The Pennymores and the Curse of the Invisible Quill

Pennymores #1

by Eric Koester

When her brother vanishes in the night, along with all she thought to be true of magic, Parker Pennymore must unmask family secrets, travel far beyond the castle walls, and convince her sisters Quinn and Aven to break a few laws along the way - but what's a hero's journey without a little rebellion?

The new fantasy series delighting fans of Harry Potter, Narnia, Percy Jackson, Land of Stories, The Wingfeather Saga, & the Hobbit.  

Created first as a bedtime story, The Pennymores explores a world where all writing has been banned for centuries (a setting inspired by the true-life events of Nobel Prize winner Malala Yousafzai). But when an unstoppable enemy returns threatening the destroy their world, the Pennymores must set off on a quest taking them inside hidden mystical realms, confronting ancient challenges, and forcing them to step closer to the heroes they are destined to be. 
 
The Pennymores is a family-friendly quest perfect for middle-grade and young adult readers who love fantasy, mystery, adventure, and magical realism, including dwarves, trolls, elves, talking animals, and powerful wizards. Featuring dynamic, witty, funny, and brave sisters, the book harkens to classic fantasy stories and fairy tales, with its own set of twists and surprises keeping the reader guessing. The Pennymores shares the power of writing, as we uncover an ancient world where magic writers lived in harmony until a great war forced the ancients to ban magic writing forever, and soon anti-writing zealots used force to stop all writing.  

This "supernatural adventure story, filled with atmosphere, twists, the sublime and dripping with heart" (New York Weekly) features fast-paced action, surprising twists, spunky, funny, and relatable characters exploring fantastical magic and is perfect for fans of Narnia, The Hobbit, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and more.

A portion of the proceeds of the Pennymores benefits the Malala Fund for children's literacy.

Genres: Middle Grade, Fantasy, Childrens, Fiction, Magic, Young Adult, Adventure

363 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2022

About the author

Eric Koester writes stories and field guides that turn curiosity into adventure. Quill & Quest grew from exploring cities with his three daughters; each illustrated guide invites families to follow clues, notice details, and discover a place together.

His novel The Pennymores and the Curse of the Invisible Quill began as a bedtime story with his kids. Eric also writes nonfiction, including Super Mentors, and teaches at Georgetown University. He lives in Washington, DC.

Explore Quill & Quest at https://pennymores.com/quillandquest/

Reviews

[Jenny (slowly getting back from a reading slump) · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a cute read with a lot of magical details, good for young readers also suitable for adults to enjoy.

The world building is great, definitely gives Harry Potter vibe. You will find yourself embarking on an adventure with three sisters who set on a quest to save their little brother.

The sisters have unique personality, you could really tell they were siblings, their arguments, struggles and discussions felt authentic.

The book is heavy, a lot of things happening, lots of characters but it still felt right. Although it took me too long to get into the story and I found myself confused at times.

[Meagan | The Chapter House · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh. Mylanta. This book was SO good. I can’t even!

I loved reading something entirely different from my norm, and found myself immersed in the world and story quite quickly. The worldbuilding was fantastic (and to a level I’ve not seen in some time–really since Harry Potter).

The read was a bit denser than I expected for a middle-grade read–if I can continue with Harry Potter references, it’d probably be on par with Order of the Phoenix. 🙂 I’m surprised it clocks in at under 400 pages! So, I’d say more advanced readers would probably enjoy and have the patience for it. I loved it, and think adults would too, especially fellow fans of HP, Narnia, Lord of the Rings, Fablehaven, and Eragon.

So, so, so good–and I selfishly really hope the authors make an appearance at a local comic-con. 😉

I received an eARC of the book from the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Gumiho Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quills, Evil, & Kids needed to revive the magic of writing!

The Pennymores and the Curse of the Invisible Quill by Eric Koester is the first in The Pennymores Series and is a delicate, fun, thought provoking story. With writing being forbidden, Parker, Quinn, and Aven go on an adventure to find out what happened to their brother. All while finding out about the true nature of writing, it’s magic, and evils that come along with it.

I love that this story’s concept came from the experiences of Malala Yousafzai, a teen who became an activist for girls in Pakistan. Bringing deep societal issues into stories that become so simplified that people of all ages can understand, is where reading meets growth and development. With the magic mixed with themes of limiting knowledge, readers can see themselves in the story. Then, by making the decision to go against it, this story gave a way for children to begin to think about things that may have previously given them limits. But not anymore, their minds and imaginations have the chance to experience being limitless.

