The Cup and the Crown

by Diane Stanley

Overview

Readers who love the adventure in Megan Whalen Turner’s Newbery Honor novel The Thief will be captivated by Molly’s dangerous magical quest in this thrilling sequel to Diane Stanley’s novel The Silver Bowl.

Night after night, Molly has visions of a beautiful goblet: one of her grandfather’s loving cups, which he filled with magic that bound people together. So it hardly surprises Molly when handsome King Alaric asks her to find a loving cup to help him win the heart of the beautiful Princess of Cortova. 

As Molly and her friends Winifred and Tobias journey in search of a loving cup, a mysterious raven joins their quest and appears to guide them all the way to the hidden city of Harrowsgode. There, Molly discovers secrets about her own family as well as the magic of the loving cup. But Harrowsgode is hidden for a reason, and leaving is more difficult than Molly imagined. Will she be able to escape, let alone bring a loving cup to King Alaric? 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780061963230
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	10/01/2013
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	5.12(w) x 7.62(h) x 0.73(d)
Lexile:	790L (what's this?)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Diane Stanley is the author and illustrator of beloved books for young readers, including The Silver Bowl, which received three starred reviews, was named a best book of the year by Kirkus Reviews and Book Links Lasting Connections, and was an ALA Booklist Editors' Choice; The Cup and the Crown; Saving Sky, winner of the Arab American Museum's Arab American Book Award and a Bank Street College of Education Best Book of the Year; Bella at Midnight, a School Library Journal Best Book of the Year and an ALA Booklist Editors' Choice; The Mysterious Case of the Allbright Academy; The Mysterious Matter of I. M. Fine; and A Time Apart. Well known as the author and illustrator of award-winning picture-book biographies, she is the recipient of the Orbis Pictus Award for Outstanding Nonfiction for Children and the Washington Post-Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award for her body of work.

Ms. Stanley has also written and illustrated numerous picture books, including three creatively reimagined fairy tales: The Giant and the Beanstalk, Goldie and the Three Bears, and Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter. She lives in Santa Fe, New Mexico. dianestanleybooks.com.

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Silver Bowl:“[T]he pacing is masterful, with new information and character development doled out in exactly the right doses, intercut with thrilling escapes and clever plots...a satisfying yarn of loyalty rewarded and mutual understanding gained.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Praise for Bella at Midnight: “Stanley subtly twists strands of the Cinderella story until it’s something quite new and fine.

Booklist (starred review)

It is the suspense of the plot that propels the reader through the story, but Stanley enriches that suspense with humor, strong sensory details, and an intelligent, engaging heroine.

The Horn Book

The setting remains strong, and Molly and her best friend Tobias continue to be thoroughly engaging characters. An open ending promises a third volume of Molly’s adventures, which will surely delight Stanley fans.

Booklist

Praise for The Silver Bowl:“[T]he pacing is masterful, with new information and character development doled out in exactly the right doses, intercut with thrilling escapes and clever plots...a satisfying yarn of loyalty rewarded and mutual understanding gained.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

Praise for The Silver Bowl: “[T]he pacing is masterful, with new information and character development doled out in exactly the right doses, intercut with thrilling escapes and clever plots...a satisfying yarn of loyalty rewarded and mutual understanding gained.

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

Molly is still adapting to her elevation from common servant to noblewoman, as well as having reoccurring visions of her grandfather's Loving Cup intertwined with images of a handsome young boy, when she is summoned by King Alaric. He charges her with the task of finding this Loving Cup, which is said to cause whoever drinks from it to fall in love. Alaric wants to form an alliance with the Princess of Cordova and sees the cup as the key to her hand and heart. Molly embarks on a treacherous journey outside the gates of Westeria, accompanied by her friends Tobias and Winifred and for protection Lord Mayhew. A mysterious raven leads them through rugged mountains and canyons to the hidden city of Harrowsgode, Molly's ancestral home. There they find themselves in a city forgotten by time, war, and social disorder, and they also find the young lad who can fashion the sought after prize. Harrowsgode holds a deep secret and the citizens, fearing that Molly and her friends will betray their location, forbid them to leave. Richard, a helpful rat catcher, hides Tobias from harm. The clever Molly, locked in a tower, plots her escape. Her careful plans are aided by the ever-present raven and Molly's newly acquired skill—the ability to read. Escape is harrowing, humorous, and successful but neither Molly nor the citizens of Harrowsgode will ever be the same. Diane Stanley has created an engaging and suspenseful follow-up to The Silver Bow. Her utopian city, nestled in a canyon, is imaginative and believable and she has peopled it with exciting characters, from the spunky Molly, to the loyal Tobias, and the quick-witted rat catcher. Part fairy tale, part fantasy this well-plotted novel of love, mystery, adventure, and magic will have an instant audience. Readers not familiar with the first book may be a bit confusing in the opening chapters. As this is part of a trilogy it may be advisable to read them in order. Reviewer: Beverley Fahey

Children's Literature - Beverley Fahey

Gr 5–8—Molly is a lady of Westria now, raised from servant to noble status by King Alaric in The Silver Bowl (HarperCollins, 2011). Political unrest with neighboring kingdoms means Alaric must secure an alliance by marrying a princess who doesn't want to marry him. He asks Molly to find the Loving Cup, rumored to be made by her grandfather, which will cause anyone who drinks from it to fall in love. He assembles a crew, including Tobias, friend of Molly and fellow former peasant, to go on a quest to find the cup. The journey leads them to Harrowsgode, the land of Molly's magical ancestors, but this village has a sinister secret, and in order to keep it, no one is ever allowed to leave. Richard the Ratcatcher, a particularly well-rounded and delightful character, is key to helping the Westrians complete their mission and escape. The fast-moving adventure is wildly creative, and suspense builds on every page. Readers who already know Molly will be happy to see her again, but this story stands alone. Background information is skillfully placed, and it never interrupts or bogs down the new tale. The strong friendship between Molly and Tobias and slightly awkward growing feelings for one another is sweet and feels genuine. A story to be cherished and read again and again.—Mandy Laferriere, Staley Middle School, Frisco, TX

School Library Journal

The further adventures of Molly, the kitchen maid who saved a king (The Silver Bowl, 2011), provide an explanation for her magical abilities and suggest that the future holds even more changes and challenges. Brief mention of earlier events will remind returning readers of how Molly, along with her friend Tobias, saved the life of King Alaric and helped him to claim his throne. Readers unfamiliar with Stanley's earlier foray into the kingdom of Westria may feel a bit lost as Molly is charged with finding a special cup for King Alaric, and the action picks up quickly. However characters new and old are effectively drawn, and the plot moves smoothly, ensuring that both sets of readers will follow the ensuing journey with enthusiasm and interest. Mysterious visions, a secret city, a family reunion of sorts and kidnapping all figure into the tale, as do a clever rat catcher and a magical protector. Stanley's storytelling is polished, her imaginary world clearly constructed. She doesn't shy away from serious subjects, but her light touch enables readers to ponder them as part of the whole rather than as overt messages about life, love and politics. Savvy readers will suspect (or hope) that Molly's story will continue, but this section of her saga comes to a satisfying end. Richly imagined and elegantly conveyed, this is a worthy successor to Molly's star-studded debut. (Fantasy. 10-14)

Kirkus Reviews