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Aria & Liam and The Druids' Secret

When Aria and Liam are unexpectedly transported to an ancient forest in England older than their great-great-great-grandparents, they come face-to-face with the most famous druid in history, Merlin, and his adopted son, Arthur.

Merlin gives them an impossible mission: help Arthur, the legitimate son of Uther Pendragon, find Excalibur and claim his birthright as the true king of England.

But the most powerful magical society in England, the Circle of Druids, wants to prevent Arthur from finding it. Believing Lancelot should rule instead, they will do anything to keep Excalibur hidden.

Merlin needs Aria and Liam's help to find the sword before Lancelot does. There's just one problem: Arthur is the most insufferable person they've ever met.

And the more time they spend with Arthur, the more Aria and Liam start to wonder if saving England might mean stopping him from getting the sword. Because the boy who's supposed to be king? He's acting like anything but one.

Can Aria and Liam find Excalibur and trust Arthur with it, or should they let Lancelot pull the sword and risk being trapped in the past forever?

Aria & Liam is a series of standalone middle-grade books. Young readers can enjoy each adventure in any order they wish.

Book information:

  • ISBN (paperback): 978-1-959814-28-3
  • ISBN (ebook): 978-1-959814-16-0

Find the book at your favorite retailer by clicking the link below.

I want to find it!

❝ During this adventure, I learned an important lesson: when everything is handed to you on a silver platter without any effort, life actually becomes harder. There are some things you can't get with the snap of a finger, and if you've never trained yourself to work hard and improve, you can become so lazy that it's like walking through life with weights around your ankles. That's why it's important not to always take the easy route. Sometimes, working hard is the best way to reach your dreams. ❞

❝ Let's be honest: I wasn't sold on Arthur for a LONG time during this adventure. I even wondered if Liam and I should just give up on him. But the truth is that giving him a second chance when he showed that he really wanted to change was the best decision we could have made. Change takes time, but having the intention to improve is already half the journey. So never stop trying, and when you realize you've made a mistake, work to change it! ❞

Meet the characters

  • Aria

  • Liam

  • Merlin

  • Arthur

  • Tanglewood

  • Faewind

  • Lancelot

❝In writing this book, I wanted to explore two themes I believe are essential for children to understand early: entitlement and the relationship between effort and achievement.
The legend of Merlin and Arthur felt like the perfect vehicle. Merlin's magic shielding Arthur from every hardship growing up is a powerful backdrop for showing what happens when a child is never asked to struggle. Life feels easy, until suddenly it isn't. My own belief is that an easy life is built on doing hard things, not avoiding them.
The second theme is broader. Aria and Liam find themselves in a dilemma: should they help someone simply because he is destined to rule, or step aside for the person who has actually earned it? It is a question about fairness, merit, and the values we use to build a just society.❞

Coline Monsarrat

Meet the team

  • The Author

    Inspired by her love of storytelling and history, Coline created the book series Aria and Liam. This series takes young readers on exciting adventures through some of the most fascinating periods of history, with its two colorful characters, Aria and Liam.

    Learn more 

  • The Editor

    Thank you to Andrea and Michele at Two Birds Author for making this story better!

    Two Birds Author Website 

  • The Illustrators

    Thank you to Harsh, Ragini, Rwiti, Kaustavi, and Pooja at Draftss for bringing the characters to life. You are all amazing!

    Cover and illustrations: Draftss

    Illustrators: Ragini Ingle, Harsh Chaudhary and Rwiti

    Design Manager : Pooja

    Project Manager : Vanshika Goyal

    Draftss Website