The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson

 Did you know that Andrew Peterson, the singer-songwriter and recording artist of 10 albums, is also the author of The Wingfeather Saga? I'm not sure how I missed this, but I had no idea he had written any books. There are 4 books in the series, and they are being re-released in hardback collectors editions. These new editions have added illustrations that help fuel the imaginative world Peterson has created through his gift of story telling. The first two hardcover books, On the Edge of the Dark Sea of Darkness and North! or Be Eaten were just re-released on March 10, 2020, and the third and Fourth books, The Monsters in the Hollows and The Warden and the Wolf King, will be coming September 15, 2020.

From the Back Cover:

Book 1: Once, in a cottage above the cliffs on the Dark Sea of Darkness, there lived three children and their trusty dog, Nugget.

Janner Igiby, his brother, Tink, and their disabled sister, Leeli, are gifted children as all children are, loved well by a noble mother and ex-pirate grandfather. But they will need all their gifts and all that they love to survive the evil pursuit of the venomous Fangs of Dang, who have crossed the dark sea to rule the land with malice. The Igibys hold the secret to the lost legend and jewels of good King Wingfeather of the Shining Isle of Anniera.

 Book 2: Wild Escapes. A Desperate Journey. And the ghastly Fangs of Dang. 
Janner, Tink and Leeli Igiby thought they were normal children with normal lives and a normal past. But now they know they're really the lost Jewels of Anniera, heirs to a legendary kingdom across the sea, and suddenly everyone want to kill them.
In order to survive, the Igibys must flee to the safety of the Ice Prairies, where the lizard-like Fangs of Dang cannot follow. First, however, they have to escape the monsters of Glipwood Forest, the thieving Stranders of the East Bend, and the dreaded Fork Factory.
But even more dangerous are the jealousy and bitterness that threaten to tear them apart. Janner and his siblings must learn the hard way that the love of a family is more important than anything else.

 My Thoughts: 

This story was so imaginative and fun! I was sad that I only had the first two books to read, and I can't wait to get the other two! Andrew Peterson leads the reader on an adventurous ride through hollows, abandoned ghostly mansions, rockroach invested valleys, and dark forests filled with toothy cows.  The creatures are quite the combination of animals with suitable silly names. At first, it was a little hard to get my head around all the opening paragraphs of background information especially with all of the names of the different lands I was unsure of how to pronounce. Luckily for me, during our stay-at-home order for the Coronavirus, Andrew Peterson himself read the first two books aloud each night on his Facebook page. It definitely helped with hearing him pronounce these names! (I'm not sure if the reading will still be up at the time you read this review. But you can check out his YouTube account by clicking here.) The added illustrations were delightful, and I'm sure the kids reading these books will enjoy them.  The Igiby children are each learning and growing in different ways throughout the story. I appreciated the struggle the characters went through and the lessons that were learned with regard to jealousy, bitterness, secrets and shame.

If your tween is looking for a series that will take them on a fun adventure, then pick up these new hardback books of Andrew Peterson's Wingfeather Saga! I will also say that these books are enjoyable for adults too, so don't be afraid to pick them up for yourself! Make sure to look for the next two books coming out in September 2020!

My Rating: ★★★★★

***I received these complimentary books from Waterbrook publishing. I was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.