Starfell #1: Willow Moss & the Lost Day

by Dominique Valente, Tuppence Middleton (Read by)

Overview

The ordinary becomes extraordinary in this sparkling first book in the Starfell series, a modern classic perfect for fans of Nevermoor and The Land of Stories.

Willow Moss’s small magic has always seemed unremarkable. But when the most feared witch in the land of Starfell appears on the Moss family’s doorstep looking for help, it’s not Willow’s talented sisters she seeks, it’s Willow. Because Willow is a finder of lost things—and Moreg Vaine says that last Tuesday has gone missing.

Willow and Moreg set out on a perilous journey across the wilds of Starfell, looking for what they’ve lost. If they don’t discover what happened to the missing day, the repercussions could be devastating for the entire kingdom.

Can Willow find the day, to save the day?

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781094113494
Publisher:	HarperCollins Publishers
Publication date:	01/28/2020
Series:	Starfell Series , #1
Edition description:	Library ed.
Product dimensions:	6.70(w) x 6.10(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	9 - 12 Years

About the Author

Dominique Valente lives in the Sussex, England, countryside with her husband and their English bulldog, Fudge. She writes bestselling fiction under her pseudonym, Lily Graham, and is a former journalist.

Editorial Reviews

"With whimsy, humor, danger, and surprising twists, Valente’s new series will be a surefire hit, leaving readers clamoring for the next in the series ." — School Library Journal

“Valente’s cozy worldbuilding and familiar characterizations make for a sweet, comfortable read. What a difference a day makes in this intriguing fantasy.” — Kirkus Reviews

"Readers will inhale this cozy, clever fairy tale and long for more of Willow's enchanted world." — Booklist

"Valente’s witty, glowing prose infuses the tale with both intrigue and warmth." — Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"This unique fantasy is a fabulous journey of self-confidence, adventure, and magic. Highly recommend for fans of Ronald Dahl and Shel Silverstein." — YA Books Central

From the Publisher

"This unique fantasy is a fabulous journey of self-confidence, adventure, and magic. Highly recommend for fans of Ronald Dahl and Shel Silverstein."

YA Books Central

"Readers will inhale this cozy, clever fairy tale and long for more of Willow's enchanted world."

Booklist

"Valente’s witty, glowing prose infuses the tale with both intrigue and warmth."

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

"Valente’s witty, glowing prose infuses the tale with both intrigue and warmth."

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Readers will inhale this cozy, clever fairy tale and long for more of Willow's enchanted world."

Booklist

"Valente’s witty, glowing prose infuses the tale with both intrigue and warmth."

Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

11/01/2019

Gr 3–6–Magic has long been outlawed in the Kingdom of Starfell, but some magic has started to seep back in, and certain families have particular magical abilities. Willow Moss, the youngest in the Moss family, seems to have the least magical power in her family—the ability to find lost things. While this ability helps Willow earn a few spurgles here and there finding lost keys and wooden teeth, it certainly isn't as glitzy as her sisters' talents, like Camille who can lift things with her mind. However, when last Tuesday goes missing, the most feared witch in the land, Moreg Vaine, enlists the help of Willow to locate it. Willow reluctantly follows Moreg, bringing with her Oswin, the "monster" who lives under her bed. Monster is a bit of a stretch, as Oswin is a cat-like creature called a kobold, whose lime-green fur changes color when he's outraged. He has a unique ability to spot magic and lies, and can possibly explode if he gets upset enough, all while muttering from inside Willow's hairy bag. When Moreg Vaine is captured, it is up to Willow, Oswin, a giant Dragon named Feathering, and a forgotten teller named Nolin Sometimes (who faints every time he has a vision) to rescue Moreg and find Tuesday. Dark forces abound as the Brothers of Wol have been killing witches and wizards in an attempt to rid the world of magic, which gives this fantastical adventure all the elements readers looking for a new fantasy series would want. VERDICT With whimsy, humor, danger, and surprising twists, Valente's new series will be a surefire hit, leaving readers clamoring for the next in the series.—Michele Shaw, Quail Run Elementary School, San Ramon, CA

School Library Journal

2019-08-26
A girl with the ability to find lost things is tasked with finding a lost day.

Not everyone in Starfell "is lucky enough to have a bit of magic up their sleeves," but Willow Moss deems her power to find lost things lackluster compared with the flashier powers her mother and sisters brandish. Willow's therefore stunned when Moreg Vaine, the "most feared witch" in Starfell, seeks her help to find the missing last Tuesday and prevent the world from unraveling. The least likely candidate for saving the day, Willow's afraid to refuse Moreg and secretly longs for adventure. Stuffing her only friend, Oswin (a savvy monster living under her bed), into her carpetbag, Willow departs with Moreg to search for the lost Tuesday. Arriving in witch-phobic Beady Hill, Moreg's arrested and imprisoned, dispatching clueless Willow with cryptic instructions. Willow's subsequent convoluted quest leads her to a floating village, suspended Cloud Mountains, a magical blue tree, and into Troll Country. Aided by eccentric helpers (a dragon, a seer of the past, and a female troll), as well as by Cockney-accented Oswin's comic relief, Willow discovers she may just have the right moxie to save the day without flashy magic. Valente's cozy worldbuilding and familiar characterizations make for a sweet, comfortable read. The human cast is a mostly white one.

What a difference a day makes in this intriguing fantasy. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews