Secrets at sea - Richard Peck

In the beloved tradition of The Borrowers, The Tale of Desperaux, and The Cricket in Times Square, here is an irresistible adventure story of the tiny individuals who secretly live among us humans.

Helena is the oldest of four mouse siblings who live in the walls of the Cranston estate. It is 1887 when the nouveau riche Cranstons decide to take a cruise ship to England in search of a husband for their awkward older daughter. The Cranston mice stow away in the luggage . . . and so begins the time of their lives, as they meet intriguing, cosmopolitan mice onboard and take it upon themselves to help the human Cranston daughters find love. They might just find perfect futures for themselves as well!

Full of laughs, near-misses, and surprise, this is Richard Peck at his best and most playful.

RICHARD PECK (1934-2018) was born in Decatur, Illinois and lived in New York City for nearly 50 years. The acclaimed author of 35 novels for children and young adults, he won the Newbery Medal for A Year Down Yonder, a Newbery Honor for A Long Way from Chicago, the Scott O'Dell Award for The River Between Us, the Edgar Allen Poe Award for Are You in the House Alone?, a Boston Globe-Horn BookAward Honor for The Best Man, and the Christopher Medal for The Teacher's Funeral. He was the first children's author ever to have been awarded a National Humanities Medal, and was twice a National Book Award Finalist.

"Rife with snappy asides and clever but never heavy-handed." - The New York Times

* "Readers will revel in the detailed descriptions of mouse-sized joys, woes, and love connections." - Publishers Weekly, starred review

* "Is there anything Newbery Medalist Peck cannot do? Apparently not…Whimsical language, sure characterization, unflagging adventure, even romance." - Kirkus, starred review

* "The rodent world meets Upstairs, Downstairs in this rollicking comedy of manners that begs to be read aloud." - Horn Book, starred review

"By turns poignant and playful, engaging and exciting, and with a touch of romance, the story will have great appeal for the audience." - Booklist

"The fast-paced story is peppered with the author's characteristic sly wit and is pure fun." - School Library Journal

"Readers who like their animals cute, their history entertaining, and their endings happy will find full satisfaction here." - Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Mr. Peck, a master at blending memorable characters, humor, history, and page-turning stories, is in top form here." - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Peck's eye for family dynamics is excellent." - Chicago Tribune

Essential Books for Kids & Teens - Common Sense Media