A Flicker of Courage
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- £4.49
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- £4.49
Publisher Description
Printz Award Honoree and National Book Award finalist Deb Caletti debuts in middle grade with a tongue-in-cheek hero's journey set in a town full of magic, mayhem, lighthouses... and evil.
The story takes place in a world much like ours, but at the same time not at all like ours, in which Vlad Luxor--a capricious, vain, infantile tyrant--rules over a town with an iron fist. He's an emperor with no clothes, but woe is the person who points that out--they could wind up turned into a squirrel or lizard or who knows what! For in this world, the evil leader also has magic, which he uses to punish anyone who speaks out against him.
But in every classic tale with a despicable villain, there must also be a truly noble hero--in this case, four of them! Henry, Apollo, Pirate Girl, and JoJo must be their most brave and clever to break the spell Vlad Luxor has cast on Apollo's brother, Rocco. For we can't have Rocco remain a naked lizard for the rest of his life, now can we?
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Kind Henry Every lives a life of hunger and fear in a dilapidated house with neglectful parents. The only spots of light are his glimpses into the joyful Dante house next door, where his classmate Apollo lives with his loving family, and secret excursions to visit his beloved grandfather, Captain Every, who lives in a lighthouse that houses a towering library. When Apollo appears wailing in front of Henry's house, it turns out that the town's villain, Vlad Luxor, has transformed his little brother Rocco into a lizard. Joined by classmates kind Jo and fearless Pirate Girl, and a loyal terrier named Button, the kids learn that they are what people barely dare to whisper: spell breakers. Together, the friends find the courage to embrace their power, saving Rocco and standing up to the childish, pompous tyrant to stop him from hurting anyone else. Through a broad-strokes portrayal of good vs. evil, this fast-paced middle grade debut from YA author Caletti (A Heart in a Body in the World) offers an allegorical message about activism and cooperation. Images that reinforce descriptions appear throughout alongside faux-serious titles ("A Great, Glistening Walrus"). Ages 8 12.
