Sylvia Doe doesn't know where she was born or the people she came from. She doesn't even know her real last name. Sylvia has lived at the Highground Home for Children in the mountains of North Carolina for as long as she can remember. Whenever the administrators place her with a foster family in the city, she runs away, back to her horse Kitty Hawk—her best friend—and the other horses in the herd, the only place she feels like she belongs. When Hurricane Jessamine causes the remote mountain valley where she lives to flood, Sylvia must rescue her beloved horses. But she begins to encounter strange and wondrous things floating down the river. Glittering gemstones and wild animals that don't belong—everything's out of place. Then she spots an unconscious boy floating in the water. As she drags him onto the shore and their adventure together begins, Sylvia wonders who he is and where he came from. And why does she feel such a strong connection to this mysterious boy? SYLVIA DOE has earned the prestigious STARRED REVIEW from both Kirkus Reviews and Publisher's Weekly. The award-winning author Kwame Alexander praised the story, saying "Magical realism at its best!"
Author
Robert Beatty is the author of the #1 New York Times best-selling Serafina series and Willa of Dark Hollow, both published by Disney Hyperion. He is also an Executive Producer for the WILLA live-action television series that is currently in development. WILLA OF DARK HOLLOW, which can be read as a stand-alone story or as a follow-up to WILLA OF THE WOOD, is now available for order. The Serafina Series is a spooky mystery-thriller about a brave and unusual girl who lives secretly in the basement of the grand Biltmore Estate. Serafina and the Black Cloak was a #1 New York Times best seller, has been on the list for more than 60 weeks, and won the prestigious 2016 Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize. The second book in the series, Serafina and the Twisted Staff, became a #1 New York Times best seller in the first week of its launch and earned a "Starred Review" from Kirkus Reviews, which said, "Even better than its predecessor, a sequel that delivers nonstop thrills from beginning to end." Enjoyed by both young readers and adults, the books are being taught in over a thousand classrooms nationwide. The third book in the series, Serafina and the Splintered Heart, launched in July 2017 to much acclaim. The fourth book, Serafina and the Seven Stars, turned Serafina into a New York Times best-selling series. Willa of the Wood is a #1 New York Times bestseller. Willa of Dark Hollow publishes May 4, 2021. Robert Beatty lives in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Asheville, North Carolina with his wife and three daughters, who help create and refine his stories. He loves to explore Biltmore Estate and the darkened forest trails where his novels take place. He writes full-time now, but in his past lives, Robert was one of the early pioneers of cloud computing, the founder/CEO of Plex Systems, the co-founder of Beatty Robotics, and the chairman/CTO of Narrative Magazine. In 2007, he was named an Entrepreneur of the Year. When asked about the inspiration for his books, Robert said, "The Serafina and Willa novels grew out of my desire to write stories about unusual and heroic young girls for my three daughters."
