Socks & Secret Quests
Autor Triona Murphy Ilustrat de James Firnhaberen Limba Engleză Hardback – 20 oct 2026 – vârsta până la 12 ani
Peri has been waiting for her magic to show up, but there’s been no sign of it since she was chosen as an Apprentice Shopkeeper a year ago. Now she travels with a magical shop that equips adventurers for their quests, unsure if she’ll ever do more than stock shelves, mend mittens, and knit non-magical hats that don’t do anything but keep heads warm.
Then a dark wizard kidnaps the Master Shopkeeper, intent on using her power to create an unstoppable army.
To save her master, Peri must leave the cozy shop and seek help from the closest adventuring party, who is really good at arguing and really bad at working together. As Peri’s magic unexpectedly begins to show itself in the items she’s knitting, it’s up to her and her team to stop the dark wizard before war breaks out—or it won’t be just her shop at stake but the entire kingdom.
Preț: 166.43 lei
Nou
Puncte Express: 250
Carte indisponibilă temporar
Doresc să fiu notificat când acest titlu va fi disponibil:
Se trimite...
Specificații
ISBN-13: 9781665990011
ISBN-10: 1665990015
Pagini: 272
Dimensiuni: 140 x 210 x 25 mm
Editura: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
ISBN-10: 1665990015
Pagini: 272
Dimensiuni: 140 x 210 x 25 mm
Editura: Atheneum Books for Young Readers
Notă biografică
Triona Murphydesigns (unfortunately nonmagical) knitting patterns, which provided the inspiration for Peri’s unique magic in The Wandering Shop series. She lives near Portland, Oregon, with her husband and three kids in a house overflowing with board games and books. Visit her online at TrionaMurphy.com.
James Firnhaber is an illustrator based in Philadelphia. His work draws on his love of mythology, magical realism, graphic novels, and traditional animation. When they’re not illustrating, James designs board games and helps run the Game Makers Guild of Philadelphia. Besides drawing and designing games, James loves discovering new music, baking bread, and spending time with their partner cooking, watching monster of the week shows, and exploring the city. Visit him online at JamesFirnhaber.com.
James Firnhaber is an illustrator based in Philadelphia. His work draws on his love of mythology, magical realism, graphic novels, and traditional animation. When they’re not illustrating, James designs board games and helps run the Game Makers Guild of Philadelphia. Besides drawing and designing games, James loves discovering new music, baking bread, and spending time with their partner cooking, watching monster of the week shows, and exploring the city. Visit him online at JamesFirnhaber.com.
Extras
Chapter 1 1
On days when Peri was being truly honest with herself, she had to admit that being apprenticed to the fabled and mystical shopkeepers wasn’t quite what she’d imagined.
Sure, the wandering shop traveled all around the kingdom of Genta, appearing out of nowhere to equip adventuring teams with everything they needed to succeed on their quests—that part was just like everyone said. Even after more than a year as an apprentice, Peri still wondered how the shop knew where to go. People wouldn’t be nearly as impressed if it showed up inside a building or on top of a tree.
Peri also got to rub elbows with famous heroes, of course. She’d been standing right there when the Sword of a Thousand Cuts chose Lucien the Brave, swiveling to point straight at him like it was a compass needle and he was true north. Not five days later, his adventuring team defeated twenty-seven dragonets and a full-sized dragon, setting a new record and solidifying their place in hero legend.
But that day at the Apprentice Trials more than a year ago, when she’d held the Stone of Power and watched it blaze like the sun itself… it had seemed for a few minutes that Peri herself might be extraordinary. Until Hema, the master shopkeeper, had walked past Peri and all the other hopeful ten-year-olds to whisper something in the apprentice master’s ear. Just like that, Peri had been chosen—not as a hero, but as the first apprentice shopkeeper in more than thirty years.
Peri had tried to think positive. Okay, so whatever great magical potential the Stone had seen in her wouldn’t be used for going on her own heroic quests, or for researching new spells, or for enchanting powerful objects. That was fine! Surely she could still be extraordinary as a shopkeeper. She could still measure up to her amazing siblings—all ten of them—and make her parents proud. She’d figure out how to use her magic, practice hard, and wait for her moment to shine.
