The Clockwork Three

A richly woven adventure story that is sure to become a classic! Giuseppe is an orphaned street musician from Italy, who was sold by his uncle to work as a slave for an evil padrone in the U.S. But when a mysterious green violin enters his life he begins to imagine a life of freedom. Hannah is a soft-hearted, strong-willed girl from the tenements, who supports her family as a hotel maid when tragedy strikes and her father can no longer work. She learns about a hidden treasure, which she knows will save her family - if she can find it. And Frederick, the talented and intense clockmaker's apprentice, seeks to learn the truth about his mother while trying to forget the nightmares of the orphanage where she left him. He is determined to build an automaton and enter the clockmakers' guild - if only he can create a working head. Together, the three discover they have phenomenal power when they team up as friends, and that they can overcome even the darkest of fears.

Matthew J. Kirby is the critically acclaimed author of the middle-grade novels ICEFALL and THE CLOCKWORK THREE. He was born in Utah, and grew up in Maryland, California, and Hawaii. For ten months out of the year he works with students, and during the rest of the year he writes. He and his wife currently live in northern Utah. Visit his website at www.matthewjkirby.com.