Nell O’Dell Hates Quests

Gr 4-7–Martin, a noted voice in the eco-fantasy genre, offers a lively, trope-aware adventure that questions the very idea of heroic destiny. Nell O’Dell, 12, wants nothing to do with quests. The daughter of ­celebrated adventurers Kettleburn and ­Iglisenia, she would rather tend her garden at the ­family’s Crossroads Inn than follow in their ­footsteps. When the inn’s deed is ­stolen, Nell ­reluctantly sets out after the thief with Midge, an eager goblin with a flair for ­dramatics, and Bevin, a ­soft-­spoken troll with a knack for herbcraft. They track the deed to ­Celeste, a dragon-keeper ­safeguarding Mount ­Talon’s rare Starshell eggs, and what begins as ­retrieval ­becomes Nell’s fight to shield the dragons from ­treasure-seekers lured by the Questers’ ­Bureau’s reckless marketing. ­Martin’s ­worldbuilding is playful and assured. The Questers’ Bureau, with its pamphlets, ­metrics, and curated “adventure opportunities,” satirizes commercialized ­heroism without losing affection for the genre. Nell’s dry practicality makes her a compelling counterpoint to questers who treat danger like ­performance, and her growth is rooted in small, believable shifts. The ensemble of goblins, elves, dragons, and fairies, depicted with varied skin tones and body types, feels naturally inclusive. The plot leans more on cleverness than ­combat, culminating in a satisfying sequence of ­misdirection, negotiation, and bureaucratic outmaneuvering rather than a conventional showdown. Nell is cued white.