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I think after the Wingfeather Saga (and for my son, The Hobbit), my kids would rate The Green Ember by S.D. Smith as one of their favorite read-alouds. The story is a great combination of action, mystery, and character development.


In The Green Ember, rabbit siblings Heather and Picket are separated from their family and swept into events much larger than themselves. Not only must they learn their connection to this dangerous new world, they must also work through their own fears and insecurities in the process. This book will make your kids laugh, think, and cheer.

But don’t take my word for it. The Green Ember was a finalist for World Magazine’s Children’s Book of the Year in 2015. It’s an Amazon best seller with over 400 reviews (90% of them five-stars). The audiobook, narrated by Joel Clarkson (yes, that’s Sally Clarkson’s son), was a finalist for Audible’s Kid’s Audiobook of the Year. Not to mention the fact that the author, S.D. Smith, is the founder of Story Warren, a website committed to supporting parents as they guide their children’s moral imaginations (I’ve written several articles for them).

And now, I’m excited to say, the sequel is on the horizon. And you have the chance to be a part of it! Until July 10, 2016, you can help fund the sequel, Ember Falls, on Kickstarter and get rewarded for it! They have all sorts of incentives including print, ebook, and audiobook editions of The Green Ember, The Blackstar of Kingston, and Ember Falls. [update: this project was sucessfully funded! Ember Falls is now available on Amazon.]

ember falls kickstarter

Whether you are looking for your next favorite read-aloud series or you want a book you can confidently hand to your 8-12-year-old reader, I encourage you to go check out these books.

Have you read The Green Ember?

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