In a funny and charming fantastical romp, overlooked Princess Marigold is nothing like her perfect, just-returned sister—so she runs away to an evil wizard's tower to prove her wickedness. Princess Marigold—who hadn't yet been born when the remarkable Princess Rosalind was kidnapped—is eleven when the unthinkable happens: her older sister escapes her captivity and comes home. Marigold has always known she's not as good, sweet, or kind as the sister everyone adores, but amid the celebration of Rosalind's return, Marigold realizes something new: if Princess Rosalind is good, then Princess Marigold must be wicked. And there's no place for wickedness in the kingdom. When Marigold tries to find a new place for herself in an evil wizard's fortress, though, the results are disastrous. Before she's even learned to cackle or scowl properly, she gets tangled up in a magical plot to ruin all the Cacophonous Kingdoms. Is Marigold too wicked to make...

An otherworldly middle grade story perfect for fans of A Wrinkle in Time and Stranger Things from the author of the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series and the Agatha Award nominee The World's Greatest Detective.What begins as a rather unremarkable Tuesday quickly turns to disaster when Lucy, the Gatekeeper's deputy, discovers that her boss has vanished and the door connecting Lucy's world to the next world over is broken—and it all might be Lucy's fault.To save the Gatekeeper and set things right, Lucy must break the rules for the first time ever and journey with an otherworldly boy, a suspiciously sneaky girl, and a crew of magical bees into the seven worlds beyond her own.But Lucy isn't the only one breaking the rules. As dangers gather around her, she learns she's up against a sinister force that's playing with the delicate fabric of time and space, no matter what the deadly costs or...

Admiral Westfield sucked in his breath and released it in a tremendous gust. "My dear," he said, "let me be clear: You are a young lady. You will not tell silly tales and you will never be a pirate."Hilary Westfield has always dreamed of being a pirate. She can tread water for thirty-seven minutes. She can tie a knot faster than a fleet of sailors. She particularly enjoys defying authority, and she already owns a rather pointy sword. There's only one problem: The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates refuses to let any girl join their ranks of scourges and scallywags.Girls belong at Miss Pimm's Finishing School for Delicate Ladies, learning to waltz, faint, and curtsy. But Hilary and her dearest friend, the gargoyle, have no use for such frivolous lessons--they are pirates! (Or very nearly.)To escape from a life of petticoats and politeness, Hilary answers a curious advertisement for a pirate crew and suddenly finds herself swept...

Humor, magic, and adventure abound in the third—and final—book of the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series.Hilary Westfield is now a freelance pirate. After trying to prove herself to the VNHLP, she realized many members of the League weren't all that honorable—not even very nearly. With Captain Blacktooth in cahoots with the Mutineers, the kingdom of Augusta and all its magic are at risk.What the League needs is a very honorable pirate to be their new president. So Hilary—with the help of her friends, including the always spirited gargoyle—challenges Blacktooth to a High Seas battle. Winner takes all. Loser, at best, will be exiled.Caroline Carlson has created a world where magic is currency, pirates are more charming than alarming, and a girl can choose a life as a pirate instead of a life in petticoats. And she once again delivers a story of high stakes, High Seas, and High Society in the hilarious and charming...

Caroline Carlson, author of the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series, returns with The World's Greatest Detective, a story of crime, tricks, and hilarity for those who know that sometimes it takes a pair of junior sleuths to solve a slippery case.Detectives' Row is full of talented investigators, but Toby Montrose isn't one of them. He's only an assistant at his uncle's detective agency, and he's not sure he's even very good at that. Toby's friend Ivy is the best sleuth around—or at least she thinks so. They both see their chance to prove themselves when the famed Hugh Abernathy announces a contest to choose the World's Greatest Detective. But when what was supposed to be a game turns into a real-life murder mystery, can Toby and Ivy crack the case?

More pirates, more magic, and more adventure in the second book of the Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates series! Caroline Carlson brings the unceasing wit, humor, and fun of the first book in the series, Magic Marks the Spot, to this epic sequel. Fans of Lemony Snicket's Series of Unfortunate Events and Trenton Lee Stewart's Mysterious Benedict Society will love this quirky tween series and hope to join the VNHLP just like Hilary!Hilary Westfield is now a bona fide pirate, but when her daring, her magical know-how, and even her gargoyle don't convince the VNHLP that she's worthy of her title, the Terror of the Southlands, she sets off with her crew on a High Seas adventure. But then Miss Pimm disappears and Hilary decides to find the missing Enchantress and protect the magic of Augusta.