Cloaked In Red

Eight witty stories that parody the Little Red Riding Hood tale

I'm not your average hero. I actually wasn't your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all. It all started with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission. There wasn't a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I've ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades. Don't believe me? I didn't believe it either. But you'll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got cloaked.

The Girl in the Red Cloak is the story of fifteen-year-old Lucy, a loud-mouthed girl from a Catholic orphanage, who makes a sudden decision to run away from her small woodwork town alongside her best friend Maribel Oakley.Despite the obstacles they faced in order to run away, it was an eventual success. However, Lucy and Maribel's greatest obstacle emerged in the miner's town of Flinchester, where Maribel Oakley succumbed to a life threatening disease.Desperate to save her dying friend, Lucy sets out into wolf infested woods seeking the Applewhite plant, which is only rumored to contain the healing abilities that will save Maribel. But just as all hope seems lost, Lucy encounters a strange white-haired daemon who claims to be able to save Maribel, even though he can't even save himself from his own presumed death.

Collection includes annotated typescript drafts of chapters from Vivian Vande Velde's young adult novel, Cloaked in Red. Also included is correspondence from officials at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company and Marshall Cavendish Corporation.

This fast-paced YA debut novel has it all: smart, savvy characters making their way through an eerily dystopian society, with all the requisite action, adventure and romance characteristic of the genre vividly and at times, chillingly, portrayed. In a wild and lawless future, where life is cheap and survival is hard, eighteen-year-old Saba lives with her father, her twin brother Lugh, her young sister Emmi and her pet crow Nero. Theirs is a hard and lonely life. The family resides in a secluded shed, their nearest neighbour living many miles away and the lake, their only source of water and main provider of food, gradually dying from the lack of rain. But Saba's father refuses to leave the place where he buried his beloved wife, Allis, nine years ago. Allis died giving birth to Emmi, and Saba has never forgiven her sister for their mother's death. But while she despises Emmi, Saba adores her twin brother Lugh. Golden-haired and blue-eyed, loving and good, he seems the complete opposite to dark-haired Saba, who is full of anger and driven by a ruthless survival instinct. To Saba, Lugh is her light and she is his shadow, he is the day, she is the nighttime, he is beautiful, she is ugly, he is good, she is bad. So Saba's small world is brutally torn apart, when a group of armed riders arrives five day's after the twin's eighteenth birthday snatch Lugh away. Saba's rage is so wild, that she manages to drive the men away, but not before they have captured Lugh and killed their father. And here begins Saba's epic quest to rescue Lugh, during which she is tested by trials she could not have imagined, and one that takes the reader on breathtaking ride full or romance, physical adventure and unforgettably vivid characters, making this a truly sensational YA debut novel.

The Rat Prince by Bridget Hodder is a funny and magical retelling of the Cinderella story from the point of view of one of her footmen, a rat! Before Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters moved into Lancastyr Manor she was known as the beautiful Lady Rose de Lancaster. Then her stepmother forced her to become a kitchen maid and renamed her. At first the rats of the manor figure her for a lack-wit and take pity on her by bringing her food and a special family heirloom. But when Cinderella's stepmother finds a way to prevent her from attending the ball, the rats join forces to help her. The night of the ball is filled with magic and secrets-not least of all who Lady Rose will choose as her Prince Charming. A Margaret Ferguson Book

The remarkable story of Deborah Sampson, a woman who fought in the American Revolution disguised as a man—and who ends up finding her true identity and purpose in life. Deborah Sampson didn’t like being told what to do, especially by the King of England. Fiercely independent, 18-year-old Deborah enlists as Robert Shurtliff in George Washington’s Continental Army to fight for her country’s independence. But being a soldier is hard, dangerous work. Can she fight for her country and keep her identity a secret? Can she also discover who she really is and find her true purpose? This unbelievable story from American history about a woman with a rebel spirit will inspire and enlighten young readers. “Cloaked in Courage is inspiring storytelling centering the life and actions of a brave woman and soldier, Deborah Sampson. Anderson’s contribution brings to light a lesser-known hero in history and emphasizes the importance of historical investigation and research.” —Lori Ann Terjesen, director of education, National Women’s History Museum

Six alternative versions of the old legend, Rumpelstiltskin.

The Edgar Award–winning author of Never Trust a Dead Man puts a terrifying spin on what should be a typical night in a small town. Sixteen-year-old Kerry has got a tough night ahead of her. What begins as a simple lost-and-found trip to the laundromat to rescue her little brother’s stuffed koala bear turns into a nightmarish odyssey of murder, vampires, and—quite possibly—true love. “Interview with a Vampire for the learner's permit set.” —The Horn Book “A freshly written thriller, an offbeat love story, an engaging twist on the vampire novel, and an exciting tale of moral complexity . . . . Point [this] book at the Lois Duncan fans as well as Anne Rice followers, and get out of the way.” —The Bulletin “[Vande Velde] is a master at taking traditional fairy-tale-like themes and making them fresh and totally unique. Companions of the Night . . . does that for the vampire story . . . . The narrative is tightly wound, keeping readers ready for excitement and action.” —Emma Carbone, New York Public Library

I'm not your average hero. I actually wasn't your average anything. Just a poor guy working an after-school job at a South Beach shoe repair shop to help his mom make ends meet. But a little magic changed it all. It all started with a curse. And a frognapping. And one hot-looking princess, who asked me to lead a rescue mission. There wasn't a fairy godmother or any of that. And even though I fell in love along the way, what happened to me is unlike any fairy tale I've ever heard. Before I knew it, I was spying with a flock of enchanted swans, talking (yes, talking!) to a fox named Todd, and nearly trampled by giants in the Everglades. Don't believe me? I didn't believe it either. But you'll see. Because I knew it all was true, the second I got cloaked.