A fun and interesting read. I loved Friend! So creative!

Good book for middle-grade readers, but not one I would recommend for higher-level readers. The structure and vocabulary are clearly at a middle-grade level, but the book isn't marked as middle-grade or children's.

This book reminded me of the Chronicles of Narnia because of its' allegorical nature. A young man, Paul, buys a book that has a dragon and a gryphon battling it out in a blizzard. The book promised a story full of adventure, and Paul needed something to keep him busy during his school break.
Paul had no idea that he was going to visit his grandma and go off on a real adventure!
Paul volunteers to look after his sick Grandmother, she introduces him to a man named Friend, who travels with Paul on his quest to find a key for his grandmother to make her well.
Paul also meets a talking cat, an elf, a dragon, and many other magical creatures in his search for the key. He travels to a place called " the Crooked World" where he and his friends, Traveler, Friend, Elf encounter a treacherous Enemy in the form of a dragon, a doomed City, and a Book that directs their journey.
You will have to read it for yourself to explore the Crooked World and learn about the magical creatures in their journey to find a key.