• Age: 12 to 15
• Grade: 7 to 10
• Reading age: 12 to 15

Presenting the two novels in the Mythrin fantasy series, all about Amelia Hammer’s adventures in another world. Amelia’s globe-trotting parents have dumped her in tiny, boring Dunstone in the middle of winter with her grandmother and her geeky cousin Simon, who isn’t having much fun either, saddled with a sulky stranger. But life in safe little Dunstone turns dangerously exciting when tall, proud, fearless Mara comes to town. Mara is not what she seems, and when the cousins take Mara’s side in a war for an alien world, Amelia has to spread her wings – literally – and Simon must find out how far he will go to save a cousin who has become a friend.

In The Prism Blade, dragon leader Mara seeks Amelia’s help again. This time, a peculiar race of humans from a world called Cassar is searching for the Prism Blade, a legendary weapon forged at the beginning of time. Both the dragons of Mythrin and the Casseri seek the Prism Blade for their own protection. Caught in the middle, Amelia and Simon are also caught by surprise when they discover that the Prism Blade has been hidden in their own town … and is one of its most treasured objects!

Includes:

• The Ruby Kingdom
• The Prism Blade

Patricia Bow is the author of The Bone Flute (Orca, 2004), a fantasy novel for young people that was nominated for the Silver Birch and Red Cedar awards. Her other published books include The Spiral Maze (Thistledown Press, 1997), also a fantasy novel for kids, and Chimpanzee Rescue (Firefly Books, 2004), a non-fiction book that was chosen as an Honor Book by the American Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The Ruby Kingdom (Dundurn), the first book in a series, is due out in February 2007.
Patricia has been reading ever since the local library opened its magic doors for her and writing since she was old enough to hold a crayon. She uses a computer now instead of a crayon, but the thrill of the story hasn't changed. She writes what she loves to read: fiction with a strong flavour of the strange and mysterious, anchored by down-to-earth heroes.
Over the years she has worked as a librarian, a press reader for a clipping service, and a reporter at a small-town newspaper. Now she works in communications at the University of Waterloo. By day she writes serious prose; by night she maps new worlds of the imagination.
Patricia Bow lives in Kitchener, Ontario with her husband Eric and a small but fierce grey tabby named Pooka. She is a member of CANSCAIP (the Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers).
Email: pabow@gto.net
Website: http://home.golden.net/~thebows/patricia.htm

Patricia Bow's profile page