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    The Children's Book Review

    The Goblin’s Puzzle, by Andrew S. Chilton | Book Review

    Denise MealyBy Denise Mealy3 Mins Read Ages 9-12 Brain Twisters Chapter Books Fantasy: Supernatural Fiction Mysteries
    Book The Goblin's Puzzle
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    The Children’s Book Review | October 31, 2016

     Goblins Puzzle Andrew S Chilton 978-0553520705The Goblin’s Puzzle: Being The Adventures Of A Boy With No Name And Two Girls Called Alice

    Written by Andrew S. Chilton 

    Age Range: 8-12

    Hardback: 288 pages

    Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

    ISBN: 9780553520705

    What to expect: Adventure, friendship, puzzles, fantasy

    In this fun twist on the questing adventure, a boy with no name must solve a series of puzzles to save a girl named Alice from a not-so-terrible dragon. The boy with no name is a slave for a terrible rich master. The boy runs away and begins an adventure across the countryside in true Tolkien fashion. When he’s almost captured by slavers again, a secretive goblin saves him.

    A plain girl named Alice is too smart for her own good. And when a confused dragon for ransom carries her off, she puts her smarts to the test to try and escape.

    Princess Alice, on the other hand, wants to marry for love. She’s the girl who was supposed to be carried off by the dragon, but life’s about to get complicated for the unlucky princess.

    There’s a plot to take over the Kingdom, and the boy with no name is quickly pulled in to help. The blind dragon was told to kidnap Alice – problem is, he kidnapped a girl named Alice, not the Princess Alice. Plain Alice’s humble father asks the boy to rescue her, thus giving him a chance to earn real honor and make a new life for himself. And even though Princess Alice has yet to be carried off by the dragon, there is more drama in store for her. A despicable Duke wants to marry her to coerce the King in to granting him the Kingdom. The two Alice’s and the boy are thrown together into an adventure, and time is running out. Can the boy solve the riddles of the goblin to save himself and two girls named Alice?

    Silly monsters, fun logic puzzles and bravery makes this story an exciting and low-stress adventure for young tweens. There’s plenty of questing, figuring out puzzles, and friendship. I really appreciated how the adventure wasn’t too bloody or brutal, which makes it perfect for younger readers. Kids will get a kick out of the more philosophical riddles and try to figure them out themselves, and Plain Alice has a distinctly Hermione-ish quality that bookish youngsters will really respond to. Even Princess Alice isn’t all she seems, and will surprise with her cleverness.

    Recommended for middle-school aged kids.

    Available Here: 

    Text, logoBuy on AmazonLogo 

    About Andrew S. Chilton

    Andrew S Chilton
    Andrew S Chilton

    Andrew S. Chilton drew inspiration for The Goblin’s Puzzle from a wide variety of sources, ranging from The Hobbit to Monty Python to Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics. As a kid, he gobbled up fantasy novels and logic puzzles, and as an adult, he spent over ten years as a practicing lawyer before launching his career as a writer. He lives in Los Angeles, California.

    The Goblin’s Puzzle, written by Andrew S. Chilton, was reviewed by Denise Mealy. Discover more books like The Goblin’s Puzzle by following along with our reviews and articles tagged with Adventure, Andrew S. Chilton, Fantasy, Friendship, Middle Grade Books, and Puzzles.

    What to Read Next:

    1. Andrew S. Chilton, Author of The Goblin’s Puzzle | Selfie and a Shelfie
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    3. Once Was a Time, by Leila Sales | Book Review
    4. The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry | Book Review

    *Disclosure: Please note that this post may contain affiliate links that share some commission. Rest assured that these will not affect the cost of any products and services promoted here. Our team always provides their authentic opinion in all content published on this site.

    Adventure Andrew S. Chilton Fantasy Friendship Middle Grade Books Puzzles
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    Denise Mealy
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    Denise Mealy is a former web content provider who stays at home to change diapers and write books. Her days are filled with Word documents, books and sloppy kisses (from dogs and baby alike). She likes to read, cook, dance, travel and forward pictures of spam sculptures to friends. If she could have dinner with any author, dead or alive, it would be a toss up between J.K. Rowling and Jane Austen. They would probably eat pasta. Yes, definitely pasta. For more information, visit: www.dccmealy.com You can also find her on Twitter: @dccmealy

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