The Mistmantle Chronicles, by M. I. McAllister

M. I. McAllister

Margaret I. McAllister is an English author of children's books, born in 1956. She grew up on the north-east coast of England. Her first book, A Friend for Rachel was published by the Oxford University Press in 1997...

, are a series of books about anthropomorphic animals which feature the life of a pale, honey-colored Eurasian red squirrel

Red Squirrel

The red squirrel or Eurasian red squirrel is a species of tree squirrel in the genus Sciurus common throughout Eurasia...

 named Urchin. The first book in The Mistmantle Chronicles, Urchin of the Riding Stars was published by Bloomsbury Publishing in 2005.

Urchin of the Riding Stars (2005)

The Queen and King are threatened when their son is murdered and intrigues their court, and a wicked pair in disguise attempt to seize control of the island, introducing a regime of culling and forced labor. Urchin will have to take down Captain Husk and Lady Aspen in order to save the island. Urchin soon realizes that he will have a very special role to play in the dramatic battle to save Mistmantle and Captain Crispin.

Urchin and the Heartstone (2006)

The animals of Mistmantle prepare for the coronation of Crispin the squirrel. But when the Heartstone goes missing and Urchin gets kidnapped by some unexpected visitors from the island called Whitewings, panic begins to rise. Urchin knows he must escape the island before its too late. Crispin does his part and many lives are risked to save Urchin. Along the way, Urchin gains a new friend and also discovers a secret about his past that will change his life forever.

The Heir of Mistmantle (2007)

Triumphant heroes and brilliantly wicked villains do pitched battle both morally and physically in this heart-stopping adventure story.

When the heir of Mistmantle, Princess Catkin, is kidnapped, every corner of the island is searched. A mysterious epidemic begins to ravage the island, and news starts spreading about sightings of the infamous Captain Husk, who everyone believed was dead. The inhabitants of Mistmantle begin to worry that these events are connected and that Husk's reign of evil is about to return.

Can Urchin and his trusty friend Juniper recover Catkin before her life is in serious danger?

Urchin and the Raven War (2008)

Peaceful life on Mistmantle is interrupted when Lord Arcneck returns to the island asking for help in a war against bloodthirsty ravens. King Crispin and his friends proceed to aid the Swan Lord, but they soon bring the wrath of the ravens down upon Mistmantle.

When vengeful ravens attack Mistmantle Island, King Crispin, Urchin, and the islanders are faced with some of the most terrifying challenges their island has ever known. Will the animals of Mistmantle band together to defeat this evil enemy? And could it be true that there is a voyager on the island who is able to travel beyond the mists and back again?

Urchin and the Rage Tide (2010)

Under the wise guidance of King Crispin, the animals of Mistmantle have enjoyed a long period of peace and prosperity since the Raven War. However, the tranquility is disrupted when a series of tidal waves threatens to destroy the island. Mossberry, an influential squirrel with delusions of grandeur, sees the impending disaster as an opportunity to rise to power. Urchin, his page Corr, and King Crispin's Circle must stop Mossberry and bring the islanders to safety. When a beloved citizen is swept away in the rage tide, the ultimate sacrifice must be made.

Prophecies

- "He will bring down a powerful ruler."
(This is said about Urchin before his birth and received by his father, Candle.)

- "Fear nothing until squirrels fly through the skies."
(Received by Husk in the dungeon.)

- "I will be all powerful, but the one that falls from the skies must be destroyed."
(Received by Husk in the dungeon.)

- "Over the water the Secret will bring them,
Firelight, Moonlight, the Holy and the True,
the Secret will draw them home."(Received by Juniper and Fir.)

- "The fatherless will find a father,
the hills will fall into earth, the dead paw will stretch out to the living,
there will be a pathway in the sea,
then the Heir of Mistmantle will come home."
(Received by Juniper in book 3)

- "The enemy will call him, the Voyager will come, and he will bear the clothes of a king."
(Received by Fir.)

- "One must come, one must go. Sorrow must come before joy."
(Received by Juniper in book 5.)

Islands

"Mistmantle"

Mistmantle is the island where all the Mistmantle Chronicles are mainly set. It is a relatively small island with mists that surround it that keep those who would seek to harm Mistmantle off the island and prevent those who do not belong on the island away. Only a Voyager has been known to leave Mistmantle and return more than three times. In the books Mistmantle plays host to two battles on minor fight in book one and a more full scale war in the fourth book, Urchin and the Raven War. Mistmantle has its own tower where the king, queen and captains live which has sandstone-yellow walls and comes under attack in books 1,2 and 4.
To the south on Mistmantle is Anemone Wood where Urchin and Neddle where brought up and there is a good-sized jetty by the tower.

