Natalie Babbit, The Search for Delicious. New York: Farrar, Strauss & Giroux, 1969.
Again the conjunction of politics and food! After the Prime Minister, hard at work on his dictionary, suggests that "Delicious is fried fish," conflict arises among the King (apples), the Queen (Christmas pudding), and the General of the Armies (a mug of beer)--indeed, everyone is inflamed by the debate, since everyone has their own definition. Even the Queen's brother, Hemlock, a friend to none, not even his sister, insists on being heard--before riding off on his big gray horse. The best solution, it seems, is to survey everyone in the kingdom, hold a vote so that whatever gets the most for delicious can be entered into the dictionary. But who will conduct the survey? The Prime Minister is too old for journey--so he sends his adopted son, Gaylen.
Because the kingdom is not a large one, it seems that the poll should take no more than four weeks. And so Gaylen sets off. But when he reaches the first town, it seems that someone has gone on before him, stirring up trouble, talking against the king. And though it takes three days to register all the suggestions for delicious, not one is repeated. And everyone's passions are aroused by the conflict. But it is here that Gaylen first hears of the woldweller--a magical guardian of the forest--from Medley, daughter of the Mayor. She urges him to find it, and ask what it thinks is delicious.
Indeed, everywhere that Gaylen goes, he finds increasing dissension, more magical creatures, and the keys to a mystery whose origins lie deep in the past. The way in which he brings them together, prevents civil war, and oversees the creation of the definition of delicious, forms the rest of this gorgeous story, told in sparkling language.