Street Magic

When 14 year old Briar Moss and his tart-tongued teacher Rosethorn travel to ancient Chammur, Briar stumbles across a street urchin named Ewy. The girl has remarkable magic with stone -- a powerful gift, since Chammur itself is made almost entirely of stone. To Briar's horror, Rosethorn informs him that since he discovered Ewy, he is responsible for finding her a teacher. Failing that, Briar must teach her himself. Ewy is smart, spunky, and not at all convinced any of this is a good idea. Yet irritating as she can be, Briar finds himself growing fond of the girl. Then a powerful noble takes a special interest in Ewy, and Briar and his charge find themselves swept into the dangerous world of street gangs -- a world Briar thought he had left far behind. This is fantasy with a real world edge, as Tamora Pierce deals head on with the issue of gangs, examing both their attractions, and their fatal flaws. Great listening, from America's queen of teen fantasy! Tamora Pierce has published nearly two dozen fantasy novels for young adults, including the recent New York Times bestseller, The Will of the Empress, which also features Briar Moss. Tammy lives in Syracuse, NY with her beloved "spouse creature," Tim Liebe, and a variety of cats and birds. You can visit her on the web at www.tamora-pierce.com