The Silver Bowl

"An engaging fantasy. A most worthy and enjoyable entry in the ‘feisty female’ fantasy genre,” said Kirkus Reviews.

Don't miss The Silver Bowl, which received three starred reviews, was named a best book of the year by Kirkus Reviews and Book Links Lasting Connections, and was an ALA Booklist Editors’ Choice.

Unwanted at home, Molly becomes a humble scullery maid for the King of Westria. She arrives at the castle with no education, no manners, and a very disturbing secret: She sees visions that always come true.

In time, Molly begins polishing the castle's fine silver pieces, which include one priceless royal treasure: the king's great ceremonial hand basin. But whenever she touches it, the silver warms beneath her fingers and the bowl's designs swirl into a vision that only she can see. A dreaded curse has befallen each generation of the royal family—and now it threatens the handsome Prince Alaric.

Together with her friends Tobias and Winifred, Molly must protect the prince and destroy the curse. Could a less likely champion be found to save the Kingdom of Westria?

Unwanted at home, Molly goes to work for the king of Westria as a humble scullery maid. She arrives at the castle with no education, no manners, and a very disturbing secret: She sees visions, and those visions always come true.

One day, while she's working in the king's great hall, young Prince Alaric passes by. Molly finds him unbearably handsome—but also unbearably rude. But what does it really matter? She'll probably never see him again.

In time Molly is promoted to polishing silver and is given a priceless royal treasure to work on: the king's great ceremonial hand basin. But there's something odd about it. The silver warms to her touch, a voice commands her to watch and listen, and then the visions appear. They tell the story of a dreaded curse that has stalked the royal family for years. There have already been deaths; soon there will be more.

As tragedy after tragedy strikes the royal family, Molly can't help but wonder: Will the beautiful Alaric be next? Together with her friends Tobias and Winifred, Molly must protect the prince and destroy the curse. Could a less likely champion be found to save the kingdom of Westria?

Praise for Saving Sky: “In this provocative title, award-winning author Stanley asks young readers to consider what courage might look like in an America under psychological and physical siege. The recognizable adult characters, from the truly good to the fearful to the insidiously evil, are drawn straight from today’s headlines, while the young people manifest a courage few can emulate. Readers will have much to discuss . . . beautifully written.” - Booklist (starred review)

Praise for Bella at Midnight: “Once begun, it will be hard to put down.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

Praise for Saving Sky: “The main characters are well rendered and likable, and, in her portrayal of the earth-centered, nurturing Brightman family, Stanley succeeds in delivering the message that hope trumps fear.” - School Library Journal

Praise for Bella at Midnight: “More than a reworking of the familiar, this is a 21st-century fairy-tale, throughly enjoyable in its own right.” - School Library Journal (starred review)

Praise for Bella at Midnight: “Fans of fairy tale retellings will enjoy the fanciful twists in familiar territory, and long remember this engaging heroine, destined for a happily-ever-after life.” - Voice of Youth Advocates (VOYA)

Praise for Bella at Midnight: Stanley subtly twists strands of the Cinderella story until it’s something quite new and fine.“ - Booklist (starred review)

“An accomplished storyteller, Stanley uses her singular gifts to craft a remarkable historical fantasy. Combining carefully chosen details of setting with a richly realized fantasy premise, Stanley succeeds in creating a believable world large enough to accommodate not only menace and evil but also loyalty, enduring friendship, and love. The central characters—Molly and her friend, the stable boy Tobias—come wonderfully alive as their story unfolds and their mettle and character are tested....Stanley has done a particularly good job of investing her story with plausibility and creating dialogue and a narrative voice that are spot-on in both tone and suitability.” - Booklist (starred review)

“Veteran Stanley concocts a delicious blend of familiar fairy-tale motifs and intriguing, well-rounded characters to create an engaging fantasy. A most worthy and enjoyable entry in the ‘feisty female’ fantasy genre.” - Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

“[T]he pacing is masterful, with new information and character development doled out in exactly the right doses, intercut with thrilling escapes and clever plots. Stanley maintains a realistic sense of the social gap dividing Alaric and Molly; this is not a rags-to-princess tale but rather a satisfying yarn of loyalty rewarded and mutual understanding gained.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

“[T]he pacing is masterful, with new information and character development doled out in exactly the right doses, intercut with thrilling escapes and clever plots...a satisfying yarn of loyalty rewarded and mutual understanding gained.” - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Praise for Saving Sky: “This page-turner skillfully captures the irrational fear of a public under siege while giving kids a modern-day, almost-just-like-them female hero who champions hope. Inspiring.” - Kirkus Reviews

“Adventure, magic, subtle romance, betrayal, and monstrous curses take this book far beyond the typical scullery-maid-makes-good tale. Stanley blends historical fiction and fantasy seamlessly, and her clear, rich language envelops and transports readers. The protagonist’s no-nonsense attitude is balanced by her big heart and a sweet, sharp sense of humor, making her a heroine readers will relate to and cheer for to the satisfying end.” - School Library Journal (starred review)

“Adventure, magic, subtle romance, betrayal, and monstrous curses take this book far beyond the typical scullery-maid-makes-good tale.” - School Library Journal (starred review)

“A versatile and inventive raconteur, Stanley (Bella at Midnight) nimbly weaves intrigue and fantasy into this richly layered story set in medieval times.” - Publishers Weekly

“A versatile and inventive raconteur, Stanley (Bella at Midnight) nimbly weaves intrigue and fantasy into this richly layered story set in medieval times. With crisp pacing and enticing end-of-chapter teasers, Stanley gradually reveals the intriguing story of the curse, which Molly must break in order to save a kind prince who’s the sole surviving direct heir to the throne. That task and Molly’s rescue of the prince are relayed with suspense and some unanticipated plot spirals.” - Publishers Weekly

“An accomplished storyteller, Stanley uses her singular gifts to craft a remarkable historical fantasy. Combining carefully chosen details of setting with a richly realized fantasy premise, Stanley succeeds in creating a believable world large enough to accommodate not only menace and evil but also loyalty, enduring friendship, and love.” - Booklist (starred review)