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Seraphina

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Lyrical, imaginative, and wholly original, this New York Times bestseller with 8 starred reviews is not to be missed.  Rachel Hartman’s award-winning debut will have you looking at dragons as you’ve never imagined them before…
 

Seraphina is a half-dragon, descended from a dragon mother who took human form and a father who has no particular fondness for Seraphina’s kind.
 
Not that anyone else does either. Hers is a world where dragons and humans live and work side by side—but below the surface, tensions and hostilities are on the rise. Seraphina guards her true self with all of her being, but when a member of the royal family is brutally murdered, she’s suddenly thrust into the spotlight, drawn into the investigation alongside the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian.
 
As the two uncover a sinister plot to destroy the wavering peace of the kingdom, Seraphina’s struggle to protect her secret becomes increasingly difficult . . . and its discovery could mean her very life.
 
"Will appeal to both fans of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series and Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown."—Entertainment Weekly

“[A] lush, intricately plotted fantasy.”—The Washington Post

"Beautifully written. Some of the most interesting dragons I've read."—Christopher Paolini, New York Times bestselling author of Eragon


Meet Seraphina’s sister, Tess, in Rachel Hartman’s brand new fantasy adventure, Tess of the Road.
© Liz Edgar
Rachel was born in Kentucky, but has lived a variety of places including Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, England, and Japan. She has a BA in Comparative Literature, although she insists it should have been a BS because her undergraduate thesis was called "Paradox and Parody in Don Quixote and the satires of Lucian." She eschewed graduate school in favor of drawing comic books. She now lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family, their whippet, and a talking frog and salamander.

Rachel Hartman is the recipient of the 2013 William C. Morris YA Debut Award which honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. View titles by Rachel Hartman
"He was going to kill you," I said, my chin quivering.  "I had to do something."

Damn propriety.  Forgive me, St. Clare.  

I stepped forward and took him in my arms.  He was exactly my height, which surprised me; my awe of him had made him seem taller.  He emitted a whimper of protest, or maybe surprise, but wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my hair, half weeping, half scolding me.

"Life is so short," I said, not sure why I was saying it, not even sure if that was really true for someone like me.

We were still standing there, clinging to each other, our feet ice-cold in the snow, when Orma landed on the next hilltop, followed closely by Basind.  Kiggs lifted his head and stared at them, big-eyed.  My heart fell.

I'd told him I had no devices.  I'd lied right to the prince's face, and here was the proof: the dragon I'd called, and his dimwitted sidekick.
  • WINNER
    Young Adult Services Division, School Library Journal Author Award
  • WINNER | 2013
    ALA Best Books for Young Adults
  • WINNER | 2013
    William C. Morris YA Debut Award
  • WINNER | 2013
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • WINNER | 2012
    Amazon Best of the Year
  • WINNER | 2012
    Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC) New Voices Selection
  • NOMINEE
    ALA Best Books for Young Adults Top 10
  • NOMINEE
    Florida Sunshine State Book Award
  • SUBMITTED
    Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
  • FINALIST | 2015
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Florida Sunshine State Book Award
  • FINALIST | 2012
    Cybils
  • FINALIST | 2012
    Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
A New York Times Bestseller
An Indie Bestseller

Winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award
An Amazon Top 20 Teen Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Library Journal Best Young Adult Literature for Adults Selection
A Booklist Editors' Choice
An ABA Top 10 Kids' Indie Next List Selection
An ABC New Voices Pick
Nominated for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction
Winner of the Cybil Award for Teen Fantasy and Science Fiction
A Publishers Weekly Flying Start Author
An ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book
An ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults Books
A YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee

"An impressive debut novel; I can't wait to see what Rachel Hartman writes next."—Christopher Paolini, New York Times bestselling author of Eragon

"A book worth hoarding, as glittering and silver-bright as dragon scales, with a heroine who insists on carving herself a place in your mind."—Naomi Novik, New York Times bestselling author of Uprooted

"Seraphina is strong, complex, talented—she makes mistakes and struggles to trust, with good reason, and she fights to survive in a world that would tear her apart. I love this book!"—Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author


