"Engaging, humorous reading that will appeal to young fans of fantasy." —James Cox, Midwest Book Review
"A book that engages readers of all ages. It tells the story of a world in which sorcerers vie for power and gemstones 'speak.' It is filled with clever martens and fantastic monsters. The fantasy, however, is strongly underlined with very real lessons in friendship, courage, and teamwork." —Leslie Leite, EMazing.com
Okay, so that's what two other people thought of the book. And now for something long and rambling. The characters in this story are martens, furry creatures that sort of resemble ferrets or squirrels. They move around a lot. They have adventures. There's a haunted glen, a dark cave leading to an underground river, a magic scepter, sorcerers, wizards, and scenes with good slap-stick funny stuff. I tossed in some nods to Shakespeare, Christina Rossetti, Shirley Jackson, Mark Twain, Dante, and Mary Shelley, but the thing is basically a Tolkien knock-off with none of that Tolkienesque density.
The book is 153 pages long and most appropriate for ages 8 to 12, depending on a kid’s reading level. The Frye Readability Scale level is 7.2, technically a suggestion for grade level, but I can tell you from experience that a self-starting reader who is in the 4th, 5th, or 6th grade will have no trouble with the text. The type size is 13 points, which is much easier on the eyes than the standard 10 or 12 points. The book is a sturdy paperback with perfectbound binding and a full color film-laminated cover. I’ve done many readings for elementary and middle school students, and the feedback was always good. The summer Duke Young Writers' camp also gave it a warm reception.
The cover art was created by an excellent Durham, NC artist named Harrell Tice.
Oh, the purple gemstone on the cover is a pentagonal icositetrahedron. It plays an important part in the story.
"A book that engages readers of all ages. It tells the story of a world in which sorcerers vie for power and gemstones 'speak.' It is filled with clever martens and fantastic monsters. The fantasy, however, is strongly underlined with very real lessons in friendship, courage, and teamwork." —Leslie Leite, EMazing.com
Okay, so that's what two other people thought of the book. And now for something long and rambling. The characters in this story are martens, furry creatures that sort of resemble ferrets or squirrels. They move around a lot. They have adventures. There's a haunted glen, a dark cave leading to an underground river, a magic scepter, sorcerers, wizards, and scenes with good slap-stick funny stuff. I tossed in some nods to Shakespeare, Christina Rossetti, Shirley Jackson, Mark Twain, Dante, and Mary Shelley, but the thing is basically a Tolkien knock-off with none of that Tolkienesque density.
The book is 153 pages long and most appropriate for ages 8 to 12, depending on a kid’s reading level. The Frye Readability Scale level is 7.2, technically a suggestion for grade level, but I can tell you from experience that a self-starting reader who is in the 4th, 5th, or 6th grade will have no trouble with the text. The type size is 13 points, which is much easier on the eyes than the standard 10 or 12 points. The book is a sturdy paperback with perfectbound binding and a full color film-laminated cover. I’ve done many readings for elementary and middle school students, and the feedback was always good. The summer Duke Young Writers' camp also gave it a warm reception.
The cover art was created by an excellent Durham, NC artist named Harrell Tice.
Oh, the purple gemstone on the cover is a pentagonal icositetrahedron. It plays an important part in the story.
