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Seasparrow

Part of Graceling Realm

Author Kristin Cashore
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Paperback
$14.99 US
Penguin Young Readers | Dutton Books for Young Readers
5.44"W x 8.25"H x 0.97"D   (13.8 x 21.0 x 2.5 cm) | 17 oz (476 g) | 24 per carton
On sale Sep 26, 2023 | 624 Pages | 9781984816696
Age 14 and up | Grade 9 & Up
Reading Level: Lexile HL740L
Sales rights: US, Canada, Open Mkt
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Make the harrowing journey home with Queen Bitterblue's sister and spy, in the fifth novel in the bestselling Graceling Realm series.
Hava sails across the sea toward Monsea with her sister, the royal entourage, and the world’s only copies of the formulas for the zilfium weapon she saved at the end of Winterkeep. During the crossing, Hava makes an unexpected discovery about one of the ship’s crew, but before she can unravel the mystery, storms drive their ship off course, wrecking them in the ice far north of the Royal Continent. The survivors must endure a harrowing trek across the ice to make it back to Monsea. And while Queen Bitterblue grapples with how to carry the responsibility of a weapon that will change the world, Hava has a few more mysteries to solve—and a decision to make about who she wants to be in the new world Bitterblue will build.
1.
If you could eavesdrop without anyone knowing—­if you could turn yourself into a barrel, or a coil of lines, or a clump of canvas on deck where two people are standing together, whispering secrets to each other—­are you sure you wouldn’t?
Eavesdrop. I wonder where that word comes from. Did people used to climb into the eaves of a house and snoop on conversations? Then drop? Then what? Yell “Surprise!” and watch people jump and throw their papers around?

That would be funny. I’ve never done that.

I asked Giddon his opinion, but he had no ideas about eavesdrop. He said he’s fond of the wordsnowdrop, and he’s right; it’s a good word. It snows almost every day now here at sea, so it’s nice to imagine white petals drifting down onto my face. But it doesn’t help me witheavesdrop.

He said it aloud, “Snowdrop,” as we stood on the foredeck of the Monsea, where the plunge of the prow into each wave is more extreme than anywhere else on the ship. I like it there on the foredeck. It feels like exciting things are going to happen.

Then he said, “Foxglove, that’s a nice word too. Moonflower,” he added, staring across the gray water like he was having a revelation. Giddon is big and tall and handsome in a noble sort of way, with a neat dark beard and pale skin like mine, and he has a fire inside him that he reserves for Bitterblue. I could see him mentally picking a bouquet for her. “Larkspur,” he said, so I said, “Skunk cabbage,” because I was getting tired of Giddon.

“Skunk cabbage?” he said, turning a look of indignation upon me. “Of course not.”

“Impatiens,” I said significantly, but he wandered down to the main deck with a dreamy expression on his face, and I wished, as I’ve wished many times, that Giddon and Bitterblue, who’s the Queen of Monsea and secretly my half sister, would confess their newfound romantic relationship to me. I’m not stupid. I’m a spy. It’s my job to figure things out. And she’s my family, even if hardly anyone knows that. They should tell me.

I’ll ask Teddy about eavesdrop when we get home. Teddy’s part of Bitterblue’s Ministry of Education. He’s clever with words, cleverer than Giddon. My mother once told me, in a moment of lucidity, to keep a list of cherished qualities I would like in a friend. I never have. It’s not like people line up for me to choose from, with their qualities listed on their chests. But if I did keep a list, maybe “Clever with Words” would be on it.

Not that Giddon lacks good qualities. He would tear off the head of anyone who hurt my sister.

I used to jump out and surprise my mother, actually, now that I consider it. I would hide myself from her, then make myself visible suddenly. Reach for her, arms outstretched, laughing. One time, when I did that, she screamed in such terror that the king, my father, came running. So I hid quickly, and never did that again. It wasn’t safe to startle my mother. Too often, she wasn’t in her strong mind.

Anyway, my point is, I don’t have to climb into the eaves to eavesdrop.

I can stand right in front of you, plain as plain, do a trick on your brain, and you see something else. It’s my Grace. Are you in a room now? Look around. I could be right there and your eyes slide over me and see a coat on a hook instead, or a potted tree that you would realize is vaguely person-­shaped if you only looked harder, but you won’t. Is there some part of the room that’s especially boring to you, some corner you don’t seem to want to focus on? That could be me. It’s not your fault. I’m discouraging your attention, and changing what you think you see.

