The Silver Arrow
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Magicians comes a must-read, wholly original middle-grade debut perfect for fans of The Chronicles of Narnia and Roald Dahl.
The Silver Arrow is one of the New York Times‘ Best Children’s Books of 2020! The Wall Street Journal, People magazine, Apple, and Amazon also put it on their best-of-the-year lists. The Silver Arrow was an Indie Next pick and a Pennie’s Pick at Costco, and it made both the Indie and New York Times bestseller lists.
Dear Uncle Herbert,
You’ve never met me, but I’m your niece Kate, and since it is my birthday tomorrow and you are super-rich could you please send me a present?
Kate and her younger brother Tom lead dull, uninteresting lives. And if their dull, uninteresting parents are anything to go by, they don’t have much to look forward to. Why can’t Kate have thrilling adventures and save the world the way people do in books? Even her 11th birthday is shaping up to be mundane — that is, until her mysterious and highly irresponsible Uncle Herbert, whom she’s never even met before, surprises her with the most unexpected, exhilarating, inappropriate birthday present of all time: a colossal steam locomotive called the Silver Arrow.
Kate and Tom’s parents want to send it right back where it came from. But Kate and Tom have other ideas — and so does the Silver Arrow — and soon they’re off to distant lands along magical rail lines in the company of an assortment of exotic animals who, it turns out, can talk. With only curiosity, excitement, their own resourcefulness and the thrill of the unknown to guide them, Kate and Tom are on the adventure of a lifetime . . . and who knows? They just might end up saving the world after all.
This thrilling fantasy adventure will not only entertain young readers but inspire them to see the beautiful, exciting, and precious world around them with new eyes.
“I loved every page. This is middle-grade fiction at its very best.” — Ann Patchett, author of Bel Canto and owner of Parnassus Books
“There’s nothing so rare as a fantasy that elicits genuine wonder and that uses marvelous things to enrich a child’s appreciation of ordinary ones. So Lev Grossman’s novel The Silver Arrow is something special … bursting with life and real feeling, told in a sparkling, informal style that parents will find effortless to read aloud.” — The Wall Street Journal
“Similar to Norton Juster’s Phantom Tollbooth … [The Silver Arrow] shows Kate she need not escape into a fantasy world when there’s more rewarding work to be done in this one than she’d ever imagined.” — The New York Times
“This gentle introduction to the complexities of life on this planet is a critical reminder not to despair over the enormity of human responsibility but to face it with joy and marvel at the magic that the world holds. It’s a kind and clear message that all children — and their grownups — should take to heart.” — Booklist
“Grossman, whose droll turns of phrase continuously enliven the story, adroitly captures the practical yet yearning inner voice of Kate while loading the narrative with feasts-in-Narnia-level gratifications for readers.” — The Horn Book
“I loved it. Completely unpredictable and completely charming. A perfect book to cuddle up with and savor — and even better to read aloud with someone you love.” — Adam Gidwitz, bestselling and Newbery honor-winning author of A Tale Dark and Grimm and The Inquisitor’s Tale
“Perfect for fans of Roald Dahl and the beloved Phantom Tollbooth, and one that’s sure to become a classic all its own.” — B&N Reads
“A magical adventure brimming with imagination and hope for the future.” — Catherine Doyle, author of The Storm Keeper’s Island