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Jacques, Brian.
TRISS
New York : Philomel Books, 2002.
IL 5-8, RL 7.0
ISBN 0399237232

(2 booktalks)

Click on the book to read Amazon reviews
Booktalk #1

Triss the squirrel, Shogg the otter, and Welfo the hedgehog are slaves to the evil ferret family of Riftgard. Triss plots the trio's escape and determines to free the other enslaved souls. Meanwhile, two Dibbuns from Redwall Abbey go missing and inadvertently discover the entrance to the mysterious Brockhall. Sagax the young badger, Scarum the ravenous hare, and otter buddy Kroova take off by sea to reach Redwall Abbey from their home at Salamandastron Mountain. There is a brave female protagonist, sword fighting, thick accents (Wot? Wot?), fine humor and feasting.
Lisa Maher for The Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award

Booktalk #2

Adventure on the High Seas! Secret codes! Escaping from slavery! Swordfights!

Starring squirrels, otters, hedgehogs, badgers, and hares? Imagine if you will, the thrilling adventures of some rather unusual animal friends.

Triss the squirrel maid and her companions at arms, Shogg the otter and Welfo the hedgehog, must fight for their freedom. Enslaved by the cruel ferrets, they steal a boat and attempt to sail free of Riftgard, the ferret kingdom. Their goal: the stronghold of Redwall Abbey, home of warrior mice and the legend of Martin the Warrior, the bravest animal who ever fought.

Sagax and Scarem are sick and tired of doing their chores. They want adventure, they want their parents to stop nagging them, and they want good food. They long to escape the drudgery of the mountain of Salamandastron, home of warrior badgers and hares. They meet up with Kroova, a friendly otter, and set sail on their adventure. Their goal: Redwall Abbey, home of the best oatcakes, candied chestnuts, and vegetable stew with hazelnut dumplings that ever melted in a lucky animal's mouth.

But two young dibbuns (animal children) have gotten lost in the Mossflower Woods surrounding Redwall Abbey. When found, they tell a fantastic tale of a sheltering oak tree and a hidden door. The elders realize they have found the lost entrance to Brockhall, the former badger stronghold. They must solve the riddles to enter the mysterious Hall, but evil beasts have surfaced, and Redwall Abbey and its inhabitants are no longer safe.

Two sets of adventurers are rushing across the seas, seeking refuge (and some lip smacking dessert) at the famed Redwall Abbey. But will the imperiled Abbey still be there when they arrive?
Mary McCarthy for The Colorado Blue Spruce Young Adult Book Award

SUBJECTS:     Animals -- Fiction.
                        Fantasy.

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