Bartlett and the Ice Voyage

A somewhat spoiled young queen learns that in the farthest reaches of her seven kingdoms, there grows a fruit so delectable that anyone who tastes it will want to eat little else. The queen demands that the fruit be brought to her, but melidrops are so perishable that they begin to rot as soon as picked, and the palace is many months' journey from the orchards. Bartlett the young explorer is summoned, and after alienating the court with his honesty and nonchalance, he and his silent colleague set off in search of a solution requiring 'inventiveness and perseverance'. This is a splendid quest adventure, with larger than life but believable characters, natural but humorous dialogue, and a storyline driven by whimsical inventiveness. I was reminded of Joan Aiken, but there is a refreshing originality about the story which should captivate independent readers in search of something novel. This book also provides a well paced and concise read aloud.