In the final book of The Unmapped Chronicles series, Morg is hiding out in The Faraway, in New York to be specific, where she meets Zebedee (Zeb) who has run away (again) from his foster home. Disillusioned by the foster system and determined to find his own way (without having one of his outbursts), he finds himself taking shelter in an abandoned theatre where he finds a piano sat under a rather magnificent chandelier. Unbeknown to anyone, Zeb has taught himself to play the piano and is very good at it, so much so, it draws the attention of one of the locals ... who just happens to be Fox Petty-Squabble! She heads to the theatre to investigate and finds Zeb. Using her skills as a social worker, she manages to talk to him and promises to help once she has run home for her purse. However, in the time that she is away, Morg puts in an appearance and manages to persuade Zeb that Fox is lying to him, and that she can give him all the riches he desires, if he will help her by getting the last of the phoenix tears that have been hidden in the chandelier above his head. He does so but, as you may expect, things don't go quite as he expected and he finds himself dragged into Crackledawn, one of the Unmapped kingdoms, where he does the only thing he knows how to: he runs away. With no idea where he is, he finds himself stumbling into Oonie and Mr Fickletint, the talking chameleon, aboard their boat, The Kerfuffle. Despite vowing to never trust anyone again, he realises that he may have to trust Oonie, in order to save himself and defeat Morg once and for all.
I have loved this entire series and am a big fan of Abi's work; Jungledrop got my class through the first lockdown last year the entire series is incredibly popular in school, so much so that there were squeals of excitement from my book group when I told them what I was reading! (quickly followed by loud moans of despair when they discovered it was an electronic copy so they wouldn't be able to borrow it from me!). Knowing that once I'd picked it up I wouldn't be able to put it down, I decided not to begin reading it until the weekend. The suspense was unbearable but the wait was worth every second of anticipation!

The first chapter was reminiscent of Rumblestar and felt like coming home. With a blend of warmth and humorous touches, Abi's writing is welcoming and draws you in from the first page. Throughout the book she is both wise and poetic in her writing ...

'Every sunrise and every sunset you see in your world is, in fact a symphony,' Mrs Fickletint explained. 'A unique piece of music made up of a thousand sounds hauled up from the bottom of the sea by Sunraiders here in Crackledawn.'

... and has a brain that comes up with THE best character names I have ever come across - Perpetual Faff and her bag that swallows her belongings is a particular favourite, but I'm also rather partial to the idea of a hurtle turtle to keep everything tidy!

Zeb has had a difficult life and struggles to trust people. He hasn't spent much time with one family and chooses to hide himself away instead of risking getting to know people and getting hurt - his past has clearly effected him. Then when he meets Oonie, he is taken aback by her and her independence. She is quite the character and her fierce sense of self and determination, despite the challenges she faces, will be an inspiration to every reader. I was incredibly pleased to see Fox again; in fact the links to the previous books are all wonderful to see.

Abi builds yet another wonderful world through her descriptions, scene setting and clever use of vocabulary, which results in an marvellously immersive book. I found myself transported to Crackledawn, travelling alongside Zeb and Oonie, quite forgetting that I was actually curled up on my sofa!

I have to admit that I stayed up way past my bedtime reading The Crackledawn Dragon as I couldn't put the book down; however, I was also completely torn as I was desperate to eek it out as much as possible as I wasn't ready to say goodbye to this world!

Finally, I'm going to be honest and say that, bizarrely, I found it difficult to write this review as I don't think that anything I'm saying is actually doing justice to the book! In short, The Crackledawn Dragon is a masterclass in writing; a feast for the senses and an absolute joy to read.... I highly recommend pre-ordering it and then finding the time to hide yourself away so you can read it one go!

Couldn’t put it down but didn’t want it to end! The Crackle Dawn Dragon oozes magic, adventure, love & freedom from every word, on every page. Abi Elphinstone has crafted another incredible story with wonderful, relatable characters for children and adults alike.
Abi is fast becoming one of my all time favourite authors and, after meeting her virtually last October, I know she’s an incredible person too! Inspirational.

