The Ember Stone (The Last Firehawk Series #1)

by Katrina Charman, Jeremy Norton (Illustrator)

Overview

Magic, fantasy, and adventure combine to create this fast-paced series perfect for young readers!

Pick a book. Grow a Reader!This series is part of Scholastic's early chapter book line Branches, aimed at newly independent readers. With easy-to-read text, high-interest content, fast-paced plots, and illustrations on every page, these books will boost reading confidence and stamina. Branches books help readers grow!A terrible darkness is spreading across Perodia. Thorn, a powerful vulture, is using dark magic (and his dark army of spies!) to destroy the magical land. A young owl named Tag may be the only one who can save it! Tag dreams of one day becoming a brave warrior, but he is small . . . In this first book, Tag and his best friend — a squirrel named Skyla — meet the last firehawk. Together, the three friends learn about a magical stone. Could this stone be powerful enough to defeat Thorn? This action-packed series makes a great introduction to fantasy and quest stories for newly independent readers. Realistic black-and-white artwork appears on every page!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338122138
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	09/26/2017
Series:	Last Firehawk Series , #1
Pages:	96
Sales rank:	75,861
Product dimensions:	5.20(w) x 7.40(h) x 0.30(d)
Age Range:	6 - 8 Years

About the Author

Katrina Charman was the recipient of the SCBWI British Isles' Margaret Carey scholarship for fiction in 2013, and in 2014 she was one of the winners of the SCBWI's Undiscovered Voices competition. Katrina's first children's book, the early reader The Ninjabread Man, was published with Franklin Watts (UK) in July 2015. The Last Firehawk is her first early chapter book series. Katrina lives in South East England with her husband and three daughters.
Jeremy Norton is a British illustrator who lives and works in Barcelona, Spain. The Last Firehawk is the first early chapter book series he has illustrated. He works digitally, and aims to convey a childlike sense of wonder through his artwork.

Table of Contents

Table of ContentsIntroductionMapChapter 1: Training TimeChapter 2: An Important DiscoveryChapter 3: The Golden EggChapter 4: Run!Chapter 5: Rising from the AshesChapter 6: Grey's TaleChapter 7: Tiger Bat Attack!Chapter 8: BlazeChapter 9: Adventure Calls!Chapter 10: Fire IslandChapter 11: Over the WavesChapter 12: Not AloneChapter 13: Spies? Chapter 14: Into DangerChapter 15: The Ember StoneChapter 16: Return of the Firehawk

Editorial Reviews

A Publishers Weekly bestselling series!Praise for The Last Firehawk #1: The Ember Stone:"The first book in this new series brings the animal fantasy genre to early chapter book readers.... The adventure is nonstop, making this an ideal choice for reluctant readers.... Detailed black-and-white illustrations blend well with the text, and will keep kids engaged. VERDICT: A strong beginning to an adventure series for chapter book readers, especially those who are not quite ready for Erin Hunter's 'Warriors' or Kathryn Lasky's 'Guardians of Ga'Hoole.'" — School Library Journal"A promising start to a series for fledgling fantasy readers." — Kirkus ReviewsPraise for Branches books:"These books should be considered for larger libraries wanting to enhance their easy-reader collections." — School Library Journal"A nice stepping stone to more advanced chapter books." — Booklist

From the Publisher

08/01/2017
Gr 1–2—The first book in this new series brings the animal fantasy genre to early chapter book readers. Tag is a young owl in the magical forest of Valor Wood, hoping to become a warrior and protect the forest as an Owl of Valor. When Tag and his best friend, a squirrel named Skyla, find a golden egg and witness the birth of a rare firehawk, they have the opportunity to prove their bravery as they travel with the baby bird to find the Ember Stone. Under the threat of the evil Thorn, the three creatures journey to Fire Island, meeting dangerous foes and friendly helpers along the way. The story ends on a cliffhanger that leads directly into the second of four planned titles for the series. The adventure is nonstop, making this an ideal choice for reluctant readers. The characters are engaging, especially Skyla, although the large number of characters and location names may overwhelm brand new readers. Detailed black-and-white illustrations blend well with the text, and will keep kids engaged. VERDICT A strong beginning to an adventure series for chapter book readers, especially those who are not quite ready for Erin Hunter's "Warriors" or Kathyrn Lasky's "Guardians of Ga'Hoole."—Casey O'Leary, Mooresville Public Library, IN

School Library Journal

2017-06-27
The first entry in the Last Firehawk series introduces the whimsical adventures of a brave little owl and his friends.In the land of Perodia, a dark Shadow encroaches on Valor Wood. The evil vulture Thorn (who, oddly, doesn't appear in this first book though he's mentioned in the introduction) controls The Shadow's dark magic, aiming, for reasons unknown, to destroy the beautiful forest. Enter Tag, a small barn owl with big dreams. He longs to join the Owls of Valor, a group of warriors who protect Valor Wood from threats like Thorn and The Shadow. When Grey, their wise old leader, forbids all animals from entering the treacherous Howling Caves, Tag sees his chance to prove his bravery. Tag and his best pal, Skyla, a mischievous, slingshot-wielding girl squirrel, set off to investigate the caves, where they find a mysterious golden egg. Soon, the egg hatches the eponymous last firehawk, whom Tag names Blaze. Firehawks are magical birds, long thought extinct, who guard the Ember Stone against any who might use it for ill. Unfortunately, the Stone is broken and scattered about Perodia. Tag, Skyla, and Blaze must race to collect the Stone's pieces before Thorn can get his vile talons on them and destroy the world. The black-and-white sketches depict Disney-esque, wide-eyed animals, while onomatopoeia pops off the page at regular intervals. The story is heavy on dialogue, with no shortage of exclamation points, keeping the energy level high and pages turning. A promising start to a series for fledgling fantasy readers. (Animal fantasy. 6-9)

Kirkus Reviews