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An orphan boy's triumph over adversity, with help from a fire-breathing, winged horse
Stormy is an orphan and a kitchen skivvy. He tends the compost, he scrubs the floors, and watches feasts make their way up the mountain as he survives on bread and water. A skivvy is all that Stormy can hope to be. But Stormy has a secret. He wants to be a sky-rider, to soar amongst the clouds on spitfyres: flying horses that spit fire and smoke, and answer only to their riders. A chance meeting with an escaped convict turns Stormy's life upside down. Sent up to the Academy he uncovers a web of lies, deceits and neglect, at the centre of which lies the mysterious thirteenth horse. Can Stormy save Thirteen, defeat the dark forces at work within the Academy and prove himself worthy as a sky-rider? Stormy was right next to a real flying horse.
It was a massive creature of silvery grey - the size of a carthorse with feet like dinner plates and legs like small trees. The sheer size of it took his breath away. The pulsating power and heat coming from it made him giddy.
The spitfyre was puffing smoke and shifting restlessly around its cave. Its bat-like wings were folded against its side, but they twitched and stirred, as if they were going to unfurl at any moment. There was a fierceness about it, as if it wanted to escape and fly away, like a dog on the end of a leash. It was both scary and thrilling.
'Oh, Al! Oh, Ralf!' Stormy cried. 'Look at it!'
Ralf huffed. 'Don't know what you're so excited about. Work with flying horses as long as I have, then, well . . . It's just a spitfyre - a horse with a bit of lizard thrown in. Here, I'll do him and show you how. Number one's Star Squad - a bit wild, a bit special.'
Ralf held up the thork and pushed his way into the cave, jabbing the pronged thing at the creature and shouting. The spitfyre's eyes rolled, showing the whites, and it snorted crossly. It reared up on its hind legs and blew out a cloud of pungent smoke, but Ralf dodged the dangerous hooves and quickly did his work. 'Food!' he called out. 'See here, water!'
He ran out, wiping the sweat off his face with his sleeve. 'Done.'
'You're brave!' Stormy said.
'Thanks,' Ralf said with a grin.
'What's the Star Squad?' Stormy asked Al. 'I've never heard of it.'
'The elite,' Al said, leaning on the wagon. 'Strongest. Biggest. Best.' Rebecca Lisle was born in Leeds to two artists. Having studied Botany at Newcastle University she then completed a PGCE at Oxford. Rebecca lived in France, Manhattan, and England before becoming a 'proper' writer. Awarded a distinction for her MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa, Rebecca is now married with three almost grown-up sons, who are the inspiration for many stories. When she is not writing Rebecca paints peculiar pictures of dogs. Find out more about Rebecca at www.rebeccalisle.co.uk An orphan boy's triumph over adversity, with help from a fire-breathing, winged horse A vivid adventure featuring magical winged horses that breathe fire! A fantastical reimagining of GREAT EXPECTATIONS for 9-12 year olds Experienced author available for local events and workshops A graduate of Bath Spa's prestigious MA in Creative Writing Find out more about Rebecca online at www.rebeccalisle.com or follow her on Twitter @LisleRLisle
Stormy is an orphan and a kitchen skivvy. He tends the compost, he scrubs the floors, and watches feasts make their way up the mountain as he survives on bread and water. A skivvy is all that Stormy can hope to be. But Stormy has a secret. He wants to be a sky-rider, to soar amongst the clouds on spitfyres: flying horses that spit fire and smoke, and answer only to their riders. A chance meeting with an escaped convict turns Stormy's life upside down. Sent up to the Academy he uncovers a web of lies, deceits and neglect, at the centre of which lies the mysterious thirteenth horse. Can Stormy save Thirteen, defeat the dark forces at work within the Academy and prove himself worthy as a sky-rider? Stormy was right next to a real flying horse.
It was a massive creature of silvery grey - the size of a carthorse with feet like dinner plates and legs like small trees. The sheer size of it took his breath away. The pulsating power and heat coming from it made him giddy.
The spitfyre was puffing smoke and shifting restlessly around its cave. Its bat-like wings were folded against its side, but they twitched and stirred, as if they were going to unfurl at any moment. There was a fierceness about it, as if it wanted to escape and fly away, like a dog on the end of a leash. It was both scary and thrilling.
'Oh, Al! Oh, Ralf!' Stormy cried. 'Look at it!'
Ralf huffed. 'Don't know what you're so excited about. Work with flying horses as long as I have, then, well . . . It's just a spitfyre - a horse with a bit of lizard thrown in. Here, I'll do him and show you how. Number one's Star Squad - a bit wild, a bit special.'
Ralf held up the thork and pushed his way into the cave, jabbing the pronged thing at the creature and shouting. The spitfyre's eyes rolled, showing the whites, and it snorted crossly. It reared up on its hind legs and blew out a cloud of pungent smoke, but Ralf dodged the dangerous hooves and quickly did his work. 'Food!' he called out. 'See here, water!'
He ran out, wiping the sweat off his face with his sleeve. 'Done.'
'You're brave!' Stormy said.
'Thanks,' Ralf said with a grin.
'What's the Star Squad?' Stormy asked Al. 'I've never heard of it.'
'The elite,' Al said, leaning on the wagon. 'Strongest. Biggest. Best.' Rebecca Lisle was born in Leeds to two artists. Having studied Botany at Newcastle University she then completed a PGCE at Oxford. Rebecca lived in France, Manhattan, and England before becoming a 'proper' writer. Awarded a distinction for her MA in Creative Writing at Bath Spa, Rebecca is now married with three almost grown-up sons, who are the inspiration for many stories. When she is not writing Rebecca paints peculiar pictures of dogs. Find out more about Rebecca at www.rebeccalisle.co.uk An orphan boy's triumph over adversity, with help from a fire-breathing, winged horse A vivid adventure featuring magical winged horses that breathe fire! A fantastical reimagining of GREAT EXPECTATIONS for 9-12 year olds Experienced author available for local events and workshops A graduate of Bath Spa's prestigious MA in Creative Writing Find out more about Rebecca online at www.rebeccalisle.com or follow her on Twitter @LisleRLisle