The Quest (for a Good Book)

This week, I'm sharing chapter book stories about going on a quest.  Here are a few of our favorites . . . .

Wizard at Work by Vivian Vande Velde

A young wizard, who runs a school to teach wizards, looks forward to a quiet summer off but is drawn into adventures with princesses, unicorns, and ghosts instead.

So B. It by Sarah Weeks

After spending her life with her mentally retarded mother and agoraphobic neighbor, Heidi sets out from Reno, Nevada, to New York to find out who she is.

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

Taran sets out on a mission to save Prydian from the forces of evil.

The Inquisitor's Tale by Adam Gidwitz

Crossing paths at an inn, thirteenth-century travelers impart the tales of a monastery oblate, a Jewish refugee, and a psychic peasant girl with a loyal greyhound, the three of whom join forces on a chase through France to escape persecution.

More Books --

Abeni's Song by P. Djeli Clark

Beyond the Bright Sea by Lauren Wolk

Cleo Porter and the Body Electric by Jake Burt

Con Quest! by Sam Maggs

Dragon Rider by Cornelia Caroline Funke

Ever by Gail Carson Levine

Have Sword, Will Travel by Garth Nix

Hollow Dolls by MarcyKate Connolly

Mananaland by Pam Munoz Ryan

Nessie Quest by Melissa Savage

The Not-So-Chosen One by Andrew Auseon

Once Upon Another Time by James Riley

The Quest of the Cubs by Kathryn Lasky

A Royal Guide to Monster Slaying by Kelley Armstrong

The Runaway Twin by Peg Kehret

Trundle's Quest by Allan Frewin Jones

Wed Wabbit by Lissa Evans

The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

Gen can steal anything -- at least that's the boast he's made in every winehouse in the capital city.  It's this bragging that has landed him in the king's prison.  He even bragged at his trial that he could steal his freedom.

So when the king's Magus comes with a proposition that he will be released if he steals an item of legend, Gen can't refuse. 

What he doesn't know is that this won't just change his life, but will change the course of several countries.



This is the first book in the Queen's Thief series by Megan Whalen Turner.  This is a wonderful fantasy quest story with lots of intrigue.  It is a great introduction to the world of Eugenides that just gets more detailed with each book in the series.  I would recommend this to those who like fantasy or political intrigue.

The Unlikely Adventures of Mabel Jones by Will Mabbitt

Have you ever picked your nose?
Have you ever picked your nose and eaten it?
Have you ever picked your nose, eaten it, and by doing so get kidnapped by pirates from a world occupied entirely by animals?

Mabel Jones has.

Now, she must work with those pirates to find the missing pieces of "X" to re-open the portal back to her world and her home.



This is a hilarious book by author Will Mabbitt, who also wrote the picture book I Can Only Draw Worms.  I would suggest listening to it on the audio narrated by British actor Toby Jones.  He uses the perfect tones of sarcasm and over-emoting that the book calls for.  I would definitely recommend this book to all kids.

A Boy Called Christmas by Matt Haig

Nikolas must find his father. 

His father traveled to Elfhame to find proof that elves exist.  But he's been gone too long. 

Now, Nikolas must travel to Elfhame to try to find his father.  Along the way, he'll deal with starvation, the cold, mountains.  He'll be imprisoned by elves and attacked by a troll. 

But he'll also make a lifelong friends with a flying reindeer, a pixie, and others as he journeys towards finding his father and ultimately, his purpose in life.


This is a great book for those looking to get into the holiday spirit.  It's basically the story of the events that lead up to Nikolas being Santa Claus.  I would highly recommend listening to the book on audio.  It is narrated perfectly by British actor Stephen Fry.