A fun and engaging, if slightly wobbly, story of a girl, her dragon and their search for their power.
A girl with a tragic past discovers the true value of her abilities in this middle-grade fantasy from Purpus (Dragon Magic, 2014).
When an earthquake severely injures 7-year-old Lucy and kills her mother, it’s only the beginning of the girl’s misfortunes. For years afterward, she suffers bullying at school, abuse from her father and her employer at the Cliffside Animal Clinic, and physical pain from her earthquake injury. Her only comfort is when she soothes ailing animals, as she has the ability to sense their thoughts. When Lucy finally reaches her breaking point, she’s discovered by a Dragon Rider, one of an elite squad of young women and men who assist those in need while flying on the backs of dragons. The group takes Lucy in, and she soon learns that her skills with animals may be stronger and more valuable than she thought. As she develops her talents, Lucy begins healing her physical and emotional wounds by making new friends and finding a new “family.” Like many other fantasies written for a young audience, this novel is a wish-fulfillment tale for those who have been bullied or otherwise made to feel as if they don’t belong. Lucy is a likable heroine with relatable flaws to go along with her blossoming gifts. Young readers will particularly enjoy the moments when Lucy soars on the back of her beloved dragon, Harriet. The pacing is a bit uneven, and the exposition can be excessive—a telepathic cat’s abilities, for example, are explained no less than three times. However, the descriptions, particularly of the dragons (“She’s beautiful—such a lovely blue, rich and deep, but not too dark. Just right, I’d say”), may capture children’s imaginations. Although most of the book is suitable for readers aged 9 to 12, the emotional abuse Lucy receives from her father is quite intense, and the last few chapters veer into YA territory, with scenes that feature serious violence and other mature themes.
A fun and engaging, if slightly wobbly, story of a girl, her dragon and their search for their power.Pub Date: April 16, 2013
ISBN: 978-0615763309
Page Count: 216
Publisher: Purpus Publishing
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2014
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
Broccoli: No way is James going to eat broccoli. “It’s disgusting,” says James. Well then, James, says his father, let’s consider the alternatives: some wormy dirt, perhaps, some stinky socks, some pre-chewed gum? James reconsiders the broccoli, but—milk? “Blech,” says James. Right, says his father, who needs strong bones? You’ll be great at hide-and-seek, though not so great at baseball and kickball and even tickling the dog’s belly. James takes a mouthful. So it goes through lumpy oatmeal, mushroom lasagna and slimy eggs, with James’ father parrying his son’s every picky thrust. And it is fun, because the father’s retorts are so outlandish: the lasagna-making troll in the basement who will be sent back to the rat circus, there to endure the rodent’s vicious bites; the uneaten oatmeal that will grow and grow and probably devour the dog that the boy won’t be able to tickle any longer since his bones are so rubbery. Schneider’s watercolors catch the mood of gentle ribbing, the looks of bewilderment and surrender and the deadpanned malarkey. It all makes James’ father’s last urging—“I was just going to say that you might like them if you tried them”—wholly fresh and unexpected advice. (Early reader. 5-9)
Pub Date: May 1, 2011
ISBN: 978-0-547-14956-1
Page Count: 48
Publisher: Clarion Books
Review Posted Online: April 4, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: April 1, 2011
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift.
A paean to teachers and their surrogates everywhere.
This gentle ode to a teacher’s skill at inspiring, encouraging, and being a role model is spoken, presumably, from a child’s viewpoint. However, the voice could equally be that of an adult, because who can’t look back upon teachers or other early mentors who gave of themselves and offered their pupils so much? Indeed, some of the self-aware, self-assured expressions herein seem perhaps more realistic as uttered from one who’s already grown. Alternatively, readers won’t fail to note that this small book, illustrated with gentle soy-ink drawings and featuring an adult-child bear duo engaged in various sedentary and lively pursuits, could just as easily be about human parent- (or grandparent-) child pairs: some of the softly colored illustrations depict scenarios that are more likely to occur within a home and/or other family-oriented setting. Makes sense: aren’t parents and other close family members children’s first teachers? This duality suggests that the book might be best shared one-on-one between a nostalgic adult and a child who’s developed some self-confidence, having learned a thing or two from a parent, grandparent, older relative, or classroom instructor.
A sweet, soft conversation starter and a charming gift. (Picture book. 4-7)Pub Date: March 1, 2017
ISBN: 978-1-943200-08-5
Page Count: 32
Publisher: Compendium
Review Posted Online: Dec. 13, 2016
Kirkus Reviews Issue: Jan. 1, 2017
© Copyright 2024 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Follow
Popular in this Genre
We can’t wait for you to join Kirkus!
It’s free and takes less than 10 seconds!
Already have an account? Log in.
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
Welcome Back!
OR
Sign in with GoogleTrouble signing in? Retrieve credentials.
bookshelf
