Jackie French Koller – författare

Thirteen-year-old Danny and his family are struggling to make ends meet in New York during the Great Depression. His father leaves to search for work, and Danny and his mother do what they can to survive. With his mother pregnant and unable to help, Danny is forced to beg for food. Through it all, they retain their good humor and family pride, and in the end help arrives in a most unexpected guise. “Rich, rewarding historical fiction.”--Kirkus Reviews

A Courageous Choice In the magical world of Eldearth, Witches and Wizards live side by side with Humans, Weefolk, though elusive, are abundant, and Dragons and Unicorns still walk the land. But the present Imperial Wizard, Keeper of the Light that protects Eldearth, is aging and ill. If a new apprentice is not found soon, Eldearth may succumb to the evil powers of the dark Lord Graieconn. There is a long tradition in Eldearth that the keeper must be a Wizard, and only boys can be Wizards, but so far, all the boys who have attempted the difficult quest to become Apprentice Keeper have failed. Time is running out. Princess Arenelle, a promising young Witch, has just reached eleven, the age of Magic, and wishes to undertake the quest. Her father, King Einar, forbids it, fearing for her safety and claiming that her heart is too soft. Against the King's wishes, Nell sets out into the unknown with her pet demidragon, Minna. Aided by Folk she meets along the way and an albino Dragon that she rescues from near death, Nell battles the fearsome forces of nature, Evil, and ignorance that are amassed against her. It will require all of her strength, cunning, and courage to defeat them. Does Nell have what it takes to become the next Apprentice Keeper?

CAN THEY ALL SURVIVE? Princess Arenelle has done what no other girl in the history of Eldearth has done! She has completed the Quest to become the next Imperial Wizard, Keeper of the Light that protects Eldearth from Evil. Soon she will be apprenticed to the current Keeper, and her training will begin. Or will it? When Arenelle's father, King Einar, discovers that he has a long lost son, the King has a change of heart, forbidding Nell to proceed. The boy must be the Chosen One, the King decrees. It is he who should become Apprentice. Nell is in turn outraged and bewildered by this turn of events, all the more so when she discovers that her long lost brother is Owen, the very same street urchin she discovered in the Lanes and sent off to Witch Academy to pose as herself. In this continuation of The Keeper's saga, Nell defies the King and decides to pursue the Wizardry anyway, but when her brother falls into the hands of the Dark Forces and her father sets off on a dangerous rescue mission, all else is forgotten and Nell embarks on a rescue mission of her own. Can Nell unravel the puzzle of the dark, mysterious forces that seek to prevent her -- or her brother -- from becoming the next Keeper?

FACING THE GREATEST DANGER OF ALL! Princess Arenelle, just turned eleven, the age of Magic, has overcome so much in her quest to be the next Imperial Wizard. Now, as the current Wizard grows weaker and the evil Lord Graieconn grows stronger, she must summon all her reserves of intelligence and courage to outwit the vile creatures and twisted Folk who do the bidding of the Dark Lord. They rise up now, legions of them, from the caverns of Darkearth. Driving the forces of Eldearth before them, they seek to capture and extinguish the Scepter of Light, which protects Eldearth from the supreme evil -- Graieconn himself. Nell cannot stop them alone. Only by teaming with her twin brother, Owen, can Nell hope to defend the Scepter. But Owen is her archcompetitor for the title of Imperial Wizard! Can Nell and Owen put aside their differences and find a way to work together as the ultimate battle looms? Even then, can Eldearth be saved?

A boy and a baby dragon forge an unlikely friendship in this first book in the fantastical Dragonling chapter book series!Darek can’t wait for his first Dragonquest. Then he can be just like his older brother, Clep, the hero who brought down a Great Blue, the largest and fiercest dragon of all. Darek goes to admire the kill—and finds a dragonling peeking out of the giant dragon’s pouch. Scared but curious, he feeds the hungry baby and makes an unlikely friend. But to save the helpless Dragonling he must now venture into the fearsome Valley of the Dragons, risking his life to return his friend to his own fire-breathing kind.

Darek and Zantor work to convince everyone that dragons and humans can get along in this second book in the fantastical Dragonling chapter book series!Ever since Darek saved Zantor the dragonling, they’ve been inseparable. Darek is the only family Zantor has ever known. But now Darek is bringing Zantor home from the Valley of the Dragons, and the villagers are up in arms! He and his brother Clep are called traitors. Their best friends are turning against them. Even Darek’s father has been threatened for allowing the enemy in their midst. How can Darek prove that dragons are good neighbors to the villagers?

Darek and Zantor work together to stop the kidnapping of another baby dragon in this third book in the fantastical Dragonling chapter book series!Now that the villagers have finally accepted Darek’s dragonling, Zantor, they’ve all fallen in love with him. Especially Rowena, the spoiled daughter of the Chief Elder—so much so that she wants the dragonling for her very own. But Darek can’t give him up! He and Zantor are so close that he can almost get inside the little dragon’s mind. So the Chief Elder orders Darek’s father to find another dragonling. Even though a dragon mother will have to die—along with some villagers, too. Darek can’t let that happen. But how can he stop them…unless he joins the dragon quest?

Darek searches deep into Krad to find Zantor and Pola in this fourth book in the fantastical Dragonling chapter book series!When Darek’s beloved dragonling, Zantor, and Darek’s best friend, Pola, disappear into the mists of Krad, they are assumed dead. But Darek knows Zantor and Pola are alive. He can hear the dragonling’s cries for help, deep inside his own head. And much to his surprise, Rowena—the cause of all the trouble—hears them, too. Together they sneak into Krad to rescue their friends. But they soon find Krad is even more dangerous than they’d feared. So dangerous that it may be impossible to save anyone, even themselves…

Darek must rescue Zantor and Pola from the dangerous mists of Krad in this fifth book in the fantastical Dragonling chapter book series!When Darek’s beloved dragonling, Zantor, and Darek’s best friend, Pola, disappear into the mists of Krad, everyone assumes they’re gone for good. But Darek just knows that Zantor and Pola are alive. He can hear the dragonling’s cries for help, deep inside his own head. And much to his surprise, Rowena—the cause of all the trouble—hears them, too. Together Darek and Rowena sneak into Krad to rescue their friends. But they soon find that Krad is even more dangerous than they’d feared. So dangerous that it may be impossible to save anyone, even themselves…

Darek, Zantor, and their friends must save their village in this sixth and final book in the fantastical Dragonling chapter book series!Darek and his beloved dragonling, Zantor, return triumphant to their village from the Mountains of Krad. But when they arrive, they learn things have taken a turn for the worse and their village is now ruled by a ruthless tyrant. To save their home, Darek and Zantor must team up with their friends and family in a fantastical struggle to defend their home—that may just change the world as they know it.