This book is the final part of the Unmapped Chronicles and brings all the books, including the prequel, to a very satisfying conclusion. This book pulls together the threads from all the books and links the characters who have visited the unmapped chronicles though the years to bring the story to an end. It continued with its theme of relationships this time focusing on learning to trust and the growing of friendships. It doesn’t shy away from the emotions that characters feel as they come to terms with the events in their own lives, as well as their shared experiences, and it uses these emotions to grow the characters. There is plenty of opportunities for empathy as the characters make friends, argue and risk their lives for each other; learning to trust that they have each other’s backs.

There are beautiful descriptions as we get to return to a world we saw in Everdark but also get to see an entirely new side to the unmapped kingdoms. Abi Elphinstone beautifully crafts a story with the right balance of description, dialogue and action to keep you completed engaged with the story (my 8 and 10 year old certainly did not want me to stop reading ). She finds a way to combine the theme of climate change (as with all the books in this series) to link with the damage the sun has caused in the Faraway to Crackledawn, the unmapped kingdom that makes the sun scrolls. Once again, the magic carefully selects a child, who is in need of help just as much as the unmapped kingdom it’s self and by trying to save the unmapped kingdoms, Zeb, a foster child from New `York in the Faraway, learns that he is special, not a nobody, and that people can be trusted. He teams up with Oonie, an untrusting sunraider, and Mrs Fickletint (a talking chameleon) and sets out to save Crackledawn and learn about relationships and the power of stories on the way. The book picks up where, Jungledrop left off with Morg trapped in a well (don’t worry if you haven’t read it - the prologue tells you what has happened so far) and just about to escape having spent 500 years trapped. She calls Zeb, who is lost and alone, to bring her Phoenix tears so she can destroy the unmapped kingdoms and build a new world. Zeb hates the world and doesn’t trust anyone so is only too happy to believe her promise of a new life.

A wonderful edge of your seat story that will have children and adults alike unable to put it down.

Only a sampler but high expectations have been set up for another exciting adventure in this series. I can'’t wait to get stuck in to the full tale and to find out how Zeb is going to untangle himself from Morg’s powerful hold over him. I’m confident that Zeb will pick the right side and that Morg will be vanquished once more, but the twists along the way will be worth the wait!

The Crackledawn Dragon by Abi Elphinstone is a roller coaster of magic, events & emotions!

Fireworks-like narrative, cinematic scene building, lively tone, engaging characters... magic, magic and magic... LOVED IT!

Thank you Simon and Schuster UK Children's & Net Galley for the sampler!

I loved the opening extract of this novel. I haven't read any of the other titles in the series, but that did not matter, because this extract opens with such a startling force that I was captivated within pages. It also goes on to fill in the history of the other titles so I was able to understand how this story fits in with the other adventures though I am now intrigued to read those too - there was enough information to intrigue me, but not to spoil the plot.

'The Crackledawn Dragon' looks to be an adventure about a neurodivergent boy called Zeb who has been tricked into aiding Morag, an evil sorcerer, to take control of the Unmapped Kingdoms. Zeb has run away from his foster home and has clearly lived a difficult life with an absence of genuine affection. He has decided that he can survive on his own, following TV 'lessons' from 'The Tank' a survival expert. He is sucked through a portal hidden in a piano in an abandoned theatre called 'The Chandelier.'

Morag seems to be a terryifying vision with 'talons instead of feet' and 'she wore the pointed skull of a long-dead bird', and with the phoenix teardrops that Zeb provides her with, the 'mangy wings' evolve into something wicked and sinister.

The writing in this book is wonderful. There is humour coupled with imiagination and language which evokes an intriguing world which demands the reader to explore it! Zeb's adventure hadn't really got started when my extract cut off but I definitely wanted to read on and will buy this book when it is available.

