This has always been one of my favorite books.

It is a simple and quirky little gem that manages to have its own unique twists and moments of deep thought.

The story centers around the prime minister who is attempting to write a dictionary.

At first, everything seems to be going splendidly with rather humorous definitions like, "affectionate is your dog, bulky is a big bag of boxes, and calamitous is saying no to the king."

However, when the dictionary reports that "delicious is fried fish," the whole country erupts into war as they simply cannot agree on what the true definition of delicious should be.

Is it a mug of beer? A Christmas pudding? Or perhaps a fresh, ripe apple?

It then falls upon the prime minister's assistant, Gaylen, to determine the true definition of delicious and put an end to the war.

Mysterious characters start to spring up, and the question of "why should I care?" is posed repeatedly until Gaylen finally comes up with the right answer.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book for children above 2nd grade as well as adults who have a penchant for easy-to-read fairy tales that still manage to engage and delight.

I absolutely adored this book during my childhood. Seriously, what could there possibly be not to love about it? There's a boy embarking on a thrilling quest, encountering mythical creatures along the way, a magical spring that adds an element of wonder, and the happiest of endings that leaves you with a warm feeling inside. All of these elements combine to create a truly worthwhile adventure.

However, beyond the surface-level excitement, the book also delves deep into illustrating both the worst and the best of human behavior. It shows us suspicion and kindness, anger and innocence, and the profound consequences that come from allowing fear to dictate our thoughts and actions. A war that starts for seemingly silly reasons can be just as destructive and dangerous as one begun for a righteous cause. Or perhaps the underlying lesson is that all wars are ultimately fought for rather silly reasons?

In any event, this book presents some fascinatingly complex themes in a simplistic manner that is accessible to readers of all ages. Nevertheless, I can't help but find it a little dull. This is the second time I've read this book as an adult, and both times I've ended up setting it aside to pick up something else, even though it is relatively short and really only requires a couple of hours to read through. For me, the charm of the story wears off easily. But I still wholeheartedly recommend it to anyone who is looking for a great book for their children, or to anyone who was not fortunate enough to discover it during their own childhood. It is a well-told good tale that most definitely deserves a place in the canon of classic children's literature.

This is the second book I have read by Natalie Babbitt.

Tuck Everlasting was the first one, which we read last year during fifth grade.

Just like Tuck Everlasting, I truly relished this fantastical tale about a young man dispatched on a journey by the king.

The mythical characters in it consist of dwarfs, a mermaid, and a peculiar little creature known as a woldweller.

I would suggest this book to anyone who has a penchant for action, adventure, fantasy, and friendship.

I discovered the story to be captivating and the book highly readable.

What exactly is a woldweller? Well, you'll have to read The Search for Delicious to figure it out!

This book takes you on an exciting adventure filled with magic and mystery.

The characters are well-developed and the plot keeps you on the edge of your seat.

It's a great read for both kids and adults alike.

So, if you're looking for a good book to get lost in, give The Search for Delicious a try.

A wonderful tale unfolds, demonstrating how everyone can unite and reach an agreement, despite initially having different views. In this story, Gaylen, a young boy, is tasked with polling the kingdom to determine the meaning of "delicious." Given that everyone has their own unique opinion, frequent fights break out. However, in the end, it is someone who previously had no say that brings about a change, simply by sharing the joy of water.

After reading this and reflecting on a long drive I had yesterday, it becomes evident that this is very true. When you are extremely thirsty, nothing tastes more delicious than a refreshing drink of water. It is in those moments of great need that the simplest pleasures, like a cool sip of water, can have the most profound impact. This story serves as a reminder that sometimes, the things we take for granted can hold the key to bringing people together and finding common ground.

I am extremely excited to have read a book with the girls! It has been nearly two years since we completed the last one, ever since I became pregnant with Orel. We have had the family reading sessions going, but I had forgotten just how much I cherish this time with them, all by ourselves.

And we had our very first book club meeting since I got pregnant with any of these babies, perhaps even since we moved back from St. Louis. It was an incredibly sentimental read. Pulling this book from Iris's treasure chest was truly a stroke of great luck. It is short, it is timeless, it is more complex than it appears at first glance, it is suitable for a wide variety of ages, and it is also tolerable for adults.

I feel truly grateful for this excellent starting point in this next stage of our literary journey together. I would highly recommend this book to anybody who is in need of a book to read aloud. It offers a wonderful opportunity for shared experiences and discussions among family members or friends.

I had just finished reading a rather depressing book that delved into the treatment of Native Americans by the US government. It left me with a heavy heart and in need of something to lift my spirits. That's when I turned to a fairy tale.

Oh, what a delight it was! This book was such fun to read. It was like a breath of fresh air after the darkness of the previous one. I am constantly amazed at how authors are able to come up with such new and inventive stories and themes.

They have the ability to transport us to magical worlds, filled with enchanting characters and thrilling adventures. It's truly a gift. As I immersed myself in this fairy tale, all my worries and sadness seemed to fade away. I was able to lose myself in the story and simply enjoy the ride.

