A Breath of Mischief by MarcyKate Connolly ~ a Review

by MK French

Raised by the Wind, Aria grew up among the clouds and creatures of the air, flying with her best friend, Gwyn, a young gryphling. When the Wind vanishes and the castle is on the ground, Aria and Gwyn discover the Wind is being held captive by the alchemist Worton. To free the Wind, Aria and Gwyn must complete a series of trials to find and retrieve three magical talismans for Worton. 

Amazon affiliate links are used on this site. A free book was provided for an honest review.

April 2023; Sourcebooks; 978-1728256863
audio, ebook, print (224 pages); children's

A Breath of Mischief is a book for elementary school students, and the quest to find the Wind is a big one. Aria is essentially trying to find a way to get back her kidnapped parent, a frightening and desperate situation. She meets children from the other elements and shares stories along her journey. In addition to Worton are adult bandits looking to steal whatever treasures they find, and have no qualms about taking things from a child. The items Aria must retrieve of course are fantastical ones from legend, with a week's time limit to get them and exchange them for the Wind. It's an intense journey for her, bringing her all over the world. 

I enjoyed seeing the different children of the elements, and how they each had a companion as Aria did. The elements work together to maintain the balance of nature, which helps with all realms of life, from drawing up well water, growing food, or even starting a fire. Adults will realize there is a strong condemnation of the tendency to destroy natural resources for money woven into the story. Life must be in balance, and people work better together than alone and out of fear.

Buy A Breath of Mischief at Amazon

Born and raised in New York City, M.K. French started writing stories when very young, dreaming of different worlds and places to visit. She always had an interest in folklore, fairy tales, and the macabre, which has definitely influenced her work. She currently lives in the Midwest with her husband, three young children, and a golden retriever.

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