Escape from Wolfhaven Castle by Kate Forsyth

The impossible quest series. Scholastic, 2015. ISBN 9781743624067
(Age: 10+) Highly recommended. Historical, Fantasy, Bravery. This highly detailed novel, the first in a series of five, introduces four characters quickly: Tom, the pot boy in the kitchen of the castle, the squire, Sebastian, Eleanor, daughter of the lord, and Quinn the witch's apprentice. When their castle is infiltrated by bog-men, the four flee before they too are captured or killed. This unlikely crew must work together to survive, even of Elanor has been brought up on books of courtly manners befitting her station, and the knight in waiting israther too aware of his station in life, while Quinn has not yet got all her powers, their rubbing together makes great reading as they must overcome some great impasses.  
Brimming with medieval setting of knights and battles, rush floors and castles, the story is easily read, moves along very quickly and grabs at the readers' throats as the four must overcome some very odd difficulties.
The Grand Teller at Wolfhaven gives them all a gift which can be used in emergencies and as they leave their birth place, they find that these gifts are not the stuff of folk lore but actually help them.
With Tom's dog, Fergus making up the five, they learn their way around each other, showing bravery against all odds and learning above all to survive. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and look forward to the next in the series.
Fran Knight