GivingNSharing2: Britfield and The Lost Crown by C.R. Stewart ~ Book Tour

BRITFIELD & THE LOST CROWN
By C.R. Stewart
Middle Grade/Juvenile Adventure Fiction
Purchase:
$16.26 (paperback)
$9.99 (kindle)
$12.99 (audio book)

Enter the World of Britfield: Adventure, Intrigue, Conspiracy, Mystery, and Suspense!
Tom has spent the majority of his life locked behind the cruel walls of Weatherly Orphanage, but when he learns that his parents might actually be alive, Tom is determined to find them. Together, with his best friend Sarah and armed with only the word “Britfield” as a clue to Tom’s mysterious past, the two make a daring escape. Now, they are on the run from a famous Scotland Yard detective and what appears to be half of the police officers in England! The hunt is on, but will Tom and Sarah be able to evade capture long enough to solve an even bigger conspiracy that could tear apart the country?

Multiple Award-Winning Britfield & the Lost Crown by C.R. Stewart, is the first book in a thrilling seven-part series based on family, friendship, loyalty, and courage that is written for pre-teens, Y/A, and readers of all ages. Britfield and its heroes, Tom and Sarah, take readers on an epic adventure as they travel across England. With its stimulating language and stunning historical and geographical asides, Britfield engages the reader from the very first pages and doesn’t let go until it reaches its exciting conclusion!

My thoughts:
It's been a while since I read a book. An actual book. That keeps me up at night till I finish it. I'm afraid it sucked me in.

Britfield and The Lost Crown has a winning story line and great characters that draw you in and makes it easy to connect with. I enjoy books that have some history in it, some maturity to the characters (ie - the girls aren't whiny, the boys aren't obnoxious and the adults in the book aren't condescending) and are fast paced. You'll find all this in this particular book.

You'll find this to be a fun read aloud for younger elementary kiddos and even my kindergartner said she thought the book sounded interesting (she's 6 and has been reading since 4 and began "reading" chapter books with us at around 18-24 months). There is quite a bit of violence but personally I didn't notice much in the way of unacceptable language (or at least no language that I can't just skip over while reading to her). There is a noticeable difference between the good and the bad guys in the story. The Grievouses and Speckle are nasty, cruel people and the good people like Professors Hainsworth as well as several other minor characters are the kind of people you'd like meet. This makes for a good teaching opportunity for discussing strangers, friends who aren't kind and finding people to help us when we need help. Some of the action parts are a bit over the top - but no more than the action scenes in a good Nancy Drew or Hardy Boys book (yeah, that's dating me).

The reading level for this book is about 3-6 grades or a Lexile rating of 700. Due to the length of this book younger children may find this a challenge but it may be to easy for a older child (definitely way to easy for teens to adults) as the verbiage isn't difficult and while there are some descriptive passages they are very short and would be to easy for a well read child who reads as heavily as I did at 5th grade.

Read the first chapter

I'm looking forward to continuing this series with book 2 in the Fall of 2020.

Similar books: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (action oriented but much more descriptive), Peter Pan & Lemonysnickets.

Praise:

“A perfect mixture of fast-paced excitement, heart-stopping surprises, fascinating history, and endearing characters with historical references scattered along the way. Tom and Sarah’s devotion to each other provides an excellent backdrop to the many mishaps and dangers in which they find themselves. I could see this book being used in a classroom setting both as a
literature piece and as a geographical and historical resource. Stewart’s clever narrative draws you in and doesn’t let you go till the end!”
– Dawn Weaver, Reader’s Favorite Book Reviews – 5 Stars!

“Tom just barely escapes the evil orphanage with his friend Sara to follow the clues that his long-lost parents may still be alive! Could Tom really be the heir to the British throne? Such a thrilling book filled with so much awesome history about England, crazy mysteries, and truly amazing characters. It had me hooked every second of reading it! I can’t wait for the sequel.”
– Hannah, Age 13, Kids’ Book Buzz – 5 Stars!

“An intriguing first-in-series read that is sure to capture the attention of the middle grade and young adult crowds. Readers journey through English cities and countryside beautifully rendered in the narrative. The book also includes maps and intelligent background information about the setting and history with access to online illustrations and commentaries. Britfield weaves plot, texture, storytelling, and fascinating characters into a winning combination and enriching experience.”
– Chanticleer Book Review – 5 Stars!

“As a middle school English teacher of 28 years and a multiple bestselling author for middle grade books, I can honestly say Britfield and the Lost Crown has all the right stuff. Intriguing characters, foreshadowing, and suspense will draw readers in deep and have them gasping for breath for the next chapter and the next.”
– Wayne Thomas Batson, bestselling author of The Door Within Trilogy

Book Trailer:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-DIg80NZMI&t=1s