A year and a half later, Peri was still waiting.
The last bit of thin purple wool ran through Peri’s fingers, and she put down her knitting needles, frowning at the nearly finished hat in her lap. She reached into her yarn basket for more wool, but her hand met nothing except the sides. It should have taken three or four hours to knit up all that yarn, but she’d done it in just a quarter of that time.
She was knitting too quickly again.
Before she had time to worry about it, Peri heard the familiar sound of cabinets rearranging themselves. Quickly, she pulled the knitting needles out of the hat and began to unravel her work. If the shop was preparing to welcome an adventuring team, Peri’s master would be back any minute. Best to avoid awkward questions about how she was already almost done.
When most of the hat was back to being a pile of yarn, Peri put the live stitches back onto the needles and dumped the whole mess into her knitting basket. Then she twitched a finger at the enchanted fire, which jumped a little higher in response. The shop maintained a comfortable temperature on its own, so they didn’t really need the fire, but Peri and her master both felt that there was something essential about a fire on a chilly autumn day.
The door chimed, a soft bell-like noise that seemed to come from everywhere at once, and Master Hema stepped through, her arms full of baskets and sacks. Tall and graceful, she looked more like an otherworldly forest spirit than an all-powerful magical master. “Everything quiet while I was gone?” she asked.
“Nothing to report.” Peri jumped up to take her master’s purchases and brought them over to the polished oak table that served as their front desk and all-purpose workspace.
“The shop went with a green-and-brown pattern this time.” Hema took off her cloak and hung it on the peg by the door. “It blends nicely into the forest. Hopefully the wayfinder won’t have too much trouble.”
Their shop, one of the oldest in the Fourteen Kingdoms, seemed to enjoy testing adventuring teams by disguising itself wherever it went. It did a good job—so good, in fact, that Peri and Hema had occasionally been forced to hang around outside, coughing loudly, as a team wandered past for the eighth time.
Peri carried the packages of bread, cheese, and root vegetables to the back of the room, where the door to their small larder swung open helpfully just before she reached it. She went back for the packets of sleeping powder and medicinal herbs. Marin, their shop’s resident blacksmith and the closest thing they had to a healer, would appreciate those. Peri had learned quickly that they had to take every opportunity to stock up on supplies. Sometimes the shop gave them a week or more between jumps, but often they had less than a day.
Hema had settled herself behind the table in her usual chair when Peri returned. “Did you make some good progress on that hat?”
It was an innocent question—Peri had started the hat earlier as her master left for town—but Peri couldn’t help flinching. Shortly after the one-year anniversary of her Trials, Peri had suddenly begun to knit more quickly than humanly possible, finishing socks in a few hours and sweaters in less than a day. She’d waited eagerly for some other power to show itself… but it hadn’t.
Was knitting quickly her only magic?
The question haunted her, kept her awake at night. She had almost confided in her master a dozen times, but the thought of Hema’s disappointment always stopped her short.
“Shopkeeper magic is different from that of wizards or healers,” Hema often said in their lessons. “It requires a deep bond with the shop, and that can take time. Keep watching and learning. I’m confident your magic will show up eventually.”
But what would she say if she knew Peri’s magic was going in another, less extraordinary direction entirely?
Peri sighed. “The hat’s coming along fine.”
Hema looked at her curiously, but before she could say anything, a drawer on the left side of the table slid open on its own. Daggers—some dripping with ornamentation, some nearly as long as swords, and some that wouldn’t look out of place on a dinner table—sparkled in the warm light of the shop.
“Ah! They’re getting close.” Hema examined the daggers carefully and chose four to lay on the table. Two with jewel-studded hilts, two plain. But even the plain ones had the mysterious look of magical weapons, like they were just waiting for a chance to move by themselves.
“Not swords?” Peri asked. Occasionally heroes favored an axe or mace—or, in the case of one memorable woman, a sharp trident—but swords were by far the most popular choice.
