Ever dream of heading off in your own direction? Letting yourself follow the path of life where it may lead? Taking the day by the reigns and showing it who's boss? Yeah...me neither (JK!), but Ned, our intrepid adventure guide writer, and quest leader certainly has, but, as he's about to discover, not every adventure turns out the way you might expect. Ladies and gents, knights (pre-toasted) and questers, gather round, as we discover the first book in a new Middle Grade series you won't want to miss...
by
Mark Leiknes
9781454946250
Union Square Kids
About the book...
Comics artist Mark Leiknes delivers a laugh-out-loud story set in a fantastic world of dragons, rock creatures, and golden loungewear.
The Quest Kids are ready for their first real quest. This time, they won’t oversleep, they won’t be put off by a little rain, and they won’t accidentally burn down the village that hired them. All they have to do is find the Golden-Fleeced Rage Beast, shave it, and make a really nice golden tracksuit to appease a furious dragon. Simple, right?
Meet the Quest Kids crew: Gil, a wizard (well, wizard in training . . . the beard isn’t his); Terra, a 700-year-old elf kid; Boulder, a rock troll who is more of a cook than a fighter; Ash, a flatulent pig-dog-maybe-lizard hybrid; and, Ned, the intrepid and overly optimistic leader with his own personal quest to find his missing parents. With humor, magic, mystery, and at least one acid swamp filled with skeletal alligators, Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold is a richly illustrated saga of fantasy friendship for readers from all kingdoms!
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Once upon a time, there was a motley crew of wannabe adventurers. Drawn together by their unknown similarities in history and desires, on the surface, they couldn't be any more different. The boy who would be a farmer, if he wasn't so bad at it, who's parents are either missing or abandoned him. The boy wearing the fake beard in homage to his missing master to whom he was a wizard in training who doesn't quite have a handle on his magic. The one who's MMOR (that's Mostly Made Of Rock...in case you weren't in the know), yet feels so much that he was cast aside from his kind. The girl, well female elf technically, who is much older than she looks, but no wiser for her experiences, carrying her own weight of the world on her shoulders. The pig...dog...thing (their words, not mine) that has issues eating, explosive expulsions out of both ends (if you catch my meaning), but is oddly cute, very loyal, and (as we soon discover) chock full of surprises. Separate, they are an interesting menagerie, but together they are a force to be...well, watched out for, sometimes listened to, and generally approached with caution if you're offering a quest. Yes, my friends, they are something...to remember...as is this story!
Did I mention there's a town at stake? Did I tell you about the dragon wearing gold sweatpants, how that came to be, and why he's now seeking a matching track jacket? Did you catch the hidden truths all the members of this troop was hiding, or the cat-baiting that Ned our fearless leader keeps doing in order to gain favor? (That's not as weird as it sounds...the group really likes cats, so their buy in is almost guaranteed if they are involved!) Did you discover how Terra REALLY lost her eye? Or how about how Gil and Ned knew each other BEFORE their questing days? What about their past adventures, plans for the future, or their journaling and drawing capabilities? Or what about the MAD danger involved in facing down the "golden-fleeced rage beast" with an unexpected mashup and a sudden twist at the end? Yeah...like I said, a story to remember for all the action, adventure, and varied cast of characters, but also the messages of the power of friendship, giving others a chance, and allowing people to see your true self. We all make mistakes, tell half-truths from time to time, and generally make a mess of life, but if we learn and grow from them, then there is always a new day to try, try again.
A great pick for Middle Grade fans this season, or any season for that matter, and a fun start to what looks like a promising series!
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About the author...
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| Actual author photo from his site... |
Mark Leiknes lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, with his wife and three kids. He produced a nationally syndicated comic strip (Cow & Boy) for eight years and now he writes and illustrates books for kids. Mark studied graphic design in college and honed his comedic chops studying improv and sketch comedy at the acclaimed Groundlings School. Visit him online at markleiknes.com
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Special thanks to Jenny at Union Square & Co for the chance to bring this title to you as well as the copy for review. (THANKS!) For more information on this title, the author, or the publisher, feel free to click through the links provided above. This title is available now, so click on over to your favorite online retailer or visit your local brick and mortar store today to snag your copy to join the adventure!
Until next time, remember...if it looks good, READ IT!
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