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Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria

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An epic Tail of Adventure! Can one gallant mouse find the Heartstone and save her homeland from destruction?

When the sky fills with shadows
And all is turned to grey
Bravepaw will come

When hope turns to ashes
And all have lost their way
Bravepaw will come

The heart will light the dark
Night will turn to day
When Bravepaw comes

Brought up on tales of the gallant mouse hero Bravepaw, Titch has always dreamed of adventure, but she never thought it would actually happen to her. Afterall, she is nobody special. She is the smallest mouse in her family, living in a peaceful little village where nothing exciting ever happens.

When dire trouble comes to the Plateau, Titch and her best-friend Huckleberry must set out on a dangerous quest to take the Heartstone to the heart of Alluria, and repair the crack in the sky before the whole world breaks apart. Can Titch ever hope to live up to the legend of Bravepaw?

A fully illustrated and brilliantly readable adventure full of magic and prophecy, quests, heroism and loyal friendship - the world of Bravepaw will hook young readers until the very last page. This is the stuff of legend.

191 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 3, 2024

7 people are currently reading
143 people want to read

About the author

L.M. Wilkinson

5 books3 followers

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5 stars
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews
Profile Image for ✧ Beanie Reads ✧.
352 reviews18 followers
December 9, 2025
Read: December 8th - December 9th
Format: E-Book
Rating: 3 stars

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Not going to lie, the ending of this book snuck up on me 🤣It is very much only the beginning of the journey. Which isn't a bad thing, but I wasn't expecting it. So if you're going into this, know that the plot more leads up to a decision being made than any real conclusion.

It's a cute little book with really nice illustrations (puffles are ADORABLE). Bravery is a key part of the theme here. Not shocking, I'm sure, given the title 🤣 The narrative tackles the theme well for a fast-paced juvenile fiction book. It doesn't just go with the "bravery is doing things you're scared of" but emphasizes the various ways of being brave.

It did get surprisingly dark with mentions of the main characters being eaten by the antagonists of this book (multiple times at that). Putting it out there because may be a dark turn parents aren't expecting in the book they get their kids. Then again, from what I've heard (because I haven't seen it), Zootopia is all about prejudices in a prey and predator society, so who knows?

A fun, cute anthropomorphic fantasy adventure book that I'm sure younger kids would enjoy!
Profile Image for Veronica ⭐️.
1,345 reviews292 followers
September 14, 2024
Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria by L.M. Wilkinson is the first in a new fantasy series for young readers.

Titch, a young mouse, is enamoured with the legend of Bravepaw - the bravest mouse who ever lived. She loves to swing her sword and pretend to be a warrior.

Her mother tells her they don't need warriors as there are no monsters anymore. However, when the monsters return, trying to suck all colour and heart from their world, Titch, along with her friend Huckleberry, must draw on all her courage to defeat the curseworms and save the villagers.

Bravepaw and the Heartstone of Alluria is the most endearing tale. The book opens with a map and a prophecy which had me immediately engaged. This story has action, danger and suspense in bucketloads. Titch is the cutest protagonist I've seen in a long time and you can't help but love her.

This enchanting tale is about friendship, bravery, believing in yourself and doing the right thing by others.
Filled with adorable characters, from the lovable Titch and her faithful friend Huckleberry to the oh so cute little Dollop. I'm excited to read the next book to see what adventures and dangers await this little trio as they venture on their quest to heal the heart of Alluria.

Large print and enchanting illustrations by Lavanya Naidu make this suitable for even the youngest readers.

Content: mild battle scenes
not so scary monsters

Profile Image for Joanna.
783 reviews24 followers
September 14, 2024
I don't have any super deep thoughts about this one (Q. Are my thoughts ever deep? A. No) - but this was a really cute middle-grade novel! It has a nice easy to understand story that would appeal to kids, with some cute and fantastic creatures.

