The Traveling Restaurant: Jaspers Voyage in Three Parts (Tales of Fontania, #1) by Barbara Else

The Traveling Restaurant: Jaspers Voyage in Three Parts (Tales of Fontania, #1) Reviews

• 
  Adriana

  Jasper is just an ordinary boy who lives in a place where the monarch is oh so adorable! Or that's what everyone says in fear so they don't get taken away. He doesn't understand how people do that. He also doesn't understand why his mother keeps on telling everyone that he is ten instead of twelve. And then he sees Lady Gall put something in his little sister's mouth and everything goes haywire after that. He's left alone and ends up going on a ship with a restaurant that has an odd set of people that he soon finds out are not only odd but important. They're against Lady Gall taking the crown but I don't even they would have expected this much trouble from an ordinary boy like Jasper. Stealing orphans, bribing pirates, and you the reader discovering that this isn't just an ordinary boy after all.
  
  Well this one took me awhile so you know it wasn't as captivating as it could be BUT that doesn't mean it was bad. It actually was pretty good. Another "I didn't expect" type of book. I would just say it is for a certain type of reader. It's a journey but I thought there would be more action less talking. Jasper is very likable and I felt sorry for him because everyone kept calling him plain and he was anything but. He loved his sister very much and his sister was a toddler so that's love! I know I shouldn't say this but it was too long. The average middle schooler is not going to keep there attention on this book for that long. Again it's a certain type of reader. An actual READER. Someone who likes to read a lot. So other than that this book was a unique one. The plot was a great one with an evil monarch wanted to take over who was kind of reminiscent to the one in The Girl Who Circumnavigated Fairyland in A Ship of her own Making. I'm happy that I finally got to finish it and it ended nicely.
  
  
  http://shesgotbooksonhermind.blogspot...
• 
  Anna

  A magical world, a nasty acting Queen, orphans, pirates and sword fights. Really, what's not to like? Jasper is a great character! Nice entertainment on a plane. I also rather perversely like that this NZ fantasy-ish book has absolutely nothing to do with NZ at all.
• 
  Mauoijenn

  *NetGalley book review*
  
  Such a eclectic story. Being lost, chased, dealing with pirates and traveling, this book is quite an adventure for young readers. It was a good book, kind of too long for me during this story line, but still good.
• 
  Gwyn Ryan

  I've definitely got some interesting things to say about this one. So much complexity in a deceptively simple package. One of the things being that it took me halfway through the book to suddenly have this brain flash: This is a dystopian novel! And it is, absolutely. That fact is just a little obscured by the fact that it's not actually a future dystopia -- the world of the Restaurant is not our world at all, but a typical high fantasy world suffering from The Accident in which all magic was lost from a world that depended on it - a loss that coincided with the loss of the rightful rulers leaving the land in the hands of a 'provisional' Queen with a penchant for giving sickly sweet speeches about how wonderful everything is under her benevolent rule and making sure that anyone who doesn't immediately agree and tell her how wonderful she is mysteriously disappears. Said Queen is also determined to remove that pesky 'Provisional' from her title by any means necessary. Enter Jasper, the twelver-year-old son of one of the the kingdom's most eminent scientists -- now permanently reassigned to brewing ever increasing dosages of the kingdom's version of Botox for the Queen. The Queen seems to have taken an unhealthy amount of interest in Jasper and his little sister Sibilla, and in the family's flight from the city Jasper is left behind. What follows is Jasper's quest to reunite with his family and to save his little sister from the clutches of the Evil Queen. As in all good quest narratives, along the way he meets a variety of helpers and antagonists, and some who seem to fit in both categories. Secrets are shared and pasts are revealed, but it's all secondary to the main objective -- get to Sibilla and protect her at all costs.
  
  And this is where I think this book really shines. It definitely falls into the category of 'kid has to save the day because the adults can't be trusted to do it right'. But all the adults in this book are *realistically* flawed. They're not stupid, or naive, but they are all damaged, with emotional and mental wounds that often impair their better judgement. Reading this, you're constantly reminded that the adults *remember* a time when things were good. There is a certain overwhelmed helplessness to their actions - you get the feeling they are constantly looking around in bewilderment -- how did we go from normal to *this*?
  
