and all the other wonderful things about boarding school. She even teaches Vicky a secret language that only the two of them share. Soon, with Martha' s help, Vicky finds herself thinking of Coburn Home School as home....Written by acclaimed children' s book editor Ursula Nordstrom, this is an enchanting story about two young girls who share a special friendship while away at school. Originally published in 1960, this enchanting story of two young girls who develop a special friendship-- and a secret language-- while away at school is the only novel ever written by renowned children's book editor Ursula Nordstrom. 'Nordstrom' s gentle, acutely observed picture of the boarding-school world catches the essential fascination of that special community and at the same time, deals with certain problems common to any little girl adjusting to a new school.' -- The New York Times Mary Chalmers is the illustrator of many books for young readers, including the I Can Read Book Marigold and Grandma on the Town by Stephanie Calmenson, and Easter Parade, which she also wrote. She lives with her three cats in Greenbelt, MD. An ALA Notable Children' s Book of 1960 An ALA Notable Children' s Book of 1960. Originally published in 1960, this enchanting story of two young girls who develop a special friendship-- and a secret language-- while away at school is the only novel ever written by renowned children' s book editor Ursula Nordstrom. 'Nordstrom' s gentle, acutely observed picture of the boarding-school world catches the essential fascination of that special community and at the same time, deals with certain problems common to any little girl adjusting to a new school.' -- The New York Times Mary Chalmers is the illustrator of many books for young readers, including the I Can Read Book Marigold and Grandma on the Town by Stephanie Calmenson, and Easter Parade, which she also wrote. She lives with her three cats in Greenbelt, MD.

    But then again, 11-year-old Turtle is no Shirley Temple.She's smart and tough and has seen enough of the world not to expect a Hollywood ending. After all, it's 1935 and jobs and money and sometimes even dreams are scarce. So when Turtle's mama gets a job housekeeping for a lady who doesn't like kids, Turtle says goodbye without a tear and heads off to Key West, Florida, to live with relatives she's never met. Florida's like nothing Turtle's ever seen before though. It's hot and strange, full of ragtag boy cousins, family secrets, scams, and even buried pirate treasure! Before she knows what's happened, Turtle finds herself coming out of the shell she's spent her life building, and as she does, her world opens up in the most unexpected ways. Filled with adventure, humor and heart, Turtle in Paradise is an instant classic both boys and girls will love.