WINSLOW — Central Maine author S.A. Larsen recently released “Motley Education,” the first book in a middle-grade fantasy-adventure series.

The book centers on Ebony, whose less-than-average spirit-tracking abilities are ruining more than sixth grade at Motley Junior High School for the Psychically & Celestially Gifted.

Her parents argue so much her dad moved out. She wouldn’t survive without Fleishman, her best friend, even though he’s scared of his own shadow and insists on bringing his slimy, legless lizard everywhere.

When a school project goes missing, she learns it’s one of the keys to saving the spirit world. Now Ebony and Fleishman must battle beasts from Norse mythology to retrieve her project before spirits are lost, the Well of Urd dries up, and Ebony loses all hope of reuniting her family. But someone lies in wait, and he has other plans … including creating a new world of spirits without them in it.

The book is available on Amazon.com and in bookstores. It’s aligned to Common Core standards for grades four to seven, and comes with a guide that can be downloaded for free at www.salarsenbooks.com.

Larsen’s work has appeared in numerous local publications and young adult anthologies. “Marked Beauty,” her debut young adult novel, is set for release in 2017.