Cottons: The Secret of the Wind
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- $14.99
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- $14.99
Publisher Description
In Cottons, rabbits and foxes inhabit a world where magic, technology, and art are used as weapons of war. Written by Jim Pascoe, with bold illustrations from Heidi Arnhold.
To her neighbors in the Vale of Industry, Bridgebelle is an ordinary rabbit. All day long, she toils at the carrot factory. After a hard day, she returns home to care for her ailing auntie. And whenever she's out, she's watchful of the murderous foxes who prey on her kind.
But Bridgebelle is not ordinary—she's a rabbit with talents beyond her own understanding. Using cha, the mysterious fuel that powers her world, she can change everyday objects into thokchas—magical, transforming works of art. Bridgebelle makes thokchas because they're beautiful. But there are those in her world who want to harness her powers and turn her art into a weapon.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In this series opener, rabbits and foxes fiercely compete to control cha, a magical crystal extracted from carrots. Just before she is killed by a fox, rabbit Soozie utters mysterious last words to her bunny friend Bridgebelle. Bridgebelle and Soozie's brother, Glee, must puzzle out the message's meaning about how to weaponize cha, even as they cope with their grief and trauma. Meanwhile, other rabbits are distracted by the demands of cha production, the tension throughout the Vale of Industry between the artists and miners, and the encroaching foxes looking to unleash the Black Sun to gain control of the cha. Arnhold's depictions of the characters as anthropomorphic rabbits are emotive and believable, though the characters are not always distinct; some readers may need to consult the appendix to clarify which rabbit is which. The detailed environments and action scenes will hold readers' attention, though. With a well-paced plot that slowly unpacks numerous story lines and appendices covering history, religion, magic, and characters, this is a good choice for fans of Redwall and Mouse Guard. Ages 10 14.