  For the children, this *is* normal. There's anger, absolutely, but there's none of that paralyzing disbelief and denial. It is this very acceptance -- this almost protective attitude toward the adults -- that is most heartbreaking. I was struck particularly by the scene in which Jasper almost tells his aunt that the man she loves - who she believes is dead - was instead captured alive. He starts to say something, then catches himself. The man was captured. He's going to be dead soon anyway. No need for her to grieve twice. No twelve-year-old should have to think like that.
  
  From my description at this point you're probably imagining some dark depressing narrative along the lines of The Hunger Games. That couldn't be further from the truth. The genius of this book is that the story, in all its dystopian anguish, is told in a straight-forward, fairy-tale style narration that, much like Jasper himself, downplays the darker events in favour of focusing on the next step toward achieving the goal. And, of course, there's quite a bit of humour sprinkled in for some much needed comic relief.
• 
  Kate Copeseeley

  This was an absolutely delightful MG book that I picked up on a whim after a trip to the library with my kids (because I thought the title was intriguing). Well, it turns out, the writer is very good at titles. I was continually amused by the chapter titles of this book. Here are a few in order, so you can see why they're so funny:
  -this is when Jasper realizes something dangerous has started
  -the next day goes like this
  -this is when it becomes very dangerous
  -this is when it becomes very distressing
  -this is when Jasper has to cope
  
  and this grouping right here:
  -a not very excellent plan
  -the plan is still very awful
  -this is what happens when you have no plan at all
  -who needs plans anyway?
  -no plan could have been much help
  -give up plans and hope for good advice
  
  Honestly, the story was fun, the characters were adorable, and the protagonist was so brave and rebellious. The antagonist, though... *shudder* She was a really good one.
  
  Overall, if you like Middle Grade for yourself or your kidlets, I recommend this book.
• 
  Jana

  I received a free copy from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
  
  This book was okay. It's about a boy who has to flee with his family from a woman who unrightfully wants to take the crown and has forbidden magic. And well, I had trouble getting into it. I didn't connect to the characters, and therefore the story didn't leave a huge impact on me, if any impact at all. But it was fast-paced and fun enough to read the whole of it and is probably a very quick and fun story for children.
• 
  Jamie

  Fun adventure story about an evil woman trying to become queen and the young boy who helps foil her, with the help of a floating restaurant boat, some pirates and the "rightful heirs." Fun.
• 
  Angela Oliver

  An engaging and entertaining story set in an intriguing world. Most enjoyable.
• 
  Rosa Vincent

  This is probably the most underrated book I've read, like have you seen the number of reviews?!
  I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I have the first three in the series on my bookshelf and though I've only read them once I still love looking at them and being reminded of the story.
  This book was amazing, I love Jasper and his whole experience on the travelling restaurant and the adventures he goes on are so thrilling. It's such a ride.
  The whole book was so unexpected, I've never read anything like it. The books get progressively stranger as they go along and that is what adds to the fun of it. I didn't see the ending of this book coming from a mile away, the whole concept was so odd, but that made it great.
  The world and the characters were clearly so well thought out, it was marvellous.
  I loved this book and would definitely recommend
  
• 
  Kasi

  This book had a great premise and a fun world but the writing seemed so incredibly choppy and randomly spontaneous. I felt like it just jumped quickly from one thing to the next. It very much felt like a poorly translated book but I’m pretty sure it isn’t translated. Not a series I will continue on with.
• 
  Maya Epstein

  My mother purchased this book for me when I was eleven. An obstinate prepubescent, I refused to read it until I rediscovered it on my shelves this year. It was cute. I probably should’ve read it when I was younger, because I definitely would’ve enjoyed it more, but alas. A lovely story, overall.
• 
  Snail in Danger (Sid) Nicolaides

  An interesting book. I initially gave it two stars but it gave thought-provoking enough that I bumped it up to three. Probably still more like 2.5 though.
  
