Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow by Peter David

Book Summary

Buddy is no ordinary teddy bear.

He’s a Knight, crafted by The Nameless Wizard himself, and sworn to protect his Person, 10-year old Mieya, from all the Things-That-Go-Bump-In-The-Night.

When Mieya is cursed into a magical sleep, it’s up to Buddy and his friends Esteban the Bard, Sasha the Warrior-Princess, and Copper the Butterfly to journey across The Realm-Under-The-Bed and find the one responsible.

But this is no ordinary Quest. The Realm is a dangerous place, filled with jungles, deserts, lightning storms, and Monsters. But worst of all is The Queen of Sorrow who waits for them in her dark castle in the crags. To break her curse, Buddy will need more than his skill with a blade, Esteban’s witty songs, or Sasha’s ferocious might.

He’ll need Heart.

A terrifying but magical realm underneath a child's bed, where the nightmare monsters live, but also many more other-worldly creatures alongside them.

Buddy is a brave, sympathetic soul and I enjoyed the brief glimpses back at his origins with the mysterious Nameless Wizard. The journey Buddy takes brings him and his growing group of friends through many places which are just as wondrous as they are sinister. Beautiful glowing caves, a desert of coins and sentient pirate ships.

It's such a terrifying thought that the monsters could be real, with their own domain under the bed. And just as worrying, that I could have thrown away my protector as a child! Despite being about a teddy bear and the monsters under the bed, this didn't really feel like a children's book. The writing was quite mature so I think it is suitable for anyone of any age.

Author Bio

A native son of Massachusetts, Peter has been living in the Deep South for over 25 years. By day, he’s an insurance professional, saving the world one policy at a time. But at night, well, no one really wants to see him fighting crime in his Spider-Man onesie. Instead, Peter develops new worlds of adventure influenced by his love of science fiction, mysteries, music and fantasy. Whether it’s running role-playing games for his long-time friends, watching his beloved New England sporting teams vie for another championship, or just chilling with a movie, his wife, two boys, one puppy and three cats, Peter’s imagination is always on the move. It’s the reason why his stories are an eclectic blend of intrigue, excitement, humour and magic, drawn from four decade’s worth of television, film, novels and comic books.

I have made a Teddy Bear cocktail to match the book. Shake the following ingredients with ice and strain into a cocktail glass: 45 ml pear liqueur, 22.5ml apple schnapps, 45ml apple juice and a pinch of cinnamon.