The Fang of Bonfire Crossing: Legends of the Lost Causes - by Brad McLelland & Louis Sylvester (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Dark magic meets the Wild West in The Fang of Bonfire Crossing: Legends of the Lost Causes, second in the rip-roaring middle-grade adventure series filled with scrappy heroes and diabolical villains.

Keech Blackwood and his band of fellow orphans demand justice for their fallen families. But the road to retribution is a long and hard-fought journey.

After defeating Bad Whiskey Nelson, the man who burned Keech's home to the ground, the Lost Causes have a new mission: find Bonfire Crossing, the mysterious land that holds clues to the whereabouts of the all-powerful Char Stone. Along the way they'll have to fend off a shapeshifting beast, a swarm of river monsters, and a fearsome desperado named Big Ben Loving who conjures tornadoes out of thin air. It's an epic standoff between the Lost Causes and the outlaw Reverend Rose, a powerful sorcerer who would be unstoppable with the Stone in his possession.

With the world--and vengeance--hanging in the balance, the Lost Causes are ready for battle.

Praise for Legends of the Lost Causes:

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"This is a fun and exciting story, written with the utmost respect for the Osage culture." --Wah-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center

Review Quotes

A Junior Library Guild Selection

"This is a fun and exciting story, written with the utmost respect for the Osage culture." --Wah-Zha-Zhi Cultural Center

"The Old West lingo-laden dialogue is pitch-perfect--not to mention contagious. It's rare to see a Western in middle grade fiction--especially one that, like this one, eliminates some of the genre's more harmful stereotypes of Native populations . . . [this] will surely gain more than a few young fans." --School Library Journal

"Vividly drawn characters, evocative writing, thrilling suspense." --The Buffalo News

"An adventure with a Louis L'Amour-esque flair refreshed for today's readers by the thoughtful incorporation of American frontier history and Osage culture." --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

"Incorporates aspects of Osage culture and legend into this action-packed series starter. Part western, part zombie flick, this pits scrappy, resourceful kids against some menacing villains--always a recipe for success." --Booklist

About the Author

Brad McLelland was born and raised in Arkansas and spent several years working as a crime journalist in the South. In 2011 he obtained his MFA in creative writing from Oklahoma State University. A part-time drummer and singer, Brad lives in Oklahoma with his wife, stepdaughter, a mini Aussie who gives hugs, and a chubby cat who begs for ham.