Blart 3: The Boy who set sail on a Questionable Quest
by Dominic Barker

Release Date: Apr 2008
Publisher: Bloomsbury
ISBN: 978 0 7475 9357 7
RRP: £5.99

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Like skipping the main course and heading straight for dessert; this is a wonderfully naughty read. Our anti-hero, Blart, who has managed to survive two previous quests (to which he begrudgingly participated) despite his best attempts otherwise, is as raucously cheeky and stubbornly silly as ever.

This time, Blart is without Capablanca (the formidable, if somewhat unrelenting wizard who has got Blart out of more scrapes than a crab in a barrel) – but an unlikely new companion proves to be worth their salt; taking on every unfortunate event with considerable gusto and irritating optimism. Beo, now a Knight, is, as ever, keen to ensure Blart lives up to everyone’s expectations of him – even if Blart is equally as keen to disappoint. Together, the companions must set sail to free the abducted Princess Lois and avert prophetic disaster for Illyria (and no, it is not the prospect of a fruit shortage).

This is superb children’s reading that will fire up their imaginations and perhaps give them some subtle life lessons, such as: pigs are pretty good incentives to action (especially if you’re a pig boy); too much fruit can cause stomach upsets; don’t half-heartedly set fire to a pirate’s ship – you must ensure you finish the job professionally or it will come back to haunt you and girls can, occasionally, be just as good as boys (even if they are prone to emotional outbursts).

The third in the Blart series so far, Blart: The Boy Who Set Sail on the Questionable Quest is a rascal of a tale and highly recommended for grumpy children and adult children alike. I truly hope Barker continues providing us with more barking Blart buffoonery, as I never laugh like I do unless I’m reading of Blart’s misadventures. Sheer magic!