Fablehaven: The Complete Series (38 page)

Either way, the painting might cause her pain. But of course those memories would persist with or without the picture of the pond. She picked it up.

The rest of her bags were already downstairs. She cast a final glance around the playroom, treasuring up the details, and walked out the door. She went down the stairs, along the hall, and started down the staircase to the entry hall.

Her mom and dad stood in the entry hall smiling up at her. They had notably gained weight, especially Dad—he looked twenty pounds heavier. Seth stood near Dad clutching his painting of the dragon.

“You did a painting too!” Mom exclaimed. “Kendra, it’s gorgeous!”

“I had help,” she said, reaching the bottom of the stairs. “How was the cruise?”

“We made a lot of memories,” Mom said.

“Looks like Dad ate plenty of snails,” Seth said.

Dad rubbed his belly. “Nobody warned me about all the desserts.”

“You ready, honey?” Mom said, putting an arm around Kendra.

“Aren’t you going to look around?” Kendra asked.

“We walked the grounds a bit while you were upstairs, and toured the lower rooms. Was there something in particular you wanted to show us?”

“Not really.”

“We should probably get going,” Dad said, opening the front door. Not too many days ago that door had been mangled and an arrow had protruded from the frame.

Outside, Dale was loading the last of the bags into the SUV. Grandma and Grandpa waited nearby on the driveway. Dad helped Kendra and Seth load their paintings while Mom thanked Grandma and Grandpa Sorenson profusely.

“It was our pleasure,” Grandma said earnestly.

“You’ll have to let them visit again sometime soon,” Grandpa insisted.

“I’d like that,” Kendra said.

“Me too,” Seth agreed.

Seth and Kendra hugged their grandparents good-bye and then climbed into the SUV. Grandpa winked at Kendra. Dad started the engine. “You kids have a good time?”

“Yeah,” Seth said.

“Amazing,” Kendra added.

“Remember how worried you were when we dropped you off?” Mom said as she buckled her seatbelt. “I bet it wasn’t half as scary as you imagined.”

Kendra and Seth shared a very special look.

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to Chris Schoebinger for seeing the potential in this story and making it a reality. Thanks also to Brandon Dorman for his wonderful illustrations; to Emily Watts, whose editorial talents smoothed out the rough edges; and to Richard Erickson, Sheryl Dickert Smith, and Tonya Facemyer, whose design prowess made everything look really cool. My appreciation to the entire Shadow Mountain team for doing a tremendous job.

Thanks go out to the friends who provided feedback on early drafts: Jason and Natalie Conforto, Randy and Rachel Davis, Mike Walton, Lisa Mangum, Tony Benjamin, the Excel crew, Nancy, Liz, Tamara, Bryson and Cherie, Summer, Mary, my dad, my mom, and all the others. See, Ty, you should have read it.

Thanks to Aaron Allen and family for the laptop and the support. Thanks to Tiffany for untying certain knots. Thanks to Ryan Hamilton and Dean Hale for extended encouragement. Thanks to Tuck for the dictionary and the eleventh-hour contributions.

Thanks to my parents for so much more than genetic material, and to my siblings for helping me learn how to tease, and to my extended family for being there more than many would consider normal.

Thanks to all former teachers, schoolmates, associates, dates, friends, acquaintances, comedy troupe members, rivals, enemies, and disinterested third parties. Keep on keeping on.

Thanks to you for reading these acknowledgments and hopefully the rest of the book. And the next. And the next.

Most important, a special acknowledgment to my enchanting wife, Mary, and my beautiful children, Sadie and Chase. Thank you for giving my life something to revolve around besides the sun.

Reading Guide

The following questions may be useful in promoting discussion about some of the themes and ideas found in
Fablehaven.
 They are intended as a starting point for interactions in classrooms and with reading groups.

1. There can be great protection from exact obedience. How was this principle reinforced for Seth? For Kendra? How does the principle of obedience function in your life?

2. Kendra was generally a rule keeper, Seth a rule breaker. How did their attitudes evolve over the course of the book? What are advantages to both attitudes? Disadvantages?

3. Consequences serve an essential role for maintaining order and justice and harmony. How do laws help to keep order in Fablehaven? How were Kendra and Seth affected by the consequences of their decisions? How have the consequences of past decisions helped or hindered you?

