{"product_id":"the-other-side-of-the-wall-isbn-9781984813299","title":"The Other Side of the Wall","description":"\u003cb\u003eIn this new adventure with Tess and Max, internationally bestselling author Amy Ephron takes readers to London at Christmastime, where a new fantastical journey awaits.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt's Christmas break and Tess and Max are in London, staying at the posh Sanborn House with their Aunt Evie. As they wait for their parents to arrive, there is an unusual snowstorm that makes the city seem as if it's caught in a snow globe. Perfect weather for an adventure in Hyde Park. But when Max, Tess, and Aunt Evie leave to search for a cab, they find a horse and carriage and driver curiously waiting for them at the curb. And that's just the beginning...  \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eSoon Tess is charmed by a mysterious boy named Colin who lives at the hotel all year round--on the 8th floor. But Max is sure the elevator only had 7 floors the day before. And how come everyone at the hotel seems to ignore Colin? Things seem to get stranger and stranger. There's a 1920s costume party in Colin's parents' apartment. A marble that seems to be more than it appears. And a shadow that passes mysteriously by Tess and Max's hotel window. \u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess wants to figure out what's going on, but finds only more questions: Is it just a coincidence that Colin's last name is Sanborn, the same as the hotel? Why does the cat's-eye marble look eerily similar to the crystal at the top of their hotel room key? And, most importantly, what happened in that hotel one Christmas long, long ago?\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIn this mysterious story sprinkled with holiday enchantment, Amy Ephron transports readers into the magic of London at wintertime, where it's just possible that what seems imaginary is real, and your wishes might come true.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Other Side of the Wall\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Tess especially follows in that lineage of strong, intelligent female characters – a sort of Lucy Pevensie\/Hermione Granger hybrid who is a leader, who believes in magic.\" —\u003ci\u003eTeen Vogue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Another time-bending mystery . . . nicely paced, starting slow and accelerating to breakneck speed by the end. This story is both charming and vaguely creepy.\" —\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Ephron renders this magical world with such assertive beauty that readers of all ages, who are fortunate enough to believe in the power of magic, will enjoy immersing themselves in the roller-coaster fun of these stories, and come to trust, even if for a short time, that in this ‘alternate universe’ it is possible for us to come together and ‘touch the sky.’” —\u003ci\u003eJewish Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"A very entertaining middle-grade read [that] will captivate and entice you to read more....This is a good old classic family adventure that you will want to both read and own.\" —Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Other Side of the Wall\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Tess especially follows in that lineage of strong, intelligent female characters – a sort of Lucy Pevensie\/Hermione Granger hybrid who is a leader, who believes in magic.\" —\u003ci\u003eTeen Vogue\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Another time-bending mystery . . . nicely paced, starting slow and accelerating to breakneck speed by the end. This story is both charming and vaguely creepy.\" —\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A very entertaining middle-grade read [that] will captivate and entice you to read more....This is a good old classic family adventure that you will want to both read and own.\" —Mr. Ripley's Enchanted Books\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eCarnival Magic\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Full of wonder and real-life enchantment, Amy Ephron's \u003ci\u003eCarnival Magic\u003c\/i\u003e is a charming adventure that will make a believer out of anyone!\" —Rachel Vail, author of \u003ci\u003eWell, That Was Awkward\u003c\/i\u003e and the Friendship Ring series\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Tess is a thoroughly modern heroine: She's athletic, impulsive, and fearless . . . The siblings are authentic children [and] the fantastic elements are the stuff of daydreams. Perfect for classroom read-alouds.\" —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The short chapters filled with mystery and action will have readers eagerly continuing to discover the secrets that await them. . . . Fans of the first book will be eager for this fun middle-grade fantasy with a classic sensibility.\" —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"The setting is contemporary—yet the language and tone feel distinctly nostalgic. This novel, which works as a stand alone, will captivate readers who enjoy their whimsy with a dash of risk.\" —\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"[\u003ci\u003eCarnival Magic\u003c\/i\u003e is] a softer otherworldly take on childhood mystery, reminiscent of classics like \u003ci\u003eA Secret Garden\u003c\/i\u003e . . . [it] is in itself an escape. Tess especially follows in that lineage of strong, intelligent female characters – a sort of Lucy Pevensie\/Hermione Granger hybrid who is a leader, who believes in magic.\" —\u003ci\u003eTeen Vogue\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"Amy Ephron has always been a magical storyteller. . . . In \u003ci\u003eCarnival Magic\u003c\/i\u003e, the companion book to Ephron’s successful \u003ci\u003eThe Castle in the Mist\u003c\/i\u003e . . . Tess and Max are teaching children and their parents about the power of thoughtful decision-making, loyalty, and self-confidence. Life lessons and carnival rides . . . the perfect beach read for all ages.