Deltora Quest

Gr 4–10—This beautiful anime-style adaptation of the Australian book series by Emily Rodda is the complete 52-episode Japanese TV program that originally aired in 2007. It faithfully follows the first Deltora narrative as 16-year-old Lief; his adult protector and former royal guard, Barda; and the teenage forest orphan Jasmine search Deltora for the seven magical stones that will free the land from the evil Shadow Lord. The voiceover artists add depth to the characters, and a narrator reviews the past events at the beginning of each episode, keeping viewers on track. The bonus gallery on the final DVD also allows viewers to scroll through the list of heroes, villains, and Guardians of the Gems to keep this large cast of characters straight. The choice to use CGI monsters in various episodes alongside the traditional hand-inked characters and background is occasionally jarring, but the overall artistic effect re-creates the wondrous world of Deltora. Recommended for fans of the books (Scholastic) and anyone who loves epic tales of good versus evil in magical lands.—Chani Craig. Turners Falls High School/Great Falls Middle School, Montague, MA