“Harry Potter meets Da Vinci Code”… that’s how reviewers and critics have described this middle-grade magical tale, the first book in a spellbinding series.
ARCHIBALD FINCH AND THE LOST WITCHES (Book 1)
by Michel Guyon
illustrated by Zina Kostich
Andrews McMeel, September 2021
From myths and legends 500 years old, comes a fantastic adventure, even though Archibald was not looking for one… Exploring his grandma’s creepy manor, he just stumbled upon an ancient terrestrial globe, which turns out to be much more than an old relic. When he unlocks the storm trapped inside, Archibald gets whisked into the unknown, a mysterious land where a battle born in the Middle Ages is still unfolding. In the world of Lemurea, mostly forest, home to small wonders and great scares, it’s light versus darkness, magic versus fire… witches versus dragons. But not any kind of witches, an army of young girls, lost in time. And not your usual dragons, but the most intriguing creatures, half human, half beast. Through this unforgettable journey, Archibald will learn the true meaning of courage, friendship and tolerance. Meanwhile, left behind, his sister Hailee sets out on a quest across London to find out what happened to him, uncovering a dark secret and going through her own coming of age odyssey. Two stories, two plot threads, running parallel but tightly intertwined. Two worlds, on a perilous collision course…
Michel Guyon was born in France, in a small medieval town perched on a rock, surrounded by high walls, with the remains of an ancient fortress at its heart. That’s where the author had his first brush with ancient myths, puzzling legends, and dark tales of the Middle Ages. While his childhood fed his fertile imagination, his travels as an investigative journalist for newspapers and magazines, from Bosnia to Afghanistan, were crucial in shaping his view of the world. He also published several books for children and young adults—not to mention his communication work for the European Space Agency, where he was tasked to make space exploration less opaque to the public. A fervent advocate of learning via entertainment, he always strives to shed light on important subject matters—in this case, Women’s rights, wars, and the future of our planet. That logic was key to the making of Archibald Finch, a magic potion mixing science with science fiction, fantasy with actual events, and fictional heroes with historic characters. Giving life to the most fantastic beasts and the most captivating story was indeed an opportunity to dig deep into the roots of witch-hunting, and explore one of the darkest episodes of Human History—of course with the right dose of humor. Today, Michel spends his life between Los Angeles and New York, where he also works as a photographer, mainly for the Movie industry.
Ten-year-old Mary Lennox arrives at a secluded estate on the Yorkshire moors with a scowl and a chip on her shoulder. First, there’s Martha Sowerby: the too-cheery maid with bothersome questions who seems out of place in the dreary manor. Then there’s the elusive Uncle Craven, Mary’s only remaining family—whom she’s not permitted to see. And finally, there are the mysteries that seem to haunt the run-down place: rumors of a lost garden with a tragic past, and a midnight wail that echoes across the moors at night. As Mary begins to explore this new world alongside her ragtag companions—a cocky robin redbreast, a sour-faced gardener, and a boy who can talk to animals—she learns that even the loneliest of hearts can grow roots in rocky soil. Given new life as a graphic novel in illustrator Hanna Luechtefeld’s whimsical style, THE SECRET GARDEN is more enchanting and relevant than ever before. At the back of the book, readers can learn about the life of Frances Hodgson Burnett and the history of British colonialism that contextualizes the original novel.
There are three important laws in Ezomo’s village: Don’t go to The Valley, don’t go out at night, and never, ever, ever open the door that protects them all. But when Ezomo encounters the leopard believed to have killed his father, he and his two friends embark on a journey that leads them past the boundaries set by their elders. Ezomo’s mother immediately falls deathly ill, and Ezomo doesn’t believe that it’s a coincidence. Eventhough he wasn’t able to save his father, Ezomo hopes he can save her. He receives a hint that the cure can be found behind the village door, in the Valley. With his friends by his side, Ezomo discovers the true history of his village, and that cautionary tales exist for a reason.
Mickey is angry all the time: at his divorced parents, at his sister, and at his two new stepmoms, both named Charlie. And so he can’t resist the ad inside his pack of gum: « Do you ever wish everyone would go away? Buy The Anti-Book! Satisfaction guaranteed. » He orders the book, but when it arrives, it’s blank—except for one line of instruction: To erase it, write it. He fills the pages with all the things and people he dislikes . . . Next thing he knows, he’s wandering an anti-world, one in which everything and everyone familiar is gone. Or are they? His sister soon reappears—but she’s only four inches tall. A tiny talking house with wings looks strangely familiar, as does the mysterious half-invisible boy who seems to think that he and Mickey are best buds. The boy persuades Mickey to go find the Bubble Gum King—the king, who resides at the top of a mountain, is the only one who might be able help Mickey fix the mess he’s made.
From the bestselling author of the Blackthorn Key series, this magic-infused fantasy brings together a ragtag group of kids to pull off a crime so difficult, countless adults have already tried and failed. Lured by the promise of more money than they’ve ever dreamed of, five young criminals are hired to steal a heavily guarded treasure from the most powerful sorcerer in the city. There’s Callan the con artist, Meriel the expert at acrobatics (and knives!), Gareth the researcher, Lachlan who can obtain anything, and Foxtail, whose mysterious eyeless mask doesn’t hinder her ability to climb walls like a spider. Though their shadowy backgrounds mean that they’ve never trusted anyone but themselves, the five must learn to rely on each other in order to get the job done.