Best way to procrastinate for my fellow procrastinators - read Minor Mage

Okay but I would read the hell out of a little adventure book with Kiki (Kiki's delivery Service, Eiko Kadono), Mona (Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking. T. Kingfisher) and Oliver here our little Minor Mage.  This was such a delightful little read full of real world-problems as seen through the eyes of a (barely) 12 year old, burdened with the task of solving his village's great catastrophe.

After reading this book, I got my rear in gear and ticked off a couple of things on my to-do list because honestly if a 12 year old (who is still riddled with self-doubt and becoming more self-aware) can take on an insane and impossible quest then I can damn well go on a grocery run, paint that wall I have been putting off for a week and write a few pages of an essay.

By the way, how do Armadillo's do in snowy climates?  Is it like taking a Husky to the desert?  Because if it is, as much as I want an armadillo, my climate just won't do.  *sad face*.  I feel like I learnt so much about armadillos without meaning to.  I love that little dude, Eglamarck the Armadillo

Plot/Storyline:  The village of Loosestrife has a problem, actually 2 problems.  The adults have completely lost their ability to reason and in a panicked, desperate and almost mob-like state, they've basically threaten a twelve year old wizard to end the drought ... or else. The other problem is, well, the drought. See that sounds like the beginning of a Horror Story.  But turns out you need to be T. Kingfisher to take that horrifying concept and turn it into this sweet, hilarious wholesome novella. I loved this whole quest. Oh and there's a talking armadillo.

Characters:  Oliver, son of a mercenary mom, is a brave major minor mage, let's get that out of the way.  He is also adorable! Considering that the child-hero Oliver is so ill-equipped for this quest that he didn't even pack water satchels and proper food.  The child opted for biscuits and drinking ditch water on the side of the road. If that doesn't say minor mage I don't know what does. Even his Armadillo was a bit skeptical of his skills as they embarked on their quest.

Favorite scene: 
"Tying somebody’s shoelaces together with magic had seemed incredibly funny when he was six. Now it just seemed like a waste of magic."
See I disagree little Ollie - this is excellent magic I wish I knew.  Also, Escape from the Brylerys was both hilarious and thrilling.

Favorite Quote/Concept:
Oliver has a love-hate relationship with potatoes, I mean he only mentions the spuds in his inner monologue maybe fifty times.

"Thy? Oliver thought. Who says thy anymore? It’s a writing word, not a speaking word…" (Oliver on the creepy Mr Brylery)

They’d been scared. Scared people did cruel and stupid things, sometimes (Oliver on the adult villagers of Loosestrife)

Fear was bad, fear and boredom together were practically unbearable. (Oliver demonstrating a keen understanding of the human condition - or at least my condition)

StoryGraph Challenge: 1800 Books by 2025
Challenge Prompt: 150 Fantasy books by 2025