To Find A Wonder
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“May your heart be true and your sword be loyal.”
To Find A Wonder
by
Jennifer Carson
Illustrated by P.A. Lewis
“Where you headed, lad?”
“The village of Ern,” Mortimer lied. There was no reason for the man to know what he was really about.
“Aye, ’tis beautiful about now, with all the leaves turning on the trees, and the Torrey River rushing under the bridge. Should be a pleasant journey.” In the hearth, next to the bubbling stew pot, fat from the roasting boar dripped and sizzled into the fire below. The barkeep carved a hank of meat and slapped it onto a plate.
Mortimer stared. The boar smelled delicious, but there was a pasty film on the plate. He gingerly sliced at the chunk with his eating knife. The barkeep then ladled a cup of the stew from the pot and set it before Mortimer.
“Take care, going through Ern. I hear there’s been some trouble with a wizard in those parts.”
Mortimer’s interest piqued, his eyebrows arched with curiosity. He shoved the chunk of the warm meat into his mouth. “What kind of trouble has he been causing?”
Lady would surely have been disgraced by his table manners. He vowed to swallow before speaking again.
The barkeep leaned toward Mortimer and whispered. “I heard he’s been mixin’ bad love potions and turnin’ princes into frogs!”
Widening his eyes, Mortimer pretended to be mightily offended at the wizard’s bad practices. “Say what?”
Mortimer needed to find this wizard. A wizard knew about wondrous things. Weren’t their houses full of them? Fire salamanders and talking shrews, potions for wealth and head-shrinking brews.
“Aye, ’tis the truth. I heard it from my neighbor who heard it from his sisters, brother-in-law. Be safe, lad, steer clear of his lands by taking the high road.”
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Mortimer is the best squire in Sir Emberly’s troops, but his liege refuses to recommend him for promotion to knighthood. When Mortimer demands to prove his knight-worthiness, Sir Emberly charges him with an impossible task--finding a wonder in five days. With the help of his faithful mare, a scatterbrained wizard, a frog prince and a very special vegetable, Mortimer creates his own wonder--the first dragon to ever breathe fire! How much trouble could a fire-breathing creature cause anyway? Mortimer certainly finds out, and discovers along the way that being a knight is more than being talented with a sword.
Some reviews are in!
From the Long and short of it Reviews:
What would you do to achieve your heart's desire? That is the question on Mortimer's mind at the beginning of To Find a Wonder. All he's ever wanted was to be a knight, but can he really complete the task Sir Emberley has set forth? And in only five days?
Mortimer is a mere squire with dreams of knighthood. While undoubtedly the best squire in the troop, he has something else holding him back - his attitude. In the manner of young boys everywhere, Mortimer sets out on his adventure with a single-minded agenda: to find his wonder and become a knight. However, while along this journey he grows so much internally that he returns a different boy altogether. He gains so much strength of character and a brand new outlook on life. Mortimer begins as a spoiled boy and returns home a true knight.
Written in a fun and exciting style, To Find a Wonder is a treat for any young person or adult. As you travel with Mortimer and his motley band of companions, you'll laugh out loud and run in fear right alongside them. Enhanced with beautiful illustrations, this novel is highly recommendable to any fan of fantasy or even just a lover of a good laugh.
From Aurora Reviews:
Written in a fun and exciting style, To Find a Wonder is a treat for any young person or adult. As you travel with Mortimer and his motley band of companions, you’ll laugh out loud and run in fear right alongside them. Enhanced with beautiful illustrations, this novel is highly recommendable to any fan of fantasy or even just a lover of a good laugh. To read the whole review visit Aurora.
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