The Dragon in the Library

September 1, 2010

Gr 4-6-This installment has cousins Jesse and Daisy struggling to manage Emmy the dragon's mood swings. At the same time, their adviser and confidant, Professor Andersson, is being held captive by sadistic Sadie Huffington, St. George the Dragon Slayer's girlfriend. She plans to capture Emmy in order to extract information about George's whereabouts. As the children seek to rescue Professor Andersson while staying a half-step ahead of Ms. Huffington, Emmy finally sprouts her wings, enabling the children to fly on her back-a flight of fancy no child could resist. The book is chock-full of interesting words and phrases that may intimidate some readers and delight others, such as "scriptorium," "harridan," "vermilion," and "fraught with emotional resonance," and the reading level seems a bit uneven. However, if your readers latched onto the first two volumes in this series, they won't be disappointed with the continuing quests and adventures of this dynamic trio.-Maggie Chase, Boise State University, ID

Copyright 2010 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 15, 2010
Grades 4-6 In the third Dragon Keepers title, talking dragon Emmy has grown up and become an avid reader and, lately, grumpy, something neither she nor her protectors, 11-year-old cousins Jesse and Daisy, understand. Then a magical book goes missing, as do dogs from the pound; events seemingly coincide with the arrival of a TV dog trainer, Sadie Huffington. When an online dragon consultant also disappears, Jesse and Daisy investigate and discover that Emmy is in danger. Incorporating suspense, magic, and humor, the trios continuing adventures will surely entertain series readers.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2010, American Library Association.)