It has some nice messages about bravery and friendship and was a good opening to the series. The illustrations are also wonderful and would only be made better if they were in colour!
Profile Image for Klee.
692 reviews22 followers
August 23, 2024
When the sky fills with shadows
And all is turned to grey
Bravepaw will come

When hope turns to ashes
And all have lost their way
Bravepaw will come

The heart will light the dark
Night will turn to day
When Bravepaw comes

Raised on tales of the daring mouse hero Bravepaw, Titch has always longed for adventure, even though she never imagined it would find her. After all, she’s just an ordinary mouse—the smallest in her family - living in a tranquil village where excitement is as rare as a blue moon.

But when a dark calamity descends upon the Plateau, Titch and her fearless friend Huckleberry are thrust into a perilous journey. Their mission: to carry the Heartstone deep into the heart of Alluria and mend the rift in the sky before their world is torn apart. With every step, danger lurks, and the stakes have never been higher. Can Titch rise to the challenge and match the legendary feats of Bravepaw?

This is a beautiful wee read for our young ones - it has some fantastic illustrations, which is always something I really prefer in my young reader books. Good for those who may need a little help with the imagining! The narrative is fast-paced and a lot of fun. This story focuses on the beauty of unbreakable friendships and the power of believing in yourself. It is an utterly enchanting world. One for the primary school bookshelf!

"There are lots of ways to be brave."
Profile Image for Melanie Dulaney.
2,288 reviews146 followers
February 1, 2026
Wilkinson’s fantasy series opener is highly illustrated, contains plenty of font type and size changes and the plot moves along from action to more action which is sure to appeal to the target audience of grades 2-4.

Younger elementary readers will be drawn into the friendship of mouslings Titch and Huckleberry and feel for Titch as she thirsts for adventure, making her own sword, practicing with it as often as her chores (and her mother) will allow and dreaming of her favorite hero, Bravepaw. Huckleberry supports his friend in everything she does and is right by her side when creepy floating eel things come up over the edge of the cliff and into their plateau home. Struggling to fight off the curseworms alongside the warrior hare who flies in with them, Titch grabs up the hare’s gem-topped staff, shouts and the resulting light blasts the beasts to smithereens. The wounded hare is treated by Huckleberry’s grandmother and shares the news of his quest to close a fissure in their country’s land that is allowing monsters to enter Alluuria using the staff that was once wielded by Bravepaw himself. Readers will not be surprised when the two young mice take up the staff and set out to accomplish the task on their own, venturing down from their home and discovering even more danger in the forest below.

Love that Wilkinson jumps right into the meat of the series and allows the depth of the friendship between Titch and Huckleberry to reveal itself a little bit more in every scene. Different creatures are also introduced at every stage leading readers to categorize them as either good guys or bad guys with at least one of them shifting from one side to the other. Mixed in with recognizable animals like mice, a hare, frogs, lizards and a few rabbits are more imaginative ones like the curseworms, an eaglebear and these adorable little puff balls called pufflings whose fur is used for clothes (with no pufflings harmed in the shearing) and whom Titch is supposed to be herding instead of practicing sword moves.

Highly recommended for younger elementary readers who love fantasy. And yes, oh, fans of Brian Jacques, there are shades of Redwall with a weapon-wielding mouse, a homeland to be protected and so many forest animals. I fully expect some feasting and maybe an October Ale-like beverage to be served in book 2, Bravepaw and the Clawstone of Rotwood Mire.

Target audience: grades 2-4 (Publisher says 2-5 but this reads too young for the 5th graders I serve except that some of the vocabulary is pretty challenging and will require the younger end of the range to decode using the picture and textual clues, i.e. vile, brandished, plateau)
Profanity: none
Sexual content: none
Violence: good guys vs bad guys and monsters using swords, clubs, etc. but no blood and certainly appropriate for the genre and the age group

Note: I left my arc copy with my second grade grandson and while he did have his mom stop to define a few words in the two chapters they read together, he brought it with him to church, finished it during the service and asked for the next book. Was surprised to learn that both books 1 and 2 are available in Australia and book 3 will be out there soon. Books 2 and 3 will be coming to the US but a little behind the author’s home country.