Hema took out a soft cloth and began to polish each hilt. “It’s a younger hero this time. Strong, but not quite grown. A dagger will work better.”
Peri nodded. The master shopkeeper always knew details like that. After she matched each member of an adventuring team with precisely the right items and then sent them on their way, Hema would also somehow know the shop’s next destination—and when it was going to jump. She’d said Peri would have the same connection to the shop when she eventually succeeded Hema as master shopkeeper.
Of course, that was back when they’d both assumed that Peri’s great magical potential would be something other than speed-knitting hats.
Peri fidgeted with one of the knitting needles in her belt holster. “How long until they arrive?”
“A few minutes.”
Peri nudged her knitting basket behind the armchair, out of sight of the door. Once the team arrived, it was best to fade into the background and let Hema take charge. They’d get around to Peri’s part after all the exciting bits.
She had to give this team credit, because it took less than a minute from the first murmur of voices to three people stepping inside. The shop’s camouflage hadn’t fooled them one bit. Peri smothered a grin as the lights darkened slightly. It didn’t take a deep magical bond to know the shop was annoyed.
The hero was young, maybe fourteen or fifteen at the most. He was nearly as tall as a full-grown man, but skinny, and in that awkward stage Peri’s older brothers had gone through where they didn’t know what to do with the sudden length of their arms and legs. His straight, dark hair brushed his shoulders as he came forward, head slightly bowed. “Well met, Master Shopkeeper of Genta.”
Hema smiled at him. “Well met, Hero of Genta. Our shop welcomes you.”
The other members of his team gathered behind him, and Hema turned her attention to them. “Well met, adventurers.”
The other two adventurers were also much younger than usual. The first girl was almost as tall as the hero, with two black braids that hung halfway down her back, but she couldn’t have been more than thirteen. The other girl, short and pale with cropped hair, looked close to Peri’s age.
Very close, actually.
And she was looking right at Peri with a frown on her face.
Uh oh.
“To restore the balance and vanquish agents of darkness,” the hero said, “we seek weapons and armor to assist us on our quest. In accordance with the ancient agreement between the Hero Council and the Order of Shopkeepers, we request your aid.”
Hema nodded, her eyes sparkling. She liked it when the heroes delivered the ritual lines well. Some stammered through or read them off cards, but not this one.
“I’m Niam,” the hero went on, “and this is Audra, our wayfinder.” He pointed to the tall girl, who smiled at them so cheerfully that Peri couldn’t help smiling back.
Strange behavior, for a wayfinder. They weren’t exactly known for their people skills.
“And this is our wizard, Bree.” Niam indicated the other girl, who was still staring intently at Peri.
Peri’s smile faded. With any luck, Bree wouldn’t remember where she’d seen Peri before. Hopefully she’d just let it go.
“I am Master Shopkeeper Hema, and this is my apprentice, Peri.”
The second Bree heard Peri’s name, her face cleared, and she snapped her fingers. “You’re that girl. From the Trials.”
There was a beat of uncomfortable silence.
“You two know each other?” the wayfinder asked, looking from one to the other.
“We were at the same Apprentice Trials, in the Southern Plains,” Bree said. “When Peri touched the Stone of Power, it lit up like somebody’d set it on fire. The apprentice master said he’d never seen anything like it.”
All heads swiveled to Peri. Her cheeks burned.
So much for fading into the background.
On days when Peri was being truly honest with herself, she had to admit that being apprenticed to the fabled and mystical shopkeepers wasn’t quite what she’d imagined.
Sure, the wandering shop traveled all around the kingdom of Genta, appearing out of nowhere to equip adventuring teams with everything they needed to succeed on their quests—that part was just like everyone said. Even after more than a year as an apprentice, Peri still wondered how the shop knew where to go. People wouldn’t be nearly as impressed if it showed up inside a building or on top of a tree.
