The Lionharts: Book 1

Gr 4-8–The Lionhart family lives in a Wild West town with dirt roads, a saloon, and quaint clapboard houses where they work as magical neighborhood handymen, scaring harpies out of barn rafters and billing clients for past-due jobs. Alder and Flynt’s parents sometimes go questing while the grandparents and kids keep things running at home. But when the parents don’t return from a foray into the woods, an intergenerational search ensues, and the children, eager for adventure, get more than they bargained for. Grandpa’s old girlfriend, an actual witch, gets involved, and as the crew draws closer to finding the monster holding their parents hostage, revelations about their magical connections dramatically crack open. A few things make this genre-blending tale particularly impressive. The further the family heads into the woods, the darker and more mysterious the story becomes, shifting more into a classic high fantasy. Furthermore, the interplay of family bonds feels lived, and while each Lionhart’s action is based on personal motivations, it is clear they care deeply for one another. Illustrations in a natural palette spotlight emotional interactions while reveling in the forest’s peculiar populations—mushroom people, ogres, goblins, and finally, a classically fearsome dragon. The Lionharts are presented as a multiracial family, with the brown-skinned mother and daughter holding impressive matriarchal power. The classic narrative structure and intensive character building will please fantasy fans and genre newcomers alike.