Joan Hiatt Harlow – författare

Thirteen-year-old Jessie Wheller is a girl who knows her heart and will do everything that she can to follow it. With her Newfoundland pony, Raven, and Newfoundland dog, Blizzard, Jessie is never at a loss for faithful companions. Jessie''s grandmother is always pushing her to be a "lady," but if being a lady means leading a life without adventure, Jessie will have none of it. When Jessie realizes that a little girl named Clara is being neglected, Jessie knows that she has to help. And when Jessie discovers a herd of wild ponies captured in the woods, she knows that she and her friends must come to the rescue. But going head-to-head against the town''s bully to save Clara and the ponies is no small feat, and Jessie will need more than just a little bit of luck. The rugged shores of Newfoundland in 1965 set the scene for award-winning author Joan Hiatt Harlow''s tale of a girl and her boundless affection for ponies.

It''s 1929 and thirteen-year-old Tom Campbell has always wanted a real family with a real house and a dog of his very own. Since he was three years old, the only home he has ever known has been the Mission orphanage. When he is sent to live and work with fisherman Enoch and his wife, Tom finally sees his dream wihin reach. And when he rescues a Newfoundland dog in the middle of a terrifying squall, Tom feels as if both he and the dog, which he names Thunder, have found a place to call home at last. But when Enoch''s wife becomes pregnant and it looks like Thunder''s owner might be found, Tom''s wonderful new world is turned upside down. Will the Murrays still want Tom? And will Tom be forced to give up his beloved Thunder?

It''s 1775 and the American colonies are on the brink of revolution. Boston is swarming with soldiers, spies, and secrets. Tempers are flaring between the Whigs and the Tories. Fourteen-year-old Hannah Andrews is thrown into the middle of it all when she is driven out of her home by her guardian aunt to work as an indentured servant in the Boston household of Thomas Gage, governor of the colonies and general of the British armies. Soon after Hannah''s arrival, the stable boy, Caleb, befriends her and alerts her to the issues faced by Americans under British rule. Hannah dreams of freedom and begins to sympathize with Americans who desire independence from Britain. On the other hand, Hannah has deep respect for the Gage family and affection for her rebellious young mistress, Meg. Hannah soon realizes that Meg is as trapped in her aristocratic life as Hannah is in her own bondage as a servant. Hannah relies on her beloved horse, Promise, to help her through the difficult times. Disguised as a boy on her midnight rides with Promise, Hannah learns on which side her heart belongs. Then, when Hannah overhears a British plot to march on her hometown, she and Promise risk their lives to carry the warning to the town of Salem. Packed with fascinating historical details, real events, and memorable characters, Midnight Rider is historical fiction at its best--guaranteed to thrill Joan Hiatt Harlow''s loyal fans as well as those lucky readers who are discovering her for the first time.

1942. The U.S. is at war with Germany. Fourteen-year-old Jill Winter''s mother is traveling to Newfoundland and must pass through the treacherous North Atlantic, where German submarines -- U-boats -- stalk like wolves. Jill''s father, a famous pop singer, is on tour, so Jill is sent to Winter Haven, Maine, to stay with Nana. Quarry, a local boy, says that "gossip ain''t never been so good," and Jill soon discovers he''s right -- Winter Haven is full of secrets and rumors. It seems everyone has something to hide -- even Nana! Jill doesn''t know whom to trust, and she''s worried for her mother''s safety. And things get even worse when she finds a wounded carrier pigeon with a coded message attached to its leg. Jill is determined to get to the bottom of all these mysteries, but when she uncovers the biggest secret of all, she finds herself in grave danger -- and must run for her life!

It''s the summer of 1935, and in the sleepy Florida Keys, thirteen-year-old Jake Pitney''s life is quiet and easy. But all of this changes once Jake begins helping out the town''s eccentric fisherman, Sharkey, with work. On a trip to Key West, Jake is dumbfounded when Sharkey buys a mule named Jewel and her faithful sidekick, a dog named Rudy. Despite their troublemaking ways, Jake grows fond of the mischievous duo and their owner. All the while, Jake is trying to befriend Mara, the new girl in town, whose life has been filled with sadness. During the Labor Day holiday, an unpredictable Atlantic hurricane hits Jake''s hometown with devastating speed and power, reducing the island to shambles. Jake is determined to find his family, along with Sharkey and Mara. But he may need help from some unlikely sources. From the bestselling author of Star in the Storm and Thunder from the Sea comes a gripping story of strength and determination in the face of uncontrollable circumstances. Based on actual events, Joan Hiatt Harlow''s tale explores friendship, loyalty, and ultimately, hope.

