Rise of Pegasus: A QUIX Book

by Joan Holub, Suzanne Williams, Toby Allen (Illustrator)

Overview

From the authors of the Goddess Girls and Heroes in Training series comes the first book in the School for Magical Monsters series about Pegasus’s first day at school—part of the Aladdin QUIX line!

Pegasus is very excited for his first day at the School for Magical Monsters! At his old school, he was the only creature there, but now, he won’t be alone. In fact, everyone there will find their special power—and Pegasus can’t wait to discover his!

But the first few days are a little rough—poor Pegasus keeps on stumbling over his hooves! And it seems like all his new friends start to receive their power before her does. With a little help from his new friends and a little magic, can Pegasus learn to soar at his new school?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781665917711
Publisher:	Aladdin
Publication date:	07/23/2024
Series:	School for Magical Monsters , #1
Pages:	96
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.25(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	5 - 8 Years

About the Author

Joan Holub has authored and/or illustrated over 140 children’s books, including the Goddess Girls series, the Heroes in Training series, the New York Times bestselling picture book Mighty Dads (illustrated by James Dean), and Little Red Writing (illustrated by Melissa Sweet). She lives in North Carolina and is online at JoanHolub.com.

Suzanne Williams is a former elementary school librarian and the author of over seventy books for children, including the award-winning picture books Library Lil (illustrated by Steven Kellogg) and My Dog Never Says Please (illustrated by Tedd Arnold), and several chapter book and middle grade series. She also coauthors the Goddess Girls and Thunder Girls series with the fantastic Joan Holub. Visit her at Suzanne-Williams.com.

Toby Allen is a freelance illustrator from the UK, specializing in character design—for publishing as well as games—and children’s book illustration. He has also worked as a 2D game artist for mobile and board and tabletop games and contributed to a variety of other projects that span from classical music to mental health.

Read an Excerpt

1  Pegasus Trips Up

 

  Hi, I’m Pegasus. I’m a horse, of course. And I’m a Creature, too—a mythical being. See this trail I’m climbing? It goes almost to the top of Mount Olympus. I’ve been invited to the School for MagicalMonsters up there. Tomorrow’s my first day. It’s gonna be great!

  At my old school I didn’t really fit in. I was the only Creature there. But I’ve heard that lots of Creatures go to my new school. I can’t wait to meet them!

  Flap! Flap!Yikes! A big pair of sparkly white wings swoops down from the sky. The wings aren’t attached to anything. Not to a bird, a dragon, or a fairy!

  Whoosh! Those wings zoom straight at me. Their feathers almost get tangled in my mane! I shake myself all over till they fly away.

  Eek! They dive-bomb me again! I whirl. I twirl. But I’m a little clumsy. This time I stumble. I trip over a rock and land on my belly.

  KERPLUNK!

  Okay, it’s true. I’m a lot clumsy!

  But the wings fly skyward again. Guess I showed them. Ha!

  “Hey, you! Fancy-dancy pants!” a voice booms. “I’m trying to catch those wings. Stop scaring them away!”

  I leap up to see a boy with black hair. “Why do you want them?” I ask.

  The boy rolls his eyes. “Duh? Because they have magic.”

  “Awesome!” I say. “I’m gonna get my own magic soon. I don’t know what it’ll be yet, but at my new school everyone finds a special power sooner or later. When I finally get mine I guess I could call it my... er... horse-power.” I laugh at my silly joke. Snort! Snort!

  “Lucky you,” says the boy. “I could use some magic myself. Wing magic!”

  “What for, though?” I ask.

  The boy doesn’t say. Instead, he looks me over. “Hey! You’re a Creature, right?” he says. “That’s cool.”

   

  Cool? I’m not used to such respect. At my old school, I got teased for being different and clumsy. So I smile at him. “Mmm-hmm.”

  Flap! Flap! The wings are back!

  “Woo-hoo!” shouts the boy. He chases after them. “See ya!” he calls over his shoulder. “I need those wings. They’re my only hope!”

  “Wait! I’m Pegasus. Who are you?” I call.

  “Zeus!” the boy replies. Then he disappears over a hill.

  Uh-oh! The sun’s going down. It’ll be dark soon. I gallop up the mountain lickety-split. When I arrive at a signpost, I’m huffing and puffing. The sign reads SCHOOL FOR MAGICAL MONSTERS.

  Two arrows below the sign point in opposite directions. The one pointing left says CREATURES. The one pointing right says BEASTS.

   

  Um... what? Beasts also go to my new school? This is terrible news! They’re monsters too, of course. But they’re mean! They don’t like us Creatures. At least that’s what I’ve heard.

  To tell the truth, I’ve never actually met a Beast. Did my family know there would be Beasts here? Maybe not. Or they might not have let me come!

  I’m glad I’ve already made one new friend on Mount Olympus—Zeus! I hope we meet again.

  For now I follow the CREATURES arrow and hurry-worry my way to school.

  Clip-clop!

 

Editorial Reviews

04/29/2024

Shenanigans ensue as mythical creatures attend school for the first time in this cozy chapter book series launch by collaborators Holub and Williams (the Little Goddess Girls series). Young Pegasus is excited for his first day at the School for Magical Monsters, where each student will discover their inherent magical power and learn how to control it. More than that, he’s looking forward to making new friends. Once he arrives, Pegasus meets a courageous boy named Zeus as well as myriad other mythical creatures like himself, including Griffin, Minotaur, Hippocampus, Cyclops, and Sphinx. When the class is divided into groups, Pegasus takes the lead on their magical drawing assignment—but Pegasus’s idea doesn’t go according to plan, leading to personal disappointment and internal shame. Still, Pegasus continues to encounter surprising obstacles and adventures, eventually discovering his own innate power—and netting himself a trusted companion. Engaging language combines with elements of Greek mythology to present a lighthearted, charming story of self-discovery, new experiences, and open-mindedness. U.K. illustrator Allen’s softly lined art depicts Pegasus’s adventures throughout. Includes a glossary, discussion questions, and an author’s note. Ages 5–8. (July)

Publishers Weekly