
Beastlands
by Jess French
Interest age: 9 to 11
Reading age: 9+
Published by Piccadilly, 2023
About this book
On the island of Ramoa there are three great cities separated by the Beastlands: a wild, untamed wilderness that’s home to terrifying and deadly creatures.
Kayla lives in Sophiatown, training to be a Skyrider. She and her pangron Faro, a huge, winged beast, will protect the city from outsiders. Or anyone else who might be infected with the Scourge, a deadly plague. When a royal pangron is kidnapped, she embarks on a rescue mission that goes horribly wrong.
Alethia is a healer from Ataria whose grandmother is dangerously ill with the Scourge; but Alethia is very close to finding a cure. Rufus, also from Ataria, has been cast out in disgrace but destiny has big plans for him. Can they each survive the Beastlands?
Three separate narratives ultimately combine to tell the same story from different perspectives. Each protagonist has their own motivation, their own demons and their own strengths and skills but it is only when they stop to look at things from someone else’s point of view that they are at their strongest.
Promoting teamwork and trust and following the evolution of tolerance, understanding and, eventually, friendship, this page-turning fantasy is the first of an exciting new series.
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