Muddle Earth

Randalf is an apprentice wizard – he only knows one spell and some of that is guesswork – but he is the only wizard left to save Muddle Earth from the evil Dr Cuddles.

He tries to conjure up a mighty warrior to help him, but what he gets instead is schoolboy Joe, accompanied by his dog, Henry.

Together with Norbert the ogre and the sarcastic budgie Veronica they set off on their quest, which also involves singing curtains, lively cutlery, a dragon and a warrior princess. Joe soon has plenty of material for his story, “My Amazing Adventure”.

Excellent illustrations enliven this comic spoof of Tolkien’s classic. The joke is spread a little thinly at 448 pages, but the dialogue is witty and the characters engaging.