From award winning author, Deb Caletti, comes her debut middle grade novel, A Flicker of Courage: Tales of Triumph and Disaster!

Henry lives in a town run by an evil, arrogant and unpredictable lord named, Vlad Luxor (great name!). Vlad is a cruel leader who, on a whim, will use his magic to transform people into inanimate objects and animals for the slightest annoyance. He even turned his own right-hand man into a crumbling statue for not admiring him greatly enough.

Henry’s home life is equally as bad. His parents are selfish and mean and only around when they want to dole out punishments. He dreams of a family like the one next store with all the chaos and fun of a typical family. One day, the normally raucous house is terribly silent. Henry knows something is wrong. He finds the neighbor boy, Apollo, in tears because his little brother has been turned into a lizard by Vlad Luxor. He’s not only a lizard, but since he’s not wearing clothes he’s a “naked lizard.”

Fortunately, Henry’s grandfather has special abilities as well and with his guidance, Henry and Apollo, along with classmates, Pirate Girl and Jojo learn what they have to do to help Apollo’s little brother. Henry must be brave—not only to save himself, but so he can save the desperately needed friendships he’s made while on this grand adventure.

There’s a lot more in store for Henry as the Tales of Triumph and Disaster series continues. . .

Deb Caletti is the award-winning and critically acclaimed author of over sixteen books for adults and young adults, including Honey, Baby, Sweetheart, a finalist fo the National Book Award, and A Heart in a Body in the World, a Michael L. Printz Honor Book. Her books have also won the Josette Frank Award, the Washington State Book Award, and numerous other state and awards and honors, and she was a finalist of the PEN Center USA Award. She lives with her family in Seattle.