Mistmantle Chronicles - Urchin and the Heartstone, Book II

BOOK II: While the inhabitants of Mistmantle Island prepare for the coronation of Crispin the squirrel—they sew robes, bake cakes, and bring wine from the cellars—they prepare the Heart Stone, the irreplaceable stone with veins of gold and silver that only the priest and the legitimate ruler can hold it in hand. However, the newly achieved peace of Mistmantle will soon be threatened. Hit by the storm, a ship emerges in the mists of the island and with it a dramatic revelation about the Heart Stone. A young islander senses a coming evil. Urchin is taken against his will to a hostile island, where the maniacal King Silverbirch and his sorcerer, Smokewreath, eagerly await him. Urchin will face great challenges and learn a secret that will change his life. “McAllister creates a beautiful world, where animals surrender to the gentle waves of the sea or are born on nights of shooting stars. "It's hard not to get excited about the life and adventures of little Urchin and his friends..." comments the Washington Post.