Quest for the Keys

**Quest for the Keys** is the first Elves chapter book. It summarizes the first animated special, Unite the Magic.

## Official Description

*When Emily Jones was walking through her grandmother's garden, she never dreamed she would end up in another world. But after crossing through a secret portal, Emily finds herself in Elvendale, the land of the elves … with no way to leave!*

*Luckily, she meets the elves of fire, earth, wind, and water. Together they set off on a quest to find four legendary keys that have the power to open the portal to Emily's world. But it will take imagination and courage for them to succeed as they encounter riddles and powerful magic on their way. Can they unlock the mystery and get Emily back home?*

## Notes

* Mr. and Mrs. Jones are scientists who don’t believe in magic, though they are amused by Emily’s imagination.
* Emily's grandmother had lots of nicknames for plants and animals. She loved owls and used to call them "hearts" because their faces are heart-shaped. She would always tell Emily "the heart knows the way." This has a double meaning, as Emily follows an owl to the tree with the portal in it. A similar thing happened in the S2 activity book.
* The tree with the portal in it is an oak tree. In Celtic Mythology, oak trees are associated with immortality. In the ancient Celtic language, the word for oak tree is “duir” which is also the word for “door.”
* Before meeting Emily, Azari had heard stories about humans, but she didn't believe they were true.
* Emily recognizes a few plants in Elvendale such as lilies, roses, and snapdragons, but there are some unfamiliar flowers as well, including ones that have square blossoms.
* Farran brings a knapsack full of tools on their journey, which they later use for the pegasus sleigh.
* Azari is mainly the only one who calls Emily by the nickname "Em." However, in this book, it says that Emily's grandmother also used to call her "Em" sometimes.
* When Richard Jones proposed to Emily's grandmother, instead of choosing a traditional engagement diamond, he gave her a rose-coloured pearl. Emily's grandmother loved it. She always said the pearl glittered in the moonlight like a mermaid's tear. This is how Emily is able to solve the riddle of the "Mermaids' Tears" in *Unite the Magic*.
* The elves find the water key in an area of the ocean called Oyster Cove.
* Naida has about a thousand different bedtime stories stored in her head that she can recite from memory.
* Emily sings in her school choir. Her grandmother never missed a performance and always clapped the loudest.
* The cookies at Johnny’s bakery remind Emily of the ones that her grandmother used to bake.
* Johnny has gold hair instead of his typical orange.
* Flamy acts as a "kitchen timer," reminding Johnny when the treats are done baking.
* They began to doubt if they’d ever reach the wind key and Naida was going to let Emily live with her.
* Naida is able to purify water and clear dirt and pollution from it.
* Farran remarks that every family has a bad apple, but quickly adds: “Not mine, of course . . .”
* Skyra is shocked that a map of the keys exists and has no idea who made it.
* Towards the end, Emily and the elves talk about how they're the next generation of five sisters. Farran points out that none of them are related and that he's a boy. Then Azari jokes that Farran is like a sister to her. Emily thinks they certainly bicker like siblings.
* Skyra actually attacks Emily and the elves with hurricanes. She also uses her wind powers to levitate vines in an attempt to attack them.
* Emily's grandfather is mentioned by Emily and Skyra. His name is Richard. According to Skyra, Emily's grandmother was uncertain about moving to Earth permanently until she met Richard and fell in love.
* Emily had only been gone from her parents for 20 minutes.
* There is an abstract painting representing the four keys in Emily’s room.  She initially thought it was just some crazy modern art from a flea market, but then wondered if her grandmother had painted it herself.