Anyway, it was just an example. I wouldn’t do it as a trick. In fact, I’m not supposed to do it at all, not without Bitterblue’s permission, and only on official queen’s business. Of course, seeing as I’m a spy, one could argue that I’m always on official queen’s business. It’s my job to keep her safe. I do that by hiding and snooping. By not trusting people. And by having adventures; I’ve sailed to the other side of the world and crossed the sky in a flying machine. I’ve talked to silbercows in the sea and pulled a pin that made a bomb explode. I’ve stolen formulas for weapons that will make my sister powerful. I’ve been to Winterkeep, and now we’re going home again.
Copyright © 2022 by Kristin Cashore. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
"I may be biased, as Cashore has been my self-proclaimed favorite author for over a decade, but this book quite literally made me sob at my desk at one moment, so longtime (and newer-to-the-series) fans will be extremely thrilled."—BuzzFeed 

"Seasparrow is a cathartic story, one that allows its heroine to understand how much she’s been through and how much she needs....I hope there’s more Hava yet to come."—Molly Templeton for Tor.com

"Cashore never shies away from showing the charming mundanities of the everyday and the brutal realities of the harshness of wilderness and emotions as well as exploring how enduring trauma shapes a person and a kingdom.... A harrowing, rewarding tale of survival."—Kirkus Reviews

"Cashore's Graceling books have hit bestseller lists and kept readers fascinated for almost 15 years. This fifth installment promises the same."—Booklist Reviews
© Kevin Lin
Kristin Cashore grew up in the northeast Pennsylvania countryside as the second of four daughters. She received a bachelor's degree from Williams College and a master's from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons College, and she has worked as a dog runner, a packer in a candy factory, an editorial assistant, a legal assistant, and a freelance writer. She has lived in many places (including Sydney, New York City, Boston, London, Austin, and Jacksonville, Florida), and she currently lives in the Boston area. Her epic fantasy novels set in the Graceling Realm—Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue—have won many awards and much high praise, including picks as ALA Best Books for Young Adults, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Booklist Editors’ Choice, and Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. In addition, Graceling was shortlisted for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award and Fire received the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award. View titles by Kristin Cashore
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About

Make the harrowing journey home with Queen Bitterblue's sister and spy, in the fifth novel in the bestselling Graceling Realm series.
Hava sails across the sea toward Monsea with her sister, the royal entourage, and the world’s only copies of the formulas for the zilfium weapon she saved at the end of Winterkeep. During the crossing, Hava makes an unexpected discovery about one of the ship’s crew, but before she can unravel the mystery, storms drive their ship off course, wrecking them in the ice far north of the Royal Continent. The survivors must endure a harrowing trek across the ice to make it back to Monsea. And while Queen Bitterblue grapples with how to carry the responsibility of a weapon that will change the world, Hava has a few more mysteries to solve—and a decision to make about who she wants to be in the new world Bitterblue will build.

Excerpt

1.
If you could eavesdrop without anyone knowing—­if you could turn yourself into a barrel, or a coil of lines, or a clump of canvas on deck where two people are standing together, whispering secrets to each other—­are you sure you wouldn’t?
Eavesdrop. I wonder where that word comes from. Did people used to climb into the eaves of a house and snoop on conversations? Then drop? Then what? Yell “Surprise!” and watch people jump and throw their papers around?

That would be funny. I’ve never done that.

I asked Giddon his opinion, but he had no ideas about eavesdrop. He said he’s fond of the wordsnowdrop, and he’s right; it’s a good word. It snows almost every day now here at sea, so it’s nice to imagine white petals drifting down onto my face. But it doesn’t help me witheavesdrop.

He said it aloud, “Snowdrop,” as we stood on the foredeck of the Monsea, where the plunge of the prow into each wave is more extreme than anywhere else on the ship. I like it there on the foredeck. It feels like exciting things are going to happen.

Then he said, “Foxglove, that’s a nice word too. Moonflower,” he added, staring across the gray water like he was having a revelation. Giddon is big and tall and handsome in a noble sort of way, with a neat dark beard and pale skin like mine, and he has a fire inside him that he reserves for Bitterblue. I could see him mentally picking a bouquet for her. “Larkspur,” he said, so I said, “Skunk cabbage,” because I was getting tired of Giddon.

“Skunk cabbage?” he said, turning a look of indignation upon me. “Of course not.”

“Impatiens,” I said significantly, but he wandered down to the main deck with a dreamy expression on his face, and I wished, as I’ve wished many times, that Giddon and Bitterblue, who’s the Queen of Monsea and secretly my half sister, would confess their newfound romantic relationship to me. I’m not stupid. I’m a spy. It’s my job to figure things out. And she’s my family, even if hardly anyone knows that. They should tell me.

