Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book to use for my review. All opinions are my own. I am working with The Children's Book Review & David and Keiko Mello to bring you this post.
Are you looking for a fun and magical book for your middle grade kids to read? I have an amazing one to share with you today! It is a book that makes you want to keep reading and makes you feel good. It is The Three Stones of Ebon by David and Keiko Mello and illustrated by Keiko Mello. After my review there is a giveaway as well!
About the Book:
The Three Stones of Ebon Written by David and Keiko Mello and Illustrated by Keiko MelloAges 8-12 | 264 Pages | Publisher: Strive Publishing (2023) | ISBN-13: 9781948529228
Publisher’s Book Summary: Eleven-year-old Jack knew the old lady down the street was kinda weird. But things get even stranger when she sends him a gift that transports Jack and his cat, Lucky, into the wondrous world of Sturgus, a land of prophecies, pirates, magical creatures, and talking cats. Aided by Abigail, a student of magic, Jack and Lucky must evade a cursed assassin and find the three stones that will wake Ebon, king of the flying horses and rightful protector of Sturgus, before the evil wizard Pale corrupts the land forever.
Purchase Links:
About the Authors
David Mello grew up on army bases throughout the USA and Germany. His love of comic books, stand-up comedy, and rooting for the underdogs shaped his writings, from short stories to mini ‘zines and various adventures in revolution. When he isn’t writing, David usually has a camera in hand.
Keiko Mello, born Keiko Welch, hails from an interracial family in Minneapolis’s Northside. As Keiko grew up, she used drawing, dancing, and playing drums in rock bands to ground herself. She and David met in 1997 in Seattle and the two have been inseparable ever since.
Today, David and Keiko are slow-travel digital nomads. Their latest project as STAY MELLO CREATIVE is crafting the second book in a planned trilogy; the working title is The Adversary of Ebon.
For more information, visit https://www.staymellocreative.com/.
From Me:
Have you ever read a book and not wanted to put it down? Or perhaps you have read a book that just made you feel good even if there was a war brewing in it? This book is one of those for me. The story is fun and full of adventure. There are magical creatures--unicorns, dragons, centaurs and more as well as pirates and sorceresses. Plus, there is a whole new world. Jack is a regular 11-year-old. He even makes fun of his elderly neighbor with his neighborhood friends. He gives her some nicknames like Crazy Old Krauss. His parents tell him that he needs to stop calling her that and that it isn't nice, but it isn't until his adventure that he realizes how mean it actually is. Mrs. Krauss gives Jack's father an urn to give to Jack. The first night the urn begins tapping loudly and wakes Jack and his cat, Lucky. Jack gets the top off easily after his handyman father said it was near impossible to get it open, and Jack and Lucky are transported to a whole new world. A world with no cars or electricity. A world full of every magical creature you can think of and some you have never heard of. A world that is flat, but possibly two sided. A world that has been taken over by a wicked wizard who brings war and devastation to it. Jack and Lucky are put on a quest which will save this world and hopefully bring back the amazing black pegasus leader, Ebon.
In this new world, cats are mostly detested by humans and humans and cats do not live together. Cats and some other animals can talk as well. Lucky is very happy to be able to properly communicate with Jack for the first time ever. As they journey through this new world, they meet many people and make good friends who help them figure out the purpose of them being on this world and help them with the quest. The quest is to find the three stones that the evil wizard took from Ebon. The stones are his heart, his mind, and his soul. The evil wizard took them from Ebon and turned them into stones. He then threw them into the magical wind and had them carried to three of the far ends of the planet. Jack and Lucky need to find the three magical stones and bring them back to the stone Ebon they discovered when they first arrived. With each part of this quest is an adventure and new friends.
I love how this book is about friendship and family. Jack and Lucky share how much they miss Jack's parents and home. They both however love meeting the various people and creatures on the journey. Some seem like amazing friends and will be missed greatly when they get home. They also truly care for this world and its inhabitants. They want to bring peace to them. I also love that the evil wizard is known as Pale. It seems to me that for once a story is switching the colors of good and evil. Or perhaps that is the current political climate on my mind. The book is fun and interesting. It is interesting to think about a world where most people are scared of the cats. Or where the cats can fight alongside the humans in wars.
This book shares so much in a magical way. It is full of adventure that will have you on the edge of your seat to see what happens next, but it also leaves you with a sense of goodness and happiness. It is a wonderful book for any middle grade child to read but also would be a fun one to read in a class with discussions or read aloud to a class. The chapters are relatively short so they would be great for reading in a classroom. The fantastical creatures would be fun for the kids to imagine. It would be fun to have the kids attempt to draw some of the creatures described in the book. The book has a few illustrations in it but not many. They help with the images of these creatures as well as setting the scene. I have to say that I highly recommend this book. I truly enjoyed reading it and read it rather quickly, and considering I am a slow reader that says something. I know kids will really enjoy it!
Giveaway:
Enter the giveaway for your chance to win a signed hardcover copy of The Three Stones of Ebon. The grand prize winner will also take home an adorable Ebon-themed plush toy animal! Good luck!
