Daine (13)--father unknown, mother killed by bandits--has "wild magic'': an empathy with animals so deep that, until she meets the wizard Numair, she's in danger of turning animal herself. Numair teaches her control just in time: something has freed the Immortals--dragons and griffins, who are not enemies; monstrous spidrons and Stormwings, who are and who have allied themselves with human marauders. When Numair's magic is nullified by other wizards, Daine's wild magic overcomes their enemies. Now she's free to find out who she is, why a badger visits her dreams, and who her father is. A feel-good epic--personable and sweet--in which animals are both buddies and supper. Despite the sitcom dialogue and characters like Lady Knight Alanna (she burps her babies with one hand, slays ogres with the other), Pierce makes both Daine and her quest likable. No doubt to be continued since, at the end, Daine is left with a baby dragon to raise. (Fiction. 10+)
