About The Book

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.

Buy the BookMy Review

A teddy bear knight and his best friend, a tamarin bard, travel to The Realm-Under-The-Bed to save their person from a curse.

You’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but the wonderful cover image by Candice Broersma made me want to read this book the moment I saw it. The noble bear in the centre image, with the interesting animals in the circles above him, really piqued my interest. I love animals, and I love stuffed animals, so a story about a teddy bear knight is right up my street. What is even better about this cover image is that it has lots of little details you only notice when you read the book.

Buddy is a teddy bear knight made by the Nameless Wizard. Buddy, and his magic sword Aura, have sworn to protect a little girl called Meiya. His best friend is the bard Estaban, who is a tamarin monkey. Buddy and Aura guard Meiya at night from the monsters that creep into her bedroom from The Realm-Under-The-Bed and attack her while she sleeps. When a monster successfully places a powerful curse upon Meiya, Buddy and Estaban must journey into The Realm-Under-The-Bed to find the Queen of Sorrow. They only have until morning to lift the curse. The Realm-Under-The-Bed is made up of many dangerous and interesting lands. Buddy and Estaban meet new friends to aid them in their quest as they search for the fearsome Queen of Sorrow. Can the toys’ friendship and heart prove victorious in their quest?

Buddy is the hero of this tale. He is brave, loving, and good. All the qualities that a knight should have. I love the different challenges he faces as a stuffed animal. For example, he carries a little kit of spare stuffing, a needle, and thread in case of injury during battle.

Buddy is a great character. He’s very loving and never hesitates to do the right thing and protect others. He will do anything to save Meiya from the curse. It’s not specified what the curse will do to Meiya, but it is obviously something very bad. Buddy doesn’t hesitate to save her, no matter the cost to himself.

Estaban, the tamarin bard, is his best friend and sidekick. He makes up funny songs that he plays on his mandolin and is always there by Buddy’s side. He isn’t a fighter, but he is great moral support to Buddy. He is also smart. His cheerful disposition keeps them going when things look dark.

Sasha is a tiger that Buddy and Estaban meet on their journey through The Realm-Under-The-Bed. She has a beef with the Queen of Sorrow and accompanies them on their quest. She is a great contrast to Buddy and Estaban, as she is fierce and wild in comparison to the toys who have a person to protect.

The writing style has an almost mythic quality, like an Arthurian legend. The epic nature of the prose provides a great contrast to the sweet toy characters. I love that the author doesn’t belittle the importance of the quest because the characters are toys. There is nothing twee or quaint about this story, and the high fantasy noble, heroic tone of the prose is a brilliant choice by the author.

This book is filled with great themes and messages. Being brave and noble are of course a big part of the book. As the toys travel through the various parts of The Realm-Under-The-Bed, they see the value in deciding who you want to be, and the importance of love and friendship. There is a lot of talk about the powers of the mind and the powers of the heart and how they complement each other. These themes are included in the story and are woven through it without being preachy.

The story starts in Meiya’s bedroom and then changes to The Realm-Under-The-Bed. I love how the author transforms the night-time bedroom of a child into an epic landscape. Discarded clothes, a doll house and damaged toys all take on different significance in the magical world of Buddy the Knight.

The Realm-Under-The-Bed is made up of different sections. There is a lovely map at the front of the book. All fantasy books should have a map at the front of the book, right! There is something familiar about each area. A jungle teeming with insects. A desert of dunes. A strange marketplace. A journey down a river. Just as with Meiya’s room, the author has put an imaginative spin on things to make them new. Toys are everywhere in The Realm-Under-The-Bed, but there are other things as well, like talking ships that fly through the sky and collect lightening, and magical puppets that play with time.

The different sections of The Realm-Under-The-Bed are important to the story. Each area provides a challenge to Buddy in completing his quest. The Realm-Under-The-Bed is dangerous and full of tricks. Buddy has to successfully navigate each section in order to find the origin of Meiya’s curse. While some of the areas prove helpful, like the jungle where he meets Sasha, most of them are dangerous and slow Buddy and the toys down in their journey.