\" —\u003ci\u003eParade\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003eThe Castle in the Mist\u003c\/i\u003e:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Bursting with imagination and warmth, Amy Ephron’s first novel for young people is a magical book in all ways.” —Holly Goldberg Sloan, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eCounting by 7s\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"This beautiful story’s quiet, peaceful tone nicely evokes both the serenity of country life and the haunting magic of the castle, and the emotional heft of Tess and Max’s separation from their parents, as well as their strong bond, keeps the tale firmly grounded in reality. Perfect for middle-graders who love classic fantasy.\" —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"Rich description of the castle along with an elaborate map at the book's beginning and an illustration at the end enhance the fantasy world....A sequel is suggested; beguiled readers will hope it happens.\" —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"There are scenes...that are transcendent in their beautiful, ethereal descriptions [in this] uplifting novel about family and connection.\" —\u003ci\u003eBCCB\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"A slightly darker, updated take on magical realism classics such as Edward Eager’s \u003ci\u003eHalf Magic\u003c\/i\u003e and E. Nesbit’s \u003ci\u003eThe Enchanted Castle\u003c\/i\u003e.\" —\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\"A near-perfect 9....This book defies gravity because it’s hard to put down!\" —\u003ci\u003eTime for Kids\u003c\/i\u003e, kid reporter\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Ephron renders this magical world with such assertive beauty that readers of all ages, who are fortunate enough to believe in the power of magic, will enjoy immersing themselves in the roller-coaster fun of these stories, and come to trust, even if for a short time, that in this 'alternate universe' it is possible for us to come together and 'touch the sky.'\" —\u003ci\u003eJewish Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eAmy Ephron \u003c\/b\u003e(www.amyephron.com) is a bestselling author of books for children and adults. \u003ci\u003eThe Castle in the Mist\u003c\/i\u003e, her first book for young readers, was nominated for a SCIBA Award, and was followed  by \u003ci\u003eCarnival  Magic \u003c\/i\u003eand \u003ci\u003eThe  Other  Side  of  the  Wall\u003c\/i\u003e,  all  part  of  the  Other  Side  series. Ephron is also the author of several adult books, including \u003ci\u003eA Cup of Tea\u003c\/i\u003e, which is an international bestseller. Her novel \u003ci\u003eOne Sunday Morning \u003c\/i\u003ereceived the \u003ci\u003eBooklist \u003c\/i\u003eBest Fiction and Best Historical Fiction  of  the  Year  awards  and  was  a  Barnes  \u0026amp;  Noble  Book  Club  selection.  She  also  writes  for \u003ci\u003eTIME \u003c\/i\u003emagazine and \u003ci\u003eAir Mail Weekly \u003c\/i\u003eand was a contributor at \u003ci\u003eVogue\u003c\/i\u003e, Vogue.com and \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times T Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e. Her work has appeared in numerous other publications as well. She was Executive Producer of Warner Bros.’ \u003ci\u003eA Little Princess\u003c\/i\u003e. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband. Between them they have five children. You can follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @AmyEphron.\u003cb\u003eMaybe It's the Wind\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Did you see that?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“See what?” Max replied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“That . . . that shadow that went past the window,” said Tess, “out in the garden.” \u003ci\u003eIt was more than a shadow, a shape that had streaked by the window.\u003c\/i\u003e She couldn’t explain what it was.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess and Max were sharing a suite at a small, somewhat trendy hotel in London called \u003cb\u003eThe Sanborn House\u003c\/b\u003e. They had gone to meet their mom and dad and Aunt Evie for Christmas break, although their parents hadn’t arrived yet.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess would be sleeping in the bedroom. Max had a rollaway cot in the living room. At the moment, Tess was sitting on the antique carpet on the floor of the living room and Max was lying on his freshly made cot. They had checked in at the desk with Aunt Evie, found their hotel room, and obediently unpacked their suitcases.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThey were both a little tired from the trip to London. Tess was staring vacantly out the window to the garden. Except she’d noticed something. Or at least she thought she had. It looked like a shape that had streaked quickly past the window—not an animal, something else, shadowy, which had sneaked past, not blown by the wind.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I didn’t see anything,” said Max immediately, definitively, even though he was sitting up as if he had.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“But,” he added, “there could be a number of explanations for it.” There was a bit of an edge to his voice, as if he was irritated at Tess. And Tess noticed she hadn’t told him, at all, what she’d seen and nonetheless he was rationalizing it for her. Ever logical, he explained, “For instance, a cloud passed across the sun, causing a shadow.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“We’re in London, there isn’t any sun,” said Tess, not meaning to be funny.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMax hesitated, and then suggested gruffly, as if he wished this conversation would be over, “A large truck passed by in the alley then and altered the light.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I don’t think there is an alley,” said Tess. “It looks like there’s just a garden that separates our hotel from the back of the house on the street behind us. I bet the garden’s pretty in the spring,” she added.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It’s pretty now,” said Max.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIt was unusually cold, and the branches of the trees were gilded with ice and an occasional dangling icicle that oddly reflected what little light there was into colored patterns, the way a glass prism would.