Butterfingers - Hardcover

Juliet Trewellard worked as an actor for several years before the birth of her two sons. She is the founder of a touring theater company in Cornwall and has written plays, poetry, and short stories. This is her first book for children. She lives in Cornwall and London.

Ian Beck has undertaken many different kinds of illustration work, from greeting cards to the record cover for Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album. He is the illustrator of Philip Pullman's Puss in Boots, along with other books for children. He lives in England.

Grade 3–5—Ned is a stable boy, and not a very good one. He is clumsy and he spends much of his time daydreaming and watching Princess Bella from afar. When she is stolen by a giant monster, and none of the knights sent to retrieve her return, Ned sets out to rescue her with his animal friends Dilly the pony and Tuff the dog. Along the way, they pick up more companions including a pig, an otter, a lark, a mouse, and a fox. This well-told story is a simple fantasy for beginning chapter-book readers. The problem lies with the silhouette illustrations. While they are unique and interesting, they are distracting. In some places, they cut into the text, which could make tracking difficult for beginning or struggling readers. This is a shame because the story itself would be a good choice for these readers. Still, the book should be popular with children who like quests and anthropomorphic animals.—Kelly Roth, Bartow County Public Library, Cartersville, GA
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