The Bookweaver’s Daughter

Gr 8 Up–With the descriptive style of Linda Sue Park’s A Single Shard and dialogue reminiscent of M.K. England’s Spellhacker, this novel throws readers immediately into a fantasy world where an evil king reigns and there is only one hope for the land: the magic of the Bookweaver. Nina and Reya are best friends working the orchard with the other peasants. At the end of her shift, Reya finally admits something to Nina—that she’s not a peasant at all, but daughter of the fabled Bookweaver, whose magic can bring stories to life. As Nina tries to understand her secret, Reya smells smoke. Reya knows instantly that her father is in danger and races to the house, only to find it burned to the ground. Nina thinks they should tell someone, but Reya knows that there will be no justice because the king is responsible. Now, Reya is no longer the Bookweaver’s daughter—but the Bookweaver herself. She embarks on a frantic journey to find answers to hard questions: What will she do for friends and family? Could she give up her freedom to keep them safe? Will she tell them the dangerous truth?