I’ll ask Teddy about eavesdrop when we get home. Teddy’s part of Bitterblue’s Ministry of Education. He’s clever with words, cleverer than Giddon. My mother once told me, in a moment of lucidity, to keep a list of cherished qualities I would like in a friend. I never have. It’s not like people line up for me to choose from, with their qualities listed on their chests. But if I did keep a list, maybe “Clever with Words” would be on it.

Not that Giddon lacks good qualities. He would tear off the head of anyone who hurt my sister.

I used to jump out and surprise my mother, actually, now that I consider it. I would hide myself from her, then make myself visible suddenly. Reach for her, arms outstretched, laughing. One time, when I did that, she screamed in such terror that the king, my father, came running. So I hid quickly, and never did that again. It wasn’t safe to startle my mother. Too often, she wasn’t in her strong mind.

Anyway, my point is, I don’t have to climb into the eaves to eavesdrop.

I can stand right in front of you, plain as plain, do a trick on your brain, and you see something else. It’s my Grace. Are you in a room now? Look around. I could be right there and your eyes slide over me and see a coat on a hook instead, or a potted tree that you would realize is vaguely person-­shaped if you only looked harder, but you won’t. Is there some part of the room that’s especially boring to you, some corner you don’t seem to want to focus on? That could be me. It’s not your fault. I’m discouraging your attention, and changing what you think you see.

Anyway, it was just an example. I wouldn’t do it as a trick. In fact, I’m not supposed to do it at all, not without Bitterblue’s permission, and only on official queen’s business. Of course, seeing as I’m a spy, one could argue that I’m always on official queen’s business. It’s my job to keep her safe. I do that by hiding and snooping. By not trusting people. And by having adventures; I’ve sailed to the other side of the world and crossed the sky in a flying machine. I’ve talked to silbercows in the sea and pulled a pin that made a bomb explode. I’ve stolen formulas for weapons that will make my sister powerful. I’ve been to Winterkeep, and now we’re going home again.
Copyright © 2022 by Kristin Cashore. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.

Praise

"I may be biased, as Cashore has been my self-proclaimed favorite author for over a decade, but this book quite literally made me sob at my desk at one moment, so longtime (and newer-to-the-series) fans will be extremely thrilled."—BuzzFeed 

"Seasparrow is a cathartic story, one that allows its heroine to understand how much she’s been through and how much she needs....I hope there’s more Hava yet to come."—Molly Templeton for Tor.com

"Cashore never shies away from showing the charming mundanities of the everyday and the brutal realities of the harshness of wilderness and emotions as well as exploring how enduring trauma shapes a person and a kingdom.... A harrowing, rewarding tale of survival."—Kirkus Reviews

"Cashore's Graceling books have hit bestseller lists and kept readers fascinated for almost 15 years. This fifth installment promises the same."—Booklist Reviews

Author

© Kevin Lin
Kristin Cashore grew up in the northeast Pennsylvania countryside as the second of four daughters. She received a bachelor's degree from Williams College and a master's from the Center for the Study of Children's Literature at Simmons College, and she has worked as a dog runner, a packer in a candy factory, an editorial assistant, a legal assistant, and a freelance writer. She has lived in many places (including Sydney, New York City, Boston, London, Austin, and Jacksonville, Florida), and she currently lives in the Boston area. Her epic fantasy novels set in the Graceling Realm—Graceling, Fire, and Bitterblue—have won many awards and much high praise, including picks as ALA Best Books for Young Adults, School Library Journal Best Book of the Year, Booklist Editors’ Choice, and Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. In addition, Graceling was shortlisted for the William C. Morris YA Debut Award and Fire received the Amelia Elizabeth Walden Book Award. View titles by Kristin Cashore