"Swan Isle"

About one-third into the first book, Crispin is seen making his way across the ocean from his home. His lone voyage takes him to two other islands in the same chain as Mistmantle: One was no more than a barren piece of stone thrusting up from the sea; the other was dominated by giant crabs and other crustaceans, which he must battle in order to escape. Eventually, he reaches an island far from Mistmantle, which is later identified as Swan Isle. It is where he meets Lord and Lady Arcneck, rulers of the island, and Whisper, a female red squirrel who later becomes the love of his life. It is also where Urchin arrives, unaware that he has brought Whisper's death with him, seeking to recover Crispin and bring him back to Mistmantle.

"Whitewings"

Whitewings is a large island (compared to Mistmantle) about three days away from Mistmantle by boat. We first hear of the island in Urchin and the Heartstone when Urchin is taken there to satisfy the mad King Silverbirch's desire for silver. It has a large stone fortress that is a little way from the beach were the boat Urchin was brought in was moored, the fortress is destroyed in a earthquake at the end of the book. Further into the island there are several large hills which are pointed out to Urchin, one being Eagle Claw (I think)from which Urchin's father Candle was presumably pushed off and killed. There are silver mines which Silverbirch makes his animals work in so the island is covered in a slight layer of dust and many animals have lung and breathing problems from being forced to work in the silver mines. Under the fortress are a series of tunnels and caves that are used by the larchlings for meetings and a place of refuge for those who are in danger of being assassinated by Silverbirches soldiers.

"Ashfire"

Ashfire is the island where Cedar and Almond originally come from. It is home to an active volcano or "fire mountain" as it is referred to in the books. Cedar and Almond left the island when they were young as the volcano erupted, Ashfire is mentioned in books two and five.

Characters

Urchin

Urchin is a young, energetic and charismatic red squirrel who looks different than most. His fur is the color of honey; only the tips of his ears and tail are the color that identifies his species. His arrival at Mistmantle on a Night of Riding Stars could not have been timelier. He was born on the shore opposite to where Mistmantle Tower is located. His mother lived just long enough to give him a blessing. Right after she died, a seagull picked him up and dropped him after being surprised by a Riding Star. He was rescued by Crispin, who was then a skittish page, and Apple, who took him and raised him as her adopted son. Several years later he was approached by Crispin, who had since risen in status to Captaincy, and when Urchin is asked to be his page he accepts enthusiastically.

Crispin

Crispin is a red squirrel who is a Captain of Mistmantle. He found Urchin on the shore when he was a new member of the Circle. In the first book he was exiled after being falsely accused of murder and ends up on Swan Isle, where he meets--and later marries--a lovely red squirrel called Whisper. She is later murdered by Gloss the mole. Crispin journeys back to Mistmantle with Urchin on the back of swans and helps to save Mistmantle from Husk. At the end of book 1 Crispin is proclaimed to be King by the laws of Mistmantle Island after King Brushen dies towards the end of book one.

Padra

Padra is an otter who has a face which looks as if he is always about to laugh, and he is Crispin's best friend. He, Husk, and Crispin are all captains in book one. Arran the otter becomes a captain at the end of book one. Padra is very angry when Crispin is exiled from Mistmantle, and takes Urchin on as a page after Crispin enters the Mists. Padra has a long term girlfriend called Arran, and they get married at the end of book one. In book two they have twins, Tide and Swanfeather (Tide is a boy and Swanfeather is a girl). In book 5 they have another baby girl otter whom they name Fionn.

Arran

Arran is Padra's longtime girlfriend and later wife. She is made a Captain of Mistmantle at the end of book one and resigns in book five as she wishes to spend more time with her young daughter, Fionn.

Lugg

Lugg is a down to earth brave and determined mole who is a member of the Circle and a Captain. In book one he is captain, but with Captain Husk the squirrel in charge, there can only be three captains: Granite the squirrel, Padra the otter, and himself. Lugg aids Urchin in his adventures and fights valiantly alongside Padra in the battle against Husk.

Brother Fir

Brother Fir is Mistmantle's priest in books one to four. He is said to have kind, wise eyes and a depth of great joy that no-one else has. He dies peacefully in book four, and was said to be ancient. Juniper followed him by becoming the next priest.

Sepia

Sepia is a kind, caring squirrel with the sweetest voice on the island. She is introduced in book one, at the Spring Festival, and becomes a main character throughout the other books. She rescues Princess Catkin in book three, because she was the only one calm and kind enough to get past Mistress Linty, Catkin's captor. She and Urchin also have a developing relationship throughout the series and finally marry at the end of book five.

Juniper

Juniper the squirrel is Urchin's trusty friend that helps him throughout his journeys. Juniper becomes a priest in book four after Brother Fir dies. In book three, he finds out who his father was when his foster mother Damson the squirrel was on her deathbed in book three.