I am thrilled to be hosting a spot on the QUEST KIDS AND THE DRAGON PANTS OF GOLD by Mark Leiknes Blog Tour hosted by Rockstar Book Tours. Check out my post and make sure to enter the giveaway!
About The Book:
Author: Mark Leiknes
Pub. Date: September 13, 2022
Publisher: Union Square Kids
Formats: Hardcover, eBook
Pages: 336
Find it: Goodreads, Amazon, Kindle, B&N, iBooks, TBD, Bookshop.org
Comics artist Mark Leiknes delivers a laugh-out-loud story set in a fantastic world of dragons, rock creatures, and golden loungewear.
The Quest Kids are ready for their first real quest. This time, they won’t
oversleep, they won’t be put off by a little rain, and they won’t accidentally
burn down the village that hired them. All they have to do is find the
Golden-Fleeced Rage Beast, shave it, and make a really nice golden tracksuit to
appease a furious dragon. Simple, right?
Meet the Quest Kids crew: Gil, a wizard (well, a wizard in training . . . the
beard isn’t his); Terra, a 700-year-old elf kid; Boulder, a rock troll who is
more of a cook than a fighter; Ash, a flatulent pig-dog-maybe-lizard hybrid;
and, Ned, the intrepid and overly optimistic leader with his own personal quest
to find his missing parents. With humor, magic, mystery, and at least one acid
swamp filled with skeletal alligators, Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants
of Gold is a richly illustrated saga of fantasy friendship for readers
from all kingdoms!
PRAISE:
“Young readers dipping their toes into fantasy realms will find plenty to enjoy here….The illustrations bounce along as quickly as the text, making this a bubbly read, one that quickly grabs attention and doesn’t require much hand-holding... A rip-roaring good time.” — Kirkus Reviews
Rating: 4 Stars
Format: ARC (Finished Copy Courtesy of the Publisher and Rockstar Book Tours)
Given that Mark Leiknes’ Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold is a unique graphic novel, I thought I’d try out a new review style for this book! Here are five reasons I enjoyed the read, and that I think you will too:
FOUND FAMILY
The ‘Quest Kids’ are a rag tag team that has found a home with each other. Comprised of a human, an elf, a rock troll, a wizard’s apprentice, and a loyal dog-pig (even they aren’t quite sure what Ash is), they are trying hard to complete their first official quest (but things are not going quite as well as they had hoped). My favorite members of the group had to be either Boulder or Terra.
HUMOR AND WIT
I was chuckling and giggling under my breath through most of this book. The humor and the heart of the story are evident in the author’s writing. The moments when Ned breaks the fourth wall are quite amusing. It was also fun to see the notes included by J.B. Lucastoothe (who is listed as the curator of the Quest Kid manuscripts). The idea that the backs of dragons became curvier due to extended periods of gold lounging actually makes sense when you think about it, and it still works for the book. I wonder if some of the referenced dragons are related to a certain fire drake sleeping under a pile of gold in the Lonely Mountain.
ART STYLE
In other graphic novels I’ve been reading recently, they are formatted such that the action primarily takes place in panels (akin to a comic book). Mr. Leiknes has this book set up with a format closer to a chapter book, with sections of writing interspersed between illustrations. There are sections of panel, but they aren't as common. I really enjoyed this style, as it helped capture my interest and engage my attention for longer. If you enjoyed Jeff Kinney’s Diary of a Wimpy Kid and are looking for something similar in the fantasy genre, this book is for you!
FANTASY ELEMENTS AND WORLDBUILDING
I’m a big fan of any fantasy book with dragons in it, so I had to say yes when this opportunity was presented. I loved how this book was akin to Questing 101 or Questing for Dummies (though there were many moments when it was more like ‘How not to succeed on your quest’). There were also magic spells, strange creatures, and quaint little villages to explore (I'm craving a bagel from Ye Olde Bagel Shoppe right about now). I’m excited to see what their next quest will be in Book 2 of the series.
DRAGONS
Need I say more? Dragons make every story better, in my opinion, and this book is no exception.
Thank you to the author, the publisher Union Square Kids, Edelweiss, and Jaime at Rockstar Book Tours for providing me with a complimentary copy of the book. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review Quest Kids and the Dragon Pants of Gold immensely! Please note - I voluntarily read and reviewed the book. All opinions expressed in the review are my own, and not influenced in any way.
About Mark Leiknes:
Mark Leiknes lives in St. Paul, Minnesota with his wife and
three kids. He produced a nationally syndicated comic strip for eight years and
now he writes and illustrates books that he hopes his kids will enjoy. And most
times they do!
Website | Twitter | Goodreads | Amazon
Giveaway Details:
1 winner
will receive a finished copy of QUEST KIDS AND THE DRAGON PANTS OF GOLD, US
Only.
Ends September 20th, midnight EST.
a Rafflecopter giveawayTour Schedule:
Week One:
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9/5/2022 |
IG Review |
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9/6/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/7/2022 |
Guest Post |
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9/8/2022 |
Review |
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9/9/2022 |
Review |
Week Two:
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9/12/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/13/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/14/2022 |
IG Review/Read Part of Book Out Loud |
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9/15/2022 |
Review/IG Post |
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9/16/2022 |
IG Review |
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