A Breath of Mischief
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- $8.99
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- $8.99
Publisher Description
Brimming with danger and magic, this new fantasy adventure from acclaimed author MarcyKate Connolly will leave readers breathless as Aria discovers the strength of her courage—and the power of friendship.
Aria is raised by the Wind. She grew up in a castle, floating among the clouds with creatures of the air. She spends her days racing and soaring through the sky with her best friend, Gwyn, a young gryphling. At night, she falls asleep to the music of the Wind.
One morning, Aria is woken by a frantic Gwyn. The chimes are silent, there is not a breath of breeze, and their castle has settled on the ground. The Wind has vanished.
Aria and Gwyn go on a desperate search only to discover the Wind is being held captive by a sinister alchemist named Worton. To free the Wind, Aria and Gwyn must complete a series of trials to find and retrieve three magical talismans for Worton.
Nothing will keep Aria from rescuing the element who raised her—not a riddle, not a quest, not a race against time. Except Worton can’t be trusted, and it’s not just the Wind that needs saving…
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Narrator Aria, who is pale with blue-tinged skin and hair, has long lived with the Wind, which claims her as their daughter. It's a life the young windling loves—dwelling in a floating cloud castle and traversing the world with young gryphling companion Gwyn—until Aria awakens one morning to air unmoved by the slightest breeze. The castle is grounded, its aviary chimes have gone missing, and the Wind cannot be summoned. Heading west to seek the element, Aria and Gwyn find the Wind trapped within a vast, overgrown estate in a machine of glass and metal. The creation's inventor, Worton, claims to be bringing harmony to the world, and offers a bargain: if Aria retrieves three fabled treasures before the moon wanes, Worton will free the Wind. Deprived of their customary ease of travel, Aria and Gwyn undergo terrifying challenges, encounter youths connected with the other elements—Fire, Earth, and Water—and together fight against a hidden agenda that's poised to doom the land. For fans of Hayao Miyazaki, this straightforwardly plotted, elementally anchored adventure quest from Connolly (the Hollow Dolls duology) couples cloud turrets and terrestrial wonder with a memorable tone and an ecologically aware narrative. Final art not seen by PW. Ages 8–13. Author's agent: Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary.
