Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria

Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria by L.M. Wilkinson (Allen and Unwin), RRP $16.99 Middle-Grade ISBN 9-781761-180552

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.