Betty Steady and the Queen’s Orb
Nicky Smith-Dale, illustrated by Sarah Horne
Farshore

Unlike Dave Schoolboy writer of the fan letter to author Salvador Catflap that appears in the opening chapter of this book, I haven’t read the first story. However, I have read this sequel also starring ‘Right Tough Nut’ Betty Steady, aka the Guardian of Wobbly Rock, and like Dave I laughed a lot. Diminutive in stature, twelve year old Betty is, as the story begins, having a sleepover with her besties, the Crossword Crew, and about to fall asleep when she hears a noise. Outside a figure on a horse is approaching the castle door. It’s one calling himself Andy Underarm, personal messenger of the queen of Upper Crust with a message for King Nutmeg; an invitation to the Turnip Festival, a celebration Betty has long yearned to attend.

The following morning, the delighted King Nutmeg tells Betty that her usual role as Royal Bodyguard has been changed to ‘undercover spy’.Reluctantly, she accepts the offer and off she sets upon her steed Simon Andersen clad in his tiger-print cycling shorts and two pairs of cowboy boots.
After an eventful start, and a two day journey they reach their destination and what a squeaky clean place it is and as for the turnips – wow-ee! King Nutmeg receives a cordial welcome and a reminder from Queen McNiff that he’s a competitor in the Royal Turnip Tournament, something he’d forgotten all about.

On Turnip Day itself, following a night in unsatisfactory accommodation, Betty wakes in a bad mood and as she looks out at the sunrise, she notices a small sprite hovering just outside the window.

Having introduced herself as Misty Jamjar she listens to Betty’s tale of woe about the spell she’s under that’s made her so tiny. Misty invites Betty to a gathering of sprites and pixies later in the day. While there Misty offers to help her get back to her original size but can she really reverse the Toad Witch’s spell? However this offer comes at a price: Betty must steal the queen’s Orb of Ogg. Nonetheless this sounds a straightforward plan and nothing can go wrong surely?

As the tale draws to a close, Betty is given a choice: stay with the queen in Upper Crust and become her full height or return in her tiny form to Wobbly Rock with King Nutmeg. What do you think she chooses?

Turnipferous fun from start to finish with magical mayhem and bonkers behaviour, plus a generous sprinkling of comical characters illustrated in style by Sarah Horne, Nicky Smith-Dale’s second Betty Steady adventure is an absolute hoot.