Common Sense Media Review
By Carrie R. Wheadon
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Promising spin-off series start with the first girl Ranger!
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 11+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
What's the Story?
In A NEW BEGINNING: THE ROYAL RANGER, BOOK 1, 15-year-old Princess Maddie sneaks out of the castle one too many times to hunt. Her mother, Cassandra, catches her one night and grounds her, knowing it won't do anything to change her attitude. Ranger Holt and Pauline are summoned to the castle by Gilan shortly after. Gilan is concerned about their Ranger friend Will Treaty whose wife died in a fire. All he does is obsess with finding the man responsible and he refuses to take any Ranger work. They decide that he needs an apprentice, and even though Maddie would be the first girl in the Rangers, as his goddaughter and someone he cares about, she's the perfect candidate. Maddie's thrilled at first to leave the castle. She thinks of her assignment as more of a holiday and brings her lady's maid and a trunk of dresses. When Will sends both back to the castle without her and shows a letter from her parents revoking her title until further notice, she suddenly realizes what she's in for.
Is It Any Good?
This Ranger's Apprentice spin-off will thrill fans with a spirited girl Ranger-in-training and a nail-biting finish. The first half of A New Beginning is mostly about Maddie training and adjusting to life as a Ranger. She sheds her princessy attitude and sense of entitlement and begins to focus wholeheartedly on all the skills Rangers need. Author John Flanagan always provides lots of detail on weapons and training in his books. He also spends ample time with Maddie and her new horse, and this part of the story trots along at a slow and steady pace.
And then Will and Maddie get their first assignment. Now the story builds, with the investigation of a dead Ranger that leads to missing children in small villages and a ring of thieves. When the investigation turns into a rescue mission, the arrows really start to fly and it's a nail-biter until the end.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the Storyman and the Stealer in A New Beginning. How do they convince kids not to talk to adults about the stories they heard? How did this help them get away with the kidnappings? Should you ever trust an adult who tells you to keep secrets from your parents or a trusted caregiver?
How do Will's friends help him deal with the loss of his wife? How does Maddie?
Will you read more in this spin-off series? How many Ranger's Apprentice books have you read? What do you like about them?
Book Details
- Author :
- Genre : Adventure
- Topics : Adventures , Animals , Fantasy
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Philomel
- Publication date : November 5, 2013
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 10 - 13
- Number of pages : 464
- Available on : Paperback, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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