Popular Fiction: Fiction for Children

"A delightfully fresh take on the 'anything you can do, I can do better' theme, this book follows a feisty little Mexican girl on a quest to prove to her father--and herself--that she can be a glass-blower too. Magical realism abounds as Elena journeys through Mexico with lovely acrylic and crayon illustrations by Ana Juan." goodreads

"A girl living in a village in Italy receives some glass flowers and sets out to deliver them to a count as a gift for his wife, hoping to win a prize of gold to feed her family." goodreads

"Lorenzo, a Venetian glassmaker, lives with his wife and daughter in a palace with beautiful gardens. When his wife gets stung by a bee, he takes his daughter away to live on a rocky island where there are no bees to sting, but no birds or flowers. There he build his daughter a glass garden." goodreads

"Libbey and her friends Art, Sash, and Krixvisit her dad's studio, where their imaginations are fired by the spectacle of glassblowing. The children meet Mr. Gaffer and his assistants Tekna and Pepe. They watch the glassblowers work together, demonstrating skills and experience to create Glassigator, a zany and thrilling sculpture. Dan and Allison Dailey's story explains the art of blowing glass, using watercolor-and-ink illustrations to show the excitement and precision of this unique art form." goodreads

"Daniela the glassmaker's daughter is grumpy and never smiles. Her father promises a beautiful glass palace to anyone who can make her laugh. People come from far and wide to try their luck in amusing Daniela. But mask makers, lion tamers and magicians cannot raise a smile from the princess. It is only when a young apprentice makes the first looking glass that Daniela learns to smile – at her own grumpy reflection! This beautiful fable set in sixteenth-century Venice features stunning illustrations from award-winning artist Jane Ray alongside a poetic text." goodreads

"Each of a medieval town's three glassmakers believes that only the color he makes is beautiful enough for the great window of the new church." goodreads

"Juna and her best friend, Hector, have many adventures together, and they love to collect things in empty kimchi jars. Then one day, Hector unexpectedly moves away without having a chance to say good-bye. Juna is heartbroken and left to wonder who will on go on adventures with her. Determined to find Hector, Juna turns to her special kimchi jar for help each night. She plunges into the depths of the ocean, swings on vines through the jungle, and flies through the night sky in search of her friend. What Juna finds is that adventure--and new friends--can be found in the most unexpected places. Coupled with dreamy watercolor illustrations by Felicia Hoshino, Juna's Jar is a heartwarming and whimsical tale about the power of the imagination." goodreads

"Long, long ago there was a time when men did not venture into the deep ocean waters. It was believed that the world was flat and to sail beyond the horizon meant falling off the edge of the earth. So even though they were drawn to and fascinated by the ocean, men feared it. And as men lived their lives above the water, far beyond their view and in the ocean's deepest depths lived mysterious and magical sea creatures, half girl and half fish. These shy, gentle creatures were called mermaids and much loved by the ocean. And when men finally overcame their fear and ventured out to sea, risking disaster and even death, it was the mermaids who came to their rescue. Written by award-winning author Trinka Hakes Noble, this original legend explains the origin of sea glass, attributing it to the tears of mermaids, weeping for lives lost at sea." goodreads

"Interesting tale of colonial New Jersey, and a Quaker boy's life, homesteading in the woods with his family." goodreads

"If Dinn Tauro hadn't shot Tagg Orion off the Inter-Dimensional Wheel, Tagg and his sidekick, Squeeto, would never have crashed on that nowhere planet called Earth. And Sean Winger would never have found the two extraterrestrials in a bottle on the beach.
Without the aliens Sean wouldn't have a hope of entering a glass sculpture in the Hollis Art Fair -- and winning a scholarship. That's all Sean really wants in this world. Sean just needs two things -- glass and fire. He knows his parents won't help. So when Tagg offers Sean three wishes in exchange for protecting him from Dinn Tauro, how can Sean refuse?
Could two extraterrestrials really hold the answers to Sean's yearnings? Or are they only taking him on an extraterrestrial ride?" goodreads

"Now that Charlie has won the chocolate factory, what's next? Even wilder adventures, that'swhat! Join him, Grandpa Joe, and, of course, Willy Wonka for the amazing, intergalactic sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory!" goodreads

"In 1754, with her own parents taken captive, twelve-year-old Rebecca must confront her fear and hatred of the Abenaki when a boy raised by members of that tribe is brought to the fort at Charleston, New Hampshire, just before a series of thefts occurs." goodreads

"In Venice in 1487, the secrets of glassblowing are guarded jealously. Renzo, a twelve-year-old laborer in a glassworks, has just a few months to prepare for a test of his abilities, and no one to teach him. If he passes, he will qualify as a skilled glassblower. If he fails, he will be expelled from the glassworks. Becoming a glassblower is his murdered father’s dying wish for him, and the means of supporting his mother and sister. But Renzo desperately needs another pair of hands to help him turn the glass as he practices at night.