Peri also got to rub elbows with famous heroes, of course. She’d been standing right there when the Sword of a Thousand Cuts chose Lucien the Brave, swiveling to point straight at him like it was a compass needle and he was true north. Not five days later, his adventuring team defeated twenty-seven dragonets and a full-sized dragon, setting a new record and solidifying their place in hero legend.
But that day at the Apprentice Trials more than a year ago, when she’d held the Stone of Power and watched it blaze like the sun itself… it had seemed for a few minutes that Peri herself might be extraordinary. Until Hema, the master shopkeeper, had walked past Peri and all the other hopeful ten-year-olds to whisper something in the apprentice master’s ear. Just like that, Peri had been chosen—not as a hero, but as the first apprentice shopkeeper in more than thirty years.
Peri had tried to think positive. Okay, so whatever great magical potential the Stone had seen in her wouldn’t be used for going on her own heroic quests, or for researching new spells, or for enchanting powerful objects. That was fine! Surely she could still be extraordinary as a shopkeeper. She could still measure up to her amazing siblings—all ten of them—and make her parents proud. She’d figure out how to use her magic, practice hard, and wait for her moment to shine.
A year and a half later, Peri was still waiting.
The last bit of thin purple wool ran through Peri’s fingers, and she put down her knitting needles, frowning at the nearly finished hat in her lap. She reached into her yarn basket for more wool, but her hand met nothing except the sides. It should have taken three or four hours to knit up all that yarn, but she’d done it in just a quarter of that time.
She was knitting too quickly again.
Before she had time to worry about it, Peri heard the familiar sound of cabinets rearranging themselves. Quickly, she pulled the knitting needles out of the hat and began to unravel her work. If the shop was preparing to welcome an adventuring team, Peri’s master would be back any minute. Best to avoid awkward questions about how she was already almost done.
When most of the hat was back to being a pile of yarn, Peri put the live stitches back onto the needles and dumped the whole mess into her knitting basket. Then she twitched a finger at the enchanted fire, which jumped a little higher in response. The shop maintained a comfortable temperature on its own, so they didn’t really need the fire, but Peri and her master both felt that there was something essential about a fire on a chilly autumn day.
The door chimed, a soft bell-like noise that seemed to come from everywhere at once, and Master Hema stepped through, her arms full of baskets and sacks. Tall and graceful, she looked more like an otherworldly forest spirit than an all-powerful magical master. “Everything quiet while I was gone?” she asked.
“Nothing to report.” Peri jumped up to take her master’s purchases and brought them over to the polished oak table that served as their front desk and all-purpose workspace.
“The shop went with a green-and-brown pattern this time.” Hema took off her cloak and hung it on the peg by the door. “It blends nicely into the forest. Hopefully the wayfinder won’t have too much trouble.”
Their shop, one of the oldest in the Fourteen Kingdoms, seemed to enjoy testing adventuring teams by disguising itself wherever it went. It did a good job—so good, in fact, that Peri and Hema had occasionally been forced to hang around outside, coughing loudly, as a team wandered past for the eighth time.
Peri carried the packages of bread, cheese, and root vegetables to the back of the room, where the door to their small larder swung open helpfully just before she reached it. She went back for the packets of sleeping powder and medicinal herbs. Marin, their shop’s resident blacksmith and the closest thing they had to a healer, would appreciate those. Peri had learned quickly that they had to take every opportunity to stock up on supplies. Sometimes the shop gave them a week or more between jumps, but often they had less than a day.
Hema had settled herself behind the table in her usual chair when Peri returned. “Did you make some good progress on that hat?”
It was an innocent question—Peri had started the hat earlier as her master left for town—but Peri couldn’t help flinching. Shortly after the one-year anniversary of her Trials, Peri had suddenly begun to knit more quickly than humanly possible, finishing socks in a few hours and sweaters in less than a day. She’d waited eagerly for some other power to show itself… but it hadn’t.
Was knitting quickly her only magic?
The question haunted her, kept her awake at night. She had almost confided in her master a dozen times, but the thought of Hema’s disappointment always stopped her short.
