The Aurelia Curse (Dragon Rider #3)

by Cornelia Funke

Overview

Dragons, myth, and magic unite in the third installment of Cornelia Funke's bestselling Dragon Rider series. Ben and the Greenblooms must protect a mythical new creature rising from the ocean — a creature who can bring either light or darkness to whoever it first meets.

A new peril has emerged in the world of Fabulous Creatures. One that could cause the disappearance of their kind. Luckily, all of our favorite characters are back—Ben and Firedrake, his wonderful dragon friend, plucky Guinevere and the Greenbloom family, Sorrel the irrepressible brownie, the miniature man Twigleg and a host of new Fabulous Animals and sturdy helpers. But the threat is real and qucikly encroaching. A villian from the family's past is seeking revenge.

And all the while, the mysterious Aurelia, the most fabulous and powerful creature of all, moves across oceans to its final destination, introducing a new underwater world to enjoy.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781338215557
Publisher:	Scholastic, Inc.
Publication date:	06/28/2022
Series:	Dragon Rider Series , #3
Pages:	416
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 7.80(h) x 1.50(d)
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Cornelia Funke is the internationally acclaimed, bestselling author of The Thief Lord, Dragon Rider, and the Inkheart trilogy, along with many other chapter and picture books for younger readers.

Hometown:

Los Angeles, CA

Date of Birth:

December 10, 1958

Place of Birth:

Dorsten, Germany

Education:

University of Hamburg

Editorial Reviews

Praise for The Griffin's Feather

"A richly imagined, adeptly illustrated adventure with a strong message of respect for all species of creatures." - Kirkus Reviews

"A not-to-be-missed fantasy by an author who is master of her craft." - School Library Journal

Praise for Dragon Rider:

#1 New York Times bestseller

USA Today bestseller

People Top 10 Pick

"Exciting adventures abound... This book delivers." — The Horn Book

"Readers will delight in the creatures that turn up in this quest. Lively characters, hilarious banter." — Publishers Weekly

"Funke knows how to tickle the imagination... A good, old-fashioned ensemble cast quest." — Booklist

"Will thoroughly satisfy Funke fans. Engaging and suspenseful." — Voice of Youth Advocates

"A warm-hearted dream of a book." — The Guardian (UK)

From the Publisher

2022-03-29
This Dragon Rider novel, written in English rather than translated from German like previous entries, pits the Greenblooms and fabulous creatures against an evil acquaintance from Barnabas’ schooldays.

An ancient myth states if waterfowl form swirling, flowerlike images on four different bodies of water, the mythical Aurelia, bearing healing pods, will appear where the lines connecting these locations intersect. It seems this is now happening, and the Greenblooms are preparing by calling the magical earth, air, fire, and water creatures who will carry the four pods to their appropriate realms. However, if the Aurelia or her pods are met with violence, she will cause all the fabulous creatures on Earth to disappear. While the Greenblooms and their magical friends are preparing to welcome the Aurelia, evil Cadoc Eelstrom is preparing to steal one of the pods to make himself immortal. The execution of this basic good-versus-evil plot is incohesive and disjointed. While the narrative voice changes with each chapter, the progression of the plot, alas, does not. Readers, reminded for the umpteenth time that the Aurelia will make all fabulous creatures disappear if she is angered, may begin to feel frustrated. Plunked on top of the thin plot are snippets describing the properties of the many magical creatures the author introduces, but these many, undeniably imaginative embellishments cannot resurrect a story that doesn’t have depth and characters that lack nuance. Black-and-white illustrations add a whimsical touch. Most human characters read as White.

Best for existing series fans. (cast of characters) (Fantasy. 10-13)

Kirkus Reviews