  Jasper has been brought up in ignorance of his chosen one status, for his own safety. Which is fine, but 12 is a magical age in this universe, and he's drawn the eye of the local tyrant. He ends up separated from his family and having adventures, in a story that is somewhat evocative of
  The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.
  
  Pretty standard, yeah? Yeah. The thing I found to be most interesting was that by keeping him in the dark and not sending him to regular school for the usual brainwashing, Jasper's parents have apparently given him the idea that he's dumb. There were some interesting undercurrents mixed in with the typical children's fare here, including a journal entry that Jasper's mother made just before her marriage and then read to him around the time of his birthday.
  
  The genealogy seemed a little tangled — many revelations of previously concealed relationships. But I don't care to re-read the whole book trying to find them, and there is no legal searchable copy online that I was able to find.
  
  Jasper seemed a little too concerned about his infant/toddler-aged sister Sibilla to be believable for most 12 year old boys, but I can let that slide. I liked Beatrix, who is clearly being set up as a future love interest, if the author writes a sequel.
• 
  Marta Boksenbaum

  A clever and fun story of a young boy named Jasper whose family is suddenly forced to flee their home because Lady Gall, the ruler of their kingdom is after them. Jasper is accidentally left behind, and he takes refuge on a ship that is a traveling restaurant. On his journey he learns more about Lady Gall's tyrannical rule and how she came to power, as well as his family's role. His biggest concern is his sister Sibillia's safety, and on his quest for the welfare of his sister, he becomes involved in a larger adventure. The plot of this story is a bit predicable, but paired with the quirky and exotic world Jasper lives in, this tale is very charming. The dialogue is witty and the pace quick, so the reader sails through the story along with Jasper. Unlike many travel adventures featuring child main characters, adults in the story are present and helpful. Although the parents are helpless in the story, Jasper spends the book adventuring with both adults and children, and includes intergenerational bonds, which children who spend time with their grandparents or aunts and uncles may appreciate. I would recommend this book to adventure seekers, those who enjoy clever books, and those who like books with elements of magic and fantasy.
• 
  Rachel

  Jasper is turning twelve, but for some reason his parents won’t tell anyone his real age. They keep him inside most of the time and won’t let him go to school. But when he tells them that he spotted Lady Gall, the Provisional Monarch of Fontania, try to poison his little sister Sibilla, they gather up the family and bolt. What do they know that they’re not telling him?
  
  When he gets left behind, Jasper ends up boarding a strange boat called The Traveling Restaurant, whose crew consists of an eclectic duo, Polly and Dr. Rocket. The longer Jasper travels with these two, the more secrets he uncovers about who they are, who his family is, and who really ought to be ruling over Fontania. He also discovers why Lady Gall has outlawed magic – and where it went when it became illegal.
  
  Brave the storms and the pirates, the monkeys and the downright rude orphan girls, with Jasper as he journeys on the ship that’s known in every town as the Traveling Restaurant…and find out why it’s much more than what it seems.
• 
  Dena McMurdie

  This is an interesting read. It's a middle grade novel about a boy named Jasper. His parents leave him behind when they flee from the clutches of an evil Provisional Queen. He finds refuge on a small vessel called The Traveling Restaurant. With the help of the boat's Captain and Polly (the only other crew member), he goes in search of his lost family members while trying to elude the grasp of the Queen.
  
  The book is well written and the plot is somewhat entertaining. There are bursts of excitement, usually when the Restaurant pulls into harbor, or when they meet another ship on the Old Ocean. Between these bursts, parts of the story tend to drag. The content is clean, and the characters are generally likable, yet elusive. Nobody answers questions—at least not honestly.
  
  This book is for a specific type of reader. I can't decide if I liked it or not. If you have access to the book (like through your library), give it a shot. You may love it.
  
