Cornelia Funke is a critically acclaimed, award-winning, international best-selling author. She lives in Hamburg with her husband and two children.
Gr 4-6-Cornelia Funke's novel (Scholastic/The Chicken House, 2004) about Firedrake, a young silver dragon who has lived peacefully in an isolated Scottish valley with other dragons and assorted fabulous creatures for many years is a charming fantasy and a listening delight. When the dragons discover that humans plan to take over their valley, Firedrake and a feisty, headstrong brownie named Sorrel set out to find the Rim of Heaven, the legendary home of silver dragons, rumored to be in the Himalayan Mountains. The two are soon joined by Ben, an orphan, who helps the pair obtain a map to the area and escape the perils of the city. The quest to find the ancient homeland is soon complicated by the realization that Nettlebrand, an evil artificial golden dragon whose sole purpose in life is to hunt silver dragons, is following their every move. A cast of sympathetic humans and fabulous creatures, elves, sea serpents, and a djinni help and sidetrack Firedrake in his journey. The urgency of the mission is carefully conveyed through Brendan Fraser's expert pacing and timing. His boyish charm and irresistible enthusiasm gives each character a distinct voice and personality. The quick humor and intellect of the characters is handled deftly by Fraser. Listeners will be carried along by the narrator's excitement.-Wendy Woodfill, Hennepin County Library, Minnetonka, MN Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
This fantasy that established Funke's (Inkheart) reputation as a gifted storyteller in her native Germany (available for the first time in the U.S.), is sure to appeal to her many American fans. When humans encroach upon his home valley, Firedrake, a young silver dragon, sets off to find the Rim of Heaven, a legendary haven in the mountains. But evil Nettlebrand, a human-made hunter of silver dragons, is spying on him, hoping Firedrake will lead him to even more delicious treats. The creature, referred to as the Golden One, resembles a huge dragon, but he is covered in cold, hard gold scales and cannot fly; however, he can magically appear in any body of water. During his journey, Firedrake is joined by a feisty brownie, a homunculus (who initially spied for Nettlebrand) and Ben, an orphan who may be the dragon rider foretold in an ancient prophecy. Readers will delight in the creatures that turn up in this extended quest. The elves, dwarves and a thousand-eyed djinni (a kindly professor of archaeology and his friends also aid the travelers in piecing together clues) help contribute to a rich lore (all enchanted creatures have red eyes, for example, and dragon-fire will reveal their true natures). While readers may have trouble keeping track of all the plot's strands as they soar through this story, they will no doubt find themselves drawn in by the lively characters and their often hilarious banter, as well as the nonstop obstacles they encounter before the inevitable face-off with Nettlebrand. Ages 8-12. (Sept.) Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.
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