Synopses & Reviews
Ten-year-old Nathaniel Fludd is the reluctant hero of
Flight of the Phoenix (2009), the madcap debut of the American author R. L. LaFeversand#8217;s Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series and a Junior Library Guild selection. The year is 1928, the setting England, and Nateand#8217;s wayward parents have just been reported lost at sea. Nate is sent that very day to his Aunt Philand#8217;s house in Batting-at-the-Flies, but not for long . . . The morning after he arrives at the renowned beastologistand#8217;s doorstep, she whisks him away to the Arabian desert to witness a phoenix lay an egg! Kelly Murphyand#8217;s cartoonish black-and-white pen-and-ink illustrations add charm and humor to an already delightful adventure sure to please fans of mythology, maps, camels, and gremlins. Includes a glossary of terms from and#8220;cartographerand#8221; to and#8220;Tidy Sum.and#8221; Donand#8217;t miss the next books in the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series:
The Basiliskand#8217;s Lair (Book 2),
The Wyvernsand#8217; Treasure (Book 3), and
The Unicornand#8217;s Tale (Book 4)!
Review
". . . this American author has crafted an exciting tale. Straightforward sentences, chronological narrative, short chapters and Murphyand#8217;s plentiful black-and-white illustrations make this appropriate for middle-grade readers looking for a series to grow with."--Kirkus Reviews and#160; "LaFevers (the Theodosia books) gets the Nathanial Fludd, Beastologist series off to a sprightly start with this wry story introducing a 10-year-old orphaned when his parents' airship crashes in the North Pole in 1928 . . . this quick-paced adventure . . . should entice kids to return for Nate's next escapade."--Publishers Weekly
Review
Praise for Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist: The Flight of the Phoenix (Book 1): “A solid start to a new series. . . . A quick and enticing read that will appeal to a wide variety of children.” —School Library Journal “A fastpaced story that successfully combines fantasy and history into an entertaining, believable world.” —Booklist “Straightforward sentences, chronological narrative, short chapters, and Murphys plentiful black-and-white illustrations make this appropriate for middle-grade readers looking for a series to grow with.” —Kirkus Reviews “LaFevers gets the Nathanial Fludd, Beastologist series off to a sprightly start with this wry story. . . [a] quick-paced adventure, which should entice kids to return for Nates next escapade.” —Publishers Weekly
Review
"Picking up immediately where Flight of the Phoenix (2009) finished, Nathaniel Fludd, Aunt Phil, and the gremlin Greasel pursue an escaped Basilisk, the highly dangerous king of the Serpents...
Familiarity with Nathaniel's previous adventure is helpful though not necessary, and fans can look forward to a return to Batting-at-the-Flies as the trio investigates the disappearance of Nathaniel's parents in the forthcoming volume."--Booklist
"This satisfying middle-grade adventure features a hesitant, unskilled hero, a miniature sidekick straight from Where the Wild Things Are and an exotic setting in colonial British West Africa in 1928. The basilisk is appropriately scary, and straightforward storytelling leads to an exciting climax." --Kirkus
Review
Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaosand#8211; A BookSense 2007 summer pick
and#8211; Starred reviews in Booklist and Publishers Weekly
and#8211; A Junior Library Guild selection
and#8211; Exclusive audio rights sold to Audible
and#8211; Included in Targetand#8217;s fall and#8217;09 plan-o-gram
and#8211; French, German, Polish and Italian rights sold
and#8211; Nominated for the Agatha Award (mystery writing) in Best Childrens/Young Adult category
and#8211; Selected for Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers (VOYA, 2007)
and#8211; Selected as one of the Top Ten Crime Fiction for Youth 2008, Booklist on-line
and#8211; A Bank Street College Best Children's Book of the Year 2008
"A sure bet for Harry Potter fans.and#8221; and#8211; Booklist, starred review
"A perfect blend of mystery and humor.and#8221; and#8211; Publishers Weekly, starred review
Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris by R. L. LaFevers
and#8211; Selected for the Winter 2008-2009 Kid's Indie Next List
and#8211; Exclusive audio rights sold to Audible
and#8211; Enthusiastically reviewed for the Amazon Vine reading program
and#8211; Polish and French rights sold
and#8211; A Today Show Holiday Book Pick, 12/12/08
and#8211; Nominated for the 2009 Cybils awards
and#8220;Clever and exciting, just like the previous book, this also features a layered relationship between Theodosia and her grandmother. Nonstop action in a delightfully English package.and#8221; - Booklist
Theodosia and the Eyes of Horus (spring and#8217;10)
Synopsis
Nathaniel Fludds life has taken a turn for the worst. With his parents lost at sea, he lands on the doorstep of a distant cousinthe worlds last remaining beastologist. Soon Nate is whisked off on his first expedition, to Arabia, where the worlds only phoenix prepares to lay its new egg. When disaster strikes, Nate quickly finds himself all alone.
Will he be able to see the phoenix safely hatched, keep his accidental pet gremlin out of trouble, and rescue his guardian from the Bedouin? If he fails, nothing will stand between the worlds mythical creatures and extinction.
Too bad Nates not the sort of boy who enjoys adventure . . .yet.
Synopsis
In the third book in the Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist series, Nate suspects the ransacking of Aunt Phil's house, the rampaging wyverns—giant, winged dragons—in Wales, and Nates parents disappearance at sea are all connected to the mysterious man whos been trying to steal the Fludd Book of Beasts. This is a mystery on the world's youngest Beastologist can solve!
Synopsis
After tangling with the deadly basilisk, Nathaniel Fludd is glad to return to England with his Aunt Phil. But someone has ransacked their home, and their best suspect is the sinister man who's been trying to steal the Book of Beasts.
Before Nate and Aunt Phil can find the culprit, they are called to Welsh countryside. The wyverns (giant dragons) are in an uproar. Could the same man who ransacked the Fludd house be behind the rift with the wyverns? And just what does he want with The Book of Beasts? But before Nate can solve that mystery, he must calm the dragons before it's too late. It's just another day at work for the world's youngest beastologist!
Synopsis
A new illustrated middle-grade series from Theodosia Throckmorton author Robin LaFevers!
Synopsis
Nate Fludd is back in the camel saddle in pursuit of a missing, deadly basiliskand#8212;the King of Serpents. As if saving a Dhughani village from the beast isnand#8217;t hard enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must begin to solve the mystery of his parentsand#8217; disappearance and protect The Fludd Book of Beasts from a sinister man who always seems to be one step ahead of them. This is the perfect adventure for boys and girls not quite ready for longer texts.
Synopsis
In this fourth book in the series, Theodosia sets off to Egypt to return the Emerald Tabletandmdash;embedded with the knowledge of some of the ancient worldandrsquo;s most guarded secrets. Accompanied by her cat, Isis (smuggled along in a basket), Theo plans to return the artifact, then explore the mysteries surrounding her own birth and oh, yesandmdash; help her mother dig up treasures on her archeological expedition.
But nothing ever works out as planned, especially when a precious treasure appears suddenly, and then just as suddenly disappears . . . When the Serpents of Chaos get involved, Theo finds sheandrsquo;s digging up a lot more than she expected!
About the Author
Born and raised among the sprawling cornfields of rural Pennsylvania, Kelly Murphy now writes from her child-sized apartment in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Her articles have appeared in Brokelyn, Brooklyn Based, Chic Today, NCTEs The Council Chronicle, and various other publications. Kelly graduated from Penn State with a degree in English and currently works in publishing.