Return to the gritty medieval world of the Bear Highen in this thrilling high fantasy follow up to The Bear House! The war for the throne is over. Aster, at fourteen, has defeated her uncle and taken the crown to become High Queen of the Bear Highen. Peace is good but things are still difficult - first love and first rule don't mix easily - and when Aster stumbles on a young girl living in a nest of dragons, things become even more tangled. Because the girl is not a girl at all. She is a living star, come down from her constellation on a mission both terrible and glorious. And there is no shortage of people who would use her astonishing powers for their own ends - rival kings, rival friends, and even three deadly sisters from the plane of demons, one of whom has an offer Aster may find difficult to refuse... THE BEAR HOUSE: SCALES AND STARDUST is coming from Holiday House November 1st wherever books are sold! Please enjoy this sneak peek that will be up for a limited time :)