The book alternates between several different timelines. Most chapters follow the main timeline of Buddy’s journey through the realms to save Meiya. Several chapters travel back in time to the workshop of the Nameless Wizard. These chapters fill in backstory on the characters, as well as reinforcing the themes of having a warm heart and a strong head and being a good friend who is brave, noble and true.

It can be jarring when a book jumps back and forth with different timelines like this, especially when certain chapters are heavy in character exposition, but this book manages it well. The chapters in the workshop of the Nameless Wizard are interesting and add a deeper dimension to Buddy and his world.

The timed element of Meiya’s curse provides a lot of tension. A poem given to Buddy by one of the toys before he embarks on his journey lays out the dangers he must face, so there is a guide the story must follow. Each conflict and nugget of information that drives the story forward is revealed in a timely manner. The pacing is neither too leisurely nor too hectic but just right.

Some of the bigger plot points could had been woven into Buddy’s journey. It would have been nice to see him learn more about the Queen of Sorrow as he travelled through the different realms. However, it is understandable why the author chose the method he did, and it doesn’t detract from the overall tale.

From the first chapter, when Buddy and Aura fight valiantly to protect Meiya, I was emotionally invested in the brave bear and his magic sword. There are elements to the story that are so much fun that I read them with joy and hope. There is also lots of peril for the characters. I was genuinely worried for Buddy and his friends as they went on their quest.

There are many stories written about toys and their world, but this book is particularly imaginative when detailing the land that they live in as well as their rich inner lives. I love that the characters are not put down or reduced because they are toys. There is no “Wizard of Oz” or “Lego Movie” reveal that it is just a game. Buddy and his friends may be full of stuffing, but their hopes and fears are as real and important as any flesh and blood character. I love how seriously the author takes the importance of toys and their part in protecting children. The imaginative depiction of The Realm-Under-The-Bed is also great.

I would have loved this book as a child. It would be a great book to read to younger children and is certainly a book middle grade children will devour. With its themes of nobility and bravery, friendship and love, it is sure to appeal to fantasy loving teens and adults.

I love stuffed animals. My childhood toys had strong personalities and went on many exciting adventures. Some of them are still my good friends today. This book captures the imagination, love and importance of stuffed animals. It treats them seriously and with respect. For that reason, the book resonated with me.

This is a wonderful imaginative and exciting book for children and adults who still cherish their toys and love fantasy. This book treats toys with the gravitas they deserve. There is nothing sentimental about this book, which makes it all the better. With a new, imaginative take on toys and a blend of epic fantasy that provides strong world building, this is a wonderful adventure story that is suitable for the whole family.

This book ends on a satisfactory note, but there is certainly room for further adventures with Buddy and his friends. I will be sure to read any more books about Buddy.

About the Author

A native son of Massachusetts, Peter has been living in the Deep South for over 25 years. By day, he’s an insurance professional, saving the world one policy at a time. But at night, well, no one really wants to see him fighting crime in his Spider-Man onesie. Instead, Peter develops new worlds of adventure influenced by his love of science fiction, mysteries, music and fantasy. Whether it’s running role-playing games for his long-time friends, watching his beloved New England sporting teams vie for another championship, or just chilling with a movie, his wife, two boys, one puppy and three cats, Peter’s imagination is always on the move. It’s the reason why his stories are an eclectic blend of intrigue, excitement, humor and magic, drawn from four decade’s worth of television, film, novels and comic books.

One response to “Book Tour: Buddy The Knight and the Queen of Sorrow by Peter David”Valinora TroyApril 5, 2025

What a great review! I too love my stuffies! This sounds like my kind of book, and I am really sorry I missed the tour too. I’ll add it to my TBR! Thanks for the recommendation!

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