Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria

A mouse in itself is a small creature, but what if you are the smallest mouse in your family and you yearn for adventure? This describes Titch, and we meet her as she plays with a sword along with her friend Huckleberry, but nothing exciting ever happens on the plateau - but, that is about to change, and we follow along with the friends on their dangerous quest.

This is a fast-paced story with large text, interesting language and loads of fun names and fantastical creatures: Gaffer Pinksnout, Eaglebear and the dreaded Curseworms to name a few!

Naidu has created whimsical and emotion-filled monochromatic illustrations throughout the book, some breaking up the text, others full pages. These successfully capture the action, tension and emotion of the story and you can almost feel the flickering flames and falling leaves. I really enjoyed the image of Titch and Huckleberry eating the tough and bitter mushrooms (page 83)!

There is a sneak peek of chapter 1 of the next book in the series at the end - Clawstone of Rotwood Mire, which will leave readers eagerly awaiting the next book.

An exciting read, filled with adventure, bravery, believing in one's powers and friendship. I am eager to read more of this series.