SPELLHOUND - A DRAGONS HOLLOW BOOK BY LIAN TANNER AND ILLUSTRATED BY SALLY SOWEOL HAN

From the moment I read the first page of Spellhound, I was hooked. The inviting, chatty voice of the narrator, combined with the descriptions of the of the three main characters drew me in straight away.

Flax, Minch-wiggin and “Destroyer-of-Dragons-and-Protector-of-her-People”, along with a special Spellhound (dragon hunting) Pup accidently begin an adventure that will change their lives forever. Thrown – literally – into the World Below, above which their own world, the Floating Forest, hovers. There, they meet a human child and together they go in search of the Pup’s parent who may or may not, have been eaten by dragons.

This book is jam-packed with evil dragons (perhaps much maligned) Minch-wiggins, Spellhounds and Royalty being treated badly. Everyone, it seems, has a secret, and as the adventure unfolds, all must find somewhere deep inside themselves, the courage to forge ahead and save the day. The collaboration of unusual colleagues results in a funny, sometimes sad, and sometimes collective ‘ahhh’ moments kind of book.

Lian Tanner has created the first in a series that will captivate Junior Fiction or early Middle Grade readers. The characters are beautifully portrayed and their worlds are created with imagination and humour. The illustrations by Sally Soweol Han spread throughout the novel are full of energy and emotion. The themes of friendship, self-belief, teamwork and the environment are beautifully interwoven in this grand adventure.

For Ages: 7 - 11 years

Number of Pages: 352

Published: April 2023 Allen & Unwin

Themes: Friendship, teamwork and the environment.

Purchase here: https://www.allenandunwin.com/search?keyword=Spellhound&page=1