4. Many of the problems in Fablehaven arose as a result of decisions the characters made, often without bad intentions. Sometimes, what we don’t know
can
hurt us. How was that true for Kendra and Seth? Are there similar examples in the world around you?

5. It can be a challenge to find the courage to do what we fear the most. What enabled Kendra to do something that terrified her? What circumstances do you find most intimidating? How do you find the strength to make it through difficult situations?

6. Circumstances arose where many of the characters in Fablehaven had to risk their lives. Do you think you would risk your life for anything? If so, what?

7. Many of the creatures in Fablehaven have roots in various mythologies, particularly Greek. Can you identify which creatures come from which mythologies? Did you recognize any vocabulary in the book with mythological roots? What are some common words that come from mythologies?

8. Several of the creatures of Fablehaven personified specific attributes. What did the fairies seem to personify? The satyrs? The cliff troll? What are the strengths and weaknesses of those characteristics?

9. Lena spent part of her life as a naiad, in an unchanging state. What aspects of mortality did she like? What did she dislike? How do you think she felt about being returned to the water? Was it fair for the fairies to do that?

10. Fablehaven existed to help protect and conserve vanishing magical species. Why would that be worthwhile? Why do you suppose Grandpa Sorenson even wanted to protect the dangerous creatures? What non-magical plants or animals in our world are in danger of extinction? What are we doing to protect them?

11. There is a promise at the front of the book that none who enter Fablehaven will leave unchanged. How did their experiences at Fablehaven change Seth and Kendra? What do you take from the book?

These are just a few topics to initiate discussion. We would love to hear your discussion topics, your reactions, and your questions on the message board at Fablehaven.com.

To find out more about all things Fablehaven, or to get in touch with the author, be sure to visit Fablehaven.com

Fablehaven: Rise of the Evening Star

Mull, Brandon, 1974-

Fablehaven:rise of the Evening Star / Brandon Mull.

p.  cm.

Summary: When Kendra and Seth go to stay at their grandparents’ estate,

they discover that it is a sanctuary for magical creatures and that a battle

between good and evil is looming.

ISBN-13 978-1-59038-742-9 (hardbound : alk. paper)

eISBN 1-60641-593-x

1. Magic—Fiction.  2. Grandparents—Fiction.  3. Brothers and

sisters—Fiction.]  I. Title.

PZ7.M9112Fa  2006

[Fic]—dc22                                                                                            2006000911

Printed in the United States of America

R. R. Donnelley and Sons, Crawfordsville, IN

10     9       8       7       6       5       4       3       2

To Mom and Dad,

for their endless love and support

Chapter 1

The New Student

Crowding into homeroom with the other eighth graders, Kendra found her way to her desk. In a moment the bell would ring, signaling the start of the last week of school. One final week and she would leave middle school behind forever and start anew as a high school freshman, mingling with kids from two other junior highs.

A year ago that had sounded like a more exciting prospect than it did now. Kendra had been stuck in a nerd rut since around fourth grade, and a fresh start in high school might have meant an opportunity to shed the quiet, studious image. But this had been a renaissance year. Amazing how swiftly a little confidence and a more outgoing attitude could elevate your social status. Kendra no longer felt as desperate for a new beginning.

Alyssa Carter sat down in the desk next to her. “I heard we get yearbooks today,” she said. She had short blonde hair and a slender build. Kendra had met Alyssa after making the soccer team back in September.

“Great, I looked hypnotized in my picture,” Kendra groaned.

“Yours was adorable. Remember mine? My braces look the size of train tracks.”

“Whatever. You could hardly even notice them.”

The bell rang. Most of the kids were in their seats. Mrs. Price entered the room accompanied by the most disfigured student Kendra had ever seen. The boy had a bald, scabrous scalp and a face like a chapped welt. His eyes were puckered slits, his nose a malformed cavity, his mouth lipless and crusty. He scratched his arm, crooked fingers lumpy with bulging warts.

The hideous boy was otherwise nicely dressed in a black and red button-down shirt, jeans, and stylish tennis shoes. He stood in front of the class beside Mrs. Price while she introduced him.

“I’d like you all to meet Casey Hancock. His family just moved here from California. It can’t be easy starting at a new school so late in the year, so please give him a warm welcome.”