The Trickster's Tale (The Unbelievable FIB Series #1)

by Adam Shaughnessy

Overview

When mythical beings invade the usually ordinary Middletown, it’s up to eleven-year-old Pru and her classmate ABE--with help from an uncommonly rude squirrel and the enigmatic Mister Fox--to save their town from being destroyed by battling Norse gods. But first they have to find the lost Eye of Odin, source of all knowledge--and the key to stopping a war that could destroy both human and immortal realms.

Author Adam Shaughnessy draws from classic lore to create a new world where uncertainty opens the door to magic and the last thing you should do is believe your own eyes.

A 2015 Summer/Fall Indies Introduce Pick
A Fall 2015 Kids’ Indie Next List Pick
 

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781616205522
Publisher:	Workman Publishing Company
Publication date:	09/08/2015
Series:	Unbelievable FIB Series , #1
Sold by:	Hachette Digital, Inc.
Format:	eBook
Pages:	272
File size:	2 MB
Age Range:	8 - 12 Years

About the Author

Adam Shaughnessy is an author and educator. He received his BA in English from Connecticut College and is currently pursuing his MA in children’s literature from Hollins University. Adam lives in Waterford, Connecticut. The Trickster's Tale is the first book in the Unbelievable FIB series.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

THE ENVELOPES ARRIVED DURING THE UNCERTAIN hours of Thursday morning--those dark, early hours between tomorrow and yesterday, between not-­quite-­yet and nevermore. It’s a time when the day is still young, still taking shape, and still open to possibility.

The envelopes did not arrive in mailboxes or through mail slots, nor did they arrive with any sort of postage or return address. Instead, unseen hands slipped the mysterious letters beneath bedroom doors throughout the small New England community of Middleton.

One might imagine that such a strange occurrence would create alarm and worry. Under normal circumstances, one would be right. In this case, however, the curious deliveries failed to raise concern because most people never saw the envelopes. People lead busy lives, after all, and the envelopes were easy to miss.

One could even say that the envelopes were hard to see.

In fact, of all the people in Middleton, only one girl who received an envelope truly saw it. Prudence Potts did more than see it, actually.

She opened it.

Inside waited what appeared to be a postcard. Its face might have been white at one time, but the passing of days had added wrinkles and spots, and shifted the hue to a yellowish-­brown. A handwritten message remained visible, however.

It read:

Be grave in your search,
and avoid having stones in your head.

The back of the card bore more writing, golden letters across an inky field of deep midnight blue. Unfortunately, this additional text did nothing to explain the cryptic words on the card’s face. In fact, the sentence written in gold was a question.

Prudence was eleven years old. She had a bob of red hair and a spattering of freckles that lay in reckless disarray across her nose. She considered herself a detective, of sorts, just like her dad had been. As such, she had a particular interest in questions. Questions were like mysteries. Both demanded answers.

Pru was especially drawn to the question on the card. It asked:

WHAT IS THE UNBELIEVABLE FIB?

Editorial Reviews

06/29/2015
Eleven-year-old Pru wants to be a detective like her father, who was a member of their small-town police force before he was killed. When a mysterious postcard appears under Pru’s bedroom door asking “What is the unbelievable FIB?” she is ready to find out. Joined by new boy Abe, Pru is also curious about the strange weather in town and the unusual man she meets during a field trip to a local mansion that houses a museum of Viking artifacts. After a frost giant chases the two children through a graveyard, they are swept up into a magical quest. Debut author Shaughnessy skillfully weaves Norse myth, the story of Baba Yaga, and Pru’s pain over her father’s death into an action-packed story full of heart. Pru is relatable and real as she learns to trust people again, not to mention brave as she confronts ancient villains. It’s a moving exploration of the ways people can close themselves off to magic in the world, as well as face grief scarier than any frost giant. Ages 8–12. Agent: Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency. (Sept.)

