The British had granted Burma independence in 1948, but the country, with its many ethnic groups, had trouble building a democratic government. Than Shwe was part of a military coup that took over Burma in the 1960s.

The Black Death outbreak is one of world history’s pivotal moments. In the wake of such devastation, survivors had to reevaluate their social, scientific, and religious beliefs, laying the groundwork for our modern world. Once the swollen, black buboes appeared on victims’ bodies, there was no way to save them. The bubonic plague wiped out families, villages, even entire regions. In the cramped and rat infested streets of medieval cities and villages, all it took were the bites of a few plague infected fleas to start a pandemic that killed roughly half the population of Europe and Asia. Conditions were filthy, as most people drank water from the same sources they used for washing and for human waste. Most people lived in crowded cities or as serfs tied to the lands of their overlords. New trade routes in Europe and Asia brought people in contact with different cultures and ideas, while war and rebellions threatened to disrupt the lives of millions. Lilia has only a few days to search every inch of the castle and find the jewel-or Kai will be lost to her forever.Ĭould a few fleas really change the world? In the early 1300s, the world was on the brink of change. The castle where it is hidden has been overrun with princess hopefuls trying to pass a magical test that will determine the prince’s new bride. The only way for Lilia to break the spell and save Kai is to find a jewel of ancient power that lies somewhere in the North Kingdoms. To Lilia’s horror, Kai falls under an enchantment cast by the Elf King’s beautiful daughter. But danger awaits…Īs their quest leads the threesome through the mysterious and sinister Bitra Forest, they suddenly realize they are lost in the elves’ domain. With her best friend, Kai, and his sister, Karina, beside her, Lilia heads north to find the family she’s never known.

Refusing to accept that dreadful fate, she decides to flee.

Still, she hardly deserves to be sold off to the mean-spirited miller and his family. In fact, she’s terrible! She daydreams, she breaks dishes, and her cooking is awful. Twelve-year-old Lilia is not a very good servant.

Baker's Magic by Diane Zahler