02/17/2014
This first title in the Kingdom of Wrenly series introduces lonely eight-year-old Prince Lucas, who is “bored out of his royal britches” and desperate for a friend. King Caleb prohibits his son from associating with any of the village children except Clara, the daughter of Queen Tasha’s dressmaker. When the queen loses her precious emerald pendant, Lucas and Clara set off to find it (with permission, of course). Their search brings them to island kingdoms inhabited by fairies, trolls, and wizards, but yields no pendant until Clara’s mermaid friends retrieve it from the sea. The characters the children encounter add spice to the story, and although the characterizations, plot, and language are kept basic, that’s to be expected for this age range, and Quinn keeps the action moving at a fast clip over the story’s 10 chapters. A large typeface, simple sentences, art on every spread (not seen in finished form by PW), and an overall sense of adventure should please emergent readers. The Scarlet Dragon pubs simultaneously. Ages 5–7. Illustrator’s agent: the Bright Agency. (Apr.)

2014-02-12
A lonely prince gains a friend for a quest to find a missing jewel. Prince Lucas of Wrenly has everything a boy could possibly want—except a friend. His father has forbidden him to play with the village children for reasons of propriety. Adventure-seeking Lucas acquires peasant clothes to masquerade as a commoner and make friends, but he is caught out. His mother, the queen, persuades the king to allow him one friend: Clara, the daughter of her personal dressmaker. When the queen's prized emerald pendant goes missing, Lucas and Clara set off to find it. They follow the jewel as it changes hands, interviewing each temporary owner. Their adventure cleverly introduces the series' world and peoples, taking the children to the fairy island of Primlox, the trolls' home of Burth, the wizard island of Hobsgrove and finally Mermaid's Cove. By befriending the mermaids, Lucas and Clara finally recover the jewel. In thanks, the king gives Clara a horse of her own so that she may ride with Lucas on their future adventures. The third-person narration is generally unobtrusive, allowing the characters to take center stage. The charming, medieval-flavored illustrations set the fairy-tale scene and take up enough page space that new and reluctant readers won't be overwhelmed by text. A gentle adventure that sets the stage for future quests. (Fantasy. 5-8)