Twelve-year-old Poppy is an orphan living in a bad neighborhood in Chicago, pick pocketing so that she has a place to sleep at night. Justin’s world couldn’t be more different—his father owns a jewelry store—but when he and Poppy meet, they become fast friends, thanks in part to Justin’s sweet pet goat. Through their friendship, Poppy realizes that she doesn’t want to be a thief anymore and she begins to feel like she may have a place with Justin’s family. But when Justin makes an expensive mistake at his father’s store, Poppy is immediately blamed. In response, she flees . . . right into the Great Chicago Fire. Poppy and Justin must rely on their instincts if they are going to survive the catastrophe. Will anything be left when the fire finally burns out?

After Wendy is kidnapped, the only way she can survive World War II Germany is with the help of a special dog and the family she never knew she had in this historically accurate, standalone companion to Shadows on the Sea that Kirkus Reviews calls “a stimulating blend of suspense and history.”1942. Berlin, Germany. How did Wendy end up in such a place? Just a few months ago, she was enjoying her time in Maine, supporting the American war effort. But she was kidnapped, then betrayed by her own mother, who is actually a Nazi spy. As a new Berliner—and now a German—Wendy is expected to speak in a language she’s never known and support a cause she doesn’t believe in. There are allies, though, among the Germans. Allies who have been watching over Wendy since she arrived. And Wendy, along with her new German shepherd puppy, must confront them. If only she can find them. Her life depends on it.

All non-sheepherding dogs have been outlawed from the rocky coastal village where Maggie lives. Unwilling to give up her beloved Newfoundland, Sirius, Maggie defies the law and hides Sirius away. But when a steamer crashes into the rocks during a violent storm and starts to sink with a hundred passengers on board, Maggie faces a difficult choice. She knows Sirius can help rescue the people trapped on the ship, but bringing him out of hiding would put his own life in jeopardy. Is Maggie’s brave dog a big enough hero to save the desperate passengers—and himself? This heartwarming story of a lovable dog and his feisty mistress is based on true stories about Newfoundland dogs and filled with drama, tension, and exciting rescues.

Boston, 1919. It’s been a terrible year for thirteen-year-old Joshua Harper. The influenza pandemic that’s sweeping the world has claimed his father’s life; his voice has changed, so he can’t sing in the Boston Boys’ Choir anymore; and now money is tight, so he must quit school to get a job. It’s not fair! Joshua begins working as a newspaper boy, hawking papers on the street, but he soon finds himself competing with Charlestown Charlie, a tough, streetwise boy who does not make things easier for Joshua. It seems that fitting in is not as easy as it once was. Then disaster strikes the city of Boston. Joshua must do what he can to help, and in doing so he finds the place—and the voice—that he thought he’d lost. This remarkable novel is fast-paced, suspenseful, and based on true incidents in Boston history.

The United States is at war with Germany. Fourteen-year-old Jill Winter''s mother is traveling to Newfoundland to be with Jill''s sick uncle and must pass through the treacherous North Atlantic where German submarines -- U-boats -- stalk like wolves. Jill''s father, a famous pop singer, is on tour, so Jill is sent to Winter Haven, Maine, to stay with Nana. Quarry, a local boy, says that "gossip ain''t never been so good," and Jill soon discovers he''s right -- Winter Haven is full of secrets and rumors. First there''s Wendy, a teenager who''s visiting her aunt Adrie, the owner of a local inn, and who tells so many fanciful stories and secrets, it''s hard to know what''s true. Then there are the Crystals, a snobbish girls'' club, who blackball Wendy because of a dark secret they reveal to Jill. Even Nana seems to be keeping secrets -- with her Germanfriend Ida Wilmar! Who''s a friend and who''s an enemy? As German subs torpedo American and Canadian ships off the Maine coast, Jill is anxious for her mother''s safety. Her fears are heightened when she finds a wounded pigeon with the message Sonnabend ivattached to its leg! When Nana and Ida Wilmar whisper to each other and Jill hears that same word -- Sonnabend -- she determines to uncover the truth behind the mysteries in Winter Haven. But she soon finds herself in grave danger when she uncovers the biggest secret of all -- and must run for her life! Based on startling historical events that took place in the harbors of Maine during World War II, Shadows on the Seais a fast-paced mystery that will keep readers guessing from beginning to end.