Bone: Quest for the Spark, Book Three by Tom Sniegoski and Jeff Smith

The entire Valley is asleep - but Sleeping Beauty, this isn't. The townspeople have fallen victim to a horrible evil which intends to create an eternal darkness. Determined to save his family and his village, a 12-year-old boy named Tom has found all but one piece of the Spark, which will turn the darkness into light and save them all. All he has to do now is find that final piece, and the Spark will be complete, and the evil will be defeated.
Easier said than done. When the airship carrying Tom and his ragtag group of friends crashes, the group is split up, thrown about by the wind, and must try to find each other once again. New faces pop up along the way, including Roque Ja, the fearsome, giant mountain lion who is pictured on the cover, as well as foes.

This final volume of Bone: Quest for the Spark, a novel by author Tom Sniegoski with spot and full-page illustrations by Bone creator and artist Jeff Smith, with color by Steve Hamaker, does not disappoint. (And definitely read the books in order so you get the complete story! Read my reviews of the first two novels in the trilogy.) Young Tom didn't go on this quest alone, and Sniegoski juggles the various storylines with ease. From Tom's faithful raccoon, Roderick, to his newest ally, a little dragon named Stillman, the supporting characters are just as important to the story. Whether their actions and choices helped or hindered the journey, most of these characters never gave up on the quest or on each other. This volume wraps up the story neatly, then offers up a great cinematic scene right at which could easily lead to a new adventure. I hope it does, because I'd love to read more stories featuring these characters - especially Roderick the raccoon! 

Want to know which parts of this book made me think of Doctor Who, The Land Before Time, and Alice in Wonderland? Read the rest of this review at Bildungsroman.