Urchin Of The Riding Stars
M. I. McAllister
Paperback
(Hyperion Books for Children, Jan. 1, 2006)
On a cold night, a night of riding stars, a newborn squirrel is found all by his lonesome on a distant beach, shivering, and close to death. His mother is nowhere to be found, so he is adopted and raised by a kind squirrel, in the land of Mistmantle. The young squirrel is given the name Urchin. And, given the mysterious story of his life, young Urchin is unaware of the powerful destiny that awaits him, and will influence the entire island of Mistmantle. When Urchin is old enough, he takes on a position in the Castle, where the good King Brushen and Queen Spindle are having their positions threatened by an evil plot that has already taken the life of their son, Prince Tumble. Captain Crispin, a good friend of Urchin, is blamed for the death, and sent off to a faraway land, while the real culprits, Lord Husk and Lady Aspen, work to take control of the Castle, and disgrace King Brushen. Little do they know, the islanders and ancient prophecies are watching over Mistmantle, and with the help of Urchin of the Riding Stars, victory may not truly be theirs.