**"A wildly imaginative world and a plot full of unexpected twists and
turns, not to mention plenty of witty banter." --Sarah Prineas, author
of the Magic Thief series
"Out-of-this world magic, laugh-out-loud humor, and a cast of lovable
characters."** --Sage Blackwood, author of the Jinx series
"A solid fantasy adventure with several laugh-out-loud moments."
--School Library Journal
A thrilling new middle grade fantasy from Texas Bluebonnet Award winner
Joel Ross. Packed with adventure and humor and filled with goblins,
royals, and magic, this is a tale of unlikely heroes who embark on a
daring quest.
Boot boy Ji is tired of scrubbing soles and untangling shoelaces. He
doesn't want to bow and scrape. All he wants is freedom--for himself and
his friends.
He decides to risk everything for a chance to accompany a young nobleman
to the Diadem Rite, a magical ritual that chooses the heir to the Summer
Crown. Ji doesn't care about crowns or ceremonies, but he vows that this
trip will grant him and his friends new lives, far away from boots and
bowing.
What Ji doesn't know is that he and his friends have a dangerous part to
play in the Diadem Rite. One that will change them forever.