the stolen prince of cloudburst
Esther is a middle child, in her own mind a pale reflection of siblings who are bright, shining stars. Her mother doesn't show the slightest bit of interest, no matter what Esther does. Still, she's content to go back to school, do her best, hang out with her friends, and let others take care of things.
But her best friends aren't AT school when she gets there. Why didn't they tell her they wouldn't be coming back? Why were they silent all summer? But stuff like that happens. And it's bad luck that her new teacher makes Esther the butt of all kinds of jokes. Mrs. Pollock is rumored to be an ogre — and maybe she IS one. Could be.
Then things go from unfortunate to outright dangerous. The mountains surrounding the school — usually sparkling with glaciers and lakes, alive with Faeries, and sheltering a quaint town with really great bakeries — are now crowded with Shadow Mages, casting a noticeable pall, and clearly — to Esther — signifying something very dark and threatening. As the people she might have depended on to help are either strangely absent or in hiding, it's left to ordinary, middle-child Esther ("just Esther") to act. But she'll have to burst out of the box of mediocrity she's been but in, and do something absolutely extraordinary.
Type: Middle Grade Novel
Pages: 456
Format: Paperback
Publication: September 6, 2022
ISBN: 9781646142071
Type: Middle Grade Novel
Pages: 400
Format: Hardcover
Publication: March 16, 2021
ISBN: 9781646140763
PRAISE
★ “A delightfully quirky story with nuance, depth, and a colorful cast of characters, this book begs for multiple readings.”
—School Library Journal (starred review)
★ “Like a middle-grade version of Terry Pratchett’s Discworld—fantasy adventure steeped in humor, with a touch of satire, and set in a whimsical secondary world of the highest order.”
—Booklist (starred review)
“Splendidly entertaining.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“The tale crescendos to an uplifting close that promotes honesty, bravery, and self-confidence.”
—Publishers Weekly
PRAISE FOR JACLYN MORIARTY
“Magically uplifting.”
—Horn Book, for The Spellbook of Listen Taylor
“… Moriarty [is] a genre-bending author who gracefully weaves metaphysical questions into outwardly ordinary circumstances.”
—Publishers Weekly, for A Corner of White
★ “[A] highly entertaining and brilliantly plotted fantasy... With its storytelling aplomb, humor,
imagination, and many twists and turns, this novel places Moriarty . . . firmly in Diana Wynne Jones territory.”
—Horn Book, starred review for The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone
“Jaclyn Moriarty makes me laugh, hysterically—and cry, unexpectedly... Startlingly original fantasy.”
—E. Lockhart, New York Times bestselling author of We Were Liars
About jaclyn moriarty
Jaclyn Moriarty is the award-winning author of uniquely creative and readable books for adults and young readers including The Year of Secret Assignments, the Colors of Madeleine trilogy, and The Extremely Inconvenient Adventures of Bronte Mettlestone. One of the talented and popular Moriarty sisters (including Liane and Nicola), Jaclyn lives in Sydney, Australia. She is very fond of chocolate, blueberries, and sleep.