Having loved the other books in this series, I knew I was in for a treat. An absolutely cracking start to the book and I can not wait to read the who.e book and see where this adventure takes us. The clues are there, the scene is set, the opening tune played and the curtain has been raised...only a f@ntastic adventure can now await us!

I received a 5 chapter sample of The Crackdawn Dragon (book 4 in the series), which follows Zebedee, a foster child, running away from home when he stumbles into the world of dark magic and is introduced to Morg, an evil harpy.
First of, I'd like to say I didn't realise this was the fourth book in a series (which is my fault entirely), but it didn't actually detract from my reading experience at all? I adored this sampler and was immediately sucked into the world. I would, without-a-doubt, read the entire rest of this series and I know for a fact 11-year-old me would have also adored this.
Some of my favourite aspects included the representation of children in foster care and the mentioning of climate change. I thought it was a simple, yet effective way to address such issues and educated children (without making it 'boring' or being taught in school). I further loved how the start of the book addresses the child reading it - it allows the reader to become intertwined with the world and makes the reader feel as if they are part of the story.
I would recommend this to all middle grade fantasy fans, or anybody who wishes to receive an introduction to middle grade literature - I think it would be perfect.

This sampler introduces us to 11 year old Zebedee Bolt who is running away from a foster family in Brooklyn. It is heart breaking to read that this is not an unusual occurrence for him. He stumbles across an evil harpy, who tricks him into entering an unmapped kingdom. Full of mystery, this sampler has definitely left me wanting to find out more about Zebedee and his mission that he is being duped into.

Thank you for this enchanting and enticing ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m waiting really hard for this book, especially now that I have heard that they have pushed back the release date. This sampler has made the waiting a little easier.
I’m very happy to return to the Unmapped Kingdoms. I was curious about the newest protagonist and freaked out by Morg and her newest scheme and I absolutely loved seeing Fox again. The sampler was a great introduction into the new book and I can’t wait to read the rest.

In this sample we meet Zebedee Bolt running away from his foster home, feeling all alone in the world until suddenly he gets caught up in Morg’s plan to destroy earth and the Unmapped Kingdoms. I read this with my 9 year old son and he thought it was action packed and one of the best series he has ever read and he can’t wait to read the full story! Many thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s UK for the ARC.

I have long been a fan of Abi Elphinstone and have read all her books. Needless to say, I cannot wait to read the whole of her latest offering after reading this sampler.

In the ‘The Crackledawn Dragon’, we return once again to the Unmapped Kingdoms, this time with 11 year old Zebedee Bolt. After running away from yet another foster home, Zebedee falls right into evil harpy Morg’s clutches as she once again tries to take over the Unmapped Kingdoms.

It was great to see an appearance from Fox - I really enjoyed the cameos from previous characters in the other books in the series and how they are all interwoven but this one feels like it may go further than just a brief cameo. I suppose I will have to wait and see! I am really looking forward to finding out what happens to Zebedee and seeing how the rest of the story unfolds.

"And though Zebedee Bolt might not be the kind of child who has time for magic, it very much as time for him."

In this sampler, the reader is introduced to Zebedee, who is fleeing from his foster family. As he is fleeing, Zebedee stumbles across a harpy, Morg, who convinces him to enter a world of magic.

Abi Elphinstone's writing is very strong, and he does a terrific job at establishing the plot and the characters in the first pages. Elphinstone does a phenomenal job at making the reader care and feel sorry for Zebedee. Furthermore, The Crackledawn Dragon is fast-paced and I felt immersed from the first page.

I would love to learn more about Zebedee story, and why no foster family wants him. Hopefully, this area is explored more in the full book.

This sampler sparked my interest and I am curious about where Elphininstone will take the plot from here.

Thanks to Simon and Schuster UK Children's and NetGalley for this sampler in exchange for an honest review.