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“You’re right,” said Tess. “It is pretty. And the icicles are natural holiday tree decorations. I bet Mom would like them. And see those red berries dotting that bush? I wonder what kind of berry bush it is.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMax almost snapped at her, “Can we look it up before we test one? Or at least ask someone what it is?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Promise,” said Tess who started laughing for a second until she realized Max hadn’t meant \u003ci\u003ethat \u003c\/i\u003eto be funny. She hesitated. “You didn’t see anything? Really?!” she asked again. “But, what I saw was, umm”—she didn’t really want to use the word, but she couldn’t help it—“ghostly.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe wind was blowing, as if in punctuation, a cold and scary wind, rattling the windows.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Okay, shadowy, then,” said Tess modifying her thought so as not to frighten Max unnecessarily. “You didn’t see it?” she repeated.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBut before Max could answer, Aunt Evie burst in to their hotel room without knocking. “Oh my,” she said, “put on your hat and grab your mittens.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe probably meant, put on your mittens and grab your hat, but neither one of them corrected her.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I think it’s going to snow,” Aunt Evie said. “It never snows in London. Well, hardly ever. And when it does,” she said, “it’s a very magical time to go out.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAunt Evie was wearing a gray and white scarf tied around her neck and tucked stylishly into her gray wool coat.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMax grabbed his hoodie. Aunt Evie shook her head. “Don’t you have something warmer?” she asked, and also nodded to his sneakers and suggested, “Boots?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBoth Tess and Max had lots of warm clothes as they’d been sent back to school in Switzerland in September. Their mom and dad had rented out their apartment in New York City and their mother had moved to Germany to be with their dad who was stationed there, now, in Berlin as the head of the International News Desk.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess didn’t really understand why they couldn’t go to the American School in Berlin. But it seemed like their parents needed a little time to try to sort things out.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess hated the sound of that. “Sort things out.” She and Max had heard them have a fight one night during dinner, which was very unusual. It was the night their dad had said “family conference” and told them and their mom that he’d accepted the job in Berlin. Tess understood why her mom could get mad about her dad taking the job in Berlin, but she also understood why he took it. It was an amazing opportunity. But they started to have a fight. Tess and Max excused themselves from the dinner table. Shortly thereafter, their mom had left and closed the door to the apartment so loudly the walls seemed to shake, and she didn’t come back for at least four hours.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAfter that, their parents had been civil with each other but somewhat distant, or at least Tess thought that was the case. Not as affectionate as they had always been.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTheir dad left for Berlin. And after some persuasion, which involved flowers arriving regularly, sometimes even twice a week, roses, peonies, lilies, orchids, and late night whispered conversations that Tess and Max only caught a word or two of, their mom decided to join him in Berlin in September.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess and Max didn’t push their parents on the decision to send them back to boarding school in Switzerland. Although it did seem to Tess that their mom would spend a fair amount of time alone in Germany, as their dad was also reporting on camera from all points abroad, including Russia and the Middle East.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTheir father had become quite well-known. It wasn’t unusual for someone to ask one of them if they were related to Martin Barnes, the TV news guy. And Tess or Max would say, “Yes,” very proudly, “he’s my dad.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess had been told by a friend’s mother that seeing Tess’s father on television made her feel a bit more secure, especially since there was so much uncertainty in the world. “There’s something about your dad that makes me feel calmer,” she said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess \u003ci\u003ewas \u003c\/i\u003eproud to hear this and didn’t add her own feeling, which was sometimes it made her anxious, especially when he was reporting from a country that was experiencing “unrest.” That’s what they called it—the preferred expression around their house “unrest”—which could mean a flood or a war-zone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess smiled and told the woman she was pretty proud of her dad, too.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess did think both her dad and mom would be excited about the unusual possibility of a snowstorm in London, even if it was only an hour or two long.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTess buttoned her coat and pulled her collar up and put her mittens on, and as she did, she swore she saw something out the window again, but she didn’t say anything. She didn’t want Aunt Evie and Max to think she might be imagining things again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eShe was quite certain she’d seen it though. \u003ci\u003eA strange shadow and a shape.\u003c\/i\u003e It was probably just a snow flurry.","brand":"Puffin Books","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46305255620837,"sku":"NP9781984813299","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9781984813299.jpg?v=1767740837","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/the-other-side-of-the-wall-isbn-9781984813299","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}