The Parker Inheritance
$16.99
Hardcover
When Candice finds a letter in an old attic in Lambert, South Carolina, she isn’t sure she should read it. It’s addressed to her grandmother, who left the town in shame. But the letter describes a young woman. An injustice that happened decades ago. A mystery enfolding the letter-writer. And the fortune that awaits the person who solves the puzzle.
So with the help of Brandon Jones, the quiet boy across the street, she begins to decipher the clues. The challenge will lead them deep into Lambert’s history, full of ugly deeds, forgotten heroes, and one great love; and deeper into their own families, with their own unspoken secrets. Can they find the fortune and fulfill the letter’s promise before the answers slip into the past yet again?
Varian Johnson is the author of several novels for children and young adults, including The Parker Inheritance, which won both Coretta Scott King Author Honor and Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor awards; The Great Greene Heist, an ALA Notable Children’s book and Kirkus Reviews Best Book; and the graphic novel Twins, illustrated by Shannon Wright, an NPR Best Book.
Varian was born in Florence, South Carolina, and attended the University of Oklahoma, where he received a BS in Civil Engineering. He later received an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts, and is honored to now be a member of the faculty. Varian lives outside of Austin, TX with his family.
- A Boston Globe / Horn Book Honor winner 2018
- 2019 Coretta Scott King Honor Book
- Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2018
“With a nod to The Westing Game, Varian Johnson has penned a smart mystery that deftly explores the history of racial segregation in the South, modern-day discrimination, friendship, love and bullying….Beautifully written, this complex story will captivate an adult audience as well.” — BookPage
“A dazzling and emotional read that deals with serious topics such as bullying, racism, and divorce.” — Booklist
“A candid and powerful reckoning of history.” — Kirkus Reviews, starred review
A compelling mystery and a powerful commentary on identity, passing, and sacrifice.” — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, starred review
Related Items
The Language of Spells
$16.99
Hardcover Synopsis Grisha is a dragon in a world that's forgotten how to see him. Maggie is a unusual child who thinks she's perfectly ordinary....
The Inquisitor's Tale: Or, the Three Magical Children and Their Holy Dog
Sold Out
Hardcover Synopsis 1242. On a dark night, travelers from across France cross paths at an inn and begin to tell stories of three children. Their...
A Boy called Christmas
$16.99
Hardcover Synposis Eleven-year-old Nikolas—nicknamed “Christmas”—has received only one toy in his life: a doll carved out of a turnip. Still, he tries hard to believe...