Is there no rest for the travel worn and weary? Not if you’re Nathaniel Fludd, the world’s youngest beastologist-in-training! All Nate really wants is to track down his missing parents, but when a unicorn falls mysteriously ill, Nate’s Aunt Phil makes it clear where a beastologist’s duty lies: to the beasts. 

And if taking care of the world’s beasts isn’t difficult enough, Nate and Aunt Phil must also keep them safe from the villainous Obediah Fludd, who intends to do them harm. With all this taking up every last bit of his energy and time, will Nate ever find the parents he is so absolutely convinced are alive?

Nathaniel Fludd, Beastologist : Book One, Flight of the Phoenix by R.L. LaFevers (fall 2009)
– A Junior Library Guild selection
– Nominated for the 2009 Cybils awards
– Exclusive Chinese and German rights sold

Praise for The Flight of the Phoenix (Book 1):

“A solid start to a new series. . . . A quick and enticing read that will appeal to a wide variety of children.” —School Library Journal

“Straightforward sentences, chronological narrative, short chapters, and Murphy’s plentiful black-and-white illustrations make this appropriate for middle-grade readers looking for a series to grow with.” —Kirkus Reviews

Kelly Murphy grew up surrounded by swamps and marshes that she explored with her six other siblings in southern New England. If you'd like to see more of Kelly's work, please visit www.kelmurphy.com