Set in the snowy northern forests of an imagined prehistoric world, Fireborn is the middle-grade debut of the decade. At turns exciting, funny and heart wrenchingly sad, it marks the introduction of an unstoppable new voice in children’s storytelling.
Twelve has spoken the Pledge and now she is a Huntling. She has given up her name to train in the art of fighting monsters and keeping the peace, and she won’t get to choose a new one until she has earned it.
But when the Lodge’s walls are breached for the first time, and a little girl is taken, Twelve is the only one interested in going after a child . . .
Teaming up with Dog, the Stone Guardian of the Lodge, Twelve ends up on an epic adventure that will change her life, her name – and her entire world.
Fireborn is a wonderful read that I’ll be recommending to all my teacher colleagues as soon as we return to school and I’m sure that many of them will be keen to explore it with their classes.
I absolutely loved both the tale and its narrative voice and if you haven’t read it you need to add it to your TBR pile without delay as it satisfied my urge to read a story that confounded my expectations and proved that you don’t need to be a young person to fall in love with characters and tales written with a younger audience in mind.
Although I was totally absorbed in the story in Fireborn, it is the characters in this absorbing tale that makes it such a treat to read. The story of Twelve is so vividly realised that it was hard at times to remember that she’s a fictional character rather than ra real person whose adventures I was vicariously getting to experience. The way that her adventures are represented in the story is so well done that this would be the perfect tale to read aloud – either in class or at home and thevery different characters and personalities that you get to meet will be sure to spring off the page. The setting was something that really appealed to me as I loved reading books set in other worlds as a younger reader Added to this was the fact that I enjoy a story that keeps me on my toes and turning the pages and this certainly did!
The world that Aisling Fowler creates is very vivid and exciting to experience alongside Twelve as we explore it with her and are introduced in turn to the creatures that we encounter. You will definitely find it hard to put this book down and I read it in a single sitting as I was so invested in her story and if you are yet to start reading it, you’re definitely in for a treat.
I absolutely recommend this book to people who really enjoy a story that is original ,compelling and interesting in equal measure. In the present reading climate, many books seem a bit too much like something you’ve read before – and this book certainly stood out a mile for me in terms of books for younger readers as a teacher myself. I loved the characterisation as much as I enjoyed the plot and I will definitely be recommending it to friends with children who are looking for a great family read with characters that feel like they step right off the page. It shows the challenge of stepping outwith your comfort zone and the courage required to push your boundaries even when it’s hard perfectly – and would definitely lead to some positive and thought provoking family conversations in a most non-preachy way.
Buy yourself a copy here and enjoy experiencing a tale that you won’t forget in a hurry from Aisling Fowler…
About the Author
Aisling Fowler was born in 1985 and wishes that she had grown up in a magical, mountainous kingdom, but was actually raised in Surrey on a diet of books and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Her early adventure stories involved surprisingly little action and her first novel (3 pages long) was politely declined by publishers at age 11. After earning a BSc in Biology and working as a support worker and then a nurse, the idea for her debut novel, Fireborn, came to her as she moved back and forth between London and the US. Now based in Hackney, when she is not reading or writing, Aisling loves cooking and plotting adventures (for herself as well as her fictional characters)
Review
Fireborn is the best kind of children’s fantasy story, thrilling and imaginative while packing an emotional punch. It’s sure to have young readers clamoring for more! –BB Alston, New York Times bestselling author of Amari and the Night Brothers
Fireborn is a thrillingly assured debut that grips from the get-go. Featuring a fiercely charismatic heroine and a cast of extraordinary companions, it transports the reader to a fascinating landscape of ice and peril. Aisling Fowler conjures up the perfect balance of high adventure, breathless action and eerie wonder, mixing it all with scenes of genuine emotional power. Elegantly structured, endlessly exciting, Fireborn is the perfect introduction to a rich and magical new world.–Jonathon Stroud, New York Times bestselling author of the Lockwood & Co and Bartimaeus series. –This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From the Back Cover
Set in the snowy northern forests of an imagined prehistoric world, Fireborn is the middle-grade debut of the decade. At turns exciting, funny and heart wrenchingly sad, it marks the introduction of an unstoppable new voice in children’s storytelling. Twelve has spoken the Pledge and now she is a Huntling. She has given up her name to train in the art of fighting monsters and keeping the peace, and she won’t get to choose a new one until she has earned it. But when the Lodge’s walls are breached for the first time, and a little girl is taken, Twelve is the only one interested in going after a child . . . Teaming up with Dog, the Stone Guardian of the Lodge, Twelve ends up on an epic adventure that will change her life, her name – and her entire world.
On The Shelf Books 
Fab review!
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