By Anna James (author) , David Wyatt (illustrator) Part of the Chronicles of Whetherwhy series
"The next thrilling instalment of The Chronicles of Whetherwhy."
Paperback In Stock £8.99 £8.09
Hardback In Stock £14.99 £13.49
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Fans of Book 1 : The Age of Enchantment will be as keen as I was to re-enter the world of Whetherwhy, where everyone has magic linked to one of the four seasons, in this latest instalment of what is proving to be a thrillingly inventive and hugely enjoyable series.
One of the things I loved about the first book was the unusual framing of the story, with an unknown gentleman reading to his eager grandchildren from the actual Chronicles of Whetherwhy, and how the story is interspersed with little pauses in the adventure, where they discuss what is happening and what will happen next.
So, at the beginning of The Season of Flames , the grandchildren are as surprised as the reader is, to discover that 13 years have passed. Having become entirely invested in the twins Juniper and Rafferty and the life in Thistledown Academy of Enchantment, where those revealed at the age of 13 to be enchanters like Juniper, with the magic of all four seasons within them, learn how to use that magic, we are keen to know what happens next.
But in The Season of Flames , we learn much more about the wonderfully well realised world outside the academy and we have some great new characters to meet as well as some familiar names and faces. I like to think this may be a clever ploy on the part of ex school librarian James, who must have encountered the difficulty of students trying to read a series in sequence, because The Season of Flames can easily be read as a standalone, unputdownable adventure.
Our central character this time is Elio, who has no idea what magic he possesses, since he was never called for his test. He has lived with his father in Circus Astra all his life, looking after the magical Tangles, the creatures who perform there. He has no idea what happened to his mother and only has her pendant to remember her by.
When it seems as if servants of the Queen will stop at nothing to get the pendant, Elio’s father forces him to flee, but his new friend Pom, recently expelled from bard school, comes with him and proves himself to be a brave, loyal and steadfast ally. They head for Thistledown where they meet Juniper and together with other allies, they all try to unravel the mystery surrounding Elio and his precious pendant, and how the fate of all Whetherwhy’s magic depends upon him.
There are nail biting adventures ahead with plenty of twists and turns and the thrilling reappearance of dragons, which will have readers anxiously awaiting book three. I cannot wait to find out where the story goes from here, but I am hoping that we also find out just why the grandfather figure has the actual Chronicles to read to his grandchildren. Beautiful illustrations by the talented David Wyatt add to the attractiveness of this brilliant series for fantasy lovers.
Hear Anna James in this special LoveReading4Kids Author Event, on creating this wonderfully imaginative world of Whetherwhy, sharing her love of fantasy books, and why this genre is so popular with middle-grade readers.
From the best-loved author of Pages & Co comes the thrilling second book in the Chronicles of Whetherwhy series - a magical quest to the very edges of Whetherwhy
Read the full description
At the magical Circus Astra, Elio helps his father look after Tangles - miniature tigers, mice with butterfly wings and a peacock made of ice crystals. Always on the move, the circus puts on incredible performances across the land of Whetherwhy under the stern eye of their ringleader Stella.
But after the arrival of mysterious visitors to one of their performances, Elio discovers that he has something the queen of Whetherwhy wants, something she will stop at nothing to get. Elio must leave the circus behind and team up with some unexpected friends, on a journey that will take him to the very edges of the map … and to discoveries that will change everything: for himself, and for all of Whetherwhy.
'A magical world full of wonder!' Katie Tsang
'A triumph of imagination and storytelling' A. F. Steadman
'Crackling with enchanting magic' Kieran Larwood
Anna James is a writer and journalist living in London. Anna was Book News Editor at The Bookseller magazine and was Literary Editor of Elle UK. Anna has also written for The Pool, The LA Times, The Financial Times and The Independent, as well as making bookish YouTube videos as A Case For Books. She hosts literary events and panels and is the co-founder and host of the YA Salon in London. She was shortlisted for the Kim Scott Walwyn Award for Women in Publishing in 2015, and the London Book Fair Trailblazers Award in 2016.
Follow Anna James on Instagram .
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From the best-loved author of Pages & Co comes the thrilling second book in the Chronicles of Whetherwhy series - a magical quest to the very edges of Whetherwhy At the magical Circus Astra, Elio helps his father look after Tangles - miniature tigers, mice with butterfly wings and a peacock made of ice crystals. Always on the move, the circus puts on incredible performances across the land of Whetherwhy under the stern eye of their ringleader Stella.
The LoveReading4Kids Editorial Team have read and reviewed The Chronicles of Whetherwhy: The Season of Flames and determined it is suitable for children aged 9-12 years old
The Chronicles of Whetherwhy: The Season of Flames features in the following genres: Featured Books for 9+ readers, Featured Books for 11+ readers, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators, Recommendations, Adventure Stories, Fantasy / Magical, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Magical realism / Magical fantasy, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Contemporary and urban fantasy, Children’s / Teenage fiction: Friendship stories, Children’s / Teenage fiction: General, modern and contemporary fiction, Children's and Young Adult Fiction, Children’s, Teenage and Educational, Romance / Relationship Stories
Paperback, Hardback. £8.09, down from the £8.99 cover price. In Stock.
The Chronicles of Whetherwhy: The Season of Flames was written by Anna James and published by HarperCollins Children's Books an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers
The Chronicles of Whetherwhy: The Season of Flames has 307 pages
Yes it is part of Chronicles of Whetherwhy series
£8.09, reduced from £8.99. In Stock.
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