Vera Strange

Eleven-year-old Barrie finds a creepy hook in an old pirate ship exhibit. An accompanying note says that whoever possesses the hook will never grow old.

Twelve-year-old Jamal has always lived in his twin brother, Malik's, shadow. All he wants in the world is to know, just for one day, what it's like to be his more popular, more talented, and more confident brother. So when a mysterious man named Dr. Facilier appears and offers Jamal the opportunity to do just that, Jamal jumps at the chance. But when he wakes up the next morning to find his dream has come true, he learns it comes at a terrible cost....

Twelve-year-old Hector's family is counting on him to win the Zeus Cup in a race, but when a Greek god offers a deal to help him win, all Hades breaks loose.

After his family unexpectedly inherits a run-down, safari-themed summer camp in Arizona, twelve-year-old Silas unlocks a mysterious trunk and finds an old lion pelt, unwittingly setting free forces that cause a terrifying accident and lead to a series of scary animal encounters.

"Here are ten original stories about the the valiant Jedi and the evil Sith. Larger-than-life characters clash in epic lightsaber battles that will appeal to young readers and to the young Star Wars fan in all of us! Ten acclaimed authors imagine new tales for some of the most iconic Star Wars characters ever, from Luke Skywalker to Darth Vader, from Obi-Wan Kenobi to Darth Maul, and beyond"-- Provided by publisher.