Rights

Available for sale exclusive:
•     Canada
•     Guam
•     Minor Outl.Ins.
•     North Mariana
•     Philippines
•     Puerto Rico
•     Samoa,American
•     US Virgin Is.
•     USA
Available for sale non-exclusive:
•     Afghanistan
•     Aland Islands
•     Albania
•     Algeria
•     Andorra
•     Angola
•     Anguilla
•     Antarctica
•     Argentina
•     Armenia
•     Aruba
•     Austria
•     Azerbaijan
•     Bahrain
•     Belarus
•     Belgium
•     Benin
•     Bhutan
•     Bolivia
•     Bonaire, Saba
•     Bosnia Herzeg.
•     Bouvet Island
•     Brazil
•     Bulgaria
•     Burkina Faso
•     Burundi
•     Cambodia
•     Cameroon
•     Cape Verde
•     Centr.Afr.Rep.
•     Chad
•     Chile
•     China
•     Colombia
•     Comoro Is.
•     Congo
•     Cook Islands
•     Costa Rica
•     Croatia
•     Cuba
•     Curacao
•     Czech Republic
•     Dem. Rep. Congo
•     Denmark
•     Djibouti
•     Dominican Rep.
•     Ecuador
•     Egypt
•     El Salvador
•     Equatorial Gui.
•     Eritrea
•     Estonia
•     Ethiopia
•     Faroe Islands
•     Finland
•     France
•     Fren.Polynesia
•     French Guinea
•     Gabon
•     Georgia
•     Germany
•     Greece
•     Greenland
•     Guadeloupe
•     Guatemala
•     Guinea Republic
•     Guinea-Bissau
•     Haiti
•     Heard/McDon.Isl
•     Honduras
•     Hong Kong
•     Hungary
•     Iceland
•     Indonesia
•     Iran
•     Israel
•     Italy
•     Ivory Coast
•     Japan
•     Kazakhstan
•     Kyrgyzstan
•     Laos
•     Latvia
•     Lebanon
•     Liberia
•     Libya
•     Liechtenstein
•     Lithuania
•     Luxembourg
•     Macau
•     Macedonia
•     Madagascar
•     Maldives
•     Mali
•     Marshall island
•     Martinique
•     Mauritania
•     Mayotte
•     Mexico
•     Micronesia
•     Moldavia
•     Monaco
•     Mongolia
•     Montenegro
•     Morocco
•     Myanmar
•     Nepal
•     Netherlands
•     New Caledonia
•     Nicaragua
•     Niger
•     Niue
•     North Korea
•     Norway
•     Oman
•     Palau
•     Palestinian Ter
•     Panama
•     Paraguay
•     Peru
•     Poland
•     Portugal
•     Qatar
•     Reunion Island
•     Romania
•     Russian Fed.
•     Rwanda
•     Saint Martin
•     San Marino
•     SaoTome Princip
•     Saudi Arabia
•     Senegal
•     Serbia
•     Singapore
•     Sint Maarten
•     Slovakia
•     Slovenia
•     South Korea
•     South Sudan
•     Spain
•     St Barthelemy
•     St.Pier,Miquel.
•     Sth Terr. Franc
•     Suriname
•     Svalbard
•     Sweden
•     Switzerland
•     Syria
•     Tadschikistan
•     Taiwan
•     Thailand
•     Timor-Leste
•     Togo
•     Tokelau Islands
•     Tunisia
•     Turkey
•     Turkmenistan
•     Ukraine
•     Unit.Arab Emir.
•     Uruguay
•     Uzbekistan
•     Vatican City
•     Venezuela
•     Vietnam
•     Wallis,Futuna
•     West Saharan
•     Western Samoa
•     Yemen
Not available for sale:
•     Antigua/Barbuda
•     Australia
•     Bahamas
•     Bangladesh
•     Barbados
•     Belize
•     Bermuda
•     Botswana
•     Brit.Ind.Oc.Ter
•     Brit.Virgin Is.
•     Brunei
•     Cayman Islands
•     Christmas Islnd
•     Cocos Islands
•     Cyprus
•     Dominica
•     Falkland Islnds
•     Fiji
•     Gambia
•     Ghana
•     Gibraltar
•     Grenada
•     Guernsey
•     Guyana
•     India
•     Iraq
•     Ireland
•     Isle of Man
•     Jamaica
•     Jersey
•     Jordan
•     Kenya
•     Kiribati
•     Kuwait
•     Lesotho
•     Malawi
•     Malaysia
•     Malta
•     Mauritius
•     Montserrat
•     Mozambique
•     Namibia
•     Nauru
•     New Zealand
•     Nigeria
•     Norfolk Island
•     Pakistan
•     PapuaNewGuinea
•     Pitcairn Islnds
•     S. Sandwich Ins
•     Seychelles
•     Sierra Leone
•     Solomon Islands
•     Somalia
•     South Africa
•     Sri Lanka
•     St. Helena
•     St. Lucia
•     St. Vincent
•     St.Chr.,Nevis
•     Sudan
•     Swaziland
•     Tanzania
•     Tonga
•     Trinidad,Tobago
•     Turks&Caicos Is
•     Tuvalu
•     Uganda
•     United Kingdom
•     Vanuatu
•     Zambia
•     Zimbabwe

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