Reviewed by Susan Hancy
There’s a new heroine and she’s doing her best to
save Alluria.
Tithonia Proudleaf, aka Titch to her friends, loves
playing with swords and pretending she is Bravepaw – a legendary warrior
who protected all Alluria one hundred years ago, including the Plateau where Titch
and the other mouselings live. Titch’s mother reminds her that the legend isn’t
real and that she doesn’t need to fight with a sword to be brave. Besides,
Titch should be concentrating on herding the pufflings so that they can grow
thick, puffy coats for shearing. Titch is about to throw away her sword when
her best friend, Huckleberry, stops her, pointing at something strange emerging
over the edge of the plateau.
It's a hare floating up in a glider, and he’s being
chased by curseworms which suck the colour and life out of living beings. The
hare is a warrior named Prince Vetiver and he calls for Titch and Huckleberry
to round up the best fighters from their community to battle the curseworms. The
curseworms are chasing after Vetiver’s wooden staff which has a valuable
crystal on the end. Vetiver is struck down and Titch reacts by snatching up the
staff, channelling her rage and banishing the curseworms.
Vetiver is amazed by what Titch has done and
suspects that the power of the crystal on his staff, which he calls the
heartstone, and something inside of Titch have combined to invoke the spirit of
Bravepaw. Vetiver is on a mission to restore the heartstone to mend a crack in
Alluria from which evil beings (such as the curseworms) are escaping. But in
his weakened state, he’s unable to continue. Titch agrees to carry on his
mission, joined by Huckleberry and Titch’s favourite puffling, Dollop. And so,
the trio embark on a quest filled with danger, where their bravery and loyalty
to each other must prevail if they’re to survive.
The reader is quickly drawn into the fantasy world
of Alluria and experiences the highs and lows along with Titch and Huckleberry as
their mission unfolds. This is an action-packed read with cliffhanger chapter
endings that will especially appeal to girls aged 7 to 10. My 7-year-old
daughter loved it and can’t wait to find out what happens next in book 2.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Buzz Words Books would love to hear what you think.