Thanks for the print arc, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing.
Profile Image for Laura M.
54 reviews5 followers
December 1, 2025
A fun story for children. I could definitely see myself absolutely loving this as a kid even as an adult, I enjoyed it. I will say, it's very short and you're immediately thrown into adventure with no build up or world building, which is such a missing opportunity to expand the world/lore.
Profile Image for Katie Reilley.
1,040 reviews42 followers
February 5, 2026
Themes of bravery, friendship, and a quest to help others. Loved the illustrations and typography. Can’t wait to see the final version, and looking forward to book 2!
Profile Image for Diana Atwell.
30 reviews
September 5, 2024
Super cute adventure that had hints of The Hobbit for me. Perfect for any child that loves their little animals and a touch of magic.
Profile Image for Tasha Leigh.
936 reviews14 followers
August 8, 2024
This was so freaking cute. It's all about finding inner strength and continuing on through adversity and I just want to squeal while throwing it at all the 7-12 year olds in my life
Profile Image for OpenedBooks.
220 reviews9 followers
December 8, 2025
Bravepaw and the Heart of Alluria is a delightful, action-packed adventure that brings readers into a world where courage comes in many shapes and sizes—especially small, whiskered ones. Titch Proudleaf, an unlikely hero from a quiet mouse village, suddenly finds herself swept into a quest worthy of the legendary Bravepaw himself. And though she doesn’t feel like a hero, the world of Alluria needs her more than she ever imagined.

This story is rich with charm: an all-animal cast, magical creatures, and a journey full of danger, humour, and heart. Titch’s friendship with the ever-supportive Huckleberry is one of the book’s sweetest threads, grounding the high-stakes quest in genuine warmth. Their dynamic is lovely to follow, and their loyalty to one another makes each challenge feel even more meaningful.

Wilkinson writes a classic “chosen one” tale with a fresh, hopeful energy. The theme of believing in yourself is woven throughout, sometimes gently and sometimes a little repetitively—Titch’s mantra, “There are lots of ways to be brave!”, starts off inspiring but does lose a bit of its shine with frequent use. Still, its core message will resonate with young readers, finding their own courage.
The reading experience is enhanced by beautiful illustrations and playful typography—varying fonts and letter sizes make the story feel wonderfully dynamic and alive on the page. Each chapter ends on a cliffhanger, making it nearly impossible to put down, though the whimsical names may give aloud-readers a tongue-twisting challenge!

With magical animals, unforeseen allies, fast-paced action, and a courageous female lead, Bravepaw and the Heart of Alluria is a fun and accessible fantasy adventure. It’s thrilling without being too scary, heartfelt without being heavy, and utterly engaging from start to finish. I’m already eager to continue Titch’s journey in book two.
Profile Image for Lee-Ann.
110 reviews1 follower
June 15, 2024
I received an uncorrected proof of this book from Novel Insight. A great junior adventure novel and will appeal to readers who enjoy Wings of Fire and Delta Quest.

'There are lots of ways to be brave". The smallest mouse in Plateau, Titch has been brought up on tales of a hero mouse called Bravepaw, who once saved Alluria. One day, a warrior hare, Prince Vetiver comes to their village with a magical gem on a staff called the Heartstone of Alluria. Titch is told that there is a crack in the heart of Alluria, which is emitting monsters and foul creatures. These creatures want the Heartstone so they can take over the world. Prince Vetiver is in need of an apprentice but before Titch can say yes, the village is catapulted into a battle against the curseworms. To save the village, Titch decides to take the Heartstone and leave, thus taking the curseworms away from her village. Her friend Huckleberry Buttonbrow is right behind her and together they head off into an adventure of a lifetime. There are a variety of different animal characters in the story including a band of creatures known as the “Grabbers” who raid villages for valuables that they can sell at the markets and Titch’s pet puffling “Dollop” which will appeal to younger readers. As the story ends, the reader will realise that there is more to come in this series.
Profile Image for Farrells Bookshop.
942 reviews52 followers
September 3, 2024
Such a sweet, fun story that is a perfect set up for what I’m sure is going to be the most fantastic series.
Following a little mouse named Titch, who is obsessed with the stories of the hero Bravepaw, in her safe little home on the Plateau where nothing ever happens. Until one day when danger arrives and Titch, her best friend Huckleberry and a daring little puffball named Dollop, must set out on a journey to save all of Alluria by returning the Heartstone to its rightful place.

