During her presentation “Being a Writer,” she will share her experiences as a writer and offer some advice to possible future writers.Īfter the age of fifteen, Vaughan spent every summer in Cazenovia with her father and stepmother Frederico and Kathy Meira. “Readers will enjoy the candy-shop wish fulfillment in this fast-paced, superhero-tinged spy novel. With its comics-style origin stories and vows of revenge, this first book in a planned series has an intriguing concept that could hit a middle-grade sweet spot.All are invited to join author Monica Meira Vaughan when she returns to the Cazenovia Public Library on Wednesday, October 28 th at 7:00 pm. A brilliantly crafted tale, from the quality of the writing to the twistiness of the plot and the complexity of the real-life issues the characters are dealing with…A thrilling, touching and thought-provoking read.” (Common Sense Media) REVIEWS: “Vaughan showcases a Dahl-esque flair for the grotesque- and the descriptions of the secret underground school (not to mention superpowers!) will have younger readers longing to enroll.” (Kirkus Reviews) “Reminiscent of early Harry Potter novels with its neglected hero, oddball teachers, eccentric assortment of classmates, and secret school where students learn to harness their powers, the novel still manages ultimately to feel fresh and original, and the narrative strikes a delicate balance between light-hearted wish-fulfillment, fun, dark moments of heartbreak, and genuine suspense…Those looking for a read-alike to Stewart’s The Mysterious Benedict Society will be delighted with Christopher’s adventure.” (The Center for Children’s Books Bulletin) “Parents need to know that The Ability is a brilliant, suspenseful debut from M.M.Vaughan about kids with telepathic powers being trained in mind control as part of a secret operation.

And she’s not interested in saving anyone. But while Chris is perfecting his talent, twin brothers Ernest and Mortimer are using their Ability to carry out the plan their mother has spent many years perfecting. Now Chris must learn to use this power, his Ability, to make the world a safer place. So it comes as a shock to everyone, not least Chris himself, when he wins a place at an exclusive academy after a very unusual interview.įor it turns out Chris does have a natural gift for one thing - something that every child can do during their twelfth year, though few will ever find out.

But Christopher Lane’s talents lie only in thieving and lying - or so he’s always been told. Some kids excel in art, others in sports or math. “Delve into the extraordinary abilities of the twelve-year-old mind in this thrilling start to a middle-grade series that expands the possibilities of power.”

The ability by mm vaughan