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J. Alana Menzies
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The Defenders of Practavia: A Middle Grade Epic Fantasy Novel (The Misadventures and Tribulations of Princess Persnickety and Stefan the Stableboy) Paperback – December 3, 2021

by J. A. Menzies (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 6 ratings
See all formats and editions

An opinionated princess. A frustrated stableboy. And a mysterious Talking Camel with a strange tale.

Twelve-year-old Amber has no interest in useless girly skills. Nicknamed "Princess Persnickety" by a frustrated nursery maid, the feisty first daughter of the kingdom yearns for adventure.

Princess Amber’s best friend, Stefan, wishes he knew where he came from. Adopted by poor weavers, his only skill seems to be caring for animals.

After a strange Messenger warns King Arturo the Peaceful that an army is coming to attack the Kingdom of Practavia, the High Council begins to plan for war.

But all is not as it seems. The Messenger’s camel swears Stefan and Princess Amber to secrecy and then warns them that the Kingdom of Practavia is in great danger. He also tells them that his original rider was ambushed and might be injured—or worse.

They decide that Stefan and the camel will disguise themselves and leave Practavia to find the camel’s rider.

Meanwhile, Princess Persnickety has to find a way to warn her father that the Messenger can’t be trusted without letting anyone know the camel spoke to her.

Can a couple of 12-year-olds and a camel save the Kingdom?

The Defenders of Practavia is the delightful first book in The Misadventures and Tribulations of Princess Persnickety and Stefan the Stableboy fantasy series. If you like relatable characters, tongue-in-cheek humour, and empowering lessons, then you’ll love J. A. Menzies’ heartwarming quest.

Buy The Defenders of Practavia to begin this magical journey today!

Previous page
  1. Reading age
    Baby - 11 years
  2. Print length
    212 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Dimensions
    5.06 x 0.53 x 7.81 inches
  5. Publication date
    December 3, 2021
  6. ISBN-10
    1927692474
  7. ISBN-13
    978-1927692479
  8. See all details
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Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ That's Life! Communications (December 3, 2021)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 212 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1927692474
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1927692479
  • Reading age ‏ : ‎ Baby - 11 years
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 10.2 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.06 x 0.53 x 7.81 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 6 ratings

About the author

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J. Alana Menzies

J. Alana Menzies

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When I was very young, my paternal grandmother gave me "Alice in Wonderland" and "Peter Pan," and a great uncle gave me both Hans Christian Anderson's and Grimms Brothers' "Fairy Tales." While some of the parts were scary and others were hard-to-understand, I loved them all and reread them many, many times.

I still read fantasies. And mysteries. And other kinds of books, too.

And I naturally progressed from reading to writing. Books, articles, stories, and blogs. But no fantasy.

And then one day an eight-year-old granddaughter asked me why I hadn't written a book for "her age." So I did.

And now I'm publishing it and writing the sequel. Because of course there's a sequel.

One last thing. I decided that it was fitting to write "The Misadventures and Tribulations of Princess Persnickety and Stefan the Stableboy" under the name my birth mother gave me instead of my "real" name. So, technically it's a pen name or pseudonym, but it's still very much me.

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
6 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Author Janis Cox
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantasy Journey That's Fantastic
Reviewed in the United States on April 9, 2022
An exciting, picturesque story for juniors and adults too. Excellent believable characters and plot. The author skillfully pulls you along through the story and you don't want to put it down. I wanted to check it out for my grandson before giving it to him. A great adventure to begin his fantasy journey.
I can't wait to read the sequel.
Well done.
One person found this helpful
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K Payne
5.0 out of 5 stars Truly epic!
Reviewed in the United States on January 24, 2022
What a fun read! Although I am old enough to be the grandmother of a middle-grader, I liked the title and the cover photo so much that I wanted to read it for myself. I loved the characters and found the plot exciting. I look forward to reading the next in the series.
One person found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

Janet Sketchley
5.0 out of 5 stars Fun for older kids to read themselves, or for adults to read aloud to younger kids
Reviewed in Canada on April 26, 2022
Verified Purchase
Two twelve-year-old friends—and a Talking Camel—may be the only hope for a kingdom in danger in this middle-grade epic fantasy novel from author J. A. Menzies.

This book would be ideal for a child who’s an avid reader and isn’t afraid of adult-level words like “persnickety,” or for adults who enjoy reading to children. The narrative has a definite read-aloud feel, with perhaps more description than I expect most kids to want to tackle. Having said that, I heartily encourage them to tackle it—it won’t take long for the story to hook them.

There’s plenty to appeal to kids—and kid-like adults—with the children taking front stage in the action despite the adults’ attempts to keep them out of danger. There are satisfying moments of bad guys being conked by frying pans or running into just-shut doors. There are the previously mentioned Talking Animals, along with a secret history of the kingdom.
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