Publishers Weekly

Puzzles, plot twists, and sly humor abound. Fans of Rick Riordan and Diana Wynne Jones, take note!”—Learning Magazine
 
“Debut author Shaughnessy skillfully weaves Norse myth, the story of Baba Yaga, and Pru’s pain over her father’s death into an action-packed story full of heart . . . It’s a moving exploration of the ways people can close themselves off to magic in the world, as well as face grief scarier than any frost giant.” —Publishers Weekly
 
“In a vein similar to Percy Jackson, the Imaginary Veterinary books, and even Men in Black, this strong debut is shaping up to be an intriguing series. Shaughnessy seamlessly blends Norse and Russian mythologies with the genres of mystery, fantasy, and adventure all the while hitting upon some deeper personal issues such as loss and self-awareness. The conflict is satisfyingly resolved by story’s end, giving it the feel of a stand-alone novel. With the current popularity of Norse characters in pop culture this is not only sure to be an easy sell, but also a book with substance—one to satisfy the cravings of more sophisticated readers looking to sink their teeth into a good folkloric story. A creative, fun mystery that combines a variety of genres and deeper themes.” —School Library Journal
 
“There’s pleasure to be found in the fantasy/adventure moments featuring Thor, frost giants, and the head of the FIB, the quirky Mr. Fox (evoking more than a bit of Dr. Who in both his dialogue and his magical tiny shack . . . this planned series certainly has potential.”—The Bulletin of the The Center for Children’s Books
 
“This story offers pleasing elements, including an authentic boy- girl friendship, fresh musings on the place of magic in childhood, and original, vividly depicted scenes (check out Mr. Fox's henhouse, a tiny shack with nearly infinite possibilities inside). Shaughnessy's imaginings show promise, and his puzzles and plot twists will absorb and intrigue younger readers, as they consider the book's central questions about truth, magic, and adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews
 
“Shaughnessy’s debut will please middle-grade readers already interested in Nordic mythology.”—Booklist
 

From the Publisher

07/01/2015
Gr 4–7—Eleven-year-old Prudence Potts likes nothing better than a good mystery, which is exactly what she gets when an envelope containing a cryptic message inexplicably arrives one night. Pru soon realizes that she's not the only one with a penchant for puzzles, as a school assignment finds her partnered with the new kid, ABE, who likes nothing better than a good riddle. Together not only do these two otherwise loners find friendship, but the makings of mischief afoot. Mythical entities have suddenly invaded their normally uneventful town threatening war and terror in their quest to find Odin's missing eye, believed to see the future. Pru and ABE are recruited by the enigmatic Mr. Fox on behalf of the Unbelievable FIB to question the very fabric of the world around them and to stop the impending doom. In a vein similar to "Percy Jackson," the "Imaginary Veterinary" books, and even Men In Black, this strong debut is shaping up to be an intriguing series. Shaughnessy seamlessly blends Norse and Russian mythologies with the genres of mystery, fantasy, and adventure all the while hitting upon some deeper personal issues such as loss and self-awareness. The conflict is satisfyingly resolved by story's end, giving it the feel of a stand-alone novel. With the current popularity of Norse characters in pop culture this is not only sure to be an easy sell, but also a book with substance—one to satisfy the cravings of more sophisticated readers looking to sink their teeth into a good folkloric story. VERDICT A creative, fun mystery that combines a variety of genres and deeper themes.—Rebecca Gueorguiev, New York Public Library

School Library Journal

2015-05-06
This debut title in a planned middle-grade series introduces readers to a feisty young sleuth, fantastical realms, and warring Viking gods. When Prudence Potts, 11, receives a mysterious letter with the puzzling question, "What is the unbelievable FIB?" her world—already disrupted by her father's recent death—is turned upside down. Prudence bristles with attitude: clashing with her tiresome teacher and holding her sympathetic mother at arm's length, she finds an unlikely ally in ABE, a new kid with a helpful knack for decoding clues. Tapped by the mysterious Mr. Fox to assist the Fantasy Investigation Bureau, the two must learn more about why mythical Norse beings are slipping into town, bent on stealing the powerful Eye of Odin, while discerning whether Mr. Fox—or anyone—can be trusted. Pru's revelation about her anger (whose underpinnings unveil the illusion that adults can keep themselves—or anyone—safe) seems a touch contrived; however, this story offers pleasing elements, including an authentic boy-girl friendship, fresh musings on the place of magic in childhood, and original, vividly depicted scenes (check out Mr. Fox's henhouse, a tiny shack with nearly infinite possibilities inside). Shaughnessy's imaginings show promise, and his puzzles and plot twists will absorb and intrigue younger readers as they consider the book's central questions about truth, magic, and adventure. (Fantasy. 8-12)

Kirkus Reviews