Knowledge is power!

There are illustrations sprinkled in which are a great addition to the story. Giving that visual expands the imagination for the readers. Some are in black and white while others are in color. It felt like the ones in color tended to want to present more emphasis. Although the black and white illustrations were more detailed, the ones in color brought a whole different feel to the reader.

This is totally for elementary grade kids. Middle grade all levels, 8-12 years old. With some assistance, early readers would enjoy this story too! Why not make it a family reading day or night.

The Pennymores book two, here I come…actually, I’ll be excitedly awaiting your return.

*This was an honest review for a complimentary copy of The Pennymores & the Curse of the Invisible Quill from Eric Koester via NetGalley

[Monika Pubst · Rating 5 out of 5]

So. Much. Fun.

It's quite a world that's been created in the Pennymores -- the depth, complexity, backstory, and uniqueness are something rare in a book that felt as fast-paced as this did. Not since books like The Hobbit or Narnia have I seen a world deftly developed in this way that didn't feel slow and grinding.

But at the core the book is an adventure story of three sisters -- Quinn, Parker, and Aven. Their personalities are all intriguing and complicated, each with their own flaws and obstacles. But it's the interplay between them that is the best... they felt like real siblings and their quibbles and arguments were authentic.

The book struck me as straddling young adult and middle-grade fantasy -- probably the best example would be the way JK Rowlings wrote in Books 1-4 for Harry Potter. There's more than enough here for younger readers, but certainly enough for the adult fan of the genre. It's complex... there's a lot to the book which is why I'd say the world building is perfect for a series.

Strong strong recommendation. I've followed the author as I'm now excited for what future books will be in the series.

[MeMe · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a parent, watching my son's creative interpretation of magic and the magic of words in this book was especially rewarding. He connected with the characters and the world they live in and found that he related to both. His first impression was that the quill played an interesting role. He expressed an interest in learning more about the Pennymore family.

I loved the concept that this story is about the magic of writing. More significantly, I was impressed that it was written with the help of the author's children, who appear as the main characters. This is a beautiful concept and one that I'm sure the author's daughters are delighted by! Magic writers, quills, orders, and libraries were some of the ideas I found especially intriguing! Wouldn't it be wonderful to have the opportunity to visit a few on my own? The sister's relationship was equally strong. Together they journey through a magical world and discover that the magic of their storytelling knows no bounds and their friendships know no limits. This is an outstanding debut novel with a magical, compelling storyline!

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Parker Pennymore and her sisters set out on a quest to find their little brother after he disappears. What they find are family secrets, unexpected friends and foes, and internal strength and magic. But can they save their brother before it’s too late?

I have to admit this was a slow starter for me. I am an adult and have life distractions but these days so do middle school age children (which is the age for which I would recommend this book.) I was pretty far into the book when I finally got into the story, but once I did it was an interesting story. The sisters are relatable and the storyline is interesting.

All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I have not been by anyone.

[Lissanne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pennymore sisters certainly know how to take on an adventure! I greatly enjoyed reading about this feisty group of girls as they navigate the truth behind their brother's disappearance. With both lighthearted and more serious parts, this story keeps the readers interested.
I do think however, that it may be a bit too long to keep younger readers interested. While the trio was well written and fleshed out, the other characters were not. The plot goes on too many tangents, causing the story to be confusing at times. Overall it's a wonderful read reminiscent of Harry Potter and Percy Jackson that would certainly appeal to readers of this genre.

[Grandma Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was blessed with an ALC of The Pennymores and the Curse of the Invisible Quill. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook. The opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.

I don’t think I have ever waffled so much over a book! There were several times when I seriously considered not finishing this one. It took me a while to understand and appreciate the unusual world and the very nontraditional way this story unfolds. I’m glad I stayed with it, because by the end I had been thoroughly entertained.

This is a wonderfully whimsical and imaginative adventure filled with magic, unexpected creatures, unusual rules, and plenty of surprises. Once I stopped expecting the story to behave like a more traditional fantasy, I was able to settle in and enjoy its charm.

One of my favorite aspects was the relationship between the Pennymore sisters. I loved watching them work together and seeing how their individual strengths contributed to their adventure. I also really liked Parker, who became one of my favorite characters.

