Ember Spark and the Thunder of Dragons

10-year-old flame-haired Ember Spark, living in a village called Yawn, supposedly in Scotland, loves the stories in her comics about her heroine Gutsy Wonder, and longs for an adventure of her own. Since her dad had walked out, she’s withdrawn from her friends and is even more bored than ever. Then one morning, on the beach, she finds a hamster who amazingly seems to rescue her from being swept out to sea, and later her teacher, Mrs Rickety-Knees, (who wears colourful leggings), gives a strange assignment to her and a classmate, the often-bullied Arno Whisper.

Ember doesn’t really want Arno on her adventure, but gradually they learn to get along as they follow the strange instructions to discover a cave filled with fantastical creatures. Recruited as become Apprentice Vets, they find themselves helping even the Loch Ness Monster.  There are dragons, a flying bathtub, and sinister men disguised as fishermen who want the creatures for their own ends, so Ember and Aldo have to be brave, inventive and loyal to win through, but of course they do. The villains and the bullies are defeated, for the moment, anyway, and Aldo becomes part of Ember’s former group of friends, who welcome them both.

Abi Elphinstone is dyslexic, and was considered unteachable, but she is now a very experienced author of books usually featuring the natural world and magic in varying proportions, and works hard to promote reading to children.  Kristina Krister’s illustrations are fun, and certainly aid the readers’ imaginations. This is Volume 1 in a new series, and now that Ember knows that adventures are better shared, we look forward to the next exciting instalment!