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The Cursed Carnival and Other Calamities
New Stories about Mythic Heroes
496 pages
A fast-paced, funny, and culturally rich collection of mythic adventures featuring young heroes facing down monsters and demons.
What it feels like
This highly entertaining anthology delivers a propulsive, action-packed reading experience that crackles with humor and heroic energy. Moving at a brisk pace, the collection immerses readers in a lively, mythic mood where young protagonists face down cave monsters, abandoned demons, and history-erasing ghosts. The prose is funny and fast-paced, seamlessly blending modern middle-grade sensibilities with rich, own-voices cultural mythologies ranging from Navajo and Korean to Cuban and Celtic. The emotional arc carries readers through daunting challenges toward triumphant, heroic resolutions, exploring what it truly takes to be a hero across different times and universes. It is a perfect fit for middle-grade readers who devour energetic, diverse adventures filled with legendary stakes and quick-witted heroes.
- Mood
- exciting
- mythic
- lively
- action-packed
- Tone
- humorous
- adventurous
- heroic
- energetic
- Pace
- propulsive
- Themes
- heroism and bravery · cultural mythology · facing monstrous challenges · diverse heritage
- The writing
- Fast-paced, funny, and highly entertaining, blending modern middle-grade voices with rich cultural mythologies.
- The arc
- Moves from facing daunting, monstrous challenges to triumphant, heroic resolutions.
- Who it's for
- Middle-grade readers who love fast-paced, humorous adventures steeped in diverse global mythologies.
Content notes
- monsters and demons
- ghosts
- fantasy violence
About the book
Best-selling author Rick Riordan presents ten new stories--including one of his own--about beloved heroes that sprang from the imaginations of some of the best middle grade authors working today.
A cave monster... an abandoned demon... a ghost who wants to erase history... a killer commandant... These are just some of the challenges confronting the young heroes in this highly entertaining anthology.
All but one of the heroes previously starred in a popular book from Rick Riordan Presents. You''ll be reunited with Aru Shah, Zane Obispo, Min the fox spirit, Sal and Gabi, Tristan Strong, Nizhoni Begay, Paola Santiago, Sikander Aziz, and Riley Oh. Who is the new hero? Read Rick Riordan''s short story to find out!
Ten bestselling and award-winning middle grade authors contributed to this collection: Roshani Chokshi, J.C. Cervantes, Yoon Ha Lee, Carlos Hernandez, Kwame Mbalia, Rebecca Roanhorse, Tehlor Kay Mejia, Sarwat Chadda, Graci Kim, and Rick Riordan, who also served as the editor.
The cultures represented by these own-voices stories are: Indian, Mesoamerican, Korean, Cuban, Black American, African, Navajo, Mexican, Mesopotamian, and Celtic.
There''s something for everyone in this collection of fast-paced and funny adventure stories that show what it takes to be a hero in any time, setting, and universe.
Description from Open Library.
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