Book excerpt: The Painted Ponies of Partequineus While resting in her bedroom one day after school, eleven-year-old Vanessa is enveloped by a mysterious purple mist and taken to the enchanted land of Partequineus, where lonely children and magical ponies are kept prisoner by a terrifying dragon. Unless she can help them all to escape, Vanessa will have to stay in Partequineus forever. The Summer of the Kittens: When young Hanna McCormick takes on the difficult task of raising a litter of orphaned kittens, she begins a challenging journey of self-discovery. With her friend Jimmy, who bravely faces the world from a wheel-chair, she experiences love and loss, joy and sorrow, and learns that whatever life may take away from us, something of value is left in return. About the Author Peter H. Riddle is a public school and university teacher. He and his wife Gay are former foster parents and dedicated advocates for animal rights. They have two children and three grandchildren.