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A New Beginning: Ranger's Apprentice: The Royal Ranger, Book 1
Common Sense says
- John Flanagan
- Adventure
- 2013
Parents say
Kids say
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A lot or a little?
The parents' guide to what's in this book.
What parents need to know
Parents need to know that John Flanagan's A New Beginning is the start to a Ranger's Apprentice spin-off series called The Royal Ranger. On older book covers, it will say Ranger's Apprentice, Book 12, but the rest of this series continues as The Royal Ranger, Books 2 and 3. It helps to read the main Ranger's Apprentice series first, or even the prequel series, The Early Years. Then you'll know what the Rangers are all about and why it's such a big deal that Princess Maddie joins them, not just as their first girl recruit (hooray!) but also a recruit who is not used to a life of discipline and hard work. The first half of the book is mostly about Maddie's training -- with a few missteps, including a night of drinking she pays a steep price for. For the second half, Ranger Will and Maddie are on a dangerous mission. There's a serious injury from a javelin to the hip with much blood loss, a man burned in a pyre with details of the grunting and gagging sounds he makes, enemies shot with longbows and a powerful slingshot, with a mix of injuries and deaths. Kids are manipulated by adults, and then some are kidnapped and held prisoner. There's also talk of the kidnapped kids being from homes where they are beaten and treated badly.
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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: John Flanagan
- Genre: Adventure
- Topics: Princesses, Fairies, Mermaids, and More, Sports and Martial Arts, Adventures, Great Girl Role Models, Horses and Farm Animals, Monsters, Ghosts, and Vampires
- 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, iBooks, Kindle
- Last updated: February 10, 2020
Themes & Topics
For kids who love fantasy and adventure
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