The Prince of Nowhere: A Magical Middle Grade Adventure About Shape-Shifting and Mystery for Kids (Ages 8-12) - Hardcover

Hassan, Rochelle

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0063054604 ISBN 13: 9780063054608

Publisher: HarperCollins, 2022

Synopsis

This sweeping middle grade fantasy debut by Rochelle Hassan follows Roda and Ignis, who embark on an adventure filled with magic and mystery—perfect for fans of Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones.

Roda isn’t afraid of the monsters that roam the wilds of the Aerlands. She’s safe in her small town, which is surrounded by a wall of freezing, enchanted mist that keeps the beasts away. So when Roda rescues an injured crow on the instruction of her secret pen pal, Anonymous—whose letters arrive without warning and correctly predict the future—she’s surprised to learn she’s brought one of the so-called monsters home. Because her crow is really a shape-shifting boy named Ignis.

Ignis doesn’t remember where he was going before he crashed. But Anonymous brought him and Roda together for a reason—and the only way to find out what Anonymous wants is to follow the trail of baffling clues in Roda’s letters. Their perilous journey leads them into the mist and beyond, to a mysterious place called Nowhere. But Ignis has secrets, and the farther they get, the more Roda doubts she can trust him.

As a nefarious force closes in, they’ll have to put aside their differences and work together. For they might be each other’s only defense against an enemy who threatens their past, present, and future.

A JUNIOR LIBRARY GUILD GOLD STANDARD SELECTION!

One epic journey. Two unlikely heroes. A world of secrets.

• Unlikely Friendship: Roda must team up with Ignis, a mysterious boy who can shift into a crow. But trusting him might be the most dangerous part of their journey.
• Secrets and Lies: Guided by cryptic letters from a pen pal who predicts the future, Roda’s quest is full of twists and turns where nothing is what it seems.
• Epic Quest Adventure: Their journey takes them beyond the wall of enchanted mist protecting their town and into a mysterious land called Nowhere.
• Time-Bending Fantasy: Fans of Howl’s Moving Castle will love this epic adventure where an ancient enemy threatens not just the present, but the past and future, too.

About this title

About the Author

Rochelle Hassan grew up reading about dragons, quests, and unlikely heroes; now she writes about them, too. The Prince of Nowhere was her first novel. She lives in New York. You can find her online at rochellehassan.com.

Reviews

Gr 3-7-Twelve-year-old Roda remembers perfectly the day she rescued a crow from the mists surrounding her town. The first two notes she'd received from someone known only as Anonymous had been fairly innocuous in their predictions of future events and odd riddles-so when the third told her to save the crow, she never would have guessed how completely that one action would change her life. Now Roda and the crow, actually a shape-shifting boy named Ignis, must follow Anonymous's instructions and venture outside the mists protecting Roda's home on a perilous journey in search of a place called Nowhere. They hope to find a way to save Roda's mother, unlock Ignis's missing memories and possibly travel back in time to prevent the events that led to his family's death. Hassan's debut is a wonderful blend of speculative genres, featuring a rich world and complex characters readers are sure to love. Roda and her family are white; other characters present more diversely, in a fantasy context. VERDICT A highly recommended purchase, excellent for fans of Studio Ghibli, Rick Riordan, and Madeleine L'Engle alike.-Kaitlin Frickα(c) Copyright 2011. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Edition details

• Publisher: HarperCollins
• Publication date: 2022
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0063054604
• ISBN 13: 9780063054608
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 336