Status
Available
Local notes
PB Cov
Collection
Publication
Apple (1995), 159 pages
Description
Having jumped into the fantasy land of Luster, Cara joins Lightfoot the unicorn in the search for Queen Arabella Skydancer.
Awards
Sequoyah Book Award (Nominee — Children's — 1997)
Sunshine State Young Reader's Award (Nominee — 1999)
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award (Nominee — Grades 6-9 — 1998)
Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers (Selection — 1996)
Language
Original language
English
Original publication date
1994
Physical description
159 p.; 5.25 inches
User reviews
LibraryThing member LisCarey
Cara and her grandmother, whom she has lived with since her mother died and her father left, are on their way home from the library when they realize they are being followed. Cara is surprised and frightened when her grandmother agrees they are really being followed--and that the man is a threat.
She does it, and finds herself in a magical new world.
Luster is a magical place, and she meets magical, wonderful creatures, especially the unicorn, Lightfoot, and Dimblethum, a hairy creature who looks to be somewhere between a man and a bear. Unfortunately, the hunter who was following her and her grandmother has also managed to follow her across, and nasty creatures called Delvers are helping him hunt her. He's after the necklace, or rather amulet, that her grandmother gave her, and wants to use it to bring other hunters--other unicorn hunters--to Luster to wipe out the unicorns.
Cara needs to reach the Queen of the unicorns, to bring a message from her grandmother, and to keep the amulet safe. Along the way, she meets Grimwold the dwarf and recorder of unicorn stories, Thomas the Tinker who can fix almost anything and has a truly impressive wagon, and Firethroat the dragon.
It's a great children's adventure, and Cara is a very believable young girl, brave and smart and quite believably scared by some of the things she encounters and experiences. It's a lot of fun. Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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It's not long before Cara, wearing her grandmother's special necklace, is standing at the top of a bell tower, about to follow Grandma's instructions to wait for the the twelfth toll of the bell, call out "Luster, bring me home," and jump.She does it, and finds herself in a magical new world.
Luster is a magical place, and she meets magical, wonderful creatures, especially the unicorn, Lightfoot, and Dimblethum, a hairy creature who looks to be somewhere between a man and a bear. Unfortunately, the hunter who was following her and her grandmother has also managed to follow her across, and nasty creatures called Delvers are helping him hunt her. He's after the necklace, or rather amulet, that her grandmother gave her, and wants to use it to bring other hunters--other unicorn hunters--to Luster to wipe out the unicorns.
Cara needs to reach the Queen of the unicorns, to bring a message from her grandmother, and to keep the amulet safe. Along the way, she meets Grimwold the dwarf and recorder of unicorn stories, Thomas the Tinker who can fix almost anything and has a truly impressive wagon, and Firethroat the dragon.
It's a great children's adventure, and Cara is a very believable young girl, brave and smart and quite believably scared by some of the things she encounters and experiences. It's a lot of fun. Recommended.
I bought this audiobook.
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LibraryThing member t1bclasslibrary
This is the story of how Cara, a young girl still dealing with the loss of her parents many years before, gets transported to Luster, a planet inhabited by unicorns. While there, she must safely bring the amulet that brought her to Luster to the queen, accompanied by only a few companions (a
I enjoyed this book, and I will certainly be looking for the sequel.
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unicorn, a man-bear, a squirrel monkey, and later a tinker). They move with speed and escape attack, but the greatest danger is the hunter who has followed them. This hunter, Cara has realized, is actually her father, and he tries to use her to get the amulet. Cara is too wily, however, she manages to keep the amulet from him, and get the dragon's heart from him. She commands the dragon to bring him to earth and receives the dragon's thanks when she returns the heart. The dragon gives her the gift of tongues, so she can understand all languages. She goes to the queen and gives her her grandmother's message, "The wanderer is weary." I enjoyed this book, and I will certainly be looking for the sequel.
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LibraryThing member kapuwolves
This book is phenomenal for anyone under the age of thirteen, but it is also a good read for those older who'd like to be reminded of what it felt like to believe in the land of unicorns, fairies, and dragons. Bruce Coville I've met myself at a book signing (yes, I still have it) many years ago,
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and from what I can remember he was a very humble, very gentle man who got along quite easily with the children he was speaking with. All in all, it is a great tale of Cara's adventures, and I am proud to have met Mr. Coville. Show Less
LibraryThing member thc_luver6
A pretty good book but kinda creepy. I really like it. :)
LibraryThing member Carmin_Lynn
This book is great. The story hooks you in from the beginning and keep your focus all the way through.
LibraryThing member earthlistener
A nice story that draws you in at the very beginning and keeps you throughout the book.
LibraryThing member kabentley
This suspensful fairytale tells of Cara's journey into the land of unicorns. Cara faces many challenges on her journey while trying to find the Queen so that she can return home to her grandmother. Cara encounters many magical creatures. Some become her friends and help her along the way. Others
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are trying to take the amulet that her grandmother gave her. This is the first book in the series. Show Less
LibraryThing member Kewpie83
Not my favorite Coville book, but a good solid story. My only complaint is that the other installments took too long to come out, making it hard to be excited about reading them!
LibraryThing member siquebella
In 5th grade, this series was my teacher's read-aloud and as far as I know, no one disliked it.
I loved Cara and the story! There's nothing I would change and I hope to read this book again!
I loved Cara and the story! There's nothing I would change and I hope to read this book again!
LibraryThing member photonegative
I read this book for the first time when I was 9 or 10, and I loved it. I was a little concerned that it wouldn't hold up over the years, and while I probably wouldn't have liked had this been my first read, I could absolutely see what my 10-year-old self loved about it, and it was delightful to
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rediscover and remember it as I read. Show Less
LibraryThing member GretchenLynn
My 10 year old read this and enjoyed it a lot. It was a quick read for her, and a quicker one for me. It is a fun fantasy book - a girl gets whisked away into a magical land where unicorns are real and she needs to help them. It seems well thought out, and has a nice (albeit slightly predictable)
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plot twist. The ending seems rushed, and doesn't resolve everything, but it is setting it up for further books. Show Less
LibraryThing member dandelionroots
This cover is etched onto my brain but I didn't recall any details from elementary school, which made for a fresh reread. Enchanting! Lucky to have the hook up on the rest of the series as I hear they are difficult to obtain.
LibraryThing member electrascaife
When Cara and her grandmother are suddenly pursued by an unknown man, the grandmother gives a precious amulet to Cara and tells her to jump through a portal and into a new world, one filled with magical creatures and monsters, including dragons and unicorns. Cara sets off on a quest to take the
It reads like an early outline for a fantasy novel, but one that needs a lot of work. The story idea is good, but it's told in the barest of bones way, with very little in the way of details, and the characters are completely flat.
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amulet to the queen of the unicorns, and she and the friends she makes long the way must face dangers and wonders to get there.It reads like an early outline for a fantasy novel, but one that needs a lot of work. The story idea is good, but it's told in the barest of bones way, with very little in the way of details, and the characters are completely flat.
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Pages
159