Badge Quest: A Cheesy Brie-ginning!

Gr 1-4–For fans of “Narwhal and Jelly” or “Pizza and Taco,” this first volume introduces readers to the newest buddy team—Pillow and Fae. Pillow is a bear working toward the first rank of heroism as laid out in the handbook for heroes. To earn the first badge for the rank of Squire, Pillow must slay a dragon, but instead befriends Fae, a shape-shifting fairy masquerading as a dragon, whose own quest to become a Pixie Pal is earned by doing good deeds and receiving petals for a flower wand. While living as a dragon, Fae has been accused of theft in the local town. Readers join Pillow and Fae as they earn badges and petals, try to clear Fae’s name, and travel through worlds. This story is fast-paced with a lot of rapid worldbuilding, and the endearing artwork and easy-to-read panels aid in navigating the story easily. Through Pillow and Fae, who are both not explicitly gendered in this volume, readers will benefit from seeing a partnership of friends with different goals and interests yet both ultimately succeed and thrive. The book includes a list of badges that readers can earn on their own, like the “Teaching Badge,” earned by teaching a new skill to a friend, or the “World Hopper Badge,” earned by visiting a new place. Libraries, please note that a sheet of sticker badges is included.