By: Peter David
Genre: Young Adult Fantasy
Publisher: Peter Hartog

“Short in stature but long in thread count, Buddy was a mishmash of patches and repairs. Faded over time, they had become proud badges of his bravery and heroism…
Inside Buddy might be polyester stuffing, but further still came the steady beat of a heart…This was the Heart of a Knight.”
Peter David, Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow

When I was six years old, my grandmother gave me a teddy bear. When I unwrapped him, I cried. My mother asked me why I was crying, and I said because he looked like he was sad. My mom sewed a smile on him, and I was so happy. I promptly named him Theodore Benjamin, or Teddy for short and I loved him. Teddy was my best friend and he came everywhere with me, and he still sits in my room today. Peter David’s Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow brought me back to the moment when I got my own Buddy. The days when our toys were our best friends and we had grand adventures with them. Mr. David, in this wonderful, beautiful book, took me back to a time of innocence when we were unencumbered by the obligations of adulthood. As I read this book, I felt like I had come full circle. It was sixty-year-old me and at the same time, six-year-old me, reading the same book, both going on a quest with Buddy and his friends to save his person, Mieya, who is under a curse from The Queen of Sorrow. I truly believe that this book can be read and loved by everyone, from six to sixty. Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow is more than just an incredibly imaginative tale of adventure, it is ultimately a journey of love, acceptance, friendship, and sacrifice. Mr. David has crafted the amazing world of The-Realm-Under-The-Bed, where Buddy and his friend, the mandolin playing Tamarin monkey, Esteban, set off on their quest to save Mieya. While I relived my memories of all my toys reading Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow, there were so many moments of joy, and there were moments that brought tears to my eyes. Teddy has a place of honor next to my bed because I am his person, and I know he will always make me happy. I will forever be grateful to Peter David for this book and my trip back in time with Buddy. We can all take something with us when we read this book. Children will love it for the wonderful story of adventure and friendship, and adults, no matter how old we get, were once those children. We need Buddy to remind us of those carefree days.

“For children could never know about The-Realm-Under-The-Bed, or about Knights and Monsters. That knowledge would spell the end of their world. A delicate balance had to be maintained. Such was the curse of magic.”
Peter David, Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow

The-Realm-Under-The-Bed was a brilliant, imaginative creation. It is into this world where Buddy and Esteban must seek out the Queen of Sorrow to save Mieya from her curse. It was filled with mysterious jungles, deserts of coins, flying ships, bazaars filled with unusual creations, and, of course, the dark realm of the Queen of Sorrow. As Buddy and Esteban traverse the realm, they meet Sasha the Tigress and Copper the Butterfly, who join them on their quest. As I traveled with these companions each place they visited had its own unique charm, their own unique place on the map. The-Realm-Under-The-Bed was truly a delight, and our band of heroes were on a grand adventure through this magical world.

But how did Buddy become a Knight? I am in awe of Mr. David’s creativity throughout this book. Buddy and the other toys were made by the Nameless Wizard, and throughout the book we are treated to flashbacks of both Buddy and the Queen of Sorrow when they were with the Nameless Wizard. These were beautiful moments where Buddy learned life lessons, and how he would come to protect Meiya. The Wizard gave Buddy a great gift that made him a Knight. His precious sword, Aura.

“A Knight needs a proper weapon,” The Nameless Wizard had said…
I present to you, Sir Bear, the bold and beautiful Aura, The Silver Lady.” The Nameless Wizard announced…
Buddy wrapped his paw around Aura’s pommel. The connection was instant with a magic as old as time. Sword and Knight become bonded with a singular purpose: to protect those who cannot protect themselves….
“Let Aura be the light that shows you the way.”
Peter David, Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow

Buddy and his friends were great and well-rounded characters. Everyone can relate to any of them, they are brilliantly crafted characters. We all had a Buddy. It may have been a bear, another stuffed animal, a doll, whatever your favorite toy was. And while we had a favorite, they had friends, a story. Whatever we imagined as we played with them. Through that we can relate to Buddy’s story. He was brave, loyal, and fiercely protective of Mieya. He ventured all over the realm with Esteban, Sasha, and Copper to break the curse the Queen of Sorrow put on her. Reading this book brought out so many emotions. There were the wonderful moments when Buddy and Esteban met their new friends, Sasha and Copper. There were moments when I was tearing up. This little, brilliant, imaginative book captured my heart. It gave me back the moments I loved in my childhood. As I read, I kept thinking about my Teddy, on the night table next to my bed. I’m still his person, and I’m sure he’s still protecting me from the Things-That-Go-Bump-In-The-Night.

There is so much wisdom in this book, but I will leave with one of my favorites from The Nameless Wizard. A life lesson for all of us.

“Life is like a book,” he said as he flipped through the pages. “It has a beginning, a middle, and an end. How you live that life and the choices you make, that is what is important. To fear life knowing what lies at its the end is not living life at all. For all things must end. Cherish life, Sir Knight. Value life. Defend it. But never waste it.”
Peter David, Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow

Overall Thoughts
If you are looking for a wonderful and imaginative children’s story, look no further than Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow by Peter David. Buddy is no ordinary Teddy Bear, and this is no ordinary children’s book. This is one of those rare books that every person, from six to sixty will love and be able to relate too. As an adult, Mr. David will transport you back to a time of innocence, when our stuffed animals were our best friends, and like Buddy and his friends, we took them on fantastic journeys. As I read this book, I thought of my own Teddy Bear, Theodore, who came with me everywhere. I kept looking at him, now sitting in his place of honor next to my bed, remembering when I first got him, the smile my mom sewed on him because I thought he looked sad, and how he was always by my side. I smiled as I read Buddy the Knight and the Queen of Sorrow. I felt the joy of being a kid again, and there were times I teared up as well. For children, this is grand adventure that they will love. Buddy, Esteban, Sasha, and Copper set out on a quest to The-Realm-Under-The-Bed with its amazing places, to save Buddy’s person, Meiya from a curse by the Queen of Sorrow. This is a book they will read over and over because Buddy is brave, Esteban is funny, Sasha is fierce, Copper is loyal, and their quest is simply so much fun. But most of all, they will know that it is a story of love and friendship, and sometimes the hard choices we make. It is a timeless message, told in a unique and beautiful way.

Summary
BUDDY IS NO ORDINARY TEDDY BEAR. 
He’s a Knight, crafted by The Nameless Wizard himself, and sworn to protect his Person, 10-year old Mieya, from all the Things-That-Go-Bump-In-The-Night. 
When Mieya is cursed into a magical sleep, it’s up to Buddy and his friends Esteban the Bard, Sasha the Warrior-Princess, and Copper the Butterfly to journey across The Realm-Under-The-Bed and find the one responsible. 
But this is no ordinary Quest. The Realm is a dangerous Place, filled with jungles, deserts, lightning storms, and Monsters. But worst of all is The Queen of Sorrow who waits for them in her dark castle in the crags. To break her curse, Buddy will need more than his skill with a blade, Esteban’s witty songs, or Sasha’s ferocious might. 
He’ll need Heart.

You can read more about Peter David and his other books on his website: https://peterhartog.com/

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