Another exciting entry in this inventive MG series about climate change. Love the sea-setting this time, distinct from the jungle and hills of the first two books.

I can’t wait to read the rest of this book! Unlike other series which feature the same characters often in different settings as the series goes on, I love how Abi Elphinstine features different characters with the series linking through the different unmapped chronicles.
I can’t wait to see where this book goes.

*Review of Sampler*

The whole concept and the worldbuilding in this story is incredible. I really love the idea of the Unmapped Lands and the Faraway and how they need each other. I was surprised, however, that this is children's fiction because it's surprisingly scary with the villain, Morg the harpy, persuading the main character, Zebedee, to destroy the world so that he doesn't have to go back to the foster system that let him down.

I thought the idea of the story so far is a good one, and Morg is a good villain, but I struggled to connect to Zebedee. Apart from the fact that he seems to cry uncontrollably and is very quiet, there didn't seem to be any real reason why the foster families didn't want him. I also found it difficult to sympathise with him as a character because of how quickly he agrees to help Morg destroy the world (and everyone in it) and simply justifies it to himself as it means everyone will leave him alone and he won't have to go back into care.

Because this is just a sampler, this is as far as I was able to read, so it's possible that the story will pick up and Zebedee will turn out to be a better kid than he looks to be now. From what I've read, I'd recommend this book to the older end of middle-grade as it has some scenes that might scare younger readers. I would be willing to give the full book a chance simply for its creativity, but my lack of connection with Zebedee would have to be overcome.

(Sampler ARC provided by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own)

A delicious taste of what to expect from the latest book in Abi Elphinstone’s awe-inspiring series, The Unmapped Chronicles.

Within this sampler, we are introduced to eleven-year-old runaway, Zebedee Bolt. Whilst fleeing from his foster family, Zebedee stumbles across evil harpy, Morg, who takes him to what I can only assume is the Unmapped Kingdom of Crackledawn.

The Crackledawn Dragon is an exciting and immersive adventure from the very first page. The reader is thrust into the action, and, even from only reading a small sample of the story, it is clear that it’s fast-paced and full of heart. I very much look forward to reading this book in its entirety upon release.

I haven’t read the previous two books as I did t realise this was part of a series. I’m going to go back and read them whilst I wait for the rest of this story! Loved the names of the character.

Can anyone name a character more perfectly than ABI Elphinstone? Only a sampler, leaving me desperate for more as instantly likeable orphan Zebedee meets our old favourite Fox, a talking chameleon, Mrs. Fickletint and archaic foe Morg. Cannot wait for the finale of The Unmapped Chronicles, bestseller awaits!
If you haven't already read the previous three books (where have you been?!), get started now and be prepared for this ride of a lifetime!
Lots of cross curricular links to climate change, geography and fantasy creatures, I can't wait to teach this in Key Stage 2.

As wonderful as we have come to hope and expect from anything Abi Elphinstone pens. Her unique magic fills the pages and readers are left wanting more. From the fantastically imaginative characters and their names, to the creatures, the setting and the dark magic within Morg, this series is everything a child (and grown up) could ever want from a story.
In this final tale in The Unmapped Chronicles, we meet a young orphan who is shifted between foster homes and runs away too many times to count. Zebedee Bolt is on the run again but magic secretly draws him to an old abandoned theatre with a stunning grand piano waiting to be played. Zebedee had a musical talent that seems to be uniquely his! However, music being played in abandoned places draws some people near and I am so thrilled to say, Fox is back! Time has passed but she is here to help!
Morg is also near by and she wants help from Zeb. Using her tricks, ploys and scare tactics, it isn’t long before Zeb gives in with the promise for riches, freedom and a place of his own!
As it is only a sampler, there is little left to say.... but there is so much more to come!
Utterly thrilling, enchanted with Elphinstone magic and always hopeful, I cannot wait to read the rest of The Crackledawn Dragon!