The Traveling Restaurant: Jasper's Voyage in Three Parts (edition 2012)

Fans of Lemony Snicket and The Mysterious Benedict Society would enjoy this middle grade book. ( )

Jasper Ludlow is a relatable young boy, even as he's being pursued across seas, river and land by a corrupt ruler, pirates, seagulls and a reporter with questionable allegiance. The Traveling Restaurant itself is a boat that just might have a bit of magic onboard, even if it just helps them choose the right menu at each port of call. But in a world where "magic" is a forbidden word, it's enough to place its crew in danger -- and when the fugitive Jasper comes onboard, they're in for a wild ride.
While much of this adventure was exciting and unique, it started to get a bit repetitive toward the end and some of the writing was awkward and terse, especially as I was reading it aloud. Still, Z and I had some fun with this book.

http://webereading.com/2012/10/kidlit-trio-traveling-restaurant.html ( )

When Jasper turns 12 everything changes. His little sister gets sick, his uncle turns up and his parents insist they must all leave. But Jasper gets left behind and ends up in a boat that is a travelling restaurant, frantically trying to find his little sister who has been kidnapped by Lady Gall, the provisional monarch.
This book is a great mix of adventure and mystery with a good dollop of fantasy and humour. It would suit readers aged 10 and up ( )

The fabulous cover of this book was what first caught my attention. I knew that anything with a cover that great must be wonderful and my expectations were fulfilled. Frequently hilarious, this enchanting tale is told in three parts: ‘Breakfast on the Travelling Restaurant’; ‘Lunch with the Secret Prince’ and ‘Barbecue with the True Crown’. Twelve-year-old Jasper, a seemingly ordinary boy, lives in the kingdom of Fontania with his mother, Lady Helen, and his father, Dr Ludlow, a scientist. Since the mysterious circumstances of ‘The Great Accident’ when a scientific experiment went terribly wrong and destroyed the Eastern Lake and the magic maintaining an ideal kingdom, the tyrannical ruler or ‘Provisional Monarch’ Lady Gall, has been in charge. Jasper's father has to work in a laboratory all day making something called 'beauteen', a kind of botox that is injected into Lady Gall to keep her looking young and beautiful.

After Jasper’s Uncle Trump turns up, his parents suddenly flee the city, leaving him behind. Later he finds that they are imprisoned and his sister Sybillia kidnapped. Jasper seeks sanctuary on a ship called ‘The Travelling Restaurant’ crewed by feisty Polly and old Dr Rocket. The restaurant provides food delights which during their travels Jasper often uses as bribery against Lady Gall’s cabbage and bean fed guards. Rocket and Polly assist Jasper in his quest to find Sybilla and overthrow Lady Gall, the usurper who secretly plans to become Queen. Encountering fierce storms, hungry pirates, whirlpools, and troublesome monkeys they sail around the coast and islands of Fontania.

Cover artist Sam Broad has designed wonderful fold-out maps for inside the front and back of this book. A most wonderful and fantastical voyage, very enjoyable. ( )