The Inkwell Chronicles: The Ink of Elspet, Book 1
The Ink of Elspet
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- $9.99
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- $9.99
Publisher Description
Immerse yourself in this fast-paced middle-grade fantasy about magic ink, a secret society, and a boy who yearns to make his mark.
When their father goes missing after a mysterious train crash, Everett and his little sister Bea find a curious pen in his belongings, and its magical Ink begins to rewrite their once-ordinary lives. The Ink leads them to a world they never knew existed—one teeming with impossible magic, formidable allies, and villains who are determined to destroy everything they hold dear. Together, Everett and Bea embark on an adventure through secret tunnels in England and Scotland to find and protect the last Inkwell, and ultimately to save their father. But in order to do so, Everett must find a way to tap into the most magical power of all: his courage. Perfect for fans of The Silver Arrow, the Bookwanderers, and Inkheart, this classic battle of good and evil pits creativity against the forces that would seek to blot it out for good.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
A reverend's children seek to preserve the rare, magical Ink that's long fueled creativity in debut author Peabody's uneven series opener. In the early 1950s, 11-year-old Everett and eight-year-old Bea live in a London vicarage with their clergyman father, who uses Ink to create the Max Courageous comics for which he is known. When he heads to Scotland to conduct a secret mission, public use of the liquid attracts attention, leading to a terrible train accident that leaves him presumed dead. With his fountain pen delivered to Max and Bea, who present as white, the two become aware of the long conflict between Inklings, a worldwide force of creators who defend and use Ink, and inhuman "blotters," who seek to destroy the Ink and those who would use it. They also find that they're in danger of becoming the blotters' next target. Partnering with Trey, an amnesiac boy with Indian heritage, the siblings seek the last known source of Ink before the bumbling yet nefarious blotters can cause further harm; to do so, Bea turns to hymns and prayers, and Everett wrestles with doubt and frustration. Heavy-handed moralizing and derivative fantasy tropes undercut the telling, but whimsical elements, including a gondola carried by a giant invisible pigeon, prove bright spots. Ages 8–12.
