Anastasia is a carefree young duchess, daughter of Nicholas Alexandrovitch Romanov, tsar of all the Russias in 1914. While her father attends to the turbulent affairs of a vast and complex country, Anastasia's major concerns are how to get out of her detested schoolwork to play in the snow, go ice skating, or have picnics. She wears diamonds and rubies, and every morning her mother tells her which matching outfit she and her three sisters shall wear that day. Slowly a hint of future trouble enters her happy, pampered life. Anastasia's younger brother, the future tsar, is a hemophiliac—a "bleeder" who cannot stop bleeding if he is cut or bruised. Anastasia begins to learn that all is not well in the outside world, either. Not everyone in Russia worships her father as she does, and the Germans are about to declare war on Russia. Anastasia's world gradually deteriorates, as reported in her youthful, often playful journal.

As Russia entered World War I, hunger and poverty grew among the peasants, and the Romanov ruling family began to lose favor, culminating in their murders—including Anastasia's—by Bolshevik revolutionaries. This fictionalized diary of the mischievous youngest daughter's last four years gives a fascinating glimpse into a life of unlimited wealth—and the subsequent downward spiral. Historical notes, family trees, and photographs round out Carolyn Meyer's compelling contribution to the popular Royal Diaries series. (Ages 9 to 14) —Emilie Coulter

When an intruder sneaks into a Victorian house that is being renovated and begins stripping off the wallpaper in the parlour, the three cousins help the owner investigate.

At Christmastime the three cousins hear a story about a mysterious golden reindeer and wonder if they will be the ones to find it.

When a vandal sabotages restoration work at a run-down lighthouse, the cousins set out to find the culprit.

While watching over her neighbour's beehives, Sara-Jane, Titus, and Timothy find an important clue to the location of a missing strongbox which contains a valuable recipe.

While visiting Lake Misty Pines, the three cousins hear about an archaeological treasure that may lie on the island in the middle of the lake and try to track a mysterious stranger.

Sarah-Jane and her two cousins solve a mystery involving an antique locket they plan to give their favorite baby-sitter.

While attending a fancy wedding, the three detective cousins investigate the mysterious disappearance of the wedding cake.

Titus and his cousins are taking care of their neighbors' crabby Yorkshire terrier when the dog suddenly becomes sweet-tempered and the cousins have a mystery on their hands.

This unique book charts HEnty's works of historical fiction chronologically and provides botha plot summary andan historical overview of over 70 of his classic tales.

In Rome in 62 A.D., seventeen-year-old Hylas must find a way to save himself, his mother, and the other household slaves from imprisonment and imminent death when their master, a prominent senator, is found murdered.