The Quest

Their journey takes them deep into a fantasy world and as the quest continues, they meet some wonderful characters - nippies, unicorns, rainbow mice, a rather plump Christmas tree fairy - and the last living dodo. Some of these join them on their mission, and Toby soon learns that there is more than one kind of dragon - and not all of them are friendly. Author Paula Broderick is inspired by children's authors, most noticeably J.M. Barrie, Hugh Lofting and C.S. Lewis. She has used her experience and understanding of animals, gained partly from owning a game conservation reserve in Africa, combined with her knowledge of African folklore stories and her own stories to create a charming story that will appeal to children from 7 years old. The book is beautifully illustrated by Dave Leonard.