One night he is disturbed by a bird—a small falcon—that seems to belong to a girl hiding in the glassworks. Soon Renzo learns about her and others like her—the bird people, who can communicate with birds and are condemned as witches. He tries to get her to help him and discovers that she comes with baggage: ten hungry bird-kenning children who desperately need his aid. Caught between devotion to his family and his art and protecting a group of outcast children, Renzo struggles for a solution that will keep everyone safe in this atmospheric adventure." goodreads

"Mariana lives with her family on the Venetian island of Murano - famed for its artists who create masterpieces from glass. But when Mariana's little sister, Eliza, dies their father decides to use his glassmaking skill - and a dash of magic - to create a girl of glass in Eliza's image." goodreads

"A young fellow's dormant interest in glassmaking is brought to the fore when his father is lost at sea and the boy must begin work in a glass factory to support the family." goodreads

"Living above her father's workshop, Rain secretly designs stained glass but when she is discovered she must go to the strange new land of Magharna. Bandits roam the lonely roads and when Rain is ambushed she knows that she cannot win the fight. That is until a boy with a falcon saves her and an adventure of a lifetime begins." goodreads

"After his mother dies, -Sugar- Martin is sent to live with his gruff uncle Free, a crippled loner who makes his living fishing in a swamp in the Mississippi Delta in the early 1900s. As Sugar struggles to adjust to his new surroundings, the only bright spot in his life is watching the building of the new Sweet Kingdom Church, which will be adorned with a beautiful stained glass window his mother had scrimped and saved for.One day Sugar discovers that the money for Mama's window is being spent for the construction of the church itself. Devastated but unwilling to give up on his mother's dream, Sugar finds affirmation and support where he least expects it.With compelling characters and a rich sense of place, Mama's Window is ultimately a moving story of hope, dreams, and finding a place to call home." goodreads

"While on vacation in Venice, Nancy and her entourage help clear her friends of smuggling charges and come to the aid of a local duchess whose nephew has been kidnapped." goodreads

"While working as an indentured servant for a Jamestown Glassmaker in 1621, twelve-year-old Merry uncovers a case of sabotage." goodreads

"Maria is the younger daughter of an esteemed family on the island of Murano, the traditional home for Venetian glassmakers. Though she longs to be a glassblower herself, glassblowing is not for daughters—that is her brother's work. Maria has only one duty to perform for her family: before her father died, he insisted that she be married into the nobility, even though her older sister, Giovanna, should rightfully have that role. Not only is Giovanna older, she's prettier, more graceful, and everyone loves her.
Maria would like nothing more than to allow her beautiful sister, who is far more able and willing to attract a noble husband, to take over this role for her. But they cannot circumvent their father's wishes. And when a new young glassblower arrives to help the family business and Maria finds herself drawn to him, the web of conflicting emotions grows even more tangled." goodreads

"Jess has a secret: a mysterious glass flask she finds in an heirloom desk's hidden compartment. Its surface swirls with iridescent colors, like something's inside, something almost like a song, something with a soul. No one else sees anything under the shifting glass, but Jess is convinced there must be some kind of magic in there. And when her twin brothers are born critically ill, Jess begins to believe that the force within the flask just might hold the key to saving her brothers-and her family. In this emotionally rich novel, award-winning author Nicky Singer crafts a world of possibility that is steeped in hope and the power of love." goodreads

"Patrick and his twin sister Katie are shocked when they learn that someone threw a brick through the St. Francis of Assisi stained glass window at St. Anne’s. What would make someone angry enough to damage the beautiful old window? And how will the church ever be able to repair it? The twins want to investigate, but before Patrick can learn anything, he’s swept into another adventure—in the year 1205!" goodreads