The last ember

A private school student and an orphaned errand boy embark on a gripping adventure in Dodd's confident and fiercely thought-provoking debut. Twelve-year-old science-obsessed Eva's heretofore sheltered life is thrown into chaos after she's unknowingly given a pilfered egg from a presumed-extinct, dragonlike race of creatures called aerimanders. Attracting the attention of Eoin Parnassus--a "simple man of pure evil," who wants the unhatched aerimanders for destructive militaristic purposes--Eva hides the egg and decides to consult a scientist. Enter orphaned 13-year-old Dusty, a seasoned thief who attempts to swipe the egg from Eva's boarding school dorm room only to end up absconding with both egg and girl. The unwilling duo bonds over their ill-gotten ovum, and races to uncover its secret before it falls into malevolent hands. Utilizing a dry-humored omniscient narrator, Dodd admirably balances expert worldbuilding with a rip-roaring plot and complicated character interactions that crackle with witty buoyancy. Themes of queer identity, wealth disparity, and moral philosophy are threaded throughout this incendiary fantasy adventure. Eva has "deep copper-brown skin"; Dusty is "fair skinned." Ages 10--14. (Nov.)

What do an orphan who delivers milk and a high-society science whiz have in common? Possibly the destruction of the entire Kingdom of Glaucus, if some are to be believed. When Eva Alexander turns 12, her wealthy father allows her to choose something from the upscale Bronsworth's Department Store. Although he was thinking of jewelry, Eva chooses what she thinks is an egg-shaped piece of rubibium, a "highly unstable explosive" substance that fascinates her chemistry-minded brain. In a less-savory part of Porttown, 13-year-old Dusty, who resides at St. Ichabod's Dairy Production and Home for Delinquent Boys, is tasked by the Thieves' Union with finding Eva's gift. The two are on a collision course that involves testing a friendship, traversing a secret dungeon, and nearly blowing up a cryptoecologist (a scientist who believes that many legendary creatures are real). All that for a mineral? Of course not--it's all about the egg of an aerimander, a dragonlike creature that's supposed to be extinct. Dodd's debut novel is fantasy done right: Fans ofThe Princess Bride and Terry Pratchett's work will devour this series opener, thanks to the lush worldbuilding and wry humor permeating every page. And while the story will have readers grinning, it still explores difficult topics like poverty and war with grace and dignity. Eva is a queer girl with "deep copper-brown skin" and wavy black hair. "Spindly" Dusty is pale and freckled. Egg-cellent storytelling; readers will be eager for the second book.(Fantasy. 9-12) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.