Stravaganza : City Of Ships

The fifth gripping book in the series, taking the reader into two vivid worlds - one our own, one parallel to ours and very similar to 16th century Italy. Passion, intrigue, drama and adventure - enter the world of Stravaganza.

Set in Classe (Ravenna in our world), the Stravagante is Isabel, a younger twin by a matter of minutes. Her talisman is a pouch of silver mosaic tiles and she stravagates to Classe, where she is met by Flavia, a successful female merchant who trades spices, silks, tapestries, and whose son is an outcast and a pirate. Isabel finds that Classe and Bellezza are under threat from attack by the fierce Gate people. What can she do to help save the city? A thrilling story packed with action, pirates and drama.

Praise for City of Masks: 'A poignant, touching and exciting novel ... without doubt a masterwork of contemporary children's literature.' - Edgardo Zaghini, Booktrust

Praise for City of Stars: 'A fabulous story of power, intrigue and flying horses. This is story-telling at its best.' - The Bookseller

Praise for City of Flowers: 'I was barely allowed to finish it before my god-daughter snatched it away with breathless anticipation. "It's so real!" she drooled.' - Independent

Praise for City of Secrets: 'An absolute triumph. Writing like this makes a parallel situation appear in the mind as more real than reality itself.' - School Librarian

About The Author

Mary Hoffman is an acclaimed children's author and critic. She is the author of the internationally bestselling picture book Amazing Grace. The first three novels in the Stravaganza series have also been bestsellers. The fourth, Stravaganza: City of Secrets, was published in July 2008. She is a complete aficionado of Italy, and one of her novels, The Falconer's Knot, awarded the Prix Polar de Jeunesse and short-listed for The Guardian Fiction Award, is also set there.