Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard

Sophie Quire is a twelve-year-old book mender living in a city where stories and magic are outlawed. When a mysterious boy arrives with a magical book that needs repair, Sophie becomes caught up in a quest to find three other enchanted books before they can be destroyed. The story follows Sophie through the city of Bustleburgh and beyond as she faces dangerous adversaries and forms unexpected alliances. Her skills as a book mender and her passion for stories become vital tools as she races against time to protect the books and uncover their true power. Sophie's journey raises questions about the importance of stories, imagination, and truth in a world that values only facts and practicality. The book serves as both an adventure tale and a meditation on why humans need wonder and magic in their lives.

Readers call it a strong sequel to Peter Nimble, though it works as a standalone story. The book maintains a 4.31/5 rating on Goodreads from 1,800+ ratings and 4.7/5 on Amazon from 115 ratings. Readers praise: - Complex world-building and magical book-related concepts - Character development, especially Sophie's growth - Balance of humor and serious themes - References to classic literature - Messages about the importance of stories Common criticisms: - Slower pacing in first third of book - Some found it too dark for middle-grade readers - Length (over 450 pages) challenging for target age group Several reviewers note the book tackles themes of censorship and book burning in ways young readers can grasp. Multiple readers mentioned crying at the ending. One frequent comment is that it improves upon Peter Nimble while maintaining connection to the first book's world and characters. Reader quote: "A love letter to books, stories, and the power of imagination." - Goodreads reviewer

The Book of Story Beginnings by Kristin Kladstrup A young girl discovers a mysterious book that brings stories to life and must navigate between reality and fantasy while protecting the power of stories.

The Great Good Thing by Roderick Townley The characters in a fairy tale book become self-aware and must protect their story from destruction while exploring the relationship between readers and stories.

The Invisible Library by Genevieve Cogman A librarian spy travels between alternate worlds to collect important books and preserve the balance between chaos and order in a multiverse connected by literature.

The Pages & Co. series by Anna James A girl inherits the power to travel inside books and joins a secret society of bookwanderers who protect the boundaries between stories and reality.

The Book of Lies by James Moloney Two orphaned children discover a mysterious book that contains their true identities and must protect it from forces who seek to control the power of written words.

🔹 Author Jonathan Auxier spent over five years writing Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard, scrapping and rewriting the entire manuscript multiple times before achieving the final version. 🔹 The book serves as a companion novel to Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, though it can be read as a standalone story. 🔹 Many of the magical books featured in Sophie Quire were inspired by real medieval manuscripts, including books bound in human skin and books that supposedly contained trapped demons. 🔹 Sophie's occupation as a book mender was inspired by the author's visit to a real book restoration workshop, where he learned about historical techniques for repairing damaged manuscripts. 🔹 The fictional city of Bustleburgh in the novel was partially modeled after Victorian London during the Industrial Revolution, when many traditional practices and beliefs were being replaced by modern innovations.