THE LEGENDS OF CARAIGDUN

To save their parents, siblings must seek out and kill a powerful dragon in Johnson’s YA fantasy.

Erik, a teen who’s been away for a blacksmith apprenticeship, returns to his home in the Valley of Caraigdun. His mother Jaynea has fallen ill, as have some among his five siblings, who have been caring for her. Luckily, Erik meets a witch named Athena; she helps him make it through the Forbidden Forest so he can deliver an herbal remedy to his ailing family. Just when things are looking up, Gwandoya, a dragon who’s likely holding the kids’ father captive, grabs Jaynea as well. Erik and his siblings are shocked to learn that Jaynea is a witch (like her old pal Athena) and that Gwandoya killed both their grandfather and Athena’s fiance. Now they have a quest: rescue their parents and avenge their loved ones. Conjuring up magic spells on their own is definitely a learning experience as they mingle with giants, goblins, and merciless dragons. Johnson deftly develops her characters in this leisurely-paced tale. There’s tension between Erik and younger brother Brian, who’s still upset over Erik’s pranks in years past, and Aimee and Becka, the two oldest siblings, struggle to keep the others in line, including whip-smart Kami and rambunctious but brave Adam. Familiar genre conventions abound, such as pixies, handsome knights in “shiny armor,” and heroes tied to a prophecy. Settings like the ominous forest and a secret cave are suitably detailed, though the character descriptions are often lacking; A troll is merely “hideous,” a goblin is “rather large,” and two wizards the youngsters encounter are initially called “brown wizard” and “gray wizard” (owing to their attire). Still, this lighthearted narrative is chock-full of entertaining scenes as the kids battle mythological creatures and team up with new allies who join the fight against Gwandoya.

Likable young heroes headline this simple but delightful adventure.