“Shopkeeper magic is different from that of wizards or healers,” Hema often said in their lessons. “It requires a deep bond with the shop, and that can take time. Keep watching and learning. I’m confident your magic will show up eventually.”
But what would she say if she knew Peri’s magic was going in another, less extraordinary direction entirely?
Peri sighed. “The hat’s coming along fine.”
Hema looked at her curiously, but before she could say anything, a drawer on the left side of the table slid open on its own. Daggers—some dripping with ornamentation, some nearly as long as swords, and some that wouldn’t look out of place on a dinner table—sparkled in the warm light of the shop.
“Ah! They’re getting close.” Hema examined the daggers carefully and chose four to lay on the table. Two with jewel-studded hilts, two plain. But even the plain ones had the mysterious look of magical weapons, like they were just waiting for a chance to move by themselves.
“Not swords?” Peri asked. Occasionally heroes favored an axe or mace—or, in the case of one memorable woman, a sharp trident—but swords were by far the most popular choice.
Hema took out a soft cloth and began to polish each hilt. “It’s a younger hero this time. Strong, but not quite grown. A dagger will work better.”
Peri nodded. The master shopkeeper always knew details like that. After she matched each member of an adventuring team with precisely the right items and then sent them on their way, Hema would also somehow know the shop’s next destination—and when it was going to jump. She’d said Peri would have the same connection to the shop when she eventually succeeded Hema as master shopkeeper.
Of course, that was back when they’d both assumed that Peri’s great magical potential would be something other than speed-knitting hats.
Peri fidgeted with one of the knitting needles in her belt holster. “How long until they arrive?”
“A few minutes.”
Peri nudged her knitting basket behind the armchair, out of sight of the door. Once the team arrived, it was best to fade into the background and let Hema take charge. They’d get around to Peri’s part after all the exciting bits.
She had to give this team credit, because it took less than a minute from the first murmur of voices to three people stepping inside. The shop’s camouflage hadn’t fooled them one bit. Peri smothered a grin as the lights darkened slightly. It didn’t take a deep magical bond to know the shop was annoyed.
The hero was young, maybe fourteen or fifteen at the most. He was nearly as tall as a full-grown man, but skinny, and in that awkward stage Peri’s older brothers had gone through where they didn’t know what to do with the sudden length of their arms and legs. His straight, dark hair brushed his shoulders as he came forward, head slightly bowed. “Well met, Master Shopkeeper of Genta.”
Hema smiled at him. “Well met, Hero of Genta. Our shop welcomes you.”
The other members of his team gathered behind him, and Hema turned her attention to them. “Well met, adventurers.”
The other two adventurers were also much younger than usual. The first girl was almost as tall as the hero, with two black braids that hung halfway down her back, but she couldn’t have been more than thirteen. The other girl, short and pale with cropped hair, looked close to Peri’s age.
Very close, actually.
And she was looking right at Peri with a frown on her face.
Uh oh.
“To restore the balance and vanquish agents of darkness,” the hero said, “we seek weapons and armor to assist us on our quest. In accordance with the ancient agreement between the Hero Council and the Order of Shopkeepers, we request your aid.”
Hema nodded, her eyes sparkling. She liked it when the heroes delivered the ritual lines well. Some stammered through or read them off cards, but not this one.
“I’m Niam,” the hero went on, “and this is Audra, our wayfinder.” He pointed to the tall girl, who smiled at them so cheerfully that Peri couldn’t help smiling back.
Strange behavior, for a wayfinder. They weren’t exactly known for their people skills.
“And this is our wizard, Bree.” Niam indicated the other girl, who was still staring intently at Peri.
Peri’s smile faded. With any luck, Bree wouldn’t remember where she’d seen Peri before. Hopefully she’d just let it go.
“I am Master Shopkeeper Hema, and this is my apprentice, Peri.”
The second Bree heard Peri’s name, her face cleared, and she snapped her fingers. “You’re that girl. From the Trials.”
There was a beat of uncomfortable silence.
“You two know each other?” the wayfinder asked, looking from one to the other.
