The first book in a hilarious and magical adventure series that takes common fantasy tropes and spins them on their head. This is highly accessible and laugh-out-loud funny storytelling from the New York Times bestselling author of The House at the Edge of Magic.

Tassie has always dreamt of a life of adventure and exploration. Instead, she’s grown up in the Citadel under the care of the Chief Steward, well away from any form of danger.

When the Wisest of the Wise Witches comes to visit and proclaims her the Chosen One, destined to save her people from death and destruction, Tassie realizes why she’s spent her life wrapped in cotton wool. The time of fulfilling the prophecy is nigh – but unfortunately, it doesn’t sound much fun!

Deciding she can’t possibly take on the role of the Chosen One, Tassie resolves to find an alternative. Along with her best friend, a griffin called Spin, and an enigmatic elf known as Darley, she embarks on an epic quest through magical lands in a race against time.

Perfect for fans of Diana Wynne Jones, Abi Elphinstone and Dominique Valente, Amy Sparkes's latest series is bursting with imagination and fun.

Details

ISBN13: 9781529525700
Format: Paperback / softback
Number of Pages: 240
Edition:
Publication Date:
Publisher: Walker Books Ltd
Publication City, Country: London, United Kingdom
Dimensions (cm): 19.6(H)x12.8(L)x2(W)160
Weight (gm): 160

Author Biography

Amy Sparkes studied English Literature and Theology at the University of Kent, and began writing after moving to Devon with her husband, six young children and an overactive imagination. Her books have appeared on CBeebies storytime and been shortlisted for several book awards, including the Roald Dahl Funny Prize and the BookTrust Best Books Awards for Do Not Enter the Monster Zoo. She runs author events for children, writing workshops for aspiring children’s writers, produces the Writing for Children pages for bestselling Writing Magazine, and writes short stories for Aquila magazine. She co-founded the Writing Magazine Picture Book Prize for aspiring picture book authors.

Reviews

This was delightfully funny without tipping into chaos. Tassie’s voice is clever and grounded; the quest is exciting, but there’s heart under the humour. Spin is charmingly mischievous, and the series opener manages to wrap up enough that it doesn’t feel like a cliffhanger, which is perfect for this age group. * Read and Reviewed *

Awkward and accident prone, Tassie is determined to find the real Chosen One, and arm-twists her best friend Spin, a griffin, into accompanying her on her quest. But can this unlikely duo actually locate the real saviour in time?

Touching, hilarious, and action packed, this one is likely to be a hit with the target group.

* NetGalley Reviewer *
This is a cosy read about an unlikely heroine. The protagonist is relatable as we all have our clumsy moments yet are heroes in our own way. Fans of The Worst Witch will probably love this one. * NetGalley Reviewer *
Fast paced, funny, inventive - and with the BEST dragon. This is Amy Sparkes at her finest. I devoured The Unchosen one while desperately not wanting it to end. * NetGalley Reviewer *
As well as being a wonderful adventure that includes many of the features you might expect in a fantasy, the story is filled with humour – something conveyed brilliantly by Ben Mantle’s cover, which will encourage many readers to pick this up from the shelf. Some of this is quite slapstick in nature but much of it comes from the author turning some of the traditional tropes on their head, with the appearances of the wraiths being amongst my favourite examples. Aimed at 9+ readers, there will be many of that age who absolutely love this, but it will also be enjoyed by those a year or two younger – and their adults – as a shared read. I very much enjoyed it and, with this being the opener to a trilogy, can’t wait to meet Tassie again in Book 2 to see what fate has in store for her next. * Mrs Sydney's Famous World's Smallest Library *