  Content: clean
  
  My blog:
  Batch of Books
• 
  Margo Brooks

  This is a sophisticated children's book that features a dystopian land, a quest to rescue magic, self discovery, and the importance of family, along with some hair raising adventures.. Jasper doesn't understand why his parents don't have time for him or why they bow to the beautiful but evil provisional monarch Lady Gall. But when Lady Gall tries to poison his 2-year-old sister, Sibilla, the family sets off to end Gall's reign. Unfortunately, Jasper is left behind and winds up on a floating restaurant that hides a bit of magic. In his search for his sister he learns about his own strengths as an ordinary boy. This book reminds me of The Phantom Toll Booth, in its sophisticated themes and travel through enchanted lands. I especially loved the emphasis placed on family, which includes the family Jasper searches for, the one he finds on the traveling restaurant, and the story of the orphans of the Great Accident. I would have LOVED this book as a child and I can't wait to share it with my nephew.
• 
  Marlous

  Als de ouders van de 12-jarige Jasper Ludlow hun huis en stad ontvluchten, laten ze hem per ongeluk achter. Gelukkig kan hij terecht op The Travelling Restaurant, het zeilschip van de oude Dr Rocket en zijn pittige dochter Polly. Samen met hen reist Jasper over zeeën en rivieren en trotseert hij draaikolken, stormen en hongerige piraten om zijn ouders en zijn zusje te vinden. Wie kan hij vertrouwen: zijn onbetrouwbare oom, de mysterieuze journalist in het zwart of de brutale, fluitspelende wees? Waarom hebben zijn ouders hem achtergelaten? En waarom zit Lady Gall achter hem aan?
  
  In Nederland verschenen bij Lannoo als Avonturen uit Fontania: Jasper en het Restaurant-op-Zee. Leuk, spannend avontuur met magische elementen voor 9+. Bijzonder aan de Engelse vormgeving: een losse zwart-wit illustratie van de kaart van Fontania, voor en achter ingeplakt als schutblad!
• 
  Crystallinum

  Hands down, this is one of the worst book I've EVER read. I was trying to pluck up every tiny bit of information while I read the book. At the end of the story, I still had ABSOLUTELY NO idea what he looked like, except that he was skinny and had brown hair or something. Throughout the entire story, I felt empty, no feelings, nothing, even when he was left behind, I felt no pity for him. The characters were so undeveloped that I felt every character DESERVED whatever bad thing happens to them.
  What happened to Jasper's mother and father throughout the entire story? They were in the story at the start and BAM! They disappeared. And they then reappeared at the last few chapters of the story. There was only ONE mention of is parents in the middle of the story, the rest were mostly about Jasper's little sister, Sibilla.
  I do not recommend this book to ANYONE.
• 
  Melissa

  Lovely characters! The start is a little wobbly...the reader is dropped in the middle of the story but struggling to get his/her bearings as to what direction we're heading in, who's really important to the story and who's not. It took me a little to get grounded into the story. BUT I LOVED the traveling restaurant idea! It was yummy! And showed how food can work its own magic! It's important for "American readers" to realize that not all stories are the same as those from other countries. Barbara Else is a writer from New Zealand and I loved her style. It was colorful and different, with real characters and pirates. Have to love the pirates. Really, grumpy pirates being made not grumpy by good food. A lesson for us all. ;)
• 
  Sarah Laing

  I really enjoyed reading this to Otto, my 8-year-old, and wished that I was writing a book like this myself. It was a wonderful fairy story, an adventure story, a pirate story, and a tale of political double-crossing and intrigue. Barbara obviously took on board the advice that children like lots of food because it was jam-packed with pies and poached eggs, and scones loaded with cream. One thing slightly bothered me - I didn't believe that Jasper would be so clueless about his magic powers, and neither did Otto. After a slightly slow start, Otto was thoroughly engaged in this book, and begged me not to stop reading at bedtime.
• 
  Mamatufy

  Jasper Ludlow begins an ordinary birthday but things quickly go sideways when an unknown uncle shows up & his family is forced to flee. The provisional monarch is out to become the true queen but must first find the absentee King, Jasper's uncle. Jasper is mistakenly left behind & finds himself journey across the vast Old Ocean with the help of some surprising & more unknown relatives to locate his family & prevent the evil provisional monarch from destroying Fontania. There's a lot going on in this story & it's often confusing but it makes for an interesting magical adventure.