By Richard Due and Carolyn Arcabascio
Kindle ebook, 267 pages
Published 2011
By Gibbering Gnome Press
ISBN 978-0-9838867-2-3
Book Source: author
Age: Middle Grade
Summary from Goodreads: Gibbering Gnome Press Presents a Tale of Epic Fantasy
For Lily and Jasper Winter, the Moon Realm began with a single secret bedtime tale. As the children grew older, Uncle Ebb enthralled them with thrilling tales of the Dragondain riding horse-sized, catlike Rinn; mysterious tales of peerin-wielding lunamancers manipulating the magic that lies just beneath the surface of reality; exciting tales of flying dragons, swimming merfolk, stomping giants, and troublesome faeries. But as the magic of their childhood faded, so too did the tales. Eventually, they were just . . . good stories.
Or were they? Now, nine years after it all began, Uncle Ebb is missing.
Lily and Jasper search for clues, but their uncle’s mansion is full of distractions. A Tesla generator thrums in the basement. Prismatic electrimals flit around walls resembling underwater reefs. Then a most unexpected friend comes to their aid, leading them to a hidden room where they find a mysterious coin—the moon coin. Before the night is out, Lily is transported to the real Moon Realm. But the moons are in trouble. The Rinn of Barreth are under siege, and the lunamancers of Dain are beset by the very dragons they once loved. Most horrifying of all, the moon Darwyth has fallen to a villain named Wrengfoul, whose creeping evil now threatens to overshadow all the Realm.
Are Lily and Jasper too late to save the Moon Realm, or will they have enough time to write an ending of their own?
Featuring twenty-two stunning full-color illustrations by Carolyn Arcabascio. Volume One of the young adult fantasy adventure series The Moon Realm.
Mary’s Review: The illustrations in this book are colorful and bring to life the images on the page. The children find them fascinating and love telling me their own stories from them.
Mr. Due has woven a fantasy of magical wondrous creatures as colorful as the illustrations from beginning to end. There are fairies, seahorses, magical dragons, a king and queen, strange looking cats. There’s an uncle who loves to weave tales to his niece and nephew and wears a gray cloak with many pockets that hold just as many surprises.
This is a great tale of fantasy for all ages young and old alike.
About the Author
Richard Due first imagined the Moon Realm while telling bedtime tales to his children. He makes his home in Southern Maryland, where he and his wife own and operate Second Looks Books, an independent used bookstore. The Moon Coin is the first novel in the Moon Realm series. Visit TheMoonRealm.com for more information on the series.About the Illustrator
Carolyn Arcabascio hails from Massachusetts, where she lives and works as an illustrator while pursuing her lifelong exploration of words, images, and the magical places where they meet. Visit her website www.carolynaracbascui.com.
Purchase The Moon Coin on sale during he month of January for only 99 cents on Amazon.