Rise of the Earth Dragon (Dragon Masters #1) by Tracey West

Rise of the Earth Dragon by Tracey West
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Another dragon book?!?!  Well, it IS me!

I read this because it was included in a preview set for an upcoming Scholastic Book Fair I'll be having in my library in October. I found a book that I not only want to promote with students, but also share with my own child. My six-year-old loves things like Harry Potter and Narnia, but reads on a mid-second grade level. This is perfect for him because it has castles, dragons, and magic, but is written on a second grade reading level. The pictures also keep a young reader interested in this transitional chapter book. I shared the story of Drake and his discovery that he is a Dragon Master with my son. He got excited and wanted to start reading it together, though he's read much of it himself.
What a great book for young readers interested in fantasy. I can't wait to check out other books in this series.

Recommended for readers who enjoy fantasy and read on a second-grade reading level.

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The Dragonlord's Heir (The Ascalon Trilogy #1) by Christina Kenway

The Dragonlord's Heir by Christina Kenway
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

If you love dragon-slayer stories I’ve got a winner for you! The Dragonlord’s Heir is the first book in a planned trilogy by Christina Kenway and it’s awesome!

I really enjoyed the story of Logan, a regular boy being raised by his Mom and living a normal life. His life does a 180 on his thirteenth birthday. After some scary dreams and being followed by a creepy stranger, the truth about his father is revealed. Logan is a descendent of Saint George-a person capable of protecting the world from dragons. At the moment he turns thirteen, Logan is the Dragonlord and he has quite a bit of catching up to do as far as what this means and what’s involved. By the way, he doesn’t have much time to figure it all out because there are people out to kill him.

This is a super fun read for middle-grade readers who love fantasy. I really enjoyed the book. Logan’s impulsive nature drives me a little crazy, but is totally legitimate for a thirteen-year-old boy. His often bad decision-making makes sense because he’s been raised completely clueless about the world of the Dragonlord and the Order that protects him. I think middle-grade readers will identify with Logan’s struggles because he really comes across as a regular kid thrown into a completely strange situation.

It’s a very enjoyable read that has me excited for the second book in the series!

Highly recommended!


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Andy Smithson Blast of the Dragon's Fury by L. R. W. Lee

Andy Smithson: Blast of the Dragon's Fury by L.R.W. Lee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book caught my attention immediately as it begins with the death (and move into afterlife) of an obviously important character! Imogenia is dead. The afterlife seems more like a government agency than an eternal paradise or punishment. After being joined in the afterlife by her parents, Imogenia applies for, and is granted, permission to exact revenge on her murderer.

Fast forward 500 years and meet Andy Smithson. He seems like a fairly normal kid in today’s society. He gets in trouble at school, has parents too busy to be supportive at home, and an annoying sister to deal with.

Andy’s life gets quite literally flipped when he is magically transported to the Land of Oomaldee. He quickly gains things he’s never really had before: friendship, a stable, loving “home” life, and recognition for doing positive things. Of course there are difficulties too, like the king believes Andy has come to help break a curse the kingdom has been under for 500 years. Andy experiences frightful and fantastic adventures with dragons, strange bird-people, and talking statues. In the end he realizes Oomaldee is where he belongs, but will he be able to stay? Will he be able to help break the curse or will Imogenia interfere and prevent him from helping?


This is definitely geared toward upper elementary/early middle school-aged readers, but the story can be appreciated by adults as well. I think kids will relate to the main character in his modern life and they’ll love the fantasy he is thrown into. Kids will like the occasional “farting” references that, as an adult, I didn’t care for as much. As an adult, I loved the Prologue and then had to read in a bit to really get into the rest of the story. By the end, I was hooked and I can’t wait to read the next installment!

There is an inner voice/conscience “character” that I thought seemed a little out of place within the story as it showed up briefly twice, but was not an integral part throughout the book. I’m interested to see what the author does with that in the future.

Overall, Blast of the Dragon’s Fury is a great book. I highly recommend it for upper elementary and middle school-aged readers who enjoy fantasy.


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