“We were at the same Apprentice Trials, in the Southern Plains,” Bree said. “When Peri touched the Stone of Power, it lit up like somebody’d set it on fire. The apprentice master said he’d never seen anything like it.”
All heads swiveled to Peri. Her cheeks burned.
So much for fading into the background.
Recenzii
“The wonderfully rendered world feels cozily familiar but makes room for fresh ideas—magic manifested via knitting needles is a particularly charming detail. The other questing partners make for complex characters of their own, while Peri’s plight will especially appeal to any reader struggling under the weight of outsized expectations. A riveting read that reveals that there’s a hero—and a little magic—hidden in everyone.”
“With its magical items and roving adventurers, the worldbuilding in Murphy’s debut will appeal to fans of tabletop role-playing games. A spirited tale of fiber arts and hard-won friendship.”
"An action-filled romp, perfect for young Dungeons & Dragons fans."
"A tale of high adventure, magic, and friendship! A must-read!" —Jessica Day George, New York Times bestselling author
“With clever characters, an intriguing world, and quick pacing, Socks and Secret Quests is a novel about the ultimate group project: saving the kingdom from an evil wizard. For the fantasy nerds and the knitters alike, Triona Murphy's joyful debut celebrates the magic of making things. I loved it.” —Jodi Meadows, knitter and New York Times bestselling author of Bye Forever, I Guess and coauthor of My Lady Jane
"A whirlwind adventure full of delightful characters, compelling choices, and magics large and small!” —Deva Fagan, author of A Game of Noctis
"Cozy and quest-filled, this is a story I loved getting lost in! Peri is the perfect heroine, and it was a joy watching her magic knit her adventurous group of friends together." —Ryan Graudin, author of The Girl Who Kept the Castle
“A charming adventure told at a sizzling pace, Socks & Secret Quests seamlessly knits together a lovable band of heroes with a twisty, action-packed plot. I mean, enchanted sweaters, sinister wizards, fireball spells, and wandering shops—what more could any fantasy fan ask for? Young readers will want to follow Peri and her trusty knitting needles everywhere!” —Jessica Khoury, author of The Mystwick School of Musicraft
“With its magical items and roving adventurers, the worldbuilding in Murphy’s debut will appeal to fans of tabletop role-playing games. A spirited tale of fiber arts and hard-won friendship.”
"An action-filled romp, perfect for young Dungeons & Dragons fans."
"A tale of high adventure, magic, and friendship! A must-read!" —Jessica Day George, New York Times bestselling author
“With clever characters, an intriguing world, and quick pacing, Socks and Secret Quests is a novel about the ultimate group project: saving the kingdom from an evil wizard. For the fantasy nerds and the knitters alike, Triona Murphy's joyful debut celebrates the magic of making things. I loved it.” —Jodi Meadows, knitter and New York Times bestselling author of Bye Forever, I Guess and coauthor of My Lady Jane
"A whirlwind adventure full of delightful characters, compelling choices, and magics large and small!” —Deva Fagan, author of A Game of Noctis
"Cozy and quest-filled, this is a story I loved getting lost in! Peri is the perfect heroine, and it was a joy watching her magic knit her adventurous group of friends together." —Ryan Graudin, author of The Girl Who Kept the Castle
“A charming adventure told at a sizzling pace, Socks & Secret Quests seamlessly knits together a lovable band of heroes with a twisty, action-packed plot. I mean, enchanted sweaters, sinister wizards, fireball spells, and wandering shops—what more could any fantasy fan ask for? Young readers will want to follow Peri and her trusty knitting needles everywhere!” —Jessica Khoury, author of The Mystwick School of Musicraft
Descriere
Descriere de la o altă ediție sau format:
Howl's Moving Castle meets Dungeons & Dragons in this debut cozy fantasy adventure about epic quests, teamwork, discovering your magic, and fighting a few dragons along the way.
Howl's Moving Castle meets Dungeons & Dragons in this debut cozy fantasy adventure about epic quests, teamwork, discovering your magic, and fighting a few dragons along the way.