This is sure to get so many little people hooked into the fantasy and adventure genre, and definitely for those who are wanting to start bridging across to something a little bigger than the early reader books.

Read by Indy
Profile Image for Adam Duncan .
29 reviews
November 1, 2024
Great book! We got upsold this book at a QBD store, and so glad we did! Had read the first four Geronimo Stilton: Kingdom of Fantasy books to our four year old as bedtime stories, but I wanted a break for a bit. Admittedly found myself rephrasing a few sentences just to repeat character names more often for him, but otherwise he really enjoyed the story, and especially liked the Curseworm creatures and how they drain colour but also burst into a rainbow when defeated. His words just now when I asked what he liked in the story:

"I Liked about, the bit that I remembered, the worms called curseworms, cos I’d never heard the word curseworm before."

Looking forward to when the sequel is released! Great bonus to learn Wilkinson is an Australian author, too!

Profile Image for Brit McCarthy.
840 reviews47 followers
January 1, 2026
I love Lili Wilkinson's YA books (The Erasure Initiative, A Hunger Of Thorns, The Boundless Sublime) that I had to buy the first Bravepaw book, for younger readers. And I can't wait to gift this to my nephew at his next birthday, because I really think he will enjoy this one!

The story is fast paced but easy to follow, the art and typography is gorgeous and really helps to add to the atmosphere of the story. Titch the mouse longs for something more in her quiet life on the super safe Plateau - and the opportunity arises when a hare in a glider appears being attacked by curseworms. Adventure ensues!
Profile Image for Jennie.
1,347 reviews
February 11, 2025
Titch dreams of being a hero and adventurer and when she and her friend Huckleberry help an injured hare, Prince Vetiver, she saves him and her mouse community from an attack from the dreaded curseworms. Titch saves the day with the heartstone staff and is the beginning of her adventures as she seeks the Heart of Alluria to wield the heartstone to close the crack that is destroying the land.

Great adventure read for 8 to 10 year olds with lots of black and white illustrations and expressive text fonts throughout.
Profile Image for Samantha.
14 reviews
January 8, 2026
I got this as an advanced reader copy so I won't spoil anything. This book is written for the 7-10 age range, I'd say it leans to the younger side writing wise. The story is classic adventure and the art is charming. There is a part that is surprisingly dark (threatening the mouse with being eaten) so be aware of that. The story is open ended but not a cliffhanger (it is meant to be a series) Overall I would recommend when it comes out.
Profile Image for Steph.
5,447 reviews85 followers
January 26, 2026
Adorable! This author and illustrator (and I’m assuming editorial team as a whole!) really understand what young readers are looking for in 2026. A fantasy full of adventure and heart - but also highly illustrated and with excellent typography choices. :-) Darling story that our 2nd-4th grade readers will love.
Profile Image for Jaimes_Mystical_Library.
963 reviews47 followers
February 8, 2026
This was a cute kid’s chapter book. This was an easy to read story with some illustrations throughout. This book had great, lovable characters as well as good themes of bravery and friendship. Overall this was a wonderful start to a new series and young middle graders are sure to enjoy it.

Thank you to @simonkids for the gifted arc.
Profile Image for Anna.
87 reviews
November 17, 2025
I thought this was a super cute fantasy book for young readers. I'm not sure I cared for the font changing for random words (some instances made more sense than others), but the pictures were lovely, and it had enough to action to make me want to keep reading.
Profile Image for Zali.
246 reviews5 followers
June 19, 2024
Despereaux for the iPad kid generation, so dang cute
145 reviews
August 17, 2024
This is so adorable and wholesome. All my niblings will be getting a copy when it’s published.
Profile Image for Thea.
363 reviews12 followers
December 9, 2024
Oh this was so fun! The typesetting is so clever, the illustrations are beautiful. What a fun start to an adventure. I wmcanr wait to see where this goes! Also I want a puffling now.
Profile Image for Anne.
137 reviews1 follower
March 7, 2025
Very cute adventure..will be recommending to all the kids at my library ❤️
179 reviews2 followers
August 6, 2025
Great fun fantasy book full of adventure and mystery... perfect for a year 3-4 class.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 35 reviews

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