Caretaker's Apprentice: Curse of the Pika By: Karen Lindsey Gillespie After a confrontation with a classmate results in her suspension from school, thirteen-year-old Lyric Thindrell is shipped off to her reclusive Aunt Reverie’s house for the summer. At first she believes she’s being punished—although, she insists she never fought back against her classmate’s abuse—Lyric soon discovers her mother has been hiding a myriad of secrets, including their magical heritage, the existence of supernatural creatures, and a heartbreaking family curse that spans three generations. Finding herself in a remote location removed from the comforts of technology, battling feelings of betrayal and anger against her mother, Lyric throws herself into harnessing her powers and gathering clues to break the curse and bring her family happiness and peace.