In the frontier village of Last Hope, people dismiss twelve-year-old Ash Narro as a flighty child who claims to hear the true names of things. But when enraged forest spirits attack, Ash shows that the names she hears have power.
After taming a destructive forest spirit, Ash teams up with Fen, a wild forest boy, and embarks on an unusual journey to save her village.
In this steampunk eco-fantasy, the perils of deforestation and the power of friendship are explored through a fantastical adventure of giant mistcats, tempestuous forest spirits, a supernatural puppy, and a girl with a special gift for shaping what things become.
About the Author :
Todd Mitchell is the author of several award-winning books for young readers, teens, and adults including The Last Panther (Delacorte Press, Colorado Book Award Winner and winner of the Green Prize for Sustainable Literature), The Traitor King (Scholastic Press), The Secret to Lying (Candlewick Press, Colorado Book Award Winner), and Backwards (Candlewick Press, CAL Award Winner). He created the graphic series Broken Saviors (available on Comixology), and co-wrote the graphic novel A Flight of Angels (Vertigo, a YALSA "Top 10 Great Graphic Novels for Teens"). When Todd isn't writing, he's often mountain biking, kayaking, surfing, and exploring the outdoors. He's worked several wild jobs, including rescuing injured wolves, rehabilitating hawks, taking care of orphaned bear cubs, building homes for foxes, and teaching every grade except kindergarten. Currently, Todd serves as Director of the Beginning Creative Writing Teaching Program at Colorado State University. He lives in Fort Collins, Colorado with his wife, dog, and two wise daughters. He loves speaking with readers and writers of all ages, and often does author visits to schools (in-person and virtually).
Review :
"A dangerous town carved out of unforgiving forest, a young girl who can name spirits and tame monsters, a race against time to save the natural world: The Namer of Spirits is what readers want and the world needs." -Eliot Schrefer, New York Times bestselling author of The Lost Rainforest
"Absorbing, masterfully crafted, and brilliantly original, The Namer of Spirits is an illuminating story about friendship, courage, and the power of words." -Jenny Goebel, Green Earth Book Award-winning author of Out of My Shell
"A luminous and essential story for all ages. I was swept away by the lovable characters, magical world, passionate quest, and wise guides. The Namer of Spirits reflects current ecological issues in a way that offers readers understanding, hope, and the courage to take action. Everyone should read this." -Laura Resau, Américas Award-winning author of Tree of Dreams
"A rich, multi-layered story with a subtle ecological message, and a cast of characters who had my heart from page one, The Namer of Spirits is simply spellbinding. Teachers and librarians who are searching for well-written fiction to pair with environmental non-fiction need to snap this one up! Highly recommended." -Darby Karchut, Colorado Book Award-winning author of Del Toro Moon
