Into the Outlands: Quirk's Quest

Gr 3–5—Captain Quenterindy Quirk's royal mission to explore the Outlands of Crutonia is quickly derailed by ravenous, four-eyed giants called Hooklm who look like the Odyssey's Cyclops. The surviving crew members find shelter with a hostile sorceress, then move on to the protection of the Yoons, cheerful, childlike creatures who are poisonous to the Hooklm and generally invincible. The story is full of action, humor, and twists and is illustrated in full color in a cartoon style on glossy pages. The protagonists are colorful and furry, bearing a cuddly resemblance to the Muppets. They also have distinct personalities. Captain Quirk is more talk than action; Smok, the humble cook's assistant, is a quiet hero; and Hukka, the sorceress, is an enigmatic, frightening villain. Even the numerous Sxervian frogs, the crew's protecting army, are named separately in a section at the end called "Characters of Note."