Looking For a Good Book

Twelve year old Ciara discovers a book of magic spells. The very first page warns the reader to STOP, don’t read any further, and under no circumstances should anyone perform any of the spells (because spells are very dangerous, especially when you don’t know what you’re doing). But when you’re twelve year old, OF COURSE you want to read on and read a spell or two out loud (effectively ‘performing’ the spell). When Ciara reads a spell she calls forth a dragon. Yup, a fire-breathing, honest-to-god Dragon! Named Scorch. Who has a bit of attitude about being called by a little girl with no magic experience.

But for all his gruffness, Scorch is a bit of a softy inside, and even though he’s really old he and Ciara teach each other a lot about a lot of things. While Ciara is initially frightened by the appearance of a dragon, her personality is such that she stands up to him and pushes back when he acts all cranky.

Scorch is reminded of the last time he was called by a young girl, Bianca. And while Bianca and Scorch once had a relationship similar to his the one now had with Ciara, times have changed, even if people have not. Together, Scorch and Ciara will need to trust each other in order to grow and make some necessary changes in the world.

This was such a cute and fun book. It’s light and lively with a bit of a message – though that message is contained within the story so as not to be too obvious to the younger reader.

Both Scorch and Ciara have strong personalities that read easily and obviously. They are also wonderfully opposite, setting up some nice, middle-school-appropriate conflict. We also have our ‘bad guy’ – the Warden – who is also appropriately characterized. How can you NOT dislike him?

My favorite part of the book are the epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter. Generally ‘quotes’ from Bianca’s writings almost always made me chuckle. For instance:

This book isn’t going to have any truly lasting effect on any reader, but it will be enjoyed in the moment. Young readers will want to read it, and they should! Reading for pleasure should be encouraged, and frankly anytime a youngster is interested in reading, put the darn book in their hands!

Young readers and even reluctant readers will have fun with this.

Looking for a good book? Young readers, and even reluctant readers, will enjoy the fantasy elements and the humor of James Riley’s The Dragon’s Apprentice.

I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.

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The Dragon’s Apprentice

author: James Riley

publisher: Labyrinth Road

ISBN: 9780593813171

hardcover, 240 pages