Marie Antoinette, Princess of Versailles (Austria-Hungary, 1769)  •  Kathryn Lasky LITERATURE •  2000 •  HARD COVER  • 238 PAGES • MIDDLE READERS (Age 9-12) The ill-fated future queen of France records life at the Habsburg palace in Austria in this novel-in-diary-format, written by the reliably excellent children's author Kathryn Lasky. The teenaged Marie is almost of marrying age, and the future is full of possibility. An entry in Scholastic's "Princess Diaries" series, for ages 9 to 12. The book is designed to feel like a real princess's diary, with gold-embossed pages and a sturdy binding. (FRN342, $10.95)
Play, Mozart, Play!  •  Peter Sis MUSIC •  2006 •  HARD COVER  • 32 PAGES • YOUNG READERS (Age 4-8) Peter Sis, children's book author and illustrator extraordinaire, brings the story of Mozart to life in this playful celebration of the musician's 250th birthday. With colorful, exuberant illustrations, Sis tells the story of Mozart's genius and the menacing presence of his domineering father. (AST85, $16.99)
The Star of Kazan  •  Eva Ibbotson  •  Kevin Hawkes LITERATURE •  2006 •  PAPER  • 400 PAGES • YOUNG ADULTS A delightful young adult adventure that twists and turns through fin-de-siecle Vienna. Annika is a foundling taken in by a household of eccentic professors and kind hearted servants, is enchanted by the spectacle of Vienna and the simple pleasures of domestic chores. Her life is turned upsidedown when her aristocratic mother unexpectedly reappears in her life and sweeps her off to live in a castle in Germany. Ibbotson, a favorite writer for children, spent her early years in Vienna. (CEU24, $7.99)