My son was instantly drawn to this book with its high-concept and high levels of brilliant illustration by Joe Todd-Staunton. The story is accessible and short with a large font and exciting puzzles to crack. With high pace and high action, monsters, treasure and trials, it's a modern day dungeons and dragons, perfect for reluctant readers.

Kit is very excited to get a place in the Dungeon Running League. Facing fears and bullies, and making friends along the way, Kit and his new friends face puzzles and adventure in their rollercoaster ride to the finish line.

Thank you Nosy Crow and NetGalley for providing me with this arc in exchange for my honest review.

This is an easy to read fantasy adventure for 7-9 year old kids.

The underdog becomes the hero and defeats the bully, which we see a lot in stories and I love it every time.

I also loved how many different fantasy creatures were used throughout the story and how even the smallest creatures made a difference.

But unfortunately there was a lot to dislike too. Especially the use of so many wrong values. Dishonesty (the supposed vegan vampire), cowardice, cheating,.. It just didn’t feel like the supposed heroic ending when they reached it by sneaking, hiding, not helping others and getting a lot of help from outsiders. And not listening to experienced elders and going into something without any preparation whatsoever and succeeding anyway is not what you want a kid to take away from a story.

An underwhelming story that didn’t feel quite right, about a young “boy” entering a competition with two new friends, trying to defeat a bully and his friends, who are entering the competition too. The competition being going into a monster filled dungeon with a maze, puzzles and a possible boss battle.

The way the wizard who created the dungeons, made it possible for fans to watch the competitions, was something I did love!

Was unable to read this due to the formatting of the eARC, which is a shame because it sounds like such a fun book and I was looking forward to reading this. Did not want to give this a low rating as it is no reflection on the book itself, so the rating I’ve given is based off the average on Goodreads (4.35 at the time of this review)

A great read, this went down really well in our house. Fabulous illustrations, loved the style. The map was brilliant, we referred back during reading. Great group of characters with strong Dungeons & Dragons vibes which really worked well. Hoping for further books and highly recommend.

A great chapter book for children who are just gaining confidence with their reading and love computer games and adventures. Kit is a gnorf but is picked on relentlessly by his peers. He dreams of entering the Dungeon Runners trial so when an opportunity emerges, he manages to put together a team with some equally unlikely heroes.

It's a great story of triumphing against the odds and what it is possible to achieve when you work together with your friends. Kit, Sandy and Thorn were all great characters - they each had different personalities but complimented each other brilliantly.

The illustrations and different ways of presenting the text were really well done and it was a really enjoyable book to read. I can think of lots of children who will really enjoy this!

Quick, fun read that I think will appeal to reluctant readers and hold their attention. Fun characters and I know my pupils will really enjoy cheering on the underdog. Good that there will be a series 😊.

The first in a new series about a group of misfits that join a dungeon running competition.

I really liked the premise here but I feel like it was too simplified in terms of writing for its audience. I also thought there was not quite enough intrigue/dungeoning. I was expecting more d&d and this was like d&d lite.

I received my copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

What a great collaboration! I knew this book would be wonderful with this author and illustrator and I was not disappointed. A really nice easy-read, with a good action-packed story and hopefully lots more to come.

A young gnorf (gnome/dwarf combo) enters the deadly Dungeon Trials to prove a point to his bully, and along with his friends, defies the odds to win.

I loved the main character, Kit, as he was so easy to root for. Along with his companions, Thorn the vegan vampire and Sandy the trainee sea-hag, they were the perfect team of underdogs. And, of course, I have to mention Kleeko, my favourite character!

I really enjoyed how the illustration added to the narrative (especially the mini character cards). I’d recommend this book for any pre-teen who loves adventure and hates bullies!

This was a great read for primary / secondary transitions. Kit loves the show Dungeon Runners and when an opportunity to take part [when a team is eaten by a Frost Dragon] he foolishly lets a bully persuade him to enter. All he needs to do is find 2 strangers to join his team, be the fastest to win the treasure and beat the big boss, easy, right? A great read, lots of interplay between the characters who may not be the bravest or strongest, but who are loyal and kind.

I really enjoyed this charming story of Kit the gnorf (part gnome, part dwarf), his love for the incredibly dangerous National Dungeon League, and how to save face in front of his tormentors, he puts himself forward for the Dungeon Trial. It's a light-hearted humorous tale with themes of friendship, perseverance, and kindness. It's aimed for the younger reader, who are bound to enjoy this fun story. Although the illustrations in my e-ARC didn't display properly on my tablet, they looked fun. I think the story would work also as a read-aloud.

What an adventure! I loved this book and so did my 8 year old son. I play dungeons and dragons and have started introducing it to my children so this book was a perfect first journey into that world. We loved the characters and the lessons they learned about friendship and bravery. I would definitely recommend this book for any young adventurers.

Review to be updated once posted to Tiktok.

This was brilliant! Kit has always wanted to be a Dungeon Runner, and then he finally gets the chance. He finds 2 others to make his team and signs up. Nobody thinks they'll stand a chance, and at times, not even Kit thinks they'll be any good. But with some teamwork, resilience, and bravery (not to mention some old friends), they surprise everyone.
This is a great book about being brave and how that doesn't mean you have to be the biggest and that you can achieve things by working together and being kind. I can't wait for the 2nd one now!

What a sweet, exciting start of a new series. I really liked the main character and his new found friends. All of the characters were flashed our really nicely. Hoping they will fare amazing in their next adventure together.
The illustrations were really cute and cool.
Totally recommend to middle-grade readers.

DnD stylised 9-12 novel where you follow the underdogs take on bullies, jelly monsters, self doubt and….hedgehogs with swords?

I loved this concept for a kids book. The character card introductions were so cool and it’s set up nicely for more dungeon adventures with our rag tag team.

Dungeon Runners is a fantastic tale about following your dreams and besting the bullies.

A great cast of characters, with the loveable hero and friends and the nasty bully. A brilliant gateway into RPGs in book format with superb illustrations and a fast-paced story.

This will definitely earn a place on my classroom bookshelf. A great appeal to a variety of students and already some reluctant readers have expressed an interest.

Can’t wait for the next instalment either!

Incredible. Meets the expectations, if you are familiar with the author.
A great world, plot and characters for mid graders.
My 9yo child enjoyed it too.

As soon as I saw the author/illustrator combination, I knew I had to request this.
What a fantastic read! This will be perfect for LKS2 children who love gaming, fantastical creatures and who have a great imagination. It is told from the point of view of the two 'narrators' and then unfolds into the traditional story layout. The creatures are brought to life through detailed description and also the clever illustrations of Joe. My particular favourites were Kit the gnorf and Kleekoo the gobrot.
Twists, turns, tension and challenges galore.
I can't wait to purchase my own copy as it will make a fantastic book for story time.

A brilliant new fantasy adventure series filled with gorgeous illustrations. We are introduced to the fantastic characters - Kit, Sandy and Thorn are a great team but the supporting characters are lovely too - and there is lots of action and humour. A bit like Hunger Games for younger readers, I think this will be very popular in years 3&4.