Wren to the Rescue (Wren Books) [Paperback]

Sherwood Smith (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 10 and up | Grade Level: 5 and up | Series: Wren Books

All her life Wren has hoped for an adventure. Now she has one-with a kidnapped princess, a handsome prince, and a magician. What does it matter if the princess is only Tess, her best friend from the orphanage; if the prince is a youngest son with no chance of becoming king; and the magician is an apprentice? Wren leads the other three over mountains and past killing spells, fighting battles along the way. But then she finds herself up against some shape-changing magic that may end her life as a human forever!

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 6-10-- Solidly constructed and divertingly revealed, the fantasy world Wren inhabits is full of magic, royalty, strange beasts, and engaging characters. From the first page when Tess announces to her friend Wren that she is a princess in hiding because of danger from evil Andreus, readers are enmeshed in the concerns of the kingdom of Meldrith. As Andreus' powerful magic ensnares Tess, Wren sets out to rescue her, accompanied an apprentice magician, and later by others. Magic is integral to the plot yet there are rules that are followed in a logical way throughout. If the characters seem less fleshed out than one would like, or if there is little reflection or growth along the way, fantasy adherents will mind very little. Since the ending does not tie all the threads together tidily, there is a chance that further tales of Meldrith will follow and that readers will then see greater depth of characters and of the realm that are really only introduced in this fast-paced, well-defined adventure. An absorbing and intriguing story. --Carol A. Edwards, Buckham Memorial Library, Faribault, MN
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

"Full of magic, royalty, strange beasts, and engaging characters. . . . An absorbing and intriguing story." (SLJ)

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 10 and up
  
• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Firebird (May 24, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0142401609
• ISBN-13: 978-0142401606
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 5 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (26 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,323,541 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fast-paced and deft, August 7, 2000

By 

Jennifer Mo - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wren to the Rescue (Paperback)

Sherwood Smith must be one of the best-- and least appreciated-- YA fantasy writers out there. Wren to the Rescue is the first and most light-hearted of the Wren trilogy (followed by Wren's Quest and Wren's War). It introduces the usual cast-- an orphan, a princess, a prince, and a magician. However, the characters are all fleshed out unusually well. Wren is one of the most spirited and loyal characters I've ever read; Teressa has been in hiding for all of her life, pretending to be an orphan, and is only beginning to take up her duties as a princess; Connor is the youngest prince of a long line-- landless and a failure at magic; Tyron is a chief worrier, talented young magician and heir to the most powerful magician in the kingdom. When Teressa is kidnapped by the suave King Andreus of the neighboring country Senna Lirwan, her best friend Wren knows she has to do something. Accompanied by Tyron, risking his position as heir, and Connor (who accidentally turned one of the masters into a turtle in the middle of a magic test), any number of wild adventures find them. There are the 'baddiepeepers,' or Wren's word for Andreus' spies, the chraucans-- huge, antisocial birds, and warrie beasts-- a human-eating creature, bandits, powerful magicians who may or may not be on their side, and dozens of magical traps. Including one that turns Wren into a dog, and if not removed soon, will make her one permanently.

Hurtling along at breakneck speed, Wren to the Rescue is a thoroughly enjoyable adventure quest fantasy. The characters are likable, though Wren can occasionally be a bit too relentlessly upbeat and Teressa is a little bland. Sherwood Smith is adept at recreating the dialogue of real children, and the dialogue is consistently good. The world-building is equally consistent. There's nothing objectionable, and fantasy readers of all ages will be delighted with Wren's adventures. Though the trilogy isn't as polished as Sherwood Smith's Crown and Court Duet, it should be very enjoyable for anyone who likes Tamora Pierce, Patricia Wrede, and Lloyd Alexander. A nice series to contrast the Wren trilogy to is Tamora Pierce's The Magic Circle Quartet, which also deals with a foursome of younger protagonists.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This is one of my favorite books, you will love it!, August 28, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Wren to the Rescue (Hardcover)

Wren to the Rescue is about an orphan girl that has always wanted adventure. One day she finds out that her best friend Tess, at the orphanage is really a princess hidding for the evil King Andreus of Senna Lirwan. Who said he would kiddnap the girl, first chance he gets. Tess's parents, the King & Queen of Meldrith finally decide it's safe for Tess to come home (but is it really that safe??). Wren & Tess move to the castle but then..... I'm trying not give a way the ending! Anyway Wren, Tyron a magician in training, and Conner a prince but with no chance of ever getting a kingdom, end up having the adventure of their lives. This story is filled with interesting lands, tons of weird creatures, powerful magic & magicians, and of course bad guys! Also once you start reading this book, you won't be able to put it down!! Make sure you read... #2 Wren's Quest, and #3 Wren's War after this book! Leah

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Wren To The Rescue!, June 19, 2005

By 

Willow and Jasmine "Wren" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Wren to the Rescue (Wren Books) (Paperback)

Wren to the Rescue is a great read! It keeps you hooked and after you read it, you'll run to find the sequels! I just finished reading it for the second time, and it was just as good as I remembered it.

Wren, an orphan at Three Groves Orphanage, finds out that her friend Tess is really a long lost princess, hidden there because the wicked king Andreus wants to kidnap her. Wren is invited to come back to the palace in Cantirmoor with her friend. Unfortunately, the day after they arrive, Andreus strikes and Tess is spirited off to his stronghold in Senna Lirwan. Wren, being the spunky girl that she is, is not content to sit back and watch everyone else search. She uses a magic spell she saw to transport herself to the magic school, and from there decides to run off with a young magic prentice, Tyron, to rescue Tess.

They decide to find the mysterious mage Idres Rhiscarlan, to see if she will help them. When she refuses, they set out on their own to try to prevent the coming war. After a while, they are joined by Connor, Tyron's friend and a prince. After many adventures, involving warrie beasts, secret passages, bridges, armies, thieves and chraucans, they make it into Senna Lirwan.

Wren drinks from a poisoned stream and Andreus tries to take her, but Idres somehow pops back into the stream and saves her, turning Wren into a dog in the process! Poor Wren! But it doesn't seem to bother her all that much, though she is in danger of being a dog forever.

However, more problems soon come their way. Connor has a terrible secret, Wren's friends are captured, and she must find a way to rescue them alone AND get Tess out, before she becomes a dog for good! How does she do it? Read the book to find out!