The Fabled Stables: Belly of the Beast

In this third book in “The Fabled Stables” series, Auggie is re-examining his life at the Fabled Stables. He has cared for one-of-a-kind creatures in the Fabled Stables for quite some time. He has befriended Willa the Wisp and Fen the Stick-in-the-Mud. He has gotten to know the groundskeeper, Miss Bundt, but he still wonders about the mysterious Professor Cake who owns the island. When Professor Cake asks Miss Bundt to build a boat, Auggie begins to wonder if his time on the island is coming to an end. One day, his friend Fen calls him a “kid” and tells him that “People come and go. There’s no point in getting attached.”

Auggie is upset and wonders if the new boat is meant to take him away from the island where he has found purpose, friendship, and happiness. He feels better when he realizes that there will soon be a new arrival in the Fabled Stables. A dark fog appears signaling a new creature’s appearance. However, when no new beast arrives, Auggie decides to enter the fog to rescue the beast. He asks Willa to take care of his chores, and Fen comes with him into the darkness.

Once again, Auggie encounters the enemy Rooks. They were “a secret army of hunters and thieves who captured one-of-a-king things.” The two brave friends enter the Rook castle to find the endangered animal. They encounter a little girl named Veena Bluestocking who has just lost her father. He had captured a large beast named The Shibboleth. Suddenly, the beast “ROARED and POUNCED and GOBBLED them whole!” Auggie, Fen, and Veena are now inside the beast, and they find a group of Rooks there as well. Now they must save themselves using Veena’s favourite book, The Book of What.

Jonathan Auxier’s newest chapter book in “The Fabled Stables” series once again takes readers to Auggie’s magical island at the top of the world. Auggie is facing a crisis of confidence because he feels his time on the island may be coming to an end. However, after his travels through the dark fog to the Rook castle and into the belly of the beast, he discovers that knowledge and co-operation will solve even the most difficult dilemma. He realizes that friendship, empathy, and kindness are very important in life, and he learns that sharing knowledge is important. Sometimes you must let people go to find their own destiny, even if you wish that they would stay with you forever.

Olga Demidova’s illustrations are colourful and exciting. They provide young readers with a great deal of detail about what the characters are experiencing and how they are dealing with the events in the action-packed story. Veena, the Shibboleth, and the Rooks come to life in her vibrant illustrations.

Readers who have not read the other two chapter books in this series will be able to enjoy The Fabled Stables: Belly of the Beast on its own. The short paragraphs and accessible vocabulary make this chapter book appropriate for young readers just beginning to read independently. Teachers and caregivers could also use this book as a read-aloud. There are several important topics addressed: friendship, empathy, co-operation, problem-solving, abandonment, knowledge, responsibility, and communication. The appearance of Professor Cake and the introduction of the new character Veena and her quest for “The Four Questions” opens up possibilities for future books. Readers will definitely look forward to the next chapter in “The Fabled Stables” saga!