It was a much-needed escape and a reminder that sometimes, we just need a little bit of magic in our lives.

I've read a couple of old short stories by Babbitt before, along with a short bio of her. I found her and her works to be interesting, yet clearly having a penchant for the odd. This book truly confirmed that.

In fact, I would almost assert that the best part of the particular book I read was the questions and answers with Babbitt at the back of the book! It was fascinating to observe what she is like and perhaps better understand why her writing is the way it is.

However, as other reviewers have stated, the story itself has a slow beginning, is sort of dark and wandering. But the near-the-ending is "so much better" that you still almost feel inclined to give it four stars or something, and you "really definitely see some value in it." Nevertheless, I'm still just awarding it two stars.

Maybe it's because the overall pacing and the initial parts didn't quite grip me as much as I would have liked. Or perhaps my expectations were set a bit too high based on her previous works. But despite the redeeming qualities towards the end, I couldn't bring myself to rate it any higher.

Overall, it's an interesting read, but not without its flaws.

Thank you, Ms. Keebler.

Thank you for reading this wonderful story to us in 2nd grade.

We still remember your sparkly red chair and that Tab you always had.

Every single day, we would eagerly wait to hear what delicious truly was according to the story.

And now, looking back, we realize that it really is something special.

That time spent listening to you read was a precious part of our school days.

It opened up a world of imagination and wonder for us.

We are so grateful to you for that.

Even today, the memory of those reading sessions brings a smile to our faces.

Thank you, Ms. Keebler, for the joy and knowledge you shared with us.

I vividly remember reading this book during my childhood. Recently, I came across a copy of it at a used book store and couldn't resist bringing it home. I was eager to share this wonderful story with my own three children by reading it aloud to them.

The book has its moments of philosophical musings, which made some passages a bit slow-paced for my kids. However, they were completely captivated by the enchanting world it描绘s. The woldwellers, dwarfs, and the beautiful mermaid Ardis all added a touch of magic and mystery to the story.

The conflict in the book is relatively low-stakes and resolves quite quickly. It's definitely "not scary" in the traditional sense, but it still manages to be intense enough to keep the kids on the edge of their seats and excited. Overall, it was a great experience sharing this book with my children and seeing their faces light up with wonder and excitement.

This was precisely the sort of book that I adored during my childhood! It was an extremely quick read.

As I'm lagging behind in my goal, I deliberately selected something short. Hehe. However! It's truly wonderful.

The story is about a boy whose father, who happens to be the prime minister, is in the process of creating a dictionary. But the problem is that nobody can reach an agreement on what defines "delicious."

Consequently, they dispatch the boy to conduct a poll throughout the kingdom and discover what everyone believes to be the most delicious thing. It could be plums, fruit cake, apples, and so on.

Nevertheless, this is merely the backdrop to the actual story! And I absolutely loved it.

I found the concept quite engaging and it kept my interest piqued from start to finish.

The author did a great job of presenting this unique premise and developing the story around it.

It's a charming little book that I would highly recommend to others.

Twelve-year-old Gaylen is an assistant to the Prime Minister in a fantastical medieval era England.

The king, upon the recommendation of his PM, selects Gaylen to embark on a journey to survey all the kingdom's residents. The task is to ask them what the most wonderful food they can think of is. The most common answer will be chosen as the synonym/definition of delicious in the kingdom dictionary. However, the problem is that no two people seem to give Gaylen the same answer. So, how is he supposed to choose?

During his journey, Gaylen discovers some issues that are far more serious than food. He receives word of someone close to the king who is planning to overthrow him. It doesn't take long for everything in Gaylen's life to start going haywire!

I find this to be a brilliant way for young readers to witness how silly, immature, and out of control adults can become when they are caught up in greed. It also explores themes such as how quickly serious wars can originate from the most inane beginnings and how problematic circumstances can escalate when people simply turn a blind eye to one another. The way Galen's journey evolves from one goal to something else also feels similar to modern times. Just like how news sources might present a smaller story that they know will激怒 people, diverting their attention from bigger issues that some may wish to remain unnoticed. There are numerous wonderful topics for discussion starters in this little story, not to mention Babbitt's great bits of humor sprinkled throughout! It's good fun indeed!

In the kingdom, everyone is debating about what the most delicious food is.

So, the king decides to send a 12-year-old boy named Gaylen on an adventure to find out.

The first town that Gaylen visits turns out to be a total disaster. Everyone there is angry and fighting.

Throughout his journey, he meets an old woman with a very strange bird that keeps repeating (whistles and keys). However, Gaylen just focuses on his own business and doesn't worry about it.

Gaylen then goes to the middle of the forest to meet a woldweller. Finally, he gets the answers he has been looking for.

The woldweller is as old as time and is wearing a gray shirt. The song the woldweller sings is soothing like a mother telling a bedtime story.

This story was a super fun read. It gets right into detail and is a perfect example of a cute fairy tale. It's a bit different from what I normally read, but it's still a great book! It's very creative and entertaining. It's not too childish, but since it's a fairy tale, it has lots of imagination and creativity. I would definitely suggest this book.