The Mysterious Lopsided Letter

"A thought-provoking and insightful historical mystery." --Kirkus Reviews

It's 1785 and flyers are showing up all around Boston complaining that the Hays family is holding Jewish religious services in their home. Armed only with courage, conviction, and some amateur sleuthing skills, cousins Catherine Hays and Judah Truro set out to investigate, joined by their friend Joseph, Paul Revere's son. Can the three friends find the culprit and get him to stop?

This historical fiction transitional chapter book for ages 6-8 features real-life American heroes, focuses attention on the principle of religious freedom in the early days of the United States, and introduces young readers to Moses Michael Hays, Boston's most prominent Jewish citizen of that time.

Ellen Schwartz is the author of 19 award-winning books for children, including a Western Canada Jewish Book Award for Friends to the Rescue. Ellen's children's books range from picture books through middle-grade novels and young adult fiction and information books. In addition to writing books, Ellen works as a corporate writer and editor and as a freelance magazine writer. She has published hundreds of magazine articles. Ellen has taught creative writing classes for many years at the college and university levels. She lives in Burnaby, British Columbia.

Margeaux began drawing constantly from age four, amazing her friends with pictures of people and animals. Her love of picture books came from the many hours she spent before bedtime reading from the collection at her grandmother's house. She studied Graphic Design in school, but is largely self-taught as an illustrator. She lives in New York, New York.