About this item
Ruby is a thief-in-training and a keeper of secrets - ones she doesn't even know herself. A Riddle in Ruby is the first book in a witty and fast-paced fantasy-adventure trilogy for fans for Jonathan Stroud, Septimus Heap, and The Very Nearly Honorable League of Pirates.Ruby Teach, daughter of a smuggler and pirate, has been learning how to swindle and steal and pick the most complex locks for as long as she can remember. But a collision with aristocratic young lord Athen sends her spinning into chaos. Little did she know that her whole life has been spent in hiding from nefarious secret societies and the Royal Navy . . . who are both now on her trail. In this debut middle grade adventure, Kent Davis weaves a rip-roaring tale through an alternate colonial Philadelphia.
About the Author
I am a publisher, editor, educator, author and translator (English, Thai, French). My background is in marketing communications, public relations, historical research and elementary curriculum design, development and implementation. Having worked and traveled extensively in Southeast Asia since 1990 I am a specialist in related topics.At DatAsia Press, my role as editor focuses on key publications relating to Asian history and culture from ancient times to the mid-20th century. Projects now underway range from English translations of French colonial literature by George Groslier to two autobiographical accounts of Asia during WWII written by agents who served with the legendary Office of Strategic Services: "Undercover Girl O.S.S." by Elizabeth McIntosh and "Bangkok Editor" by Alexander MacDonald.DatAsia also publishes a specialized "life skills" curricula for elementary school children -- "The Million Dollar Machine Program" (MDM). MDM lessons give teachers and parents systematic methods to inspire children to stay healthy, set goals and achieve their full potential. Researchers at Columbia University and the University of Medicine and Dentistry NJ have validated MDM's effectiveness. In 1989, President George H. W. Bush awarded the program a Presidential Award for Private Sector Initiatives at the White House.As a researcher with Devata.org I am documenting 1,796 devata (goddess) images at Angkor Wat to determine the historical role of Khmer women. A publication -- "Daughters of Angkor Wat" -- is in preparation.In 2007, my wife Sophaphan and I funded construction of Srei Devata Middle School in Baray, Kompong Thom through American Assistance for Cambodia. We continue working on educational projects to benefit children in Asia and the United States.
