A long, foggy mountain valley is filled with nothing but silence. Four forms can be seen moving through a light snow, their feet, paws, and wings barely touching the hard ground before them. The opening two sentences of this first fantasy novel by new young writer, Skyler Smith, gives a glimpse into the imagery she uses to build the scenery, characters and story for Partal. The characters are compelling and have great personality that is amazing for any author, especially a young one. Partal takes the reader through a tale of harrowing experiences as the four main characters travel from the only home they have ever known to a large city. This is a great story for any age reader. Look for the second book in this series to follow next year.