From a Newbery Medal winner, a novel of tragedy and friendship in a turn-of-the-century farm town, “narrated by a perceptive, large–hearted child.”—Kirkus Reviews

Katy Thatcher, the bright and curious daughter of the town doctor, was fascinated by her father’s work, and even as a child she knew that she too wanted to be a doctor. She wanted to know about people. Perhaps it was this, her insatiable curiosity, or simply the charm of Jacob’s gentle intimacy with animals large and small, that fueled their friendship.

Although Jacob never spoke to her or even looked at her directly, Katy grew to understand him from the moments they spent together quietly singing to the horses. She knew there was meaning in the sounds he made and purpose behind his movements. So when events took an unexpected and tragic turn, it was Katy alone who could unravel the mystery of what had occurred, and why.

A two-time recipient of the Newbery Medal, the New York Times-bestselling author of Number the Stars presents a sensitive, moving story of a young girl growing up at the beginning of the twentieth century and the influence of the farm community around her. Through Katy’s eyes, readers can see the human face so often hidden under modern psychological terminology and experience the haunting impact of her friendship with the silent boy.

“The author balances humor and generosity with the obstacles and injustice of Katy’s world to depict a complete picture of the turn of the century.”—Publishers Weekly (starred review)

Find out why ZIN was seen on CNN, NBC, ABC, CBS! Clutching a cryptic note from his dying dad, the brilliant 11 yr-old chef Zin Mignon is kidnapped by the mysterious Mustard Monks! The saga of a culinary mastermind and his insatiable mom. Join Zin as he strives to learn his shocking family legacy. Twisting fun for all, including kids who cook. Zin lives at the crossroad of Humor and Inspiration.

11 year-old genius Chef Zin Mignon is in a horrific pickle. He’s been kidnapped from Le Cordon Bleu cooking school in Paris and spirited away to the Monks’ ultra-remote mountaintop abbey. There, he’ll endure a cooking apprenticeship like no other. Does Zin join their secret Order and achieve the culinary success he’s always dreamed of?
The tale of Zin Mignon begins at the bottom of a jar of pickled pigs’ feet in his father’s pathetic Brooklyn deli. A secret note sets him on a world-spinning quest, an adventure that takes him through the alleys of the homeless to the tables of billionaires, to discover who he really is and the greatness for which he’s destined. As he sets the culinary world on fire, a mix of treacherous rivals feasts on the chance to make his dreams go up in smoke.
In the wildly appetizing first book of the Zin Mignon series, Zin has become the greatest chef on the planet, shocking the cooking world. But he’s distracted and must honor the solemn promise he made to his dad, and to learn the incredible secret of his family legacy. It’s a true original. With humor, amazing exploits and heartfelt compassion, Zin uses food and his kitchen to build a recipe that will lead him to his true identity. Can he cut the mustard?

Could Artemis Fowl meet MasterChef? Author MICHAEL DASWICK is the winner of both of Columbia’s prestigious literary awards for fiction. He’s the author of the gripping epic novel CHIP ROCK and the FAT OLD FART, and HALLBOYS, a collection of inspiring connected short stories. Always mixing humor and drama, friends and treacherous rivals, with ZIN MIGNON, Michael has cooked up a stirring series of Kitchen Fiction