Goblins

In a fast-moving and genuinely funny fantasy, Carnegie Medalist Reeve (Here Lies Arthur) introduces Skarper, a practical sort of goblin who has alienated the less sophisticated members of his tribe by being both intelligent and given to talking back. After being fired off in a "bratapult" by his foes and surviving his fall%E2%80%94he lands rather improbably on a very dense cloud%E2%80%94Skarper meets Henwyn, a foolish 15-year-old apprentice cheesewright who has delusions of becoming a hero ("he'd always felt that he was meant for something more than dairy produce"). After stumbling into several quixotic adventures, the duo teams up with peaceful giant Fraddon, middle-aged princess Eluned (Ned for short), and a gaggle of incompetent sorcerers to defeat the goblins and avert the return to power of the evil Lych Lord. Filled with cheeky surprises, absurd circumstances delivered in a deadpan manner, and magnetic picaresque-style storytelling, this middle-grade novel should readily appeal to fans of The Hobbit, Lloyd Alexander's Prydain series, and Monty Python. Ages 8%E2%80%9312. Agent: Philippa Milnes-Smith, LAW, Ltd. (Sept.)