Rev. Tyrel Bramwell

After reading S.D. Smith‘s first children’s novel, The Green Ember, (read my thoughts on it here) I quickly ordered this little volume, as well as book two of The Green Ember Series, Ember Falls. The Black Star of Kingston is a great read. It’s a prequel of sorts, taking the reader to a time before Heather and Picket, a time when The Green Ember’s familiar motto was just being formed.

If your kids like swashbuckling adventure, they’ll love this book. The characters are great and the story is true to S.D. Smith’s tagline, New Stories with an Old Soul. I enjoyed getting to know the new cast in this fantastic story! Zach Franzen’s illustrations were excellent additions in this regard. It’s a good, clean, exciting read for the whole family. When it comes to books about talking animals it would seem that a new author has successfully taken up the mantle.