Thomas and the Dragon Queen

June 21, 2010
Small in stature yet stout of heart, Thomas leaves his large, loving family to be a page in the King's Company. When his peers at the castle mock him for his size and lack of abilities, the 12-year-old becomes more determined than ever to prove his mettle and earn his knighthood. After two years of training, the king knights Thomas and sends him on a perilous quest to rescue his daughter, who has been abducted by an allegedly fearsome dragon queen. Crum's (Thunder-Boomer!) adventure kicks into high gear as Thomas sets off for the dragon's remote island. En route the earnest boy overcomes his self-doubt about his skills and bravery to slay a vicious sea monster. The tale's tone lightens appreciably when Thomas reaches the dragon queen's island, where the kidnapped princess has been put to work as nursemaid to the unexpectedly benign beast's brood of endearing "dragonlets." Wildish's (Jacob O'Reilly Wants a Pet) high-spirited b&w cartoons enhance the ample action and humor of this taut fantasy, which culminates in Thomas's triumphant homecoming. Ages 7–10.

June 1, 2010

A teenage knight sets out to rescue a princess kidnapped by a dragon and discovers that compromise will (sometimes) solve more problems than violence. So eager is Crum to make this worthy point, however, that she's neglected to embed it in a tale that has much to offer beyond trite story elements and scenes more described than experienced. Stout heart beating in a pipsqueak body, Thomas rises speedily from leatherworker's son to Knight of the Realm, then borrows a donkey to chase after the dragon who has seized the aging King's only daughter. Along the way, Thomas loses his sword, donkey and much of his clothing, reaching the dragon's lair to discover that Princess Eleanor was taken to be nanny to a gang of cute-as-puppies dragon hatchlings. Being the eldest of ten siblings, Thomas expertly lands a hand—and as courage, honesty and courtesy are his only remaining "weapons," the dragonlings' huge mom obligingly limits herself to the same for their climactic competition. Fans of Gerald Morris's similar tales of knightly morality will find this one disappointingly thin. (Fantasy. 10-12)

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Starred review from August 1, 2010

Gr 3-5-In this medieval tale, pint-size Thomas, 12, finds that he has been elevated from squire to knight against all odds. To put it simply, he's too young, tiny, and inexperienced for such an important position. He can't even hold a proper sword. Yet the king has requested that he liberate the princess from the clutches of the feared dragon queen: all the big knights are off battling the enemy. Thomas sets off on old Bartholomew the donkey because he's too short for a horse. He learns that he must defeat a monster along the way, one that has sent many a good warrior to his grave. In a quest that is full of peril and adventure, Thomas must face everyone's worst nightmare: Does he have what it takes? This endearing story is both heartwarming and full of surprises. Thomas learns that a boy cannot be judged by his size or his intentions, but by the decisions he makes and the trials he must overcome. What sets this story apart from other knightly tales are the unusual size of the hero, the tools-or lack of tools-he has for fighting evil, and the delightful events awaiting him once he finds the princess. Expressive illustrations, many of them spreads, accompany each chapter. Memorable characters enrich the realm by giving purpose to the hero's ordeal. This is a must-read.-Robyn Gioia, Bolles School, Ponte Vedra, FL

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

July 1, 2010
Grades 3-5 The son of a leathersmith, 12-year-old Thomas dreams of knighthood, a remote prospect for a small boy who spends his days minding his eight younger siblings. A chance encounter leads him to the castle, where he trains as a squire and becomes a knight when a champion is needed to rescue Princess Eleanor from a dragon. He shows courage and resourcefulness during his difficult journey and defeats a legendary monster, though he loses nearly all of his possessions. In the dragons lair, he discovers that neither his quest nor his peril nor his strength is what he expected. Although the many likable characters are not fully developed, they serve the story well, dramatizing that the qualities, objects, and positions that seem most valuable are not always the most important ones. Black-and-white illustrations capture the tone of the storytelling. A refreshing antidote to the tired fractured-fairy-tale genre, this good-hearted chapter book delivers an adventure that many young readers will enjoy. A fine choice for those early elementary-school students seeking longer chapter books.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)