"A wonderful mix of thrilling story, fascinating characters, and unique dragonlore. I loved being in Seraphina's world!"—Alison Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of Eon and Eona
 
"Rachel Hartman's rich invention never fails to impress--and to convince. It's smart and funny and original, and has characters I will follow to the ends of the earth."—Ellen Kushner, World Fantasy Award-winning author

“Full of grace and gravitas.”—The Washington Post

"Refreshing."—Entertainment Weekly

"Seraphina makes dragons fascinating once again."—io9.com

“Head and talons above the rest."— Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
 
"[A] complex, intrigue-laden fantasy."—Publishers Weekly,  Starred Review

"Captivating.” —Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
 
"Uncommonly good fantasy."—Booklist, Starred Review

“An outstanding debut from author-to-watch Hartman.”— The Horn Book Magazine, Starred Review
 
"Readers will want to plan to return to this richly developed world to see where this intricate fantasy goes next."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred Review
 
"Fans of fantasy will devour this book."—Voice of Youth Advocates, Starried Review

“Hartman creates a rich story layered with intriguing characters and descriptive settings.”—School Library Journal, Starred Review

About

Lyrical, imaginative, and wholly original, this New York Times bestseller with 8 starred reviews is not to be missed.  Rachel Hartman’s award-winning debut will have you looking at dragons as you’ve never imagined them before…
 

Seraphina is a half-dragon, descended from a dragon mother who took human form and a father who has no particular fondness for Seraphina’s kind.
 
Not that anyone else does either. Hers is a world where dragons and humans live and work side by side—but below the surface, tensions and hostilities are on the rise. Seraphina guards her true self with all of her being, but when a member of the royal family is brutally murdered, she’s suddenly thrust into the spotlight, drawn into the investigation alongside the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian.
 
As the two uncover a sinister plot to destroy the wavering peace of the kingdom, Seraphina’s struggle to protect her secret becomes increasingly difficult . . . and its discovery could mean her very life.
 
"Will appeal to both fans of Christopher Paolini’s Eragon series and Robin McKinley’s The Hero and the Crown."—Entertainment Weekly

“[A] lush, intricately plotted fantasy.”—The Washington Post

"Beautifully written. Some of the most interesting dragons I've read."—Christopher Paolini, New York Times bestselling author of Eragon


Meet Seraphina’s sister, Tess, in Rachel Hartman’s brand new fantasy adventure, Tess of the Road.

Author

© Liz Edgar
Rachel was born in Kentucky, but has lived a variety of places including Chicago, Philadelphia, St. Louis, England, and Japan. She has a BA in Comparative Literature, although she insists it should have been a BS because her undergraduate thesis was called "Paradox and Parody in Don Quixote and the satires of Lucian." She eschewed graduate school in favor of drawing comic books. She now lives in Vancouver, BC, with her family, their whippet, and a talking frog and salamander.

Rachel Hartman is the recipient of the 2013 William C. Morris YA Debut Award which honors a debut book published by a first-time author writing for teens and celebrating impressive new voices in young adult literature. View titles by Rachel Hartman

Excerpt

"He was going to kill you," I said, my chin quivering.  "I had to do something."

Damn propriety.  Forgive me, St. Clare.  

I stepped forward and took him in my arms.  He was exactly my height, which surprised me; my awe of him had made him seem taller.  He emitted a whimper of protest, or maybe surprise, but wrapped his arms around me and buried his face in my hair, half weeping, half scolding me.

"Life is so short," I said, not sure why I was saying it, not even sure if that was really true for someone like me.

We were still standing there, clinging to each other, our feet ice-cold in the snow, when Orma landed on the next hilltop, followed closely by Basind.  Kiggs lifted his head and stared at them, big-eyed.  My heart fell.

I'd told him I had no devices.  I'd lied right to the prince's face, and here was the proof: the dragon I'd called, and his dimwitted sidekick.

