Isasnora Snores

Carol L Paur

Young Adult Fantasy, 187 pages

Published: 2019 by Black Rose Writing

Reviewed by Lisa J Lickel: Web site: www.lisalickel.com

Isasnora Snores is a delightful young adult fantastical story ultimately about learning to accept differences and overcome prejudice.

Once upon a time, a baby was born—a most unusual baby with a horrible problem. “We heard monstrous clanging and crashing, and the king’s household couldn’t sleep,” Sir Hybroth said, puffing out his shoulders. “Worse, glass is shattering all over the kingdom, and a strange malady has struck. People can’t stop laughing and scratching! If this all continues, surely the Kingdom of Calelind will disintegrate before our very eyes.”

When the kingdom of Calelind’s knights are sent to root out the source of the trouble, they are baffled. How could a tiny baby, a little girl, cause so much havoc? The king is unmoved and does what he must to save his kingdom. Banished to the forest miles from the glass castled kingdom of Calelind, Isasnora and her family carve out a rustic life in the woods. Isasnora is gifted with the ability to understand the language of creatures large and small, exotic, and the stuff of fairy tales. Her close friend and ally is a giant and her other confidants bugs, mice, and birds. Isasnora is influenced by her wild life in the forest and avoids the  training and manners her mother tries to enforce. It takes another kingdom of the forest, her creature friends, to help Isasnora learn to overcome her feelings of anger and rejection and embrace politeness and kindness. Eventually her parents decide to believe their daughter’s fantastic tales of speaking to the animals, and they meet her friends. Learning to communicate comes with a happy price: “‘You finally have reached an understanding,’ Lovel said. ‘For some, it’s harder, but you have overcome the biggest obstacle.’

‘What is that?’ Sir Callum asked.

‘Doubt,’ the slug replied.”

Along with acceptance and tolerance, Isasnora and her family and friends must also overcome jealousy and learn the value of the truth and obedience. The young son of a neighboring kingdom finds refuge with Isasnora’s family, but when George’s father declares war on Calelind and George, along with Isasnora’s father, go to battle, Isasnora wants to be more than “the girl who snores.” and follows them.

Although written for kids, Paur’s vocabulary is quite fun including words like corpulent, vociferously, malaise, and impudent, and fun phrases like “keep a low profile.” This is the first of a series, and the next quest is introduced at the end of the book. Those who enjoy fantasy tales of queens and kingdoms, giants and dragons; stories that have a feel of Alice in Wonderland, will enjoy this story.

Reviewer Lisa Lickel writes from the peaceful rolling hills of western Wisconsin. A multi-published, best-selling and award-winning novelist, she also writes short stories and radio theater, occasional articles, is an avid book reviewer, blogger, and a freelance editor. She and her husband travel and enjoy family time.