Review for 'The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst'

Author: Jaclyn Moriarty

Summary: Esther Mettlestone is a middle child. Her mother doesn’t show the slightest signs of caring about what Esther does. Still, Esther is fine with going back to school and hanging out with her friends. Unfortunately, when she gets to school, her friends aren’t there. She has a new teacher, Ms. Pollock, who is rumoured to be an ogre. Even worse, she makes Esther the butt of all her jokes. Then, things turn from bad to worse. The evil Shadow Mages are moving from their usual home to the valley where the school is. Then, the Spellbinder, a heroic wizard, at the school falls ill and is unable to protect the school. Esther is the only one who knows. Can she protect the school? But as she gets into the thick of things, she starts to realize there’s a bad guy behind this all. Can she stop the bad guys, and get things back to normal?

Review: I liked this book because it was suspenseful because things that seem to be one thing are something else. That made me want to read more. I also loved this book because it had magical elements in it. There were dragons, elves, and wands, but there was also a lot of normal stuff in it, like afternoon tea, cafes, and tourist boats. When the author creates this amazing setting, that is a blend of fantasy and reality. This book is also great because Esther experiences change to be a better person. In the beginning, she thinks she’s below average, but in the end, she becomes a hero. It’s interesting to watch as she develops. I recommend this book to ages 8 and up. There is a little bit of fighting in the book, but kids will love the fantasy and the magic. This book can also be read by older readers too.