David J Pedersen

Magic and true friendship abound in this wonderful tale about a very unexpected hero.

Clod's name says it all—his life is anything but perfect. He should be named Claude, after his father, but his mother can't spell. At school, he's treated like a clod, not only by the other students but even by the arrogant teacher. To make matters worse, Clod isn't smart, is rather clumsy, is too big for his own good and doesn't have enough magic to make him count. When a strange thing occurs and one of his clay 'toys' comes to life, not only does Clod have a friend, but now, he's accused of harboring black magic. And that is not something good.

This book was even better than I thought it would be—adventurous and bittersweet at the same time. Clod is endearing from the very first page, and immediately touches the heart. His frustrations are understandable, and the way his mother protects him is heart-warming. Clod is the kind of character to root for the entire way through, even when he stumbles and causes trouble now and then.

The messages in this book are clear but never preachy. Clod is being bullied, and there is no easy solution for it. It takes him years to work it out. The friendships he forms on the way are inspiring, and it's these bonds which help him through at the end.

Fantasy and imagination build a wonderful, magical world. Clod's home, school and town are easy to sink into and get lost in. The story itself is broken down into various times in Clod's life, each marked by his age. This allows time to pass easily as Clod grows and learns as he faces new problems and challenges as his magic increases and matures. Even when Clod reaches the ripe age of 57, in many ways, he doesn't seem to age at all, making it easy for readers to still feel connected to him.

I highly recommend this book, especially for fans of fantasy and magic who simply enjoy the feel of an old-fashioned and exciting fairy tale.

I received a complimentary copy and enjoyed this enough to want to leave my honest thoughts.… (plus d'informations)

Clod is a story addressing bullying, and cruelty from not only peers but an adult, also.

Clod lived in a place of magic. If one did not exhibit some form of acceptable magic, he/she was sent to places of hard, physical labor. However, if one showed signs of "black Magic" he/she was banned from the kingdom.

The instructor at the school was professed to have special skills in detecting a gift for magic. He discovered none at all in Clod and eventually suggested he leave school to do hard labor, to which Clod's mother strongly objected. What would Clod's fate be?

Clod was very lonely and had no playthings. His mother worked in the mines so was able to bring him some of the clay. Clod made a tiny friend named Ada. Ada cane to life for a short period of time and they had much fun. Clod's mother made him keep Ada a secret, so he would not be accused of "Black Magic.

The story was very good,but the main points of the story content was unclear.

The Book Cover and Title were well-chosen.

*This was gifted me with no requirement for a positive review. This is my honest review.… (plus d'informations)

• I received this book free though iRead Book Tours

Where to start? I loved this book, for so many reasons, but I don't want to spoil the enjoyment of discovery by giving too much away. I even cut down the synopsis a bit because I really don't want to spoil the joys of this book for anyone.

This is a book that you should curl up with, sipping your favorite drink, nibbling on your favorite snack and read all at once.

The characters are darling and lovable, well except for the villain, but that's to be expected. The characters also have a real depth to them, which is more than I expected for a middle-grade book. The fact that all the people in the land of Pag have magic adds an interesting spin as Clod comes to age.

Also cake is a major player in the book. Not the band, the kind you eat. CAKE SAVES LIVES! I often feel that the power of cake is underrepresented in fantasy literature, and "Clod Makes a Friend" goes a long way in fixing that.

If you are looking for a fun, quick fantasy coming of age story this is it. I highly recommend this book.

Bottom Line:
This book is a sweet treat of a read. I'm not just saying that because cake literally saves lives in this book, but because it was a great story, start to finish.… (plus d'informations)