Elvia and the Gift of Passion

Tales by Moons-light, #3

by

Ruthy Ballard

Perfect for reading aloud and sharing with the entire family.

Elvia and the Gift of Passion is the third book in the imaginative and fun middle-grade fantasy series, Tales by Moons-light, by author Ruthy Ballard. With its dramatic yet engaging ten-year-old main character and adventuresome and whimsical storyline, this may be a perfect book to read aloud and share with the entire family. Elvia is fed up with her boring life and hovering parents and longs for some excitement. But when she uncovers a long-held family secret, she gets more than she bargained for and the adventure of a lifetime when she suddenly finds herself 64,000 light-years from Earth. 

The main character is Elvia Elizabeth Hill, a fun, typically self-absorbed, and oh-so-relatable pre-teen who is convinced she’s grown up in the wrong family. (And hasn’t everyone at some time during their childhood wondered if they had been switched at birth?) It seems to be a universal experience during adolescence to feel you don’t quite fit in with your crowd, are majorly different from your siblings, or are totally mismatched with the ideals of your parents. I loved Elvia’s total buy-in with the DNA results and her complete lack of questioning because it supported her suspicions. 

Elvia interacts with a variety of colorful and well-developed secondary characters, many with interesting quirks, backstories, motives, or agendas; it’s such a robust story! I loved Lacie’s part-time career as a “color appellation artist,” her inventive color names, and how she used this “trivial” strength to improve her performance as an “uppy.” 

The different settings introduced as the fantasy unfolds are creative and well-developed. Real Earth locations or part of the world of Urth, the descriptions are vivid and put me right next to the characters in the middle of all the action. There was an immediate and satisfying sense of place. In addition, the book includes delightfully eye-catching illustrations. 

The author’s easy-to-read writing style and perfectly sized chapters, along with its fast pace and engaging characters, make ELVIA AND THE GIFT OF PASSION a story that’s sure to please middle-grade readers, including those of a reluctant nature, and the family as a whole. 

I voluntarily reviewed this after receiving an Advanced Review Copy from the author through Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tours.