The later portions of the story worked especially well for me, and I enjoyed seeing things that had puzzled me earlier finally come together. Riley’s storyline had a particularly satisfying payoff, and I loved the joy surrounding his return to visibility. I also appreciated discovering that my assumptions about Lady Julia weren’t necessarily correct.

The narrator did a very good job and added considerably to my enjoyment of this imaginative world.

This wasn’t an effortless read for me, and because I came close to giving up on it several times, I couldn’t quite give it five stars. But it ultimately won me over with its creativity, humor, charm, and heart. I’m very glad I finished it.

This is a review of the audiobook.

[Boo · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a lot of middle grade books out there but I thought this one was a cut above a lot of the recent releases I’ve read. Read it as a bedtime story with my nieces and they were always begging me to read just one more chapter! Lots to entertain an adult reader as well.

[Carol Yee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the story of the Pennymores! Really engaging with lots of adventures. And it's really cool how the story came about -- can't wait to read more from Eric, Quinn, Parker, and Aven!

[Ethan Turer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a Potterhead and always loved how that book made you feel connected to the book and it's characters from the moment your wand chooses you, to meeting your classmates to finding your Hogwarts house (I'm a Ravenclaw). There's something incredibly unique about feeling yourself drawn into the book the way Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, or Narnia do.

The Pennymores gave me that exact same feeling. I loved seeing the Plumes rebel against the Illiterates, I enjoyed seeing people learn they were the Order of Poet, Order of Legend, or Order of Enigma, seeing characters uncover their magical abilities, and even how hidden world's exist right before our eyes. The Pennymores has rich characters, a unique and complex world and adventure, and a villain with a story that is complicated and makes you question what is truly right and wrong.

Potterheads, Demigods, and anyone looking for those books that make you feel like you are beside the hero on a quest to find themselves rejoice... Pennymores is for you!

[Bryanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book. The basic premise is great!
I had to force myself to make it to the halfway point before I stopped reading.
The writing, to me, felt like a first draft. The bones of something worth my time to read were all there, but so many things happened that seriously felt like the author wrote it and never took the time to make it make sense within the context of the story. There was also a lot of contemporary sounding dialog for a setting that was supposed to be medieval I think? I'm not entirely sure. There's a castle and the main character is a princess, but she attends regular school in the village with all the other village kids? The parents' characterization is all over the place. Sometimes they are "stern but fair" and other times they are "want-to-be-my-child's-best-friend."
This had potential. It did not live up to it.

[Brendan Cronin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredibly imaginative and super fun. My 10 year really enjoyed reading this book and my 5 year old enjoyed it being read to him.

THe story was well thoguht out and logically flowed naturally. My 10 year old plans to read it again as there were many details he thoroughly enjoyed thorough out the story

[Yamini · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really liked the idea of adults hiding things while the kids slowly start putting the pieces together. The villains weren’t simply bad for the sake of being bad either. Their past experiences had shaped who they became, which gave them a little more depth. The magical system was another highlight for me. It has its own rules and limitations, and I liked how those were introduced and made sense as the story progressed.

But despite enjoying the storyline, I just didn’t feel that pull to get back to the audiobook after a pause. I found myself almost dragging myself through the latter half just to see how everything would end. The ending was also a little predictable, which didn’t help. A story with some genuinely good ideas, but unfortunately, it didn’t keep me hooked enough.

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book. A complex story that at times takes some concentration to piece it together. One my tutor group will enjoy because of the magic and adventure.

My thanks to Netgalley, publisher and author

[♤Tonya Johnson♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

My grand daughter enjoyed the book and has passed it on to one of her siblings. She loved the feather faux quill pen too! I'll ask her about her favorite parts of the book.

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to follow

[Nikki Mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun read for all ages! Bedtime was postponed because everyone wanted the next chapter. Definitely recommend this to young readers

[Rebecca · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had a lot of potential but it needed a lot more editing. I was actually pretty shocked to get to the acknowledgments and see all the people Koester credits with helping him edit and shape this book because it had a definite "self-publish without enough developmental edits" vibe for me.
I enjoyed...
The sisters and the sibling vibe
The general idea of the magic writing
The quest and the characters they met along the way

Issues I had...
Internal contradictions throughout the book (example: in Zuma, their guide tells them to go ahead and look around and then a chapter later is telling them to hurry and hide because there are dangerous people who want to hurt them and he doesn't even want to be seen with them).
It's too long. This really should have been 300-350 pages, not nearly 500. There are too many things going on and too much telling, particularly when they meet a certain character about 3/4 of the way through the book who spends literal chapters explaining everything to them.
Inconsistencies in characters as well as in plot.

