Deltora Quest

Ben and I just started the third of the eight original Deltora Quest books. These little books, by Emily Rodda, have been among the first beloved chapter books of all my children. I read them to Robert and Mary when he was 6 to 7 and she 5 to 6, to Thomas when he was 6 and 7, and now to Ben at the same age. They are structured like a fusion of bad dungeons and dragons with derivative fantasy: three characters adventure together through a world threatened by an evil Shadow Lord, solving puzzles, battling monsters who look scary but are beaten with ridiculous ease, and generally acting strangely. But, you know, I would rather read bad fantasy than any other sort of bad book, and these go quickly. Plus they have held the attention of all my six- and seven-year-olds through the whole series, which is something of an accomplishment. So two cheers for Emily Rodda and Deltora Quest, as I read them for the third time.