Nicobobinus

31 short, punchy chapters tell the story of two young Venetians in a Renaissance past. Nicobobinus and his friend, Rosie, travel the world in search of dragon's blood-to cure his golden sickness, of course! You do ask daft questions - and find it on their own doorstep (which, fortunately, they didn't weed in the first chapter). There's a moral there somewhere but you would never notice. Jones' style is appropriately light and moves the stories on a ripping pace. Jokes double back on themselves; coincidences are stretched almost to the limit; chapters end on cliff-hangers; chapter titles hark back to earlier picaresque, moral tales: '5. How Nicobobinus and Rosie Did a Very Good Thing, and the Reward They Got For It.' The protagonists are consistently drawn and become well-known, well-rounded people who stand out from the vast array of other characters quite sharply. Foreman's illustrations lose a lot in black and white but still retain enough magic to make them an excellent complement to the text. A high class read for a wide range of juniors and a good introduction to a distinct style in English literature.