These are the first three stories of the Tollins. Yes, they do have wings, but no, they aren’t fairies. Tollins are a lot less fragile than fairies. In fact, the word fragile can’t really be used about them at all. They are about as fragile as a house of brick. In “How to Blow Up Tollins” a fireworks factory comes to the village of Chorleywood and the Tollins find themselves being used as industrial supplies. Being blasted into the night sky or spun round on a Catherine wheel is nowhere near a much fun as it sounds. It’s up to one young Tollin to save his people from becoming an ingredient. In “Sparkler and the Purple Death” our hero look execution in the face. Luckily, the executioner’s mask in backwards. Finally, in “Windbags and Dark Tollins” Tollin society faces a threat from the Dorset countryside, which, again, is much more frightening and nail-bitingly dramatic than it actually sounds.
Fantasy
Fantasy genre
Fu Finds the Way
When the warrior Chang challenges young Fu to a duel, Fu panics. His only hope is that the Master will train him, just as he’s trained all the young warriors of the village. But instead of teaching Fu to fight, the Master teaches him to pour tea. Fu learns purpose, flow and patience in the process, but will it be enough to defeat the mighty Chang? With his signature breathtaking art, John Rocco has created a modern parable full of adventure, heart, humor, and a gentle message about the importance of focus and finding joy in simple tasks.
The Jungle Grapevine
In his children’s book debut, fine artist Alex Beard brings to life an African savanna filled with humor and misunderstandings. When Bird mixes up something Turtle says, he accidentally starts a rumor about the watering hole drying up. One misunderstanding leads to another, with animals making their own hilarious assumptions. No one is hearing anything right, and soon the animals are in an uproar from one end of the jungle to the other. Elephant is trumpeting, Croc is snapping, and the Flamingos are fleeing! Beard’s story will have every child wondering if peace can ever be restored in the animal kingdom.
Beowulf: A Tale Of Blood, Heat, And Ashes
The exhilarating epic blazes to life — featuring illustrations by a lead artist on the LORD OF THE RINGS film trilogy.”Look into the flames and let your minds empty. . . . For this is a tale of blood and heat and ashes.”It is a tale that has been retold countless times through the centuries — and here, in an enthralling edition illustrated by a noted Tolkien artist, the mighty Beowulf is well set to capture new legions of followers. This contemporary retelling of the ancient epic — narrated with a touch of banter by the faithful Wiglaf and featuring vividly dramatic illustrations — follows the mythic hero from his disarming of the gruesome Grendel to his sword battle with the monster’s sea hag mother to his final, fiery showdown with an avenging dragon.
Comus
In an adaptation of the poem “A Masque at Ludlow Castle” by John Milton, two young men must rescue their sister Alice from Comus, the evil magician who has bewitched her and carried her off to his hidden kingdom.
Crackling Brat
Crackling Brat, a fantastical child who has power over fire, wind, thunder, and lightning, laughingly outwits three ferocious obstacles-Snow Cat, Night Bear, and Hunger Wolf-to save his father from the ravages of Time. The language is fresh, primarily due to the inventive use of metaphor. “Night Bear’s fur was as dark as midnight. His eyes were star-colored and his teeth were sharper than the points of the new moon.”
The Minstrel And The Dragon Pup
Richly colored illustrations influenced by Italian frescoes mark the story of a wandering minstrel and his search for his beloved dragon pup who, before being stolen, inspired his most joyful music.
My Elephant
Suzy Goose and the Christmas Star
Tenacious Suzy Goose aims to top her Christmas tree with a star from the sky — with unexpectedly wondrous results — in this vibrant, whimsical tale. It’s Christmas Eve, and Suzy Goose and her friends are admiring their beautifully decorated tree. It’s perfect except for one thing: a star for the top. But Suzy sees just the right one, high in the sky, and no one can stop her from trying every possible way to get it.
The Strange Case of the Missing Sheep
In a place called Happy Valley, there live ten sheep. Every night, the ten sheep are counted into their beds by one Super Sheep Dog named Doug. But one day, the sheep are missing. Who could have stolen them? Might it be Wolf, who lives in the Dark Forest? And for what nefarious purpose? Does he want to knit them into a blanket? Bake them into a pie? Or maybe he wants to count them?