Cover Reveal - RIDERS OF THE REALM: THROUGH THE UNTAMED SKY By Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

Today we have an amazing cover reveal for the second book in Jennifer Lynn Alvarez's RIDERS OF THE REALM series titled THROUGH THE UNTAMED SKY.

About the book
Cover artist: Vivienne To
Release Date: March 26, 2019
Publisher: HarperCollins Children’s Books
Prize for giveaway:  autographed hardcover of book #1 ACROSS THE DARK WATER (to enter please leave a comment to this post answering one of Jennifer's questions after her top ten list, and leave an email or other form of contact)

Cover copy for book #2 “Through the Untamed Sky”
“After winning the wild pegasus mare named Echofrost in a contest, Rahkki Stormrunner becomes an official Rider in the Sky Guard army. But Rahkki is terrified of heights, and Echofrost is still difficult to tame. And with Echofrost’s herd captured by the giants and the growing threat of battle looming over the Realm, the new pair will have to work through their fears in order to fly with the army and free the herd.

Meanwhile, back in Rahkki’s village, rebellion is brewing, and Rahkki learns there is a sinister plot to overthrow Queen Lilliam. But the queen suspects Rahkki’s behind it, and he is under intense watch.
As Rahkki and Echofrost travel to Mount Crim to free Storm Herd, Rahkki fears that the greatest danger may not come from the impending battle against the giants, but from within his own clan.

Jennifer Lynn Alvarez takes readers on another action-packed adventure, where mystery abounds and threats are around every corner—and it will take trust, loyalty, and ultimately the deep friendship between pegasi and humans to survive.”

And now for the awesome cover!

Dear Middle Grade Minded,
Thank you for hosting the cover reveal for “Through the Untamed Sky”, the second book in the RIDERS OF THE REALM trilogy. The artist is Vivienne To and when I saw the cover, I screamed! I love the colors, the dragon, the pegasus, the sweeping sky—it all comes together so well. It’s fun to see my story illustrated in this way. I love writing about horses, especially winged ones! They live in massive territorial herds, they migrate twice a year, and they are fiercely loyal to one another—exciting fodder for writing stories.

In this trilogy, a small herd of pegasi flee their homeland in search of a safer place to live. On the way, they encounter a primitive clan of humans who would like to capture them and train them as flying warhorses. 

The ideas of cooperation versus slavery, love versus dependence, and freedom versus friendship are explored deeply within the trilogy. Pegasi are sentient beings, so “owning” one is more like owning a human than a pet. Most readers, like this author, will root for the pegasi to remain free, but cooperation with the humans will become necessary—and this awkward attempt at a partnership will rock both worlds!

With the long summer stretching ahead, I thought I’d offer a Top Ten list of animal fantasy books for kids to read!

1. Watership Down, by Richard Adams, this novel about rabbits made me want to write animal fantasy too!
2. The Warriors series, by Erin Hunter, exciting adventure books about clans of wild cats
3. The Firebringer trilogy, by Meredith Ann Pierce, a poetic, evocative story about wild unicorns
4. Black Beauty, by Anna Sewell, a book about a tame horse that changed horse training forever
5. Fire Bringer, by David Clement-Davies, immersive story about wild deer and a young buck named Rannoch
6. Redwall, by Brian Jacques, about a brave young mouse on a quest
7. Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, by Robert C. O’Brien, about a mother mouse who seeks the help of super smart rats to save her son
8. The Incredible Journey, by Sheila Burnford, about a cat and two dogs that trek across rugged terrain to find their owner
9. The Tale of Despereaux, by Kate DiCamillo, about a courageous mouse in love with a princess
10. The Guardian Herd, by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, the origin series about the pegasi of Anok (you don’t need to read this to enjoy Riders of the Realm!

Have you read any of these books? What’s your favorite animal? Let me know in the comments. Thank you for celebrating the cover reveal with me, and happy summer!

Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

About the Author

Jennifer Lynn Alvarez received her degree in English literature from U.C. Berkeley. She writes The Guardian Herd series and the Riders of the Realm trilogy. She’s an active volunteer for United States Pony Club, and she draws on her lifelong love of animals when writing her books. Jennifer lives on a small ranch in Northern California with her husband, kids, horses, and more than her fair share of pets.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ridersoftherealm/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JenniferDiaries

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JenniferLynnAlvarez/

Website: http://www.theguardianherd.com/

Read the first three chapters of book one for free here: https://issuu.com/harpercollinschildrensbooks/docs/riders_of_the_realm__1?e=22906843/59383792