Pre-Teen Fiction

The Black Cauldron, the Newbery Medal-winning second book in Lloyd Alexander's The Chronicles of Prydain

In the land of Prydain, evil is never far away. Arawn, Lord of the Land of Death, has been building an army of dark warriors to take over Prydain, and the only way to stop him is to destroy the Black Cauldron he uses to create his dreaded soldiers.

Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, and his loyal companions must journey deep into Arawn's domain to destroy the Black Cauldron. For each of them, the quest has special meaning. For Taran, it is a glorious opportunity to use his first sword in battle. But war requires a sacrifice greater than he'd ever imagined. . . .

Includes a new pronunciation guide. This title has Common Core connections.

The Castle of Llyr by Lloyd Alexander, Book Three in The Chronicles of Prydain

Princess Eilonwy hates to leave her friend Taran, Assistant Pig-Keeper, and her beloved home, Caer Dallben. Why does she have to go to the Isle of Mona to train as a proper lady when she's already a princess? But Eilonwy soon faces much more than the ordeal of becoming a dignified young maiden, for she possesses magical powers sought by the evil enchantress Queen Achren.

When Eilonwy is put under a deep spell, Taran and his companions set out on a dangerous quest to rescue her. Yet how can a lowly Assistant Pig-Keeper hope to stand against the most evil enchantress in all of Prydain?

In the wake of the catastrophic invasion that has levelled the Stoneholding, the last bastion of order in the world of Ahn Norvys, Kalaquinn Wright Pursues the mission entrusted to him. Freshly invested as High Bard, sets forth across lands that lie under a dark cloud of uncertainty and strife, charged with the task of finding the lost Prince Starigan. This is but the first step in rekindling the Sacred Fire and restoring peace to a broken world.

The task, however, will not be an easy one, for the Talamadh, the golden harp that binds together heaven and earth in sacred harmony, remains in the clutches of the tyrant Ferabek. After securing safe haven for the remnant folk of his clanholding, Kal and his companions venture into the lowlands of Arvon, a palce of looming danger. Despite the adversities of a world sinking into the world sinking into the twilight of darkness and chaos, the young Holdsman keeps faith and its sustained by the loyalty of friends, the resources he begins to discover in himself, and unwavering hope. In his quest for the lost prince, moreover, Kal learns that royalty is to be founsd in unexpected quarters.

By fate's caprice, Kal falls prey to his enemies. In the trail that befalls him, his mettle is tested, and he draws upon an inner strength that he has never known before. He also discovers that the Talamadh, with which Ardiel, once High King of Arvon, inaugurated the Great Harmony, though weak falerting, still retains a vestige of its ancient potency. But will it be enough to stem the tide of chaos that floods over darkling fields of Arvon?

Enter the world of "Elsie Dinsmore"! These nineteenth-century fictional chronicles of a beautiful young heiress in the Civil War South have captivated generations of 10- to 14-year-old readers eager to follow Elsie's life from childhood to motherhood and beyond. Covers feature custom illustrations.

"Elsie's Girlhood, Book 3" Elsie's father remarries, giving her a mother she adores--and a brother and sister. But not everybody has the young woman's best interests in mind!

Enter the world of "Elsie Dinsmore"! These nineteenth-century fictional chronicles of a beautiful young heiress in the Civil War South have captivated generations of 10- to 14-year-old readers eager to follow Elsie's life from childhood to motherhood and beyond. Covers feature custom illustrations.

"Elsie's Womanhood, Book 4" A grown-up Elsie meets her wealthy Aunt Stanhope--and another relative with more diabolical plans. Can faith find the truth before dreams are shattered?

"Swashbuckling adventures told with great gusto."--Chicago Tribune

"This book is likely to appeal to adolescent readers who have found a friend in the Harry Potter stories."--The ALAN Review

When Swartt and his evil hordes of searats and vermin attack the peaceful inhabitants of Redwall, Veil is left with a difficult decision: Should he join Swartt in battle against the only creature who has ever loved him? Or should he turn his back on his true father?

Brian Jacques's eighth entry in his beloved Redwall series is full of swirling adventure and dramatic surprises. But most of all, it shows that questions of right and wrong don't always have simple answers.