Breadcrumbs

Anne Ursu is a critically acclaimed author of middle grade fantasy stories. She made her debut as a novelist with The Cronus Chronicles, a series that weaves Greek mythology into modern-day adventures. In the first installment of the series, The Shadow Thieves (2006), cousins Charlotte and Zee must journey into the Underworld to save their classmates from a mysterious illness. In The Siren Song (2007), the cousins face the wrath of a vengeful demigod and an angry Poseidon. Charlotte and Zee embark on their third and final quest in The Immortal Fire (2009). This time, they must journey to Mount Olympus to protect humanity from the gods. Like Breadcrumbs, the Cronus Chronicles puts a modern spin on familiar tales.

Since publishing Breadcrumbs in 2011, Ursu has penned more award-winning stand-alone fantasy novels. The Real Boy (2015) centers on Oscar, who lives in an island village and works at a shop owned by a powerful magician. He and his friend Callie go on an adventure to find the creature lurking in the nearby forest and to discover the cause of the strange illness affecting local children. The novel is loosely inspired by Pinocchio, but Ursu largely constructs an original plotline, characters, and