Definitely had a lot of potential but I found it very sloggy and a bit confusing and the ending wrapped up way too quickly. The quest ends up feeling rather pointless in a lot of ways. A bit mad at myself for my inability to DNF when it comes to books like this.

[David Bond · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is a lot to this book.
That's probably the best way to summarize my feedback -- a lot to it. There are a lot of characters, a lot of subplots, a lot of world building, a lot of places, a lot of challenges, lots of obstacles. But despite all that... it really did work. It's dense but never felt slow (quite the opposite) and much of that is due to the way the three main characters were leveraged to feel like we were on their adventures. I loved Aven... she was hilarious and constantly surprising. Parker was the right blend of rebel and struggling hero. Quinn is the wise older sibling thrust into a role that is certainly more than she's ready for (even if she is at least somewhat ready).

The book works -- characters, subplots, world building, places, challenges -- because you feel connected to the characters in their own role in this journey. The ending was very satisfying, but did leave me hanging enough to want to know what's happening now. I found myself frantically looking for book 2 at the end, only to realize it was the first in a planned series.

There's a lot here -- certainly more than you might imagine seeing a YA or MG book... the characters may be YA or MG, but the story has that right blend to make it attractive for young and old alike. Strong read.

[Cassie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had so much potential! We were completely hooked after the stellar first chapter. From there, however, things went downhill. The author's writing style was a little confusing, and the characters often came to conclusions based on things that didn't make much sense. This also did not work well at all as a read-aloud for them. I think this has to do with the constant, long-winded sentences. Over and over, I was dealing with sentences that were just back to back clauses with very little pause and having to stop and take a breath before moving on. If it was just once in a while, it might make for some nicely varied sentences. These were back to back though.

I do think the story sounds so intriguing, and I hope the kids will enjoy reading it on their own. It may work much better as an independent read.

[Mary Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

I appreciate what this book was trying to do and I love that it was written by dad who turned his children's bedtime story into a book, but I just could NOT get into this story. It was not compelling at all, and I had to MAKE myself turn it on and listen. The narrator is SO slow, and while she did have to do many different types of voices and characters, I did not find her enjoyable. The young boy with the lisp was especially bad. Maybe a middle grader would enjoy, but as an adult, I cannot recommend for a family road trip.

Thank you to NetGalley and Manuscripts Press for the opportunity to listen to this ARC audiobook edition!

[Lynnette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Listen, usually if I don't finish a book, I just don't finish and leave it at that. I was ready to love this book. However, the editing was not great. Like, why do we not know "shutter vs. shudder"?
I also just felt like I'm supposed to know things already about how this world works, but it's not explained enough. I'm just left out and confused.
I read 42%, and it's due back because there's a hold. Maybe I'll go back and finish it later. But if I'm not hooked after 42%, then maybe I won't read it.

[Maria Brendel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Written by my 10 year old daughter: I loved this book! There was a lot of suspense, and I was never bored while reading it. The characters in the story are easy to relate to, and the plot line is extraordinary. I like how the author writes the story to make it feel like you are actually there with the main characters, and you don't really know who your enemies are. I loved it so much that I read it again and again.

[Bri C · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly I tried reading this and have to about 45% of the way through. The plot felt like it was going nowhere. The characters weren't exactly likeable and they were all kind of weird. There's a lot of weird hypothesis with no real ground gained so I gave up.

Sorry it's a no for me

[Amber French · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect if you're a fan of strong female characters/protagonists like Hermonie (Harry Potter), Annabeth (Percy Jackson), Katniss (Hunger Games), Violet (Series of Unfortunate Events), or Lyra (Golden Compass).
If you're like me... you probably thought Hermonie really was the hero in Harry Potter (I mean she was right?) I thought this book was richly written and gave us the right blend of character and plot/story -- all wrapped in a complex world that did keep me guessing and thinking. But for me it was the three sisters who really drive this book and I found myself relating differently to each of them -- at times the perfectionist big sister (Quinn), rebellious middle child (Parker), and the hilarious 'class clown' (Aven). There is a lot to the story -- certainly as a first piece it set the stage well for the series without ever feeling 'bogged down' (which can be a risk when you have so much to tell/show).

