Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria by L. M. Wilkinson Ill. by Lavanya Naidu.

From start to finish this book hurdles along with ups and downs, twists and turns. And at the heart is the amazing, lovable character Titch. Titch wants to be a warrior like the mythical Bravepaw and yearns to prove her courage and skill. Fighting imaginary foes and the odd ‘puffling’, she practices with a wooden sword in the hope of one day becoming skilled enough to save her village in an attack. The only problem is, nothing ever happens on the Plateau, her home and “the safest place in all of Allura.” But soon she and her true friend Huckleberry are caught up in a terrifying battle with curseworms – phantom like creatures that feed on “colour and life” after a Prince crash lands on the Plateau pursued by these vile beings. And as myths become truths, Titch must accept her destiny to protect all she loves. The pace never wavers, as one danger fades others rear up, keeping the reader captivated. While staying true to the quest and hero tropes, inventive storytelling brings excitement and energy to the narrative and black and white illustrations throughout offer additional glimpses of Titch’s world and the dangers she faces. In addition, they provide young readers respite from reading text enabling them to recover some of the energy they have expelled during the reading so far. Thereto, the occasional engaging play with fonts along with large print and generous line spacing also support the reading journey. Such writing techniques and formatting also provide a sense of ever moving forward, affording the reader an even greater sense of a fast pace story unfolding. This thrilling adventure is a great read aloud and highly recommended for readers aged 7+

Content Development Librarian: Children’s and Young Adult