Reviewed by Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

The Crispin Chronicles by Dawn Knox is simply a wonderfully humorous piece of escapist fun. Set in Her Ladyship’s fantastical magic garden, the story revolves around a collection of elves, gnomes, fairies, trolls, cherubs, slugs, and other amazing inhabitants of this arboreal wonderland. Told from the perspective of Crispin the Marble Elf, readers observe the hilarious antics of the other members of this unusual community. The daily activities of this wide-ranging group of characters occur beyond and without the knowledge of the human inhabitants of this grand estate, although their close encounters do cause occasional confusion among the humans and consternation amongst the garden’s inhabitants. Crispin has been charged with organizing the wedding of his friend Doggett to the ever-demanding Nina, and her equally forceful mother Queenie. Their demands will push Crispin’s patience and resourcefulness to the limit. 

The Crispin Chronicles is great fun. It is lovely to read a book of simple, joyful silliness for a change from the often weighty and serious subjects we read. Author Dawn Knox has created a fantastic array of garden characters that will make readers not only chuckle but occasionally remind them of someone they know. There are so many wonderfully comical characters that it is hard to pick out a favorite among them. Gusty Bob, the flatulent toad, is a perfect example of someone we can probably all relate to. Gusty Bob is wont to let loose at the slightest provocation and can clear a room in five seconds flat. Another character who captured my imagination was Queenie, the bride’s mother whom everyone fears. I’m sure we can all identify her with a mother-in-law that we know and love. I particularly enjoyed the battles Crispin had with himself in attempting to define exactly what he wanted from life. As the sensible and reliable one, it seemed that Crispin was always being chosen to be responsible for things to be organized and done properly. He, though, just wanted to be left alone to live a quiet life. That certainly resonated with me. Although this is the third book in this author’s Chronicles series, it is a standalone story and one that will appeal to the silliness, the fun, and the inner child of us all. I highly recommend this read.