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The Collapsing Kingdom
by Benjamin Ellefson
Age Range: 7 – 12 years
Grade Level: 3 – 6
Series: Land without Color
(book 3)
Paperback: 176 pages
Formats: Paperback, eBook
Where can you run when the ground is disappearing beneath your feet?
Growing up, Brandon loved hearing the stories of his grandfather and great-great-grandfather saving the Kingdom of Color from the vicious color thieves. He's listened intently and learned wise lessons about being prepared and eating your vegetables.
So when the color of the land starts to fade away again, Brandon notices. Now, the ground itself is crumbling away leaving nothing but dark, endless voids. When he runs for helps, Brandon discovers that his Grandpa Alvin is missing. He is on his own.
Determined to be a hero and live up to the legacies of his grandfather and great-great-grandfather, Brandon gathers up a supply of vegetables and sets out to save the kingdom. There's only one problem… How?
In the heart-pounding conclusion to the Land without Color series, Brandon teams up with his best friend Steven and a giant eagle name Scout. Together they must race across the collapsing kingdom to elude the relentless Officer Reed, escape the nefarious Spider Riders, and of course rescue the twin princesses, Gwendolyn and Sapphire.
Brandon
Brandon is the grandson of Alvin and the great, great grandson of Otto. Having descended from two heroes of the Kingdom of Color, he has a lot to live up to. But he has listened to the stories of his grandfather and great, great grandfather. And he has learned his lessons on the importance of being prepared and eating your vegetables. Now that the land is crumbling away to nothing and the grayness has returned, he is ready for his turn to rescue the princesses and save the kingdom.
Scout
Scout is a bald eagle living in the wilderness of the Kingdom of Color. Ever since he was a small eaglet in the nest, he learned the importance of being prepared. When he grew up, he made a collection of nests high in trees across the kingdom. In each nest he stockpiled supplies he might need in the future.
Steven
Steven is Brandon's best friend. Living across the street, the two were always hanging out together. They were the leaders in the neighborhood organizing games of kick-the-can or fishing trips. When things get rough, he is the only person that Brandon trusts to help him.
Miss Carter
Miss Carter is Brandon's teacher in school. Since he is normally bored and doesn't pay too much attention, he never gave much thought to her. She was just another teacher in school. That is until he so proudly described how his Grandpa Alvin ended the Great Grayness by rescuing the princesses and defeating the vile vipers. It was then that she so viciously punished him and threatened to turn him into King Fabian for treason. She is dedicated to her students, but seemingly more dedicated to something else.
Officer Reed
Officer Reed is the school security guard. He was responsible for making sure every student attends every class to learn what was required. The students made fun of him behind his back, but they also feared him and knew not to mess with him. When Brandon skips school to find proof of his Grandpa Alvin saving the kingdom and ending the Great Grayness, he finds out the hard way how seriously Officer Reed takes his job in an endless pursuit.
King Fabian
King Fabian is the long ruling leader of the Kingdom of Color. It has been many years since Grandpa Alvin saved the kingdom and returned King Fabian to human form. During those years, the king has withdrawn from the public eye. He has quietly sat on his throne, slowly increasing his power. Now as the land is beginning to collapse around the kingdom, he has changed into a turtle again. But not just any turtle, a robot turtle.
Grandpa Alvin
Grandpa Alvin is the grandfather of Brandon. He is a gentle old man who loves spending time working in his vegetable garden. Long ago, he floated into the Kingdom of Color on a giant bubblegum bubble in the middle of the Great Grayness. Brandon is so proud to hear the stories of how he rescued the princesses and restored the color to the land by defeating the evil snakes. But now in Brandon's hour of need, Grandpa Alvin has gone missing. Disappearing into a bottomless void.
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About the Illustrator
Kevin Cannon is a cartoonist most well known for the critically acclaimed nonfiction graphic novel “The Cartoon Introduction to Philosophy” (Hill & Wang, 2015) and the Eisner Award-nominated arctic adventure “Far Arden” (Top Shelf, 2009). City Pages named him Twin Cities’ Best Cartoonist in 2011. He also produces elaborate cartoon maps, which have appeared in The Appendix, The Star Tribune, The Riverfront Times, and The Miami New Times.
Cannon has also illustrated several children’s books, most notably “Ben and Lucy Play Pond Hockey” (Beavers Pond Press, 2010), and “The Gluten Glitch” (Beavers Pond Press, 2012).
A Minneapolis native, Cannon spends his free time camping, reading dusty books about arctic explorers, and listening to hockey games on the radio.
Lit Amri
Reader's Favorite
It’s an imaginative, nuanced approach to educating children about healthy, natural food.
Emily-Jane Hills Orford
Reader's Favorite
A fast pace with lots of action and strange creatures to thicken the plot – all things young readers enjoy in an adventure story
Marta Tandori
Reader's Favorite
Ellefson’s story is charming and highly imaginative. He combines a high-octane adventure story with an eclectic cast of characters that either assist or attempt to thwart Brandon’s mission to restore color to the kingdom.
Jack Magnus
Reader's Favorite
A fast-paced and exciting romp as Brandon races against time to halt the destruction of his town and the surrounding countryside.
Kayti Nika Raet
Reader's Favorite
The Collapsing Kingdom by Benjamin Ellefson is the third and final book in what has shown to be a unique and promising trilogy.
Midwest Independent Publishing Association Award
2018 Winner
Category: Fiction - Fantasy/SciFi/Horror/Paranormal
Reader's Favorite Book Reviews and Award Content
2018 Illustration Winner
Category: Children's Illustration
