The Golden Dream of Carlo Chuchio

By Lloyd Alexander

Rating: 4 stars

Reviewed by Noelle

Carlo is an orphan and considered a "chooch" to his merchant uncle--a useless, family idiot. But when Carlo finds an old map inside a book of fairy tales, he is inspired to look for the treasure it surely points to. So Carlo makes his bumbling, funny way to the famed trade Road of Golden Dreams. Along the way he gains many companions, including: a camel puller named Baksheesh, an ex-thief who speaks little but lies and does as little work as possible; Salamon, a man with an affinity for animals who reveals many pearls of wisdom; and Shira, the girl of his dreams, who was kidnapped and looks to seek revenge on her kidnapper as she heads back home. Carlo and his gang will travel the perilous road, getting ambushed by bandits, rescued from certain death, mistaken for royalty and a host of other adventures as they make their way towards their goals. Readers will laugh as our cast of characters get into and out of trouble in the rough and tumble world of the desert country of Keshavar. An enjoyable adventure story.