The Last Ember

The Last Ember is the thrilling first book in The Aerimander Chronicles, perfect for middle-grade readers aged 10-14 who love fantasy and adventure. It introduces Eva, a bright chemistry student, and Dusty, a resourceful orphan, whose lives collide when Eva unknowingly comes into possession of the last egg of a supposedly extinct, dragon-like creature called an aerimander. The story quickly escalates into a high-stakes chase, as the duo must evade a sinister Thieves' Union and a powerful government director, Eoin Parnassus, who both seek to control the aerimander. Full of heroic hijinks, sharp humor, and themes of unlikely friendship and standing up for what's right, this book promises an engaging read that will keep children turning pages. Parents will appreciate the focus on teamwork, bravery, and questioning authority when necessary.

Impossible Creatures meets The Mysterious Benedict Society in this epic, fast-paced upper-middle grade fantasy full of dragon-like creatures, heroic hijinks, battle-forged friendships, and sharp humor. Aerimanders are extinct. Or so the government would have you think. Centuries ago, the Kingdom of Glaucus decreed the destruction of these dangerous, dragon-like creatures whose deadly flame could level entire cities and upend world orders. But when twelve-year-old Eva Alexander, a wealthy chemistry student in the city of Porttown, walks into a fashionable department store and walks out (accidentally) with the world’s last aerimander egg, everything changes. Suddenly, Eva is the target of unwanted attention—including from the Thieves’ Union, a mysterious organization with a rebellious streak and fingers in every pie in Porttown. The Union orders its youngest member, the orphaned dairy delivery boy Dusty St. Ichabod, to steal the egg from Eva. Which is far easier said than done. When Eva and Dusty meet one autumn night under extraordinary circumstances, an epic game of cat and mouse unfolds across the Kingdom. Initially at odds, the unlikely pair must come together to navigate a maze of sinister crime syndicates, elite boarding schools, and an incredibly slow getaway pony named Gourd—all while fighting to keep the egg out of the hands of power-hungry Eoin Parnassus, Director of Kingdom Secrets. As the duo races against time, their fates and that of the whole world are at stake. Because there’s one question no one dares to ask: What happens when the egg hatches? Chock-full of heroic hijinks, battle-forged friendships, and sharp humor, The Last Ember is the first installment in an action-packed fantasy adventure about a powerful creature, those who seek to exploit it, and those who are willing to protect it at all costs. This book is the first of a planned duology--the second book takes flight a year later in Fall 2026. With stained edges, a map, 6" x 9" trim, and foil, the book's package is as lush as its storytelling!