How would you know if you were special ? Mr. Fountain's grand mansion is a world away from the dark orphanage Rose had left behind. The gleaming, golden house is practically overflowing with sparkling magic―she can feel it. And though Rose had always wanted to be an ordinary girl with an ordinary life, she realizes she may possess a little bit of magic herself. Discover the Spellbinding Bestselling UK Series "Warm and sparkling and magical and fun."―Hilary McKay, bestselling author of Saffy's Angel "A skillfully spun, spell-binding mystery that will catch you up in a web of wonder."― Junior Education Plus Gr 4–6—When you're an orphan, even magical abilities can be of little use. While Rose can conjure fantastic images to cheer up her disheartened friends, she sees no real value to her strange power. Desiring the simple comforts of a steady job and a warm bed, Rose happily leaves the orphanage for a coveted position as a housemaid to the wealthy alchemist, Mr. Fountain. Her new life is anything but normal as she discovers that her employer's house is alive with magic. Stairs move and cats speak, though none of the other staff realizes it. Afraid that she will lose her job if her magical talents are discovered, Rose keeps them hidden. She soon meets Freddie, the alchemist's apprentice, who recognizes her special ability. When Rose's friends from the orphanage go missing, along with many other children, Rose and Freddie must work together to solve the mystery. Set during the Victorian era, this novel is filled with realism and detail. Rich vocabulary and a particularly scary encounter with a powerful witch set this title apart from other books in the genre. Fans of light fantasy and mystery will devour this intriguing story and eagerly await the sequel.—Sada Mozer, Los Angeles Public Library "This is Downton Abbey with magic. Funny and smart, exciting but never forgetting the rudimentary details of day-to-day life, Rose is the kind of book you could kick yourself for missing. shudder when I consider how close I came to never hearing about Holly Webb’s mesmerizing, charming, purely delightful Rose " ― Betsy Bird, School Library Journal Fuse 8 Blog "A marvelous mystery... This book is suspenseful and funny and full of colorful characters." ― The Buffalo News "Rich vocabulary and a particularly scary encounter with a powerful witch set this title apart from other books in the genre. Fans of light fantasy and mystery will devour this intriguing story and eagerly await the sequel." ― School Library Journal "•Kids who like a mix of magic and history with a dash of darkness may find this an entertaining read." ― Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books "Imaginative, clever and beguiling, Holly Webb’s Rose is that one book that tweens and teens will remember. The beautiful, captivating cover art is sure to draw young readers in the cover sells this book, but the writing will keep readers turning the pages. Highly recommended for grades four and up." ― El Paso Times "This is an engaging book with a lot of kid appeal, and I would recommend it to young readers who enjoy a fun story with great characters and a little bit of magic, as well as those who enjoy historical and pseudo-historical settings." ― Wands and Worlds "The start of a promising new series, English author Holly Webb spins together a shrewd and resourceful main character, a comfortingly familiar plot and writing that shines all the brighter for its simplicity... a book as satisfying and familiar as a cup of hot cocoa." ― Shelf Awareness " Rose is sympathetic and a pleasure to root for, the secondary characters have room to grow, and the ending can be read as a new beginning, leaving plenty of room for a sequel. Character and the day-to-day workings of a wealthy household overshadow magic and plot in this engaging tale of an orphan servant-girl." ― Kirkus Reviews "I love that Rose is very brave and willing to put herself into scary situations if it means helping other people. I think middle-grade readers would absolutely love this book and I'm excited to read the sequels." ― KellyVision "Seriously awesome and fun mashup of classic British orphan tales and magic. I was totally sucked in... characterization was fun, magic introduced in a gradual manner as Rose learned about it and I loved Freddie, Isabella and Gus as much as Rose . This is a complete four book series in England and we're finally getting it. Can't wait for the others! " ― Librarian, Oak Park Public Library "I love a good historical fantasy book and this one delivered. Rose is a strong heroine...and any book that has a breakdown between the upstairs/downstairs relationship is sure to make me happy." ― Books Beside My Bed "Middle grade readers are sure to enjoy this exciting tale. Webb managed to take the things I loved about [A Little Princess, Harry Potter, and Annie] and put them together in an original way that is approachable for middle grad