Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare
(Book #1 of Guardians, The)
Illustrated by: William Joyce
For Ages: 7 - 11
Don't miss The Rise of the Guardians, soon to be a major motion picture in theaters November 2012.
Before SANTA was SANTA, he was North, Nicholas St. North—a daredevil swordsman whose prowess with double scimitars was legendary. Like any swashbuckling young warrior, North seeks treasure and adventure, leading him to the fiercely guarded village of Santoff Claussen, said to be home to the greatest treasure in all the East, and to an even greater wizard, Ombric Shalazar. But when North arrives, legends of riches have given way to terrors of epic proportions! North must decide whether to seek his fortune…or save the village.
When our rebellious hero gets sucked into the chaos (literally), the fight becomes very personal. The Nightmare King and his evil Fearlings are ruling the night, owning the shadows, and sending waves of fear through all of Santoff Clausen. For North, this is a battle worth fighting...and, he’s not alone. There are five other Guardians out there. He only has to find them in time.
Before SANTA was SANTA, he was North, Nicholas St. North—a daredevil swordsman whose prowess with double scimitars was legendary. Like any swashbuckling young warrior, North seeks treasure and adventure, leading him to the fiercely guarded village of Santoff Claussen, said to be home to the greatest treasure in all the East, and to an even greater wizard, Ombric Shalazar. But when North arrives, legends of riches have given way to terrors of epic proportions! North must decide whether to seek his fortune…or save the village.
When our rebellious hero gets sucked into the chaos (literally), the fight becomes very personal. The Nightmare King and his evil Fearlings are ruling the night, owning the shadows, and sending waves of fear through all of Santoff Clausen. For North, this is a battle worth fighting...and, he’s not alone. There are five other Guardians out there. He only has to find them in time.
Choose a format:
Book details:
- Atheneum Books for Young Readers |
- 240 pages |
- ISBN 9781442435759 |
- October 2011 |
- Grades 2 - 6
$10.38 List Price
Available for immediate download
Teaching Resources
To download a file to your computer right-click on the link and choose 'save file as'
High Resolution Images
- Book Cover Image (jpg): Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare
eBook 9781442435759(4.3 MB)
- Author Photo (jpg): William Joyce
photograph (c) Tony Reans(2.1 MB)
Any use of an author photo must include its respective photo credit
Praise
“Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King stole my son! The book came into our house, and the boy disappeared, for hours. Eventually he returned, but it seems that his imagination never came all the way back. A part of him will always remain tangled in the deep, dark, dazzling, insouciant mythology of this latest and most wonderful of William Joyce’s worlds. --Michael Chabon, Pulitzer Prize”
– winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
-
“Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King stole my son! The book came into our house, and the boy disappeared, for hours. Eventually he returned, but it seems that his imagination never came all the way back. A part of him will always remain tangled in the deep, dark, dazzling, insouciant mythology of this latest and most wonderful of William Joyce’s worlds. --Michael Chabon, Pulitzer Prize”– winning author of The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay
-
“The authors do a great job of creating excitement and intrigue, and for those who love to wend their way through extraordinary tales, this novel will not disappoint. The illustrations are wonderful charcoal, graphite, and digital renderings that convey all the magic and fear contained within the story. Fans of Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson’s Peter and the Starcatchers (Hyperion, 2004) may want to give this book a try. SLJ, January 2012”
-
“Joyce’s detailed illustrations capture the multitude of fantastical settings, weapons, and creatures populating this fast-paced tale.”– BOOKLIST, November 1, 2011
-
“William Joyce’s magnificently creative illustrations, rendered in charcoal, graphite, and digital media have an old world feel that extends the text. In the world of fantasy, this book rises above the rest.”– Library Media Connection, March/April 2012
Get updates on new releases, awards news, materials for course adoption and conference information
Book Reviews
Reading Group Guide
A Reading Group Guide to
Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare
King (part of the Guardians series)
by William Joyce and Laura Geringer
Discussion Questions
1. What does Ombric mean when he says, “To understand pretending is to conquer all barriers of time and space?” Is there any practical use for this saying in our own society? If so, who would use it and why? If not, why not?
2. Ombric wanted a village that seemed impossible. Discuss with the group their image of an impossible village.
3. What are some characteristics of a wizard? How does Ombric compare to the list?
4. What are nightmares? Have your group members ever experienced one? What did they do to stop the nightmare? How do they make themselves feel safe at night? Does anyone use a night-light?
5. One of the major themes in this story is good versus bad. Is there any such thing as absolute good or absolute bad? Are people born good or bad? Is goodness or badness something they learn?
6. Pitch wants to capture the good dreams of innocent children and turn them into nightmares. How does one protect oneself from having a nightmare?
7. What was your first impression of Ombric the Wizard upon reading the description of him and his talents, such as turning lead into gold, being able to walk through walls, his invention of time, and being able to stop time? Of all of Ombric see more
Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare
King (part of the Guardians series)
by William Joyce and Laura Geringer
Discussion Questions
1. What does Ombric mean when he says, “To understand pretending is to conquer all barriers of time and space?” Is there any practical use for this saying in our own society? If so, who would use it and why? If not, why not?
2. Ombric wanted a village that seemed impossible. Discuss with the group their image of an impossible village.
3. What are some characteristics of a wizard? How does Ombric compare to the list?
4. What are nightmares? Have your group members ever experienced one? What did they do to stop the nightmare? How do they make themselves feel safe at night? Does anyone use a night-light?
5. One of the major themes in this story is good versus bad. Is there any such thing as absolute good or absolute bad? Are people born good or bad? Is goodness or badness something they learn?
6. Pitch wants to capture the good dreams of innocent children and turn them into nightmares. How does one protect oneself from having a nightmare?
7. What was your first impression of Ombric the Wizard upon reading the description of him and his talents, such as turning lead into gold, being able to walk through walls, his invention of time, and being able to stop time? Of all of Ombric see more
Video
William Joyce discusses The Guardians of Childhood
"A fabulous recapturing of an old, real fairytale world. Dark. Mysterious. Stunning!" --MAURICE SENDAK, Caldecott-winning creator of WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
Videos related to this book
William Joyce discusses The Guardians of Childhood
More Books from this Author
Authors:
-
Author Appearances: Browse our List of Authors Available for School and Library Visits
-
Conference calendar: Visit the Simon & Schuster Booth at these Shows!
-
Twitter: Get the Latest Education and Library News on Twitter
-
Exam Copies: Considering a Book for Course Adoption? Order Your Discounted Copy Here!