Awards

  • WINNER
    Young Adult Services Division, School Library Journal Author Award
  • WINNER | 2013
    ALA Best Books for Young Adults
  • WINNER | 2013
    William C. Morris YA Debut Award
  • WINNER | 2013
    ALA Notable Children's Book
  • WINNER | 2012
    Amazon Best of the Year
  • WINNER | 2012
    Association of Booksellers for Children (ABC) New Voices Selection
  • NOMINEE
    ALA Best Books for Young Adults Top 10
  • NOMINEE
    Florida Sunshine State Book Award
  • SUBMITTED
    Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"
  • FINALIST | 2015
    Louisiana Young Reader's Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Pacific Northwest Young Readers Choice Award
  • NOMINEE | 2014
    Florida Sunshine State Book Award
  • FINALIST | 2012
    Cybils
  • FINALIST | 2012
    Kid's Indie Next List "Inspired Recommendations for Kids from Indie Booksellers"

Praise

A New York Times Bestseller
An Indie Bestseller

Winner of the William C. Morris YA Debut Award
An Amazon Top 20 Teen Book of the Year
A Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Book
A Kirkus Reviews Best Teen Book of the Year
A School Library Journal Best Book of the Year
A Library Journal Best Young Adult Literature for Adults Selection
A Booklist Editors' Choice
An ABA Top 10 Kids' Indie Next List Selection
An ABC New Voices Pick
Nominated for the Andre Norton Award for Young Adult Science Fiction
Winner of the Cybil Award for Teen Fantasy and Science Fiction
A Publishers Weekly Flying Start Author
An ALA-ALSC Notable Children's Book
An ALA-YALSA Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults Books
A YALSA Teens Top Ten Nominee

"An impressive debut novel; I can't wait to see what Rachel Hartman writes next."—Christopher Paolini, New York Times bestselling author of Eragon

"A book worth hoarding, as glittering and silver-bright as dragon scales, with a heroine who insists on carving herself a place in your mind."—Naomi Novik, New York Times bestselling author of Uprooted

"Seraphina is strong, complex, talented—she makes mistakes and struggles to trust, with good reason, and she fights to survive in a world that would tear her apart. I love this book!"—Tamora Pierce, New York Times bestselling author


"A wonderful mix of thrilling story, fascinating characters, and unique dragonlore. I loved being in Seraphina's world!"—Alison Goodman, New York Times bestselling author of Eon and Eona
 
"Rachel Hartman's rich invention never fails to impress--and to convince. It's smart and funny and original, and has characters I will follow to the ends of the earth."—Ellen Kushner, World Fantasy Award-winning author

“Full of grace and gravitas.”—The Washington Post

"Refreshing."—Entertainment Weekly

"Seraphina makes dragons fascinating once again."—io9.com

“Head and talons above the rest."— Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
 
"[A] complex, intrigue-laden fantasy."—Publishers Weekly,  Starred Review

"Captivating.” —Shelf Awareness, Starred Review
 
"Uncommonly good fantasy."—Booklist, Starred Review

“An outstanding debut from author-to-watch Hartman.”— The Horn Book Magazine, Starred Review
 
"Readers will want to plan to return to this richly developed world to see where this intricate fantasy goes next."—The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, Starred Review
 
"Fans of fantasy will devour this book."—Voice of Youth Advocates, Starried Review

“Hartman creates a rich story layered with intriguing characters and descriptive settings.”—School Library Journal, Starred Review

PRH Education High School Collections

All reading communities should contain protected time for the sake of reading. Independent reading practices emphasize the process of making meaning through reading, not an end product. The school culture (teachers, administration, etc.) should affirm this daily practice time as inherently important instructional time for all readers. (NCTE, 2019)   The Penguin Random House High

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PRH Education Translanguaging Collections

Translanguaging is a communicative practice of bilinguals and multilinguals, that is, it is a practice whereby bilinguals and multilinguals use their entire linguistic repertoire to communicate and make meaning (García, 2009; García, Ibarra Johnson, & Seltzer, 2017)   It is through that lens that we have partnered with teacher educators and bilingual education experts, Drs.

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PRH Education Classroom Libraries

“Books are a students’ passport to entering and actively participating in a global society with the empathy, compassion, and knowledge it takes to become the problem solvers the world needs.” –Laura Robb   Research shows that reading and literacy directly impacts students’ academic success and personal growth. To help promote the importance of daily independent

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