I've been recommending to mostly girl-readers (but I'm certain boys would love too) in the 2nd grade to 7th grade set. It's definitely not full on YA (there's no romance), but I think there is plenty here without it (I did get a whiff of a future romance opportunity for the oldest sister... maybe). It's a terrific book, filled with fun details, surprises/twists, and character depth for days. Get it, read it, and share it with a friend. You won't be disappointed.

[Pamela William · Rating 5 out of 5]

When is book 2 coming out!?!?! I hate it when I find a book like this, tear through it in a couple days and realize the rest of the series isn't out yet. Darn, Darn, Double Darn. Ok, but setting that aside, let's talk about the Pennymores. I was in love with Everly and Fonde (all the clever names about writing and fonts made this aspiring author smirk and smile... Garamond Castle... yea my favorite font!) I'd never ever imagined a world without writing... but once you get inside the story it became very real... shopping, banks, libraries, and bedtime stories. All of it had to be reimagined... and that's why I tore through the book... it worked for me.
It did feel like there were really two books in one here -- similar to what you read in the first Harry Potter -- where you have to figure out the world, then have an adventure in it. Pennymores was the same discovering this world, realizing Parker's place in it, and discovering how to save the world. THEN the quest began... but that's what JK needed in HP, so I get the challenge... and this book was definitely up for it. I can only imagine how future stories will play out now.

Epic first one... and now I'll go back to finding another series to fill my time until the next one comes out. Hey Koester writers... any chance we can get a multiple book drop instead of just one book? 😉

[Louie Connor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'll begin by saying I'm not a big fantasy reader, so I was a little hesitant to pick up the Pennymores but it never felt like heavy, high fantasy -- it had that 'fantasy elements' without needing to remember how to spell crazy names, complex magic, and keep referring to the map.
I'd seen some comparisons by other readers to books like Harry Potter, Narnia, or the Hobbit. And while those certainly are valid, I thought the characters were more like what you'd meet in Pixar movies and books like Encanto, Onward, Turning Red, etc. It was fast-paced in that way -- the characters weren't clique at all but had this real character feel that we love about those Pixar movies (I've noticed these movies have become more and more character-focused -- which this certainly lines with).

And that's what was great -- it was a fantasy world, without the complexity you sometimes feel in fantasy. It was more like a Pixar story wrapped in a magical, mystical setting, and that's what has made me a fan. Certainly quite the debut... anxious to see what's ahead for these Pennymores.

[Marie Batch · Rating 5 out of 5]

If The Hobbit, Harry Potter, and Narnia had a book baby. I loved all three of those books and have recommended them to so many people -- the movies were all pretty good too, but the books are always better. And what all those books also have in common is they were great first books/stories that setup future ones, which Pennymores does in spades.
It's a quest book much like The Hobbit where the sisters must collect certain items before the waning moon, and that deadline kept things moving. I may have liked to see a bit more detail about some of the places on their adventures, but that's probably more my own desire than anything else. I'd guess future books will take us into some of those places. But like the Hobbit, there is a really unique set of bad guys at work -- the Illiterates and the Ravagers. The book does a really nice job showing how the Pennymores are really in the middle of this massive conflict and I'd guess over time we will see this continue to grow.

Great story, great adventure, great characters. I've already been recommending it.

[Lisa Evan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have two daughters aged 9 and 7, and we listened to the book on Kindle Alexa. It's a long book (11 hours or so), but it kept their attention for an entire weekend... which is rare. Usually we break a book up over several weeks to listen to it, but they just kept listening to chapter after chapter. So the authors certainly did a great job.
I found my daughters 'playing Pennymores' afterward where they'd each picked up a quill and were writing magic -- one was Parker and one was Aven. Definitely fun to watch. I'll admit I didn't listen to the story quite as raptly as they did, but I did catch snippets and it was fun, sharp, and well constructed. The pacing was exceptional... each chapter had a lot to it, but at the end the girls couldn't stop because they wanted to hear what happened.

